Honda Accord Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2013 draws 7.95 complaints per run and the 2006 2.31, a 3.4-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 74.8% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 3,646 complaints, typically at 5.9 years.

Honda Accord years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Honda Accord — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2022	3.24	256	79	too new
2021	3.2	240	75	too new
2020	4.7	357	76	yes
2019	7.03	682	97	yes
2018	12.54	1856	148	yes
2017	3.12	514	165	yes
2016	3.65	573	157	yes
2015	4.49	575	128	yes
2014	6.96	926	133	yes
2013	7.95	1288	162	yes
2012	2.9	328	113	yes
2011	2.39	258	108	yes
2010	3.49	509	146	yes
2009	3.49	600	172	yes
2008	5.93	1263	213	yes
2007	2.62	443	169	yes
2006	2.31	365	158	yes
2005	3.28	587	179	yes
2004	3.98	872	219	yes
2003	6.9	1629	236	yes
2002	3.53	871	247	yes
2001	2.9	745	257	yes
2000	3.31	961	290	yes
1999	3.48	908	261	yes
1998	5.26	979	186	yes
1997	2.37	344	145	yes
1996	2.39	375	157	yes
1995	1.91	430	225	yes
1994	1.8	296	164	yes
1992	1.58	141	89	yes
1990	1.56	140	90	yes
1989	1.04	57	55	yes
1988	1.29	54	42	yes
1987	1.26	83	66	yes
1986	1.08	43	40	yes

ROWS 35·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 13 Honda Accord years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2013, 2003, 2008; the three worth hunting are 2006, 2007, 2001.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Honda Accord — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	1859	10%	covered
1 year	1524	18.2%	covered
2 years	1301	25.2%	covered
3 years	1441	32.9%	you pay
4 years	1746	42.3%	you pay
5 years	1838	52.2%	you pay
6 years	1801	61.9%	you pay
7 years	1734	71.2%	you pay
8 years	1548	79.6%	you pay
9 years	952	84.7%	you pay
10 years	750	88.7%	you pay
11 years	610	92%	you pay
12 years	531	94.9%	you pay
13 years	387	96.9%	you pay
14 years	297	98.5%	you pay
15 years	270	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 25.2% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 74.8% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 26% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Honda Accord, the early trouble is Service Brakes and Hydraulic — reported at around 3.5 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 5.9 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Honda Accord — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	3646	5.9 yrs	111	89
Air Bags	3418	6.9 yrs	805	14
Power Train	3181	6.5 yrs	102	11
Service Brakes	2323	3.5 yrs	194	6
Engine	2095	6.1 yrs	54	29
Unknown Or Other	1575	5.4 yrs	57	23
Steering	1408	6.3 yrs	121	25
Hydraulic	1193	2.3 yrs	101	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Accord's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Dodge Challenger 3.27 and the Toyota Prius 13.31, against 4.02 for the Accord.

FIG.05·Honda Accord — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Accord	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026
Tesla Model 3	4,207	142	2017–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Honda Accord

Recalls415 campaigns Fuel economy48 mpg best Common problems24,369 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space34 cu ft Used prices15,025 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1981–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Honda Accord reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 4.02 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Accord years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2013, 2003, 2008. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2006, 2007, 2001. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Accord problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 5.9 years, followed by Air Bags.

Will the warranty cover Accord problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 25.2% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 26% of the complaints here.

Is the Accord more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 4.02 complaints per production run for the Accord against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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