Head-to-head reliability
Cadillac XTS vs Honda Accord
How the Cadillac XTS 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
Cadillac XTS vs Honda Accord: The XTS averaged about 31 complaints per year over 7 years, while the Accord averaged about 452 per year over 10 years. The XTS has 15 recalls and 2 injuries reported; the Accord has 38 recalls and 146 injuries. Both have serious owner-reported issues, so a thorough inspection is essential. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Cadillac XTS or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Cadillac XTS
The Cadillac XTS is a full-size luxury sedan that, based on owner complaints, can be demanding to own as it ages. Over seven years, it averaged about 31 complaints per year, with electrical and suspension issues dominating the list. Owners frequently report the trunk opening on its own and the rear air suspension failing, sometimes while driving. These are not just minor annoyances—they can affect safety and lead to expensive repairs.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream midsize sedan with a much higher complaint volume—about 452 per year over ten years—but that reflects its far greater sales. The most common trouble spots are the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance features. Some owners describe serious events like power steering and braking failure at highway speeds, while others report false alarms from driver-assist systems. Overall, it’s a popular car with a wide range of reported problems, some of which can be safety-related.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Cadillac XTS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 218 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 15 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 5 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 31.1 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 2 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.
Cadillac XTS
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM79
- 02SUSPENSION41
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER39
- 04SERVICE BRAKES17
- 05ENGINE16
Owners report the trunk opening by itself, sometimes while parked and locked, other times while driving. This can lead to theft or water damage, and it’s a persistent, unpredictable glitch.
The rear air suspension often fails, causing the rear end to drop suddenly or bounce uncontrollably. This can happen at highway speeds and may affect steering control, making it a serious safety concern.
Some owners say the brakes failed to completely stop the car when backing out or pulling into a parking spot. That kind of inconsistent braking can easily lead to a low-speed collision.
Complaints include the engine dying while driving and the car going totally dead even with a new battery. These stalling events can leave you stranded and are a major reliability worry.
“PROBLEM #1 - TRUNK OPENS BY ITSELF (SOMETIMES WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY & LOCKED (I.E., PARKED FOR THE NIGHT - ENGINE OFF); OTHER TIMES THE TRUNK OPENS BY ITSELF WHILE I AM DRIVING/MOVING (ENGINE OBVIOUSLY ON); OTHER TIMES WHILE THE ENGINE IS ON AND THE VEH…”
“PURCHASED MY 2017XT5 9/13/2017. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A MAIN STREET, I STOPPED FOR A LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. COULD NOT TURN IT OFF NOR COULD I TRY TO PUT IT IN ANOTHER GEAR. A KIND GENTLEMAN, WHO WAS BEHIND ME, GOT OUT OF HIS…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe losing speed on the highway with multiple alarms (brake, hill descent, ABS) and the car unable to accelerate. Others report rattling noises and rough transitions between electric and gas modes, which can signal internal wear.
There are reports of electronic power steering and braking failing simultaneously at highway speeds, causing a near-collision. Another owner had a tire fail catastrophically shortly after a TPMS warning was supposedly fixed, raising questions about sensor accuracy.
Owners say the system can trigger false alerts or fail to respond when needed, even with adaptive cruise control set. This undermines trust in a feature meant to prevent crashes.
Complaints include a persistent rotten-egg/sulfur odor that remains after paid repairs, and fuel pump issues that can cause stalling or failure to start. These problems can be costly and frustrating to diagnose.
“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.
Cadillac XTS — 15 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insu…
The risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrole…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Cadillac XTS vehicles. The front seat belt buckles may be missing a rivet that secures the buckle head to the cable mounting strap.
The risk: If the securing rivet is missing, the buckle may separate from the cable mounting strap in the event of a crash, preventing the occupant from being properly restrained, thereby increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat buckle assemblies, replacing them if the rivets are missing, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006.…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupan…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-102…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 22, 2014, and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to September 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic parking brake piston actu…
The risk: Brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic parking brake software, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac 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 (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
Cadillac XTS or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Cadillac XTS has far fewer complaints per year (about 31) than the Honda Accord (about 452), but the Accord’s higher volume is partly due to much higher sales. In practice, the XTS owner faces a higher chance of electrical and suspension headaches, while the Accord owner may encounter engine or driver-assist issues. Neither is trouble-free, but the XTS’s problems tend to be more frequent per vehicle.
Key differences
- Cadillac XTS complaints center on electrical gremlins (trunk opening) and rear air suspension failures; Honda Accord complaints more often involve engine stalling and forward collision avoidance glitches.
- The XTS averaged about 31 complaints per year, while the Accord averaged about 452 per year—but the Accord sells in much higher numbers, so per-vehicle risk is not directly comparable.
- The XTS has 15 recalls over 7 years, including brakes, seat belts, and air bags; the Accord has 38 recalls over 10 years, covering hybrid software, fuel pumps, and seat belts.
- Owner reports for the XTS include brakes failing to fully stop at low speeds; for the Accord, some describe power steering and braking failing at highway speeds, a potentially more dangerous scenario.
- Check the rear air suspension for sagging or bouncing—listen for the compressor running often and test drive over uneven roads to feel for sudden drops.
- Test the trunk release multiple times, including while the car is locked and running, to see if it opens on its own; also check for water leaks in the trunk.
- During a test drive, pay attention to any hesitation, rattling, or loss of power, especially when accelerating onto a highway; ask if the fuel pump or hybrid software recalls were done.
- Test the forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control in a safe area to see if they false-alert or fail to respond; also check for any lingering sulfur smell in the cabin.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all open recalls have been repaired by a dealer.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the specific trouble areas: for the XTS, rear suspension and electrical system; for the Accord, engine, hybrid components, and driver-assist sensors.
- During the test drive, deliberately test the brakes, trunk release (XTS), and forward collision warning (Accord) in a safe environment.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially for suspension or fuel pump work, and check for any aftermarket fixes that could mask problems.
- Budget for a pre-purchase inspection and a repair fund—both models have known issues that can be costly if they appear after purchase.
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 | Cadillac XTS | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 | 691 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 24 | 537 |
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 Cadillac XTS or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Cadillac XTS vs Honda Accord
- Cadillac XTS total complaints
- 218
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Cadillac XTS total recalls
- 15
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Cadillac XTS avg complaints/year
- 31.1
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Cadillac XTS
- Cadillac XTS top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE