Head-to-head reliability
BMW M8 vs Honda Accord
How the BMW M8 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 M8 vs Honda Accord: The M8 has only 5 complaints over 6 years (0.8/yr) but includes reports of unintended acceleration, while the Accord has 4438 complaints over 10 years (443.8/yr) with frequent engine and electrical issues. The M8 has 6 recalls, the Accord 38. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the BMW M8 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
BMW M8
The BMW M8 is a high-performance luxury coupe or convertible that, in ownership terms, is a low-volume, high-cost vehicle. Its complaint history is sparse but alarming: owners report sudden, full-throttle unintended acceleration with the engine stuck at maximum RPM, often leading to crashes. Other issues include a coolant leak into injectors causing misfires and power loss. With only 5 complaints over 6 years, the pattern is rare but severe, suggesting a potential safety-critical defect that buyers should investigate thoroughly.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mass-market sedan with a high complaint volume (4438 over 10 years), reflecting its popularity and widespread use. The top issues cluster around the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance. Owners report engine noises, loss of power, electrical failures like TPMS malfunctions and rodent damage to wiring, and false activations or system errors in the collision avoidance suite. While many complaints are minor, the sheer number and the presence of crash and injury reports indicate a vehicle with frequent, varied reliability concerns that could affect daily driving.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | BMW M8 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 5 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.8 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 Better | 144 |
| 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 M8
- 01VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
- 03ENGINE1
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
- 05SERVICE BRAKES1
Owners report sudden unintended acceleration where the engine revs to 7000-8000 RPM and sticks at full throttle, even with the brake applied, leading to loss of control and crashes. This is a critical safety issue that could cause severe accidents.
The same unintended acceleration incidents are also logged under electrical system, suggesting a possible electronic throttle control malfunction. Owners describe the engine running at maximum power until forced to stop, indicating a failure in the drive-by-wire system.
Engine problems include misfires and loss of power due to a coolant tank leak into the fuel injectors. Owners note that BMW's recall only replaces injectors, not the tank, leaving the root cause unaddressed.
The coolant leak into the injectors is a fuel system issue that can cause rough running and stalling. This is a separate concern from the acceleration defect but also affects drivability and safety.
“While driving, the vehicle immediately went into full unintended acceleration without any input from the accelerator pedal. I removed my foot completely from the pedal, but engine RPM increased to full 7000 rpm’s and the throttle was stuck there. The vehicle…”
“On [XXX]. My car went into unintended acceleration at full throttle of 8000 RPMs. The engine was stuck at maximum power and would not slow down. My car slide until it hit a curb and was forced to stop. However, the engine was still running at full maximum cap…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report engine noises, loss of power, and warning lights for brake, hill descent, and ABS systems. Some incidents occur at highway speeds, causing the vehicle to lose speed and become a hazard.
Electrical issues include TPMS warnings that lead to tire failures, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses, which can cause various system malfunctions. These problems are frequent and can be costly to repair.
The collision avoidance system triggers false alerts or shows errors for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic high beams. These intermittent failures can undermine driver trust and potentially cause unexpected braking or lack of assistance.
Brake-related complaints are common, with owners reporting issues like the brake system warning lights and potential loss of braking power, which is a direct safety concern.
“I purchased this vehicle at 0 miles in July 2025 from Honda Accord in Pensacola Florida. I reported in July 2025 that there was a noise and I was unhappy with the vehicle and would like to exchange the vehicle within the 30 days months later, the noise got lo…”
“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…”
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 M8 — 6 recalls
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series C…
The risk: If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 8 Series Coupe, Grand Coupe and convertible 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8 and 740 Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750 Li xDrive, M760 Li xDrive, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xdrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, and 2019-2021 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i,…
The risk: A loss of ABS and a reduction in braking assistance can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 M5 and 2020 M8 Gran Coupe, M8 Coupe, and M8 Convertible vehicles. The transmission wiring harness can become damaged, resulting in an electrical short circuit.
The risk: An electrical short circuit can cause the transmission to shift to neutral resulting in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace any damaged transmission harnesses. All harnesses will be rerouted and secured. These repairs will be performed, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 3, 2020. Owners may…
The defect: BMW of North Americal, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 8 Series Coupe (840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Convertible (840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Gran Coupe (840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, Alpine B8 xDrive), 2 Series Coupe (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i xDrive,…
The risk: Unintentionally closing the windows or sunroof without the key present can increase the risk of injury to occupants inside the vehicle.
The fix: Dealers will update the software for the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), free of charge. In addition, the digital key function via cellular service and Wi-Fi capability will be deactivated until the vehicle is updated with new software. Own…
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 (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an…
The risk: Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.
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 M8 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The BMW M8 has far fewer complaints per year (0.8) compared to the Honda Accord (443.8), but the nature of the BMW's issues is more severe, involving unintended acceleration. The Accord's higher volume reflects its popularity but also a broader range of problems. In practice, the BMW's low complaint count may indicate a rare but dangerous defect, while the Accord's frequent issues are more predictable and often less catastrophic.
Key differences
- The BMW M8 has a very low complaint rate but includes reports of sudden unintended acceleration, a potentially life-threatening defect.
- The Honda Accord has a high complaint rate, with top issues in engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance systems, but these are often less severe.
- The BMW M8's recalls include back-over camera and brake hydraulic issues, while the Accord's recalls cover hybrid power control unit software, tires, and air bag sensors.
- The Accord has a much higher number of crash and injury reports (160 crashes, 144 injuries) compared to the M8 (1 crash, 1 injury), but this is partly due to the Accord's larger sales volume.
- Inspect the throttle and electronic control systems for any signs of malfunction, and ask for service records related to unintended acceleration.
- Check if the coolant tank recall was fully addressed, as owners report the fix is incomplete.
- Look for evidence of electrical issues, such as recurring warning lights or wiring damage, and have the battery and charging system tested.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system on a safe road to ensure it does not false-alarm or show errors.
Before you buy
- Check for open recalls on both vehicles using the NHTSA website and confirm they have been performed.
- For the BMW M8, ask for a diagnostic scan of the engine and throttle control modules to check for stored codes.
- For the Honda Accord, inspect the wiring harnesses for rodent damage and check the condition of the TPMS sensors.
- Take both vehicles for an extended test drive, including highway speeds, to see if any warning lights or acceleration issues occur.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any repeated repairs related to the top complaint areas.
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 M8 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 101 |
| 2024 | 0 | 214 |
| 2023 | 0 | 224 |
| 2022 | 0 | 238 |
| 2021 | 0 | 226 |
| 2020 | 5 | 355 |
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 M8 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- BMW M8 vs Honda Accord
- BMW M8 total complaints
- 5
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- BMW M8 total recalls
- 6
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- BMW M8 avg complaints/year
- 0.8
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- BMW M8
- BMW M8 top complaint area
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE