Head-to-head reliability
Buick Enclave vs Honda Accord
How the Buick Enclave 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
Buick Enclave vs Honda Accord: The Enclave has 443 complaints over 10 years (44/yr) and 14 recalls, while the Accord has 4438 complaints (444/yr) and 38 recalls. Enclave owners report air bag failures, engine shutdowns, and brake issues; Accord owners face engine problems, electrical faults, and false collision warnings. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Buick Enclave or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave, a three-row SUV, shows a moderate complaint rate of about 44 per year over the past decade. Owners frequently report air bag non-deployment in crashes, engine failures that cause sudden power loss, and brake issues like squealing or pedal sinking. Electrical glitches, including infotainment lockups, add to the ownership experience, suggesting a vehicle that may require frequent dealer visits.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, a popular sedan, has a much higher complaint volume, averaging 444 per year, but this is partly due to its large sales base. The most common issues involve engine problems, electrical system faults, and false activations of forward collision avoidance systems. Owners also report brake system warnings and occasional catastrophic tire failures, indicating a mix of minor annoyances and serious safety concerns.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Buick Enclave | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 443 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 14 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 23 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 44.3 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 20 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.
Buick Enclave
- 01AIR BAGS153
- 02ENGINE59
- 03SERVICE BRAKES57
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM56
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER51
Owners report that air bags fail to deploy in severe frontal collisions, as seen in a 2025 Enclave struck on the driver's side. This is a critical safety concern because air bags are expected to protect occupants in crashes.
The engine can catastrophically fail while driving on the freeway, causing sudden power loss and shutdown. Other reports mention check engine lights, shaking, and vibrations that persist after repairs, indicating potential powertrain reliability issues.
Brake problems include daily squealing that lasts for miles until warm, and in one case, the brake pedal sank to the floor, leading to brake failure. These issues compromise stopping ability and require immediate attention.
Electrical issues range from infotainment system lockups that disable phone, radio, and navigation, to more serious problems where brakes failed without prior electrical warnings. This suggests intermittent electrical gremlins that can affect safety systems.
“On [XXX], 2024, a pickup truck ran a red light at 55+ miles per hour and struck the front left quarter panel of our 2023 Buick Enclave as we were pulling into an intersection. Our car was totaled with the entire front end of the car being severely damaged. Th…”
“The contact owned a 2025 Buick Enclave. While the contact’s daughter was driving through an intersection on a green light at an undisclosed speed, a truck crashed into the front driver’s side of the vehicle. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The con…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Engine complaints include unusual noises from new vehicles and sudden loss of power accompanied by multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS). These can lead to the vehicle becoming undrivable, posing a safety risk on highways.
Electrical failures range from TPMS warnings that precede tire blowouts to rodent damage on wiring harnesses, which can disable critical sensors. Such issues may cause unexpected breakdowns or safety system malfunctions.
Many owners report false activations of the forward collision warning and automatic braking at speeds around 35 mph with no obstacles, which can startle drivers and potentially cause rear-end collisions. Other system messages appear intermittently for adaptive cruise and lane keeping.
Brake-related complaints include warning messages for the braking system and actual brake failure, as seen in the engine complaint where the vehicle lost speed and could not accelerate. This indicates potential issues with the brake control module or hydraulic system.
“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.
Buick Enclave — 14 recalls
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
The risk: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th…
The risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increa…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267,…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave vehicles. During service by dealers, certain vehicles may have received incorrect air bag calibration software that may affect frontal airbag deployment.
The risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
The risk: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-…
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
Buick Enclave or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Buick Enclave has far fewer complaints per year (44 vs 444) and fewer recalls (14 vs 38), suggesting a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Enclave's air bag non-deployment is a severe safety concern, while the Accord's high volume is partly due to its popularity. In practice, the Enclave may offer a more trouble-free ownership experience, but buyers should weigh the nature of the failures.
Key differences
- The Enclave has a serious air bag deployment failure in crashes, while the Accord's top issue is false forward collision alerts.
- The Enclave's engine failures are catastrophic (sudden shutdown), whereas the Accord's engine issues include noises and power loss with warning lights.
- The Enclave's brake problems include pedal sinking and squealing, while the Accord's brake issues are more tied to warning messages and system failures.
- The Accord has a much higher complaint rate, but this is partly due to its larger sales volume; the Enclave's rate is lower but still notable.
- Check for any history of air bag non-deployment or related recalls; inspect the air bag warning light and ensure all recalls are performed.
- Listen for engine noises and check for check engine light; test drive at highway speeds to ensure no loss of power.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system in a safe area to see if it triggers falsely; check for any warning messages on the dash.
- Inspect the wiring harness for rodent damage, especially if the vehicle is parked outdoors; look for chew marks or exposed wires.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and verify all recalls have been addressed for both models.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on engine, brakes, and electrical systems.
- Test drive both vehicles on various roads, including highways, to check for vibrations, noises, and warning lights.
- Ask for service records to see if common issues like brake squealing or infotainment lockups have been reported and fixed.
- Check the NHTSA website for the latest complaints and recalls specific to the model year you are considering.
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 | Buick Enclave | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 5 |
| 2025 | 36 | 101 |
| 2024 | 7 | 214 |
| 2023 | 19 | 224 |
| 2022 | 13 | 238 |
| 2021 | 25 | 226 |
| 2020 | 56 | 355 |
| 2019 | 42 | 677 |
| 2018 | 64 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 179 | 534 |
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 Buick Enclave or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Buick Enclave vs Honda Accord
- Buick Enclave total complaints
- 443
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Buick Enclave total recalls
- 14
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Buick Enclave avg complaints/year
- 44.3
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Buick Enclave
- Buick Enclave top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE