The best Accord years to buy are 2016 and 2021. Avoid the 2018 and look closely at a 2013: the 2018's new turbo engines and electronics drew more than double the Accord's average complaints, and the 2013 had steering and starter trouble.
Best years: 20162021 Years to avoid: 2018
Every Accord year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known Accord problems
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 233 | - | 5 | Steering | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 233 | - | 7 | Electrical | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 319 | 206 | 4 | Electrical | Average |
| 2021 | 294 | 145 | 4 | Electrical | Good buy |
| 2020 | 408 | 205 | 6 | Collision avoidance | Average |
| 2019 | 792 | 296 | 6 | Engine | Average |
| 2018 | 2,015 | 692 | 6 | Engine | Skip this year |
| 2017 | 585 | 181 | 3 | Electrical | Good year |
| 2016 | 614 | 178 | 4 | Electrical | Good buy |
| 2015 | 642 | 181 | 6 | Electrical | Good year |
| 2014 | 1,012 | 261 | 5 | Electrical | Average |
| 2013 | 1,427 | 389 | 5 | Steering | Watch out |
| 2012 | 381 | 115 | 8 | Seats | Good year |
About the Accord
The Accord is one of the most dependable midsize sedans, so its weak years are easy to spot. Two redesign years stand out: 2013, the first with a CVT and push-button start, and 2018, when Honda dropped the V6 for small turbo engines and added a large set of electronics.
- 2013-2017: 2.4L with a CVT, or a V6. Early 2013 cars had starter and steering complaints; 2016-2017 are the most sorted.
- 2018-2022: 1.5L and 2.0L turbo engines. 2018 is the problem year; complaints fall by 2021.
- 2023 on: Current generation, mostly hybrid. Too new to judge fully.
Accord warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Honda files with NHTSA. 1,009 Accord bulletins are on file in total.
American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C condenser to 10 years from the original date of purchase with unlimited miles.
Today, May 28, 2021, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2018-2020 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Civic, 2017-2021 Civic Hatch, 2017-2021 Civic Type R, 2018-2021 Clarity PHEV, and 2019-2021 Insigh...
Owner Notification Letter - On some 2018-20 Accord models, the A/C condenser may leak refrigerant.
Owner Notification Letter - On some 2018-20 Accord Hybrid models, the A/C condenser may leak refrigerant.
This warranty extension applies only to certain 2018 Accord and Accord Hybrid vehicles painted B-575P Still Night Pearl or B-588P Obsidian Blue Pearl paint.
Today, December 17, 2021, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2018 Accord and Accord Hybrid vehicles produced by Honda Marysville Auto Plant with Still Night Pearl or Obsidian Blue Pearl paint to addre...
Owner Notification Letter - On some 2018 Accord and Accord Hybrid models, the exterior paint around the roof seam area may peel off.
Today, April 10, 2019, American Honda is announcing a Warranty Extension for certain 2016-17 Accord vehicles to address a concern in which the daytime running light (DRL) light emittng diodes (LEDs) may be partially lit or not ...
Heat from the daytime running light (DRL) LEDs may damage the DRL lens.
Owner Notification Letter - Heat from the daytime running light (DRL) LEDs may damage the DRL lens.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Accord
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Engineering analysis EA24002 · 2018–2022 · opened Apr 2024
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles.
Recall query RQ24006 · 2023, 2024 · opened Apr 2024, closed Mar 2025
On April 4, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ24006 to investigate American Honda Motor Co.’s (Honda’s) proposed remedy for recall 23V-782 as well as scope of the vehicles involved.
Defect petition DP22005 · 2014–2022 · opened Jan 2023, closed Aug 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States.
Preliminary evaluation PE22003 · 2018, 2019 · opened Feb 2022, closed Apr 2024
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles.
Engineering analysis EA21002 · 2013, 2014 · opened Sep 2021
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L.
Engineering analysis EA21001 · 2013–2015 · opened May 2021, closed Aug 2023
On May 6, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA21-001) to assess a sudden loss of steering control, in Model Year (MY) 2013-2015 Honda Accord vehicles.
Defect petition DP20005 · 2013 · opened Nov 2020, closed May 2021
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition dated October 19, 2020 requesting an investigation of an alleged defect in the steering system in Model Year (MY) 2013 Honda Accord vehicles.
Engineering analysis EA19001 · 2013–2015 · opened Apr 2019, closed Sep 2024 · led to recall 20V024
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.
Preliminary evaluation PE14033 · 2013 · opened Nov 2014, closed Oct 2015
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-033 to investigate 24 complaints alleging loss of power steering while driving in model year (MY) 2013 Honda Accord vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS).Analysis of service data for the original 24 complaints and 33 additional complaints received ...
Investigation EQ12002 · 2012 · opened Feb 2012, closed May 2012
The summary for this investigation, labeled EQ12-002 Autoliv Closing Resume, can be found attached separately to this resume.This EQ is closed.
Accord vs rivals
Questions
What is the best year for the Honda Accord?
2016 and 2021. The best Accord years to buy are 2016 and 2021. Avoid the 2018 and look closely at a 2013: the 2018's new turbo engines and electronics drew more than double the Accord's average complaints, and the 2013 had steering and starter trouble.
Which Honda Accord years should I avoid?
2018. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Honda Accord average.
Based on 8,955 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.