The Honda Accord is at the top of its class when it comes to mid-size vehicles that are built to last. With a brand that has spent decades building a strong reputation in the automotive industry, you can expect a lot from the Accord, from its spacious cabin to its powerful parts.

While the Accord is one of the best vehicles in reliability, the car also raises some concerns and has had recalls. Which side outweighs the other for you? Check out StockWise Auto's guide to the Honda Accord's common problems and see for yourself whether this car is worth it.

How Reliable Is the Honda Accord?

The Honda Accord is a powerhouse of reliability, flaunting a first-place rating of 4.5/5 stars across all year models. If reliability is the top concern for your vehicle, this is undoubtedly the best option to choose. It has better-than-average scores in all three areas of reliability measurement — cost, frequency and severity. 

As you explore these statistics, remember that they are only an average that considers all year models simultaneously. Your Accord's reliability score may be slightly different from the ones presented here. Furthermore, routine maintenance like oil changes and tire rotations are not counted in any of these categories.

Cost

When discussing cost in relation to a vehicle's reliability score, it refers to how much the average driver pays per year in unexpected repairs and maintenance. The Honda Accord is at the inexpensive end of this range with an average cost of $400 each year, vastly outperforming the vehicle average of $650 per year.

Frequency

While most people consider cost to be the most important factor in choosing a vehicle, the frequency score can change matters drastically. Frequency tells you how often this model requires unexpected repairs and maintenance work. Even if a car has a seemingly high cost, it may have a very low frequency, improving its reliability.

While all vehicle models range around 0.4 times per year, the Honda Accord comes in at 0.3 times per year.

Severity

Finally, the severity component of this score is a percentage that accounts for how often these maintenance concerns turn out to be major issues. To be considered “severe,” the problem must cost at least three times more than the average repair for said model, or possibly even more for luxury brand vehicles.

Again, the Honda Accord reigns supreme in this instance with a 9% probability compared to the 12% average of other vehicles.

Common Problems With the Honda Accord

While drivers everywhere praise the Honda Accord for its reliability score, there are many common problems Accord owners may have to deal with. When not addressed, some of these concerns can cause major safety issues on the road. Learn what to expect so you can prepare for these issues and repair them before they become urgent.

1. Ignition Switch Failure

Can't turn on your car? Are the interior lights out? You may be experiencing the most common problem with Honda Accords — a faulty ignition switch. When the ignition switch isn't working, your car cannot deliver electricity to the engine to start it up, leaving you unable to go anywhere until it's repaired.

2. Transmission Failure

One of the most expensive concerns Accord owners run into is transmission failure, as a transmission can cost thousands of dollars to replace. If your transmission is going out, you likely won't be able to drive far. Your Accord may begin to shake and jerk, and you may have trouble shifting gears.

3. Airbag Deployment Concerns

A major safety concern that multiple drivers have raised is faulty airbag deployment. The airbags are noted to not always deploy during an accident, resulting in serious injuries. You should raise this concern with your mechanic or local Honda dealer as soon as possible.

4. Steering Deviations

When you're on the road, you need your car to work exactly how you tell it to, both for your safety and the safety of everyone driving around you. This next issue disrupts that control. Occasionally, the Accord's steering wheel can deviate from its path, pulling the car sharply to one side of the road. At best, this can be a scary situation, and at worst, it could damage your car or cause an accident.

5. Starter Failure

The Accord's starter has raised a few issues over time. Sometimes, it simply fails to start the car. Other times, drivers report hearing a grinding noise upon startup, which may indicate some internal misalignment.

While many model issues result in recalls or repair deals from the manufacturer, Honda has chosen to staunchly avoid dealing with these allegations. If your starter needs replacement, it's best to go to your regular mechanic for assistance or complete the task yourself.

6. Weak Brake Pads

Brake pads don't last forever on any car, but the Accord's brake pads seem to be less durable than the rest. Some drivers report having to change their brake pads annually to keep their vehicle in good condition.

7. Fuel Pumps Cracking

One problem Honda has addressed through two recalls is the Accord's fracturing fuel pumps. A fractured fuel pump prevents all the fuel from reaching the engine, resulting in a less powerful ride.

8. Weak Car Batteries

Honda has been called out many times for its weak battery systems in the Accord. They drain quickly and need jumping more often than most models. This issue is worsened by the fact that even when the car is off, it draws on battery power.

9. Safety Software Overcalibration

As with all modern cars, the Honda Accord features impressive safety software that senses obstacles around it and brakes automatically when the driver doesn't. However, many drivers have claimed that these sensors do too good of a job, braking when there's nothing in front of the car. This issue only worsens in inclement weather, when rain, wind and snow interact with the sensors.

While the safety software can be recalibrated to be less sensitive, recalibration is surprisingly expensive, usually costing a couple hundred dollars.

10. Animal-Attracting Wiring

A unique challenge that faces Honda Accord drivers is the car's higher-than-average probability of housing unwelcome pests. In recent years, Honda has used more environmentally friendly wire casings made from soy. Unfortunately, while these are both cheaper and more sustainable, they're also very appealing to the average mouse or rat. 

These creatures will bite through the wires and use them as nesting materials, leaving you in a potentially precarious situation. The best solution here may be replacing or overcoating any wires with this covering type.

Find Honda Accord Parts at StockWise Auto 

As you can see, the Honda Accord may not break down often, but when it does, it can bring significant issues affecting systems all over the car. With such a wide variety of common problems, owning a Honda Accord means having a parts supplier you can rely on day after day. At StockWise Auto, we aim to please you with our catalog of Honda Accord parts.

Our selection of automotive parts and equipment can help you diagnose and repair everything that could happen to your Accord. You can sort by the year your model was released and find OEM parts that fit your exact vehicle. Start shopping today to ensure you have everything on hand to take care of your vehicle anytime.