Honda Accord owners filed 5,446 complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for model years 2015–2025 (see the Car Problem Index for all 60 models), and NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the same years. The 2018 Honda Accord drew the most complaints (1,876); across all years, owners complain most about electrical system (23% of complaints).
Key findings
- Worst model year: 2018, with 1,876 complaints, led by engine (553) and 6 recalls.
- Complaints vs recalls: Electrical system drew 1,243 complaints but 2 recalls, so for most of these owners the repair falls to warranty or their own pocket, not a free recall fix.
- Spike years, compared with a typical model year: 2015 (1.7 times as many complaints), 2016 (1.7 times as many complaints), 2018 (5.2 times as many complaints), 2019 (1.9 times as many complaints).
- Earliest-failing area: brakes complaints came at a median 13k mi.
- Fire and crash reports: 34 complaints mention a fire and 221 a crash, with 198 injuries and 3 deaths reported.
Honda Accord complaints and recalls by model year
| Model year | Complaints | Top problem areas |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 5 recalls | 599 | Electrical system (237), Engine (106), Steering (78) median 40k mi · 37 crashes · 7 fires |
| 2016 4 recalls | 603 | Electrical system (196), Exterior lights (127), Engine (44) median 36k mi · 32 crashes · 5 fires |
| 2017 3 recalls | 534 | Electrical system (152), Engine (62), Fuel system (55) median 25k mi · 38 crashes · 9 fires |
| 2018 6 recalls | 1,876 | Engine (553), Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (337), Fuel system (303) median 22k mi · 35 crashes · 4 fires |
| 2019 6 recalls | 688 | Engine (181), Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (153), Fuel system (112) median 19k mi · 25 crashes · 2 fires |
| 2020 5 recalls | 359 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (103), Engine (71), Brakes (54) median 12k mi · 14 crashes · 2 fires |
| 2021 4 recalls | 231 | Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (61), Electrical system (61), Engine (35) median 69k mi · 14 crashes · 1 fire |
| 2022 4 recalls | 246 | Electrical system (96), Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (60), Engine (31) median 25k mi · 5 crashes |
| 2023 5 recalls | 85 | Electrical system (22), Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (22), Brakes (16) median 37k mi · 7 crashes · 2 fires |
| 2024 3 recalls | 141 | Steering (47), Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (24), Electrical system (23) median 16k mi · 9 crashes · 2 fires |
| 2025 no recall | 84 | Steering (41), Automatic emergency braking / collision warning (12), Electrical system (9) median 6k mi · 5 crashes |
One recall campaign often covers several model years, so the recall column adds up to 45, more than the 18 separate campaigns. Newer years have had less time to collect reports.
Most-reported Honda Accord problems, and what they cost to fix
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Recalls | Median mileage | Estimate the repair |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1,243 | 23% | 2 | 36k mi | Alternator / electrical repair cost |
| Engine | 1,107 | 20% | 1 | 50k mi | Engine overhaul cost |
| Automatic emergency braking / collision warning | 842 | 15% | 0 | 35k mi | — |
| Fuel system | 639 | 12% | 5 | 30k mi | Fuel pump repair cost |
| Brakes | 571 | 10% | 1 | 13k mi | Brake repair cost |
| Steering | 365 | 7% | 0 | 19k mi | Power steering repair cost |
| Transmission / powertrain | 333 | 6% | 1 | 20k mi | Transmission repair cost |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 283 | 5% | 5 | 89k mi | Fuel pump repair cost |
Top problem areas only; one complaint can count twice.
What Honda Accord owners report
Owners’ own words; dollar figures are what they reported.
Electrical system
Starter dies not start all the time. Press button and hear it grind. Car as $42,000 miles. Dealer says not under warranty. I have read tons of complaints that Honda knows about this. It may strand me in the middle of winter. Issue is with 2013-2015 V6 accord. Dealer wants $800 to replace with same defective part.
2015 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11153654
Four lights appeared simultaneously in my dash. It drives fine, just had brakes and rotors replaced, have new tires, the dealership is saying it’s the ABS module that needs replaced and this part alone without labor costs $2200. I have researched and this is an extremely common issue with these hondas.
2017 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11588193
Related recalls: 17V418000 (2015–2016): An electrical short increases the risk of a fire. 20V771000 (2018–2020): Various system malfunctions such as inoperative windshield wipers, defroster, rearview camera, or exterior lighting can increase the risk of a crash.
1,243 owners reported electrical system problems; the alternator / electrical repair cost calculator shows what the fix costs where you live.
Engine
Vehicle started sputtering, then all the engine lights came on. The car felt like it did not want to drive. Took it to the dealer for diagnosis. Dealer reported that the head gasket needed to be replaced. He stated that this is a known issue but that Honda has not issued a recall. The car only has $100,000 miles. Dealer said to call american Honda to see if they would give any "good will" money. They declined.
2019 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11759799
My 2015 Honda Accord with abt 70,000 miles on it; the car wouldn't start, the engine wouldn't turn. In the process of troubleshooting we discovered that his starter went out. We called the dealership and they said it wasn't covered under warranties. Just a few months ago, our neighbor had exactly the same problem - he has a 2015 Honda Accord and his car's starter went out.
2015 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11114349
Related recalls: 15V121000 (2015): Loss of engine power may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine leaks oil in the proximity of hot engine or exhaust components, there is an increased risk of a fire.
1,107 owners reported engine problems; the engine overhaul cost calculator shows what the fix costs where you live.
Automatic emergency braking / collision warning
I have 2019 Honda collision mitigation braking system problems, other driver-assist technologies with 2019 Honda Accord vehicles also routinely issue false safety alerts. Honda sensing technologies include road departure mitigation system (rdm), adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane keeping assist system (lkas), and traffic sign recognition (tsr) all issues my 2019 has .
2019 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11504713
Road departure mitigation system problem, adaptive cruise control problem, lane keep assist problem, collision mitigation system problem - lights all started to turn on in 2017 Honda Accord touring. Took the car to the dealer. Was told that the entire srs system has failed. The car was bought in 2017 brand new from the dealer and has never been in a car accident.
2017 model-year owner, NHTSA complaint 11502960
None of these 842 automatic emergency braking / collision warning complaints is matched by a recall on these model years, so a repair is covered only by warranty or paid by the owner.
Honda Accord recalls
Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for your car’s open recalls.
| Campaign | Announced | Model years | System | Risk (NHTSA's wording) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26V332000 | 2026-05-21 | 2016–2022 | Air bags | Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury. |
| 26V054000 | 2026-01-29 | 2023 | Seats | A loose driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. |
| 24V859000 | 2024-11-14 | 2023–2024 | Seats | An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. |
| 24V763000 | 2024-10-14 | 2023–2024 | Fuel System, Gasoline | A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire. |
| 24V064000 | 2024-02-01 | 2020–2022 | Air bags | An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury. |
| 23V858000 | 2023-12-18 | 2015–2023 | Fuel System, Gasoline | Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 23V782000 | 2023-11-21 | 2023–2024 | Seat belts | A seat belt pretensioner missing a rivet will not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. |
| 23V430000 | 2023-06-15 | 2022 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury. |
| 23V158000 | 2023-03-09 | 2018–2019 | Seat belts | An unlatched seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury. |
| 21V900000 | 2021-11-18 | 2021 | Seat belts | An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash. |
| 21V215000 | 2021-03-25 | 2019–2020 | Fuel System, Gasoline | Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 20V769000 | 2020-12-10 | 2015 | Transmission / powertrain | A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury. |
| 20V771000 | 2020-12-10 | 2018–2020 | Electrical system | Various system malfunctions such as inoperative windshield wipers, defroster, rearview camera, or exterior lighting can increase the risk of a crash. |
| 20V314000 | 2020-05-28 | 2018–2019 | Fuel System, Gasoline | If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 19V060000 | 2019-01-29 | 2015–2017 | Fuel System, Other | Reduced fuel pump performance can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash. |
| 18V629000 | 2018-09-13 | 2018 | Backup camera / rear sensors | If the rearview camera display does not show what is behind the vehicle, it can increase the risk of a crash. |
| 17V418000 | 2017-06-29 | 2015–2016 | Electrical system | An electrical short increases the risk of a fire. |
| 15V121000 | 2015-03-02 | 2015 | Engine and cooling | Loss of engine power may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine leaks oil in the proximity of hot engine or exhaust components, there is an increased risk of a fire. |
What this data can and can't tell you
5,446 unverified owner reports, not adjusted for sales. Method.
Other Honda models in the index
- Honda CR-V (8,154)
- Honda Pilot (5,597)
- Honda Civic (4,916)
- Honda Odyssey (3,774)
- Honda HR-V (1,821)
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint files (nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-25; NHTSA recalls database (nhtsa.gov/recalls), retrieved 2026-09-23. Model years 2015–2025. Free to cite with a link to this page.