Honda Accord Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 10,777 NHTSA complaints, the Honda Accord years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020 — the worst logged up to 5.3× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by electrical failures. Updated July 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of July 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,520 | 935 | 9 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 720 | 457 | 11 | AVOID |
| 2010 | 579 | 340 | 13 | CAUTION |
| 2011 | 295 | 119 | 9 | BEST |
| 2012 | 378 | 204 | 8 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 1,417 | 908 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 969 | 512 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 593 | 284 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 588 | 179 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2017 | 525 | 218 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2018 | 1,791 | 1,152 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 644 | 403 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 334 | 190 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2021 | 211 | 83 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2022 | 213 | 65 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 5 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 3 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Honda Accord. Full methodology.
Common Honda Accord problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Honda Accord are electrical, engine, fuel. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Starter failure / extended crank
· Honda Accord 2013–2016Corroborated by 4 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,208 electrical complaints across 2013–2016.
Starter failure / extended crank
· Honda Accord 2013–2016Corroborated by 4 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,208 electrical complaints across 2013–2016.
Head gasket failure with engine misfires
· Honda Accord 2009–2022Corroborated by 29 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,097 engine complaints across 2009–2022, typically 66,988–173,643 miles.
Head gasket failure with engine misfires
· Honda Accord 2009–2022Corroborated by 29 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,097 engine complaints across 2009–2022, typically 66,988–173,643 miles.
Fuel injector failure causing hesitation and misfire
· Honda Accord 2017–2019Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 693 fuel complaints across 2017–2019. Owner-reported repair cost $2,600.
Fuel injector failure causing hesitation and misfire
· Honda Accord 2017–2019Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 693 fuel complaints across 2017–2019. Owner-reported repair cost $2,600.
Why these years stand out
2008 Honda Accord: 1,520 owner complaints on federal record, 935 of them severe, plus 9 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Accord.
2009 Honda Accord: 720 owner complaints on federal record, 457 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Accord.
2013 Honda Accord: 1,417 owner complaints on federal record, 908 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Accord.
2014 Honda Accord: 969 owner complaints on federal record, 512 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Accord.
2018 Honda Accord: 1,791 owner complaints on federal record, 1,152 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Accord.
2019 Honda Accord: 644 owner complaints on federal record, 403 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Accord.
2020 Honda Accord: 334 owner complaints on federal record, 190 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Honda Accord.
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FAQ
What years of the Honda Accord should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Honda Accord years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by electrical issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Honda Accord?
The 2011 Honda Accord shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Honda Accord verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Honda Accord's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Honda Accord before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Honda Accord reliable?
The Honda Accord's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 10,777 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020 rate "avoid", while 2011 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Honda Accord?
The most-reported problem area for the Honda Accord is electrical, followed by engine and fuel. Confirmed failures include starter failure / extended crank, starter failure / extended crank, head gasket failure with engine misfires. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Honda Accord across every model year on record. Retrieved July 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Honda Accord, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.