Head-to-head reliability
BMW 750xi vs Honda Accord
How the BMW 750xi 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
BMW 750xi vs Honda Accord: The BMW 750xi has 5 complaints over 5 years (1 per year) and 3 recalls, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years (452 per year) and 38 recalls, including 162 crash-related reports. The BMW’s few complaints involve power loss and smoke; the Accord’s many cover engine, electrical, and safety systems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW 750xi or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW 750xi
The BMW 750xi is a luxury sedan with very few complaints on file—about one per year over five years—but the pattern is concerning: owners describe sudden power loss, transmission warnings, smoke, and even a full shutdown where the steering went heavy. Recalls are limited to exterior lighting, so the reported mechanical issues are not covered by a recall campaign. For a buyer, this suggests that when something goes wrong, it can be serious and potentially expensive, even if it happens rarely.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume vehicle with thousands of complaints over ten years, averaging hundreds per year, and includes crash, injury, and death reports. The complaints cover a wide range of systems—engine, electrical, forward collision avoidance, fuel, and more—with many describing loss of power, braking/steering failure, and unintended acceleration-like behavior. Recalls are numerous and span hybrid software, tires, seat belts, airbags, and fuel pumps. This is a vehicle with many reported problems, some of which have been serious.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW 750xi | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 5 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 3 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 1.0 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.
BMW 750xi
- 01POWER TRAIN3
- 02ENGINE3
- 03STEERING1
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
- 05FUEL SYSTEM1
Owners report transmission malfunction warnings, check engine lights, smoke from the exhaust, and instances where the vehicle shook and lost power at speed. These symptoms suggest transmission or drivetrain faults that can leave you stranded or cause a sudden loss of power while driving.
Complaints include the same transmission warning plus smoke, and one owner reported the vehicle becoming extremely hot with a burning odor and check engine light. This points to overheating or engine bay issues that could lead to costly repairs or fire risk if ignored.
One owner described the car coming to a halt mid-street with all power lost and the steering wheel becoming hard to steer, traced to a battery and voltage regulator replacement—but the problem recurred. This suggests electrical supply faults can disable power steering, making the car hard to control.
The same shutdown incident was also filed under electrical system, highlighting that a voltage regulator or battery failure can cut all power and leave you with heavy steering. For a buyer, this means checking the charging system and battery health is important.
“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 750XI. The contact stated that the transmission malfunction warning message was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, smoke was coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to the deale…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 750XI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND LOST POWER. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE RIGHT SI…”
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 while losing speed at highway speeds, plus rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These suggest engine and hybrid control faults that can cause sudden power loss or drivability problems.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and a tire failure shortly after a TPMS warning repair. This indicates electrical and sensor issues that can affect steering, braking, and tire safety.
Owners describe the system failing to resolve threats, with incidents occurring under similar conditions and adaptive cruise control suddenly behaving unexpectedly. This matters because the very system meant to prevent crashes may not work reliably.
There are 602 complaints in this area, and recalls include fuel pump delivery issues. While sample texts focus on other systems, the volume of fuel/propulsion complaints and a fuel pump recall suggest potential stalling or fuel delivery problems.
“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.
BMW 750xi — 3 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2015 740i, 740Li, 740Lxi, 750i, 750xi, 750Li and 750Lxi and 2014 ActiveHybrid 7 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have received incorrect replacement left rear taillight assemblies. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requireme…
The risk: Vehicles with the incorrect left rear lamp assemblies may be less conspicuous to other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect left rear taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2015 740i, 740Li, 740Lxi, 750i, 750xi, 750Li and 750Lxi and 2014 ActiveHybrid 7 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have received incorrect replacement left rear taillight assemblies. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requireme…
The risk: Vehicles with the incorrect left rear lamp assemblies may be less conspicuous to other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect left rear taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2015 740i, 740Li, 740Lxi, 750i, 750xi, 750Li and 750Lxi and 2014 ActiveHybrid 7 vehicles. The affected vehicles may have received incorrect replacement left rear taillight assemblies. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requireme…
The risk: Vehicles with the incorrect left rear lamp assemblies may be less conspicuous to other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect left rear taillight assemblies, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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
BMW 750xi or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The BMW 750xi has far fewer complaints per year (about 1 vs. 452 for the Accord), but its issues tend to be severe when they occur, such as sudden power loss and smoke. The Accord’s much higher complaint rate and reports of crashes, injuries, and deaths mean you are more likely to encounter a problem, though many are covered by recalls. In practice, the BMW may be quieter on paper but riskier per incident, while the Honda demands more vigilance and recall checks.
Key differences
- The BMW 750xi has only 5 complaints over 5 years, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 over 10 years—about 452 per year versus 1 per year.
- BMW complaints center on power train and engine warnings with smoke and power loss, whereas Accord complaints span engine, electrical, forward collision avoidance, and fuel systems.
- The Accord has 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths; the BMW has none of these reported.
- BMW recalls are only for exterior lighting, while Accord recalls cover hybrid software, tires, seat belts, airbags, and fuel pumps.
- Check for transmission malfunction warnings, check engine lights, and any history of smoke from the exhaust—these are the most common owner complaints.
- Test the charging system and battery/voltage regulator, and verify that power steering assist works consistently, as one owner reported total power loss and heavy steering.
- Ask for proof that all recalls—especially hybrid power control software, fuel pump, and seat belt/airbag recalls—have been completed.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control at highway speeds, and listen for engine rattles or rough EV-to-gas transitions.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all open recalls are closed, particularly for the Accord’s hybrid software and fuel pump.
- Have a mechanic scan for stored trouble codes and check transmission/engine health on the BMW, and hybrid/electrical systems on the Accord.
- During a test drive, accelerate to highway speed and note any warning lights, power loss, unusual noises, or steering/braking changes.
- For the BMW, inspect battery, voltage regulator, and power steering operation; for the Accord, verify tire condition and TPMS function.
- Review NHTSA complaints for the specific model year you are considering to see if the patterns above apply.
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 BMW 750xi or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW 750xi vs Honda Accord
- BMW 750xi total complaints
- 5
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- BMW 750xi total recalls
- 3
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- BMW 750xi avg complaints/year
- 1.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- BMW 750xi
- BMW 750xi top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE