Head-to-head reliability
BMW 840I vs Honda Accord
How the BMW 840I 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 840I vs Honda Accord: the BMW 840I has 0 complaints over 7 years and 19 recalls, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years, 38 recalls, and 162 crash-related complaints. The BMW shows fewer reported owner problems, but the Accord has a much larger real-world complaint record. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW 840I or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW 840I
The BMW 840I is a low-volume luxury coupe with no owner complaints filed over seven years, so there is little real-world failure pattern to study. Its 19 recalls are the main documented concern, covering the driveshaft, starter, battery, and rear camera. In ownership terms, that means fewer reported day-to-day problems but a higher chance of open recall work. A buyer should treat it as a car where recall status matters more than complaint history.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume vehicle with 4,524 complaints over ten years, about 452 per year, so there is a large and active record of owner-reported issues. The most common areas are the engine, electrical system, forward collision avoidance, and fuel system. Reported symptoms include sudden warnings, loss of speed, rough hybrid transitions, and steering or braking failure. It also has 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths in the data, which makes pre-purchase inspection especially important.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW 840I | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 0 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 19 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.
BMW 840I
No component data available.
The BMW 840I has recalls for the driveshaft, a part that sends power to the wheels. A failing driveshaft can cause vibration, clunking, or loss of drive, so a buyer should confirm the recall was completed.
There is a recall for the starter assembly, which is what turns the engine over. A bad starter can leave you stranded or cause repeated no-start conditions, so check for recall service records.
A battery-system recall is listed, and modern luxury cars rely heavily on proper voltage. Battery faults can trigger warning lights, weak starts, or electronic glitches, so have the battery and charging system tested.
The rear camera sensing system is under recall, which matters for parking and low-speed maneuvering. If the camera or sensors fail, you lose a driver aid that many owners depend on daily.
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 the vehicle losing speed. Others describe rattling noises while accelerating and rough transitions between EV and gas mode. These are not minor annoyances because loss of speed at highway speeds is a serious drivability concern.
Complaints describe electronic power steering and braking failing and locking up at highway speeds, plus a tire failure after a TPMS warning was supposedly repaired. Electrical faults can affect steering, braking, and warning systems at once, so a buyer should test all driver aids and check for open recalls.
Owners report the system failing to resolve a threat, and one complaint describes adaptive cruise control suddenly behaving unexpectedly at 70 mph. These are safety-related driver aids, so any warning light or inconsistent behavior should be treated as a reason to walk away or demand repair.
The fuel system is a top complaint area, and there is a recall for the gasoline fuel pump delivery. A failing fuel pump can cause stalling or loss of power, and owners also report a persistent rotten-egg or sulfur odor. Both point to fuel-system issues that need a thorough inspection.
“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 840I — 19 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2026 840i, 840i xDrive, 2021-2023 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, and 2024-2026 750e xDrive vehicles. The connection between the driveshaft and the rear differential may become damaged, possibly resulting in a loss of power to the rear whee…
The risk: An unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. In addition, a damaged driveshaft can result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the connection between the driveshaft and rear axle differential, and apply adhesive or replace the driveshaft and rear axle differential, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mai…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 340I, X6, 2020-2025 840I, 2020-2022 740LI, 2019-2020 X7, and X5 vehicles. After repeated attempts, the starter motor may overheat from an electrical overload.
The risk: An overheated starter motor can ignite nearby combustible material in the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. This recall includes vehicles repaired under recall 24V576 and those owners will need to have their vehicle repaired again. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2026. O…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022-2026 840i, 840i xDrive, 2021-2023 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, and 2024-2026 750e xDrive vehicles. The connection between the driveshaft and the rear differential may become damaged, possibly resulting in a loss of power to the rear whee…
The risk: An unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. In addition, a damaged driveshaft can result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the connection between the driveshaft and rear axle differential, and apply adhesive or replace the driveshaft and rear axle differential, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mai…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 M340i xDrive, M440i xDrive Coupe, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 840i Gran Coupe, 840i xDrive Gran Coupe, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, and X7 xDrive40i vehicles. The connection between t…
The risk: Increased electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator assembly, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 12, 2021. Owners may contact B…
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 840I or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The BMW 840I has 0 complaints per year over 7 years, while the Honda Accord has about 452 complaints per year over 10 years. In practice, the BMW has far fewer reported owner problems, but it still has 19 recalls to track. The Accord's much larger complaint record means a used buyer should expect more reported issues and should inspect the engine, electrical, and safety systems closely.
Key differences
- The BMW 840I has 0 complaints over 7 years, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years, about 452 per year.
- The BMW's documented issues are recall subjects like driveshaft, starter, battery, and rear camera, with no owner complaint text on record.
- The Honda Accord has real owner-reported symptoms including loss of speed, rough hybrid transitions, steering and braking failure, and forward collision avoidance problems.
- The Honda Accord data includes 162 crash-related complaints, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths, while the BMW 840I shows 0 in those categories.
- Check for any vibration, clunking, or unusual noise from underneath that could point to the recalled driveshaft, and confirm the recall was performed.
- Test the starter and battery system, including cold starts and warning lights, because both are listed recall areas on this model.
- Watch for warning messages about brakes, hill descent, ABS, or critical failure, and any loss of speed or rough transition between EV and gas mode.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control, and check for a rotten-egg or sulfur odor that could indicate a fuel-system issue.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN through NHTSA to see which recalls are open or completed on the specific BMW 840I or Honda Accord you are considering.
- For the BMW 840I, ask for proof that the driveshaft, starter, battery, and rear camera recalls were addressed.
- For the Honda Accord, scan for stored codes and test the engine, hybrid transition, electronic power steering, braking, and forward collision avoidance systems.
- Take a test drive that includes highway speeds, because several Accord complaints describe problems appearing at highway speed.
- Have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, including the fuel system and battery/charging system, before you buy.
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 | BMW 840I | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 10 |
| 2025 | 0 | 109 |
| 2024 | 0 | 219 |
| 2023 | 0 | 226 |
| 2022 | 0 | 252 |
| 2021 | 0 | 234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
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 840I or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW 840I vs Honda Accord
- BMW 840I total complaints
- 0
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- BMW 840I total recalls
- 19
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- BMW 840I avg complaints/year
- 0.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- BMW 840I
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE