Head-to-head reliability
AUDI S4 vs Honda Accord
How the AUDI S4 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
AUDI S4 vs Honda Accord: The Audi S4 has 28 complaints and 12 recalls over 10 years, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints and 38 recalls. The S4's main issue is MMI rebooting; the Accord's include engine and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the AUDI S4 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
AUDI S4
The Audi S4 is a performance sedan that, over the past decade, has generated a relatively low 28 owner complaints—about 2.8 per year—and 12 recalls. The most common gripe is the MMI infotainment system randomly rebooting, which can knock out the backup camera and rear sensors. A smaller but serious pattern involves engine knocking from loose internal parts in some EA839 engines. Overall, the data suggests a car with fewer reported issues, but the ones that appear can be distracting or, in rare cases, expensive.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream family sedan that has racked up 4,524 complaints over 10 years—roughly 452 per year—and 38 recalls. Owners report a wide range of problems, from engine and electrical failures to forward collision avoidance glitches. The data also shows 162 crash-related reports, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths, though these are raw counts and don't prove cause. For a buyer, this means the Accord has a much higher volume of reported issues, some of which can affect core driving functions.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | AUDI S4 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 28 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 12 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.8 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.
AUDI S4
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM15
- 02BACK OVER PREVENTION9
- 03ENGINE6
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
- 05SERVICE BRAKES2
Owners frequently report the MMI screen going dead and rebooting every 2–5 minutes while driving. This can be distracting and, when it happens in reverse, temporarily disables the backup camera and rear obstacle detection.
The same MMI reboots cause the backup camera and rear sensors to become unavailable until the system reloads. This matters because it can leave you without rear visibility or alerts exactly when you need them most.
Some owners of the EA839 engine report a knocking noise caused by loose rocker arm needle bearings, which can lead to metal shavings circulating internally. This is a serious mechanical failure that could require major engine work.
A small number of complaints mention brake issues, though the sample text does not provide specific symptoms. Buyers should still have the brakes inspected as part of any used-car check.
“The MMI (multimedia interface) screen goes dead and reboots frequently (every 2-5 minutes) while driving. It is extremely frustrating and distracting. In addition, when the screen blacks out while driving in reverse, the backup camera, back up sensors and cro…”
“The MMI spontaneously reboots numerous times while driving. When the reboots happen, the screen goes black, and key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, and navigation become unavailable until the reboot completes and the systems reload…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report sudden loss of power, alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure, as well as rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These issues can leave you stranded or create unsafe driving conditions.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and tire failure after a TPMS warning. Such failures can severely compromise control and safety.
Owners describe the system failing to resolve threats, with incidents occurring under similar conditions, sometimes with adaptive cruise control engaged. This means the very feature meant to prevent crashes may not always work as expected.
There are reports of persistent rotten-egg/sulfur odors and fuel pump-related recalls. While not always dangerous, these can indicate fuel system problems that are costly to diagnose and fix.
“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.
AUDI S4 — 12 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2017-2020 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, 2018-2019 RS5 Coupe, 2019 RS5 Sportback, 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, and Audi S5 Sportback vehicles. The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passen…
The risk: A disabled passenger air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or entire seat cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number fo…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, R…
The risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi custome…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7…
The risk: Rear axle misalignment may cause premature or uneven tire wear, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe,…
The risk: A broken lock nut may misalign the rear axle, causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 4…
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
AUDI S4 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Audi S4 has far fewer complaints per year (2.8 vs. 452.4) and fewer recalls (12 vs. 38), suggesting a lower reported rate of problems. In practice, this means an S4 buyer may encounter fewer day-to-day annoyances, but the Accord's higher volume includes many minor issues mixed with some serious ones. Neither car is problem-free, but the data shows the S4 with a lighter complaint load.
Key differences
- The Audi S4's top complaint is the MMI screen rebooting, which disables the backup camera and rear sensors; the Honda Accord's top complaints include engine power loss and simultaneous steering/braking failure.
- The Accord has 4,524 complaints and 38 recalls over 10 years, while the S4 has 28 complaints and 12 recalls—a massive difference in reported volume.
- The S4 has 0 crash-related reports, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths in the data; the Accord has 162 crash-related reports, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths.
- The S4's engine issue involves internal rocker arm bearings causing knocking; the Accord's engine issues include sudden power loss and rough hybrid transitions.
- During a test drive, watch the MMI screen for any rebooting or blackouts, especially when shifting into reverse—this is the most common complaint.
- Listen for a knocking noise from the engine, particularly in the EA839 engine, which could indicate loose rocker arm needle bearings.
- Check for any warning lights related to brakes, ABS, or hill descent, and test the forward collision avoidance system if possible—owners report failures.
- Inspect for a rotten-egg or sulfur smell, which could point to fuel system or catalytic converter issues reported by owners.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls have been performed, especially for the Audi's back-over prevention display and the Honda's fuel pump and electrical recalls.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on the Audi's MMI system and engine, and the Honda's electrical and forward collision systems.
- During the test drive, deliberately use the backup camera and rear sensors (Audi) and the adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning (Honda) to check for proper function.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially any engine or electrical repairs, and be wary of repeated infotainment or warning-light issues.
- Check for open recalls by using the NHTSA VIN lookup tool and ensure any outstanding recalls are addressed before purchase.
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 | AUDI S4 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 109 |
| 2024 | 0 | 219 |
| 2023 | 0 | 226 |
| 2022 | 0 | 252 |
| 2021 | 2 | 234 |
| 2020 | 16 | 362 |
| 2019 | 2 | 691 |
| 2018 | 7 | 1884 |
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 AUDI S4 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- AUDI S4 vs Honda Accord
- AUDI S4 total complaints
- 28
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- AUDI S4 total recalls
- 12
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- AUDI S4 avg complaints/year
- 2.8
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- AUDI S4
- AUDI S4 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE