The Honda Accord is an iconic family sedan, but transmission and brake failure have been reported on some earlier models. Be wary of any model year from the early-2000s. However, even newer Accords have struggled with notable issues.
Key Points
- The worst years of the Honda Accord surely include 2000 through 2007, which had reports of exploding airbags and missing side reflectors that could make the car difficult to see at night.
- Accords from 2008 may suffer from premature brake failure. This appears to be a recurring issue, with brakes needing to be replaced every 30,000 miles or so.
- Opt for a 2013 Accord, and you might end up with a car that won’t start, as this year struggled with faulty starters and batteries that would drain.
While a Mainstay of the Honda Brand, the Midsize Accord Has Had a Few Troubled Years Concerning its Transmission, Airbags & Premature Brake Wear
The Honda Accord is a popular midsize sedan that debuted in 1989 and reached a high point in 2014, selling over 388,000 units. It’s always been offered as a sedan, but coupe, crossover, and wagon variants have come and gone.
While known for its reliability and safety, the Accord has had several problem years that are worse than others, a few of which you should avoid due to an abundance of safety recalls, or a massive number of registered complaints that seem to suggest a particular issue.
Worst Years for the Honda Accord Include 2000-2008, Plus 2013 & 2014, and Average Repairs may be Costly
2000 to 2007 Accords may Have Faulty Airbags that can Explode, or Have Failure-Prone Transmissions with a $2,700 Average Repair Cost
The worst years of the Honda Accord have to be 2000 through 2007. These models ran rampant with reports of exploding airbags and missing side reflectors that could make the car difficult to see at night. The 2003 and 2005 Accords, in particular, had 24 issued recalls each, with 2003 clocking nearly 2,000 registered complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Car Complaints shows that the 2003 model has 973 transmission mentions, of which 503 included complete failure. Of those, 347 required that the transmission be rebuilt or replaced entirely, a job costing over $2,700 on average. These issues tend to happen around 98,000 miles, so if you’re shopping for a 2003 Accord with over 100,000 miles that hasn’t had a recent transmission replacement, beware. Of these, Honda only assisted with the repair costs in 25 instances, so you’re more than likely on your own if this problem does happen.
While not a major concern, but more of an annoyance, one of the most common complaints is that an SRS light may appear (without affecting the system’s functionality), and even after dealers claim to have fixed the issue, many owners mention it happens again.
One thing to note about the recalls in this generation is that each model has several recalls that were reissued, so while a 2001 Accord’s 19 recalls may sound scary, only half of them are specifically unique. The goes for many of the years, like the 2007 Accord, where out of 10 recalls, seven involve the airbags over the same thing.
2008 to 2014 Accords Share Airbag Woes of Previous Models as Well as Potential Low-Mileage Brake Failure
Sadly, 2008 through 2013 Accords struggle with the same airbag issues from models past. While the recall count has dropped, complaints about its braking system spiked in 2008. Out of nearly 1,500 registered complaints total, almost 1,100 were about premature brake failure.
At first glance, we thought this just meant the first set of brake pads from the factory had to be changed, but there are also many reports of first experiences around 30,000 miles, and again about every 30,000 after that. For the average driver, 45,000-50,000 is closer to what you should be able to expect.
The second-most common issue for this year was excessive oil consumption, usually reported around 67,000 miles. Depending on how early this problem is caught, the average repair runs around $1,300.
One oddly common issue specifically on 2011 and 2012 Accords is uncomfortable seats. The NHTSA has received 63 complaints regarding seats. At Car Complaints, one reviewer mentioned, “If I would have realized how bad the seat was, I definitely would not have purchased the car.”
For 2013 and 2014 Accords, complaints of electrical issues were somewhat common, with 111 corresponding to complete failure in 2013, and 100 in 2014. This happened around 54,000 miles, costs about $630 to fix, and involves replacing the starter entirely. Others include an engine that wouldn’t turn over and a battery that would continually drain. It sounds like 2013 Accords are best avoided, or you may end up with a car that eventually won’t start.
Honda Accord’s Worst-reviewed Years on Vehicle History Show How the Midsize Car has Progressively Improved
Here at Vehicle History, looking at our real owner reviews, starting at the 2000 model, the Accord has had nearly 300 reviews yielding 4.1 stars overall, with only 44% giving it a perfect five stars. Things slightly improved in 2002, but stumbled again in 2003, likely due to the number of the above-mentioned transmission issues. Overall, even the 2008 with the likely premature brake-failure issue scored 4.4 stars across over 500 reviews. Never since has the Accord dropped below 4.4 stars.
The Accord hasn’t had more than a handful of recalls for any given year since 2013, which had three recalls, five investigations, and over 1,000 complaints, just a few of the reasons we suggest avoiding this year altogether.
Stick with 2015 or Newer Honda Accords to Avoid the Worst Years
After reviewing what problems have been reported, which years are plagued with complaints, and which have the most recalls, 2000 to 2007 Accords are the years to avoid, and 2008 to 2014 also struggle. We found anything from 2015 onwards to be the most reliable bet, with recalls and complaints dwindling to almost nothing by the current model year.
Photos: Honda
