Head-to-head reliability
Acura Integra vs Honda Accord
How the Acura Integra and Honda Accord compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Acura Integra vs Honda Accord: The Integra has about 50 complaints per year, mostly for sticky steering, while the Accord has over 440 per year, with engine and electrical issues. The Integra's steering recall (24V-744) is a key fix, but the Accord's higher crash count (160) is concerning. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Acura Integra or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Acura Integra
The Acura Integra, a compact sporty sedan, has a moderate complaint rate of about 50 per year over six years. Owners frequently report a 'sticky' steering issue that makes the wheel hard to turn, especially on highways, which can be alarming. Other notable problems include spontaneous sunroof explosions and random engine shutdowns, though these are less common. Overall, it's a car with a specific steering flaw that could affect daily driving confidence.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, a popular midsize sedan, has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 440 per year across a decade. The most common issues involve the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with owners describing sudden power loss, warning light cascades, and false braking. While many complaints are about driver-assistance glitches, the engine and electrical failures can be serious, leading to a higher number of crashes and injuries. It's a vehicle with more widespread reliability concerns, but also a larger owner base.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Acura Integra | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 301 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 15 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 12 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 50.2 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 8 Better | 144 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 3 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Acura Integra
- 01STEERING246
- 02LANE DEPARTURE13
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER11
- 04SEAT BELTS9
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE8
Owners report a 'sticky' steering feel, where the wheel becomes hard to turn or doesn't recenter smoothly, especially at highway speeds. This is linked to the electric power steering gearbox and has been subject to a recall (24V-744).
Some owners describe the sunroof glass spontaneously exploding while driving, and others report the car randomly shutting off while in motion, which can be dangerous. These are isolated but serious incidents.
A few complaints mention the passenger seat belt buckle coming undone on its own, which is a critical safety issue. Also, the horn buttons are placed on the steering wheel spokes, which some owners find inconvenient in emergency situations.
“Vehicle: 2024 Acura Integra Affected Component: Steering Gearbox Assembly / Electric Power Steering (EPS) Related Recall: NHTSA Campaign Number 24V-744 / Acura TSB 24-054 Description of Incident: My vehicle is actively experiencing the dangerous "sticky," hea…”
“The steering on this vehicle began feeling sticky intermittently, not every trip starting 7/31/2024. Since then it has become more and more of an issue. The sticky steering is most noticeable on the interstate when trying to recenter the steering wheel after…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report engine noises, sudden loss of power, and warning lights for brake, hill descent, and ABS systems appearing at highway speeds, leading to speed reduction. These issues can be intermittent and hard to diagnose.
Problems include tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warnings that lead to tire failures, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses, which can cause various malfunctions. Electrical gremlins are common.
The system can falsely activate, causing the car to brake unexpectedly on open roads, or display intermittent warnings for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and other driver aids. This can be unnerving and potentially lead to rear-end collisions.
Brake-related complaints are frequent, with owners experiencing issues like the brake system warning and reduced braking performance, possibly linked to the antilock brake system control unit.
“I purchased this vehicle at 0 miles in July 2025 from Honda Accord in Pensacola Florida. I reported in July 2025 that there was a noise and I was unhappy with the vehicle and would like to exchange the vehicle within the 30 days months later, the noise got lo…”
“Vehicle drove normally in the morning commute. In the afternoon commute it started normally and as i approached highway speeds the alarms started showing up. the Brake, hill descent system, abs, critical failure. the vehicle started losing speed and could not…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Acura Integra — 15 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Acura Integra, Civic Type R, CR-V Hybrid, CR-V, HR-V, 2022-2025 Civic, Civic Hatchback, 2024-2025 Acura Integra Type S, 2025 CR-V Fuel Cell EV, Civic Hybrid, and Civic Hatchback Hybrid vehicles. The steering gearbox assembly may have b…
The risk: Difficulty steering can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the worm gear spring and redistribute or add grease as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2024. Owners may contact Honda Customer Service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers f…
The defect: CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIA…
The risk: LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
The fix: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
The defect: CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.…
The risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
The defect: CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE D…
The risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
Honda Accord — 38 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the integrated control module (ICM) central processing unit (CPU) may reset while driving, causing a loss of drive power.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the ICM CPU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 6, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is TN2. Vehicle Identificati…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2026 CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and 2025-2026 CR-V Fuel Cell EV vehicles. When using the tire repair kit, pressure may build within the sealant bottle, causing the bottle cap to detach.
The risk: A detached bottle cap can become a projectile and strike the user or others nearby, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the tire repair kit nozzle or sealant bottle, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipat…
The defect: Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an…
The risk: Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
Buyer analysis
Acura Integra or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Acura Integra has far fewer complaints per year (about 50) compared to the Honda Accord (about 444), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Integra's steering problem is a known defect that affects a large portion of its complaints, while the Accord's issues are more varied and widespread. In practice, the Integra may offer a more trouble-free ownership experience, but the Accord's higher volume reflects its larger sales and longer history.
Key differences
- The Integra's main issue is a sticky steering gearbox, which has a recall; the Accord's top issues are engine and electrical failures, plus false forward-collision warnings.
- The Integra has a much lower complaint rate per year (50 vs 444), suggesting fewer problems overall.
- The Accord has more crash-related complaints and injuries, possibly due to its higher volume and the nature of its issues like sudden power loss.
- Sunroof explosions are reported on both vehicles, but the Integra also has reports of random engine shutdowns, which are rare but dangerous.
- Test the steering at highway speeds for any stickiness or difficulty in recentering, and verify the steering recall (24V-744) has been performed.
- Check the sunroof glass for any signs of stress or prior replacement, and ask about any history of unexpected engine shutdowns.
- Ask for service records related to engine or electrical system repairs, and test the forward collision avoidance system on a clear road to ensure it doesn't false-trigger.
- Inspect the wiring harness for any signs of rodent damage, and check the tire pressure monitoring system for proper function.
Before you buy
- For the Integra: confirm the steering recall is completed and test drive at highway speeds.
- For the Accord: check for any open recalls, especially the fuel pump and brake control unit recalls.
- Ask for a diagnostic scan to check for any stored trouble codes in both vehicles.
- Test all driver assistance features (adaptive cruise, lane keep, automatic braking) on a safe road.
- Inspect the sunroof and all glass for any cracks or signs of replacement.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Acura Integra | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 5 |
| 2025 | 7 | 101 |
| 2024 | 63 | 214 |
| 2023 | 207 | 224 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Acura Integra or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Acura Integra vs Honda Accord
- Acura Integra total complaints
- 301
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Acura Integra total recalls
- 15
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Acura Integra avg complaints/year
- 50.2
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Acura Integra
- Acura Integra top complaint area
- STEERING
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE