Head-to-head reliability
Chevrolet Camaro vs Honda Accord
How the Chevrolet Camaro 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
Chevrolet Camaro vs Honda Accord: The Camaro averages 86.8 complaints per year with 17 recalls, while the Accord averages 452.4 complaints per year with 38 recalls. Both have serious safety reports, including crash-related complaints. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chevrolet Camaro or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is a sports car that averages about 87 complaints per year over the past decade, with 17 recalls. The most common owner-reported issues involve the electrical system, power train, and engine, often leading to warnings like 'shift to park' or 'engine power reduced.' These problems can cause unexpected stalling, loss of steering, or transmission failure, which may be dangerous. With 73 crash-related complaints and 1 death reported, buyers should be aware of these potential safety risks.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a midsize sedan with a much higher complaint volume—about 452 per year—and 38 recalls over 10 years. The most frequent complaints involve the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with reports of sudden power loss, braking failures, and unintended automatic braking. There are 162 crash-related complaints and 3 deaths, indicating serious safety concerns. Despite the higher numbers, many issues may be addressed by recalls or repairs, but buyers should still be cautious.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chevrolet Camaro | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 868 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 17 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 73 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 86.8 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 45 Better | 146 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 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.
Chevrolet Camaro
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM238
- 02POWER TRAIN195
- 03ENGINE166
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER150
- 05STEERING120
Owners report that the car may not recognize it is in park, displaying a 'shift to park' message and potentially allowing the vehicle to roll. Others experience sudden 'engine power reduced' warnings and check engine lights, which can cause loss of power while driving.
Complaints include steering wheel failure to steer, wheels locking, and transmission control module (TCM) failures that cause the car not to respond when shifting into gear. These issues can lead to crashes or leave the driver stranded.
Some owners report the engine stalling while driving uphill, rolling backwards in Drive, and abnormal noises like whining or metallic sounds. These symptoms often come with a check engine light and can result in dangerous situations.
Issues include the radio, backup camera, charging ports, and GPS failing after periods of non-use, which can impair visibility due to blind spots. The 'shift to park' message also appears here, overlapping with electrical complaints.
“When shifting the vehicle into park and attempting to turn off car, vehicle will give a message on dash “shift to park” when the vehicle is already in park. This issue can cause possible rolling of vehicle for not properly being in park. Power draining due to…”
“At random times the car will get the check engine light (Code P2138 when scanned) & show a message on the dash saying “engine power reduced”. This happened to me twice while driving on the highway & 4 other times while driving on city streets. When this happe…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe sudden loss of speed, multiple dashboard alarms (brake, hill descent, ABS), and rattling noises during acceleration. These problems can occur at highway speeds and may indicate hybrid system failures.
Reports include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, causing lock-up and near-collisions. Another complaint notes a tire failure shortly after a TPMS repair, suggesting potential service-related issues.
Owners report unintended automatic braking or failure to brake when needed, sometimes under specific driving conditions. These malfunctions can lead to crashes or near-misses, undermining trust in the safety system.
Complaints include persistent rotten-egg odors that are not fixed by filter replacements, and a foot slipping behind a plastic panel, which could interfere with pedal operation. These issues affect comfort and potentially safety.
“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.
Chevrolet Camaro — 17 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
The risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-8…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator, allowing for over-pressurization of the fuel system.
The risk: Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC custome…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles. The plastic "Camaro" emblem, located on the steering wheel air bag cover, may separate during deployment of the frontal driver air bag.
The risk: In the event of a crash, plastic pieces of emblem may act as projectiles from deployment of the driver air bag can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the frontal driver side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began April 14, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N21232…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
The risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-8…
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
Chevrolet Camaro or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Chevrolet Camaro has far fewer complaints per year (about 87) compared to the Honda Accord (about 452), but both have serious safety-related reports. The Camaro's issues often involve electrical and power train failures, while the Accord's higher volume includes engine and forward collision problems. In practice, the Camaro may have fewer overall complaints, but the severity of reported failures means both require careful inspection.
Key differences
- The Camaro averages about 87 complaints per year, while the Accord averages about 452, indicating a much higher reported issue rate for the Accord.
- Camaro owners frequently report 'shift to park' errors and sudden power reduction, whereas Accord owners report unintended braking and hybrid system failures.
- The Accord has more than double the recalls (38 vs. 17) and more crash-related complaints (162 vs. 73), but the Camaro has a higher rate of power train complaints relative to its total.
- Both vehicles have reports of stalling or power loss, but the Camaro's issues often involve transmission and steering, while the Accord's involve engine and electronic safety systems.
- Check for any history of 'shift to park' warnings or transmission control module replacements, as these can cause rolling or failure to start.
- Test drive at highway speeds and listen for whining or metallic engine noises, and watch for sudden power reduction or check engine lights.
- Inspect for signs of unintended automatic braking or forward collision warnings, and ensure all safety recalls are performed.
- Check for persistent odors or recent tire repairs, as some owners report issues after service; also test electronic power steering and braking at low speeds.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on the NHTSA website for both models.
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the electrical system, transmission, and engine for the Camaro; for the Accord, focus on hybrid components and safety sensors.
- During a test drive, simulate parking and shifting to check for 'shift to park' errors in the Camaro, and test adaptive cruise control and automatic braking in the Accord.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially any repairs related to the complaints listed, and verify that software updates have been applied.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a dealer specializing in that brand to identify model-specific issues.
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 | Chevrolet Camaro | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28 | 219 |
| 2023 | 105 | 226 |
| 2022 | 14 | 252 |
| 2021 | 20 | 234 |
| 2020 | 31 | 362 |
| 2019 | 53 | 691 |
| 2018 | 81 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 189 | 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 Chevrolet Camaro or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
No VIN yet? Ask the seller.
A genuine seller should be happy to share it. Send this, then paste the VIN into the box above when it comes back.
Going to see one?
Get the Chevrolet Camaro inspection checklist by email, so you know what to look for when you're standing next to it.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chevrolet Camaro vs Honda Accord
- Chevrolet Camaro total complaints
- 868
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Chevrolet Camaro total recalls
- 17
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Chevrolet Camaro avg complaints/year
- 86.8
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Chevrolet Camaro top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE