Head-to-head reliability
BMW I5 vs Honda Accord
How the BMW I5 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 I5 vs Honda Accord: The I5 has 28 complaints and 10 recalls over 3 years, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints and 38 recalls over 10 years. The I5 averages 9.3 complaints per year versus 452.4 for the Accord, but the I5 is newer and lower volume. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW I5 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW I5
The BMW I5 is a new electric luxury sedan, so the 28 complaints over three years reflect a small but serious set of early-adopter issues. Owners report brakes that can grab or lose power assist, steering that can suddenly go heavy, and driver-assist features that fail without warning. With 10 recalls in that short time, it's a car that may spend more time at the dealer than a typical used sedan.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan with 4,524 complaints over ten years, which is a lot in total but spread across many more vehicles. The most common trouble spots are the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with reports of stalling, power steering loss, and automatic braking that activates unexpectedly. It has 38 recalls and 3 deaths reported, so while problems are frequent, they are not rare for a car this popular.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW I5 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 28 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 10 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 4 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 9.3 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 3 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 I5
- 01SERVICE BRAKES11
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM8
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE6
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
- 05ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)5
Owners describe the car moving forward on its own from a stop and hitting something, or getting a dashboard warning that braking may need extra force while merging. That means the brake system can surprise you when you least expect it, which is a serious concern in stop-and-go traffic.
Reports include a complete loss of power steering with no warning, making the wheel impossible to turn at low speed, and automatic emergency braking that simply does not work. These failures can leave you without basic control or crash-avoidance help.
Owners say the pedestrian warning sound fails, and driver-assist systems show reduced function or error messages while driving. That undermines the very safety features you might be paying extra for.
The I5 has multiple recalls for ESC control modules, and complaints mention chassis stabilization warnings. If ESC acts up, it can affect how the car handles in a skid or emergency maneuver.
“I was driving a brand-new 2025 BMW i5 electric car, just leased from dealer the day before. The car was at rest, waiting for traffic light to turn green. Then the car started to move forward, and suddenly hit the car in front with a big thrust. My foot was on…”
“While merging onto [XXX] from an on-ramp in [XXX] , I received a dashboard warning stating “Brake system and chassis stabilization – braking may require additional force.” This occurred during active acceleration and merging into highway traffic. At the time…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report the car losing speed on the highway with multiple alarms, and rattling noises or rough jerks when switching between electric and gas modes. These can be signs of bigger powertrain trouble that may strand you.
There are reports of electronic power steering and braking failing at highway speeds, and a tire that failed catastrophically after a TPMS warning. Electrical glitches can affect steering, braking, and even tire safety.
Owners describe the system braking suddenly for no reason, sometimes twice on the same route, and dealers failing to fix it. That kind of unexpected braking can cause a rear-end collision.
Complaints include a persistent rotten-egg smell that returns after treatment, and a fuel pump recall. A fuel smell or pump failure can lead to stalling or a fire risk.
“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 I5 — 10 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2024 740i, 740i xDrive, 760i xDrive, i7 eDrive50, i7 xDrive60, i7 M70, 2024 750e xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive, i5 eDrive40, and i5 M60 vehicles. The ground connection to the steering wheel may not have been attached correctly, resulting in an i…
The risk: An inoperative hands-on detection system may fail to detect when the driver's hands are not on the steering wheel and therefore not engage the emergency stopping assistant system, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and reattach the ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2024 i5 eDrive40 and i5 M60 vehicles. During vehicle start-up, the artificial sound generator control unit may experience a fault and fail to generate the external pedestrian warning sound. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirem…
The risk: Without external warning sounds, pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the external artificial sound generator software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 16, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This is an expansion of Recall…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2023-2025 BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The integrated brake (IB) system may malfunction and result in a loss of power brake assist or cause the Antilock Brake (A…
The risk: A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle. Additionally, malfunctioning ABS and/or DSC systems can cause a loss of vehicle control. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between June and December 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls Royce customer service at 1-877-877…
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2024 i4 xDrive40, i4 M50 and i5 eDrive40 vehicles. The high-voltage battery module may contain insufficient weld seams, which can result in the battery overheating.
The risk: An overheated battery module increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will replace the high-voltage battery module, free of charge. 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 I5 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The BMW I5 has far fewer complaints per year (9.3 vs 452.4), but it is also a much newer and lower-volume model, so the comparison is not apples-to-apples. In practice, the I5's issues are concentrated in brakes, steering, and driver-assist, while the Accord's are spread across engine, electrical, and fuel systems. The Accord's higher totals mean you are more likely to encounter some problem, but many are covered by recalls.
Key differences
- The BMW I5 has 28 complaints and 10 recalls in 3 years, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints and 38 recalls over 10 years, so the I5's problem rate per year is much lower but based on far fewer vehicles.
- I5 owners report brakes that grab or lose assist and steering that suddenly goes heavy; Accord owners report engine stalling, power steering loss, and unexpected automatic braking.
- The I5 has multiple recalls for electronic stability control and driver monitoring cameras; the Accord has recalls for fuel pumps, seat belts, and air bag sensors.
- The I5's complaints often involve brand-new cars with immediate failures, while the Accord's complaints span many model years and include wear-related issues.
- Test the brakes at low speed and from a stop to see if the car creeps or grabs; ask the dealer to show any recall work on the brake and stability control systems.
- Check that the power steering feels normal at a standstill and that no warning messages appear for driver-assist or pedestrian alert systems.
- Listen for rattling or jerking during acceleration and when the car switches between gas and electric modes; a rough transition can signal engine or hybrid problems.
- Test the forward collision warning and automatic braking in a safe area to see if it brakes unexpectedly; also check for any fuel or sulfur smells.
Before you buy
- Ask for the full NHTSA recall history by VIN and confirm all recalls are completed, especially brake, steering, and fuel pump recalls.
- Take a long test drive that includes highway merging, stop-and-go traffic, and parking-lot maneuvers to feel for brake grab, steering loss, or unexpected braking.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on the systems with the most complaints (brakes/electrical for I5, engine/electrical for Accord).
- Check for any warning lights or stored error codes related to forward collision avoidance, electronic stability control, or power steering.
- For the Accord, verify the hybrid battery and fuel system health if applicable, and for the I5, confirm the high-voltage battery and coolant system have no leaks or recalls.
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 I5 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 10 |
| 2025 | 8 | 109 |
| 2024 | 20 | 219 |
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 I5 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW I5 vs Honda Accord
- BMW I5 total complaints
- 28
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- BMW I5 total recalls
- 10
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- BMW I5 avg complaints/year
- 9.3
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- BMW I5
- BMW I5 top complaint area
- SERVICE BRAKES
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE