Head-to-head reliability
Aston Martin DBS vs Honda Accord
How the Aston Martin DBS 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
Aston Martin DBS vs Honda Accord: The DBS has 0 complaints and 18 recalls over 10 years, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints, 38 recalls, and 162 crash-related reports. The Accord's complaints include engine power loss and electronic braking failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Aston Martin DBS or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Aston Martin DBS
The Aston Martin DBS is a low-volume exotic car, so it sees very few miles and very few owner complaints—zero over ten years. That doesn't mean it's trouble-free; it means problems are less likely to be reported to NHTSA. Instead, the 18 recalls point to potential issues with latches, transmission control, seat heaters, and the accelerator pedal. For a buyer, living with a DBS means dealing with a niche car where recall repairs and specialist maintenance are part of ownership.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan with thousands of owner complaints and many recalls. The most common complaint areas are the engine, electrical system, forward collision avoidance, and fuel system. Owners report serious symptoms like loss of power, electronic steering and braking failure, and unintended automatic braking. With 162 crash-related complaints and 3 deaths, these are not just annoyances—they can affect safety.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Aston Martin DBS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 18 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.0 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 146 |
| 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.
Aston Martin DBS
No component data available.
Recalls cover latch and lock problems, which could mean doors or hoods that don't secure properly. For a buyer, that's a safety concern because a door could open while driving.
A recall on the transmission control module suggests possible shifting problems or loss of drive. This matters because a faulty module can leave you stranded or cause rough, unpredictable gear changes.
A recall for the seat heater/cooler means it could overheat or fail. While not a driving issue, it's a comfort and potential fire risk that should be fixed before purchase.
A recall on the accelerator pedal points to possible sticking or unintended acceleration. That's a serious safety issue, so any DBS should have this recall addressed.
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure, followed by loss of speed. Others hear rattling noises while accelerating and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These can mean expensive repairs and sudden power loss.
Complaints include electronic power steering and braking failing and locking up at highway speeds, causing near-collisions. Another owner had a tire fail catastrophically after a TPMS warning was supposedly fixed. Electrical faults can disable safety systems without warning.
Owners describe the system braking suddenly on open roads or with adaptive cruise control set, even with no obstruction. This unintended braking can cause rear-end collisions or loss of control.
There are complaints of a persistent rotten-egg/sulfur odor, which can indicate fuel or emissions problems. A recall also covers the fuel pump, which could fail and cause stalling.
“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…”
“Vehicle makes rattling noises while accelerating similar to a diesel engine also rough transitions between EV mode and Gas mode also when you press the charge button the engine makes a very noticeable jerk once it’s on ,Honda does not want to fix my issue and…”
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.
Aston Martin DBS — 18 recalls
The defect: Aston Martin Lagonda of North America (Aston Martin) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 DB9, 2010-2012 DBS, 2010-2016 V8 Vantage, 2012 Virage, 2010-2016 Rapide, 2014-2016 Vanquish, 2011-2016 V12 Vantage, and 2012-2013 V12 Zagato vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with interior door…
The risk: If the doors cannot be opened by an occupant from inside the vehicle, they may be trapped inside, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will disable the double locking feature by reprogramming the software, free of charge. The recall began August 10, 2016. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service at 1-888-923-9988. Aston…
The defect: Aston Martin The Americas (Aston Martin) is recalling certain 2009-2016 DB9, 2009-2012 DBS, 2010-2015 Rapide, 2012 Virage, and 2014 Vanquish vehicles equipped with a 6-Speed Touchtronic II Automatic Transmission. A communication error between the Engine Control Module (ECM) and the Transmission Con…
The risk: If the park pawl does not engage and the vehicle is stopped on a slope and exited without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly roll, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will update the TCM software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 1, 2018. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service at 1-888-923-9988. Aston Martin's number for this…
The defect: Aston Martin Lagonda of North America (Aston Martin) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 DB9, V12 Vantage, V8 Vantage, DBS, and Virage vehicles manufactured July 3, 2006, to November 5, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic control module for the driver and front passenger seat heate…
The risk: If the electronic control module fails, the seat heater could get hot enough that areas of the seat may overheat and smolder, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional module to the circuit that can interrupt the power to the seat heaters in case the electronic control module for the seat heaters fails, free of charge. The recall beg…
The defect: Aston Martin Lagonda of North America (Aston Martin) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 DB9 and V8 Vantage, 2009-2012 DBS, 2010-2012 Rapide, 2014 Rapide S, 2011-2012 V12 Vantage, 2011-2014 V8 Vantage S and 2012 Virage vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the accelerator pedal arm may brea…
The risk: If the accelerator pedal arm breaks, the engine will return to idle and the driver will be unable to maintain or increase engine speed, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Aston Martin will notify owners, and dealers will replace the accelerator pedal assemblies. The recall began on February 11, 2014. Owners may contact Aston Martin customer service by calling 1-888-923-9988. Aston Martin's recall number is…
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 (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint sys…
The risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
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
Aston Martin DBS or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Aston Martin DBS has far fewer complaints per year (0 vs. 452.4) and no reported crashes, injuries, or deaths, while the Honda Accord has thousands of complaints and 162 crash-related reports. In practice, the DBS is a low-volume car with fewer reported problems, but the Accord's issues are more frequent and often involve safety systems. The difference means you're more likely to encounter serious, recurring problems with the Accord.
Key differences
- The DBS has 0 complaints and 18 recalls, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints and 38 recalls—so the Accord has vastly more owner-reported issues.
- Accord owners report dangerous failures like electronic steering and braking locking up, unintended automatic braking, and engine power loss; the DBS has no complaint text on record.
- The DBS recalls cover latches, transmission control, seat heaters, and accelerator pedal; the Accord recalls cover hybrid software, fuel pump, airbag sensors, and seat belts.
- The Accord has 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths; the DBS has 0 in all three categories.
- Check that all 18 recalls have been completed, especially the accelerator pedal and transmission control module recalls, as these can affect safety and drivability.
- Inspect door latches and locks for proper operation, since recalls indicate they may not secure correctly.
- Test the electronic power steering and braking systems at highway speeds if possible, and listen for rattling noises from the engine during acceleration.
- Ask for proof that the fuel pump and hybrid software recalls were done, and check for any rotten-egg odor that could signal fuel system problems.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to confirm all recalls are closed for the specific car you're considering.
- For the Accord, take a long test drive including highway speeds to check for unintended braking, steering lock-up, and engine rattles.
- For the DBS, verify that the accelerator pedal and transmission control module recalls were addressed, and test all door latches.
- Get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic familiar with the model, focusing on the complaint areas listed above.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and any recall repair paperwork.
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 | Aston Martin DBS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 219 |
| 2023 | 0 | 226 |
| 2022 | 0 | 252 |
| 2021 | 0 | 234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
| 2019 | 0 | 691 |
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 Aston Martin DBS or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Aston Martin DBS vs Honda Accord
- Aston Martin DBS total complaints
- 0
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Aston Martin DBS total recalls
- 18
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Aston Martin DBS avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Aston Martin DBS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE