Head-to-head reliability
Chrysler 300C vs Honda Accord
How the Chrysler 300C 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
Chrysler 300C vs Honda Accord: The 300C averages 3.6 complaints per year over 7 years, while the Accord averages 443.8 per year over 10 years. The 300C has 7 recalls, the Accord 38. Owners report electrical and engine issues in both, but the Accord also has frequent forward collision avoidance problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Chrysler 300C or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Chrysler 300C
The Chrysler 300C, a full-size sedan, shows a moderate complaint rate of about 3.6 per year over seven years. Owners report electrical gremlins, engine issues, and fuel system problems that can affect daily drivability. While not crash-heavy, the complaints point to potential reliability concerns that could lead to unexpected repairs.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, a popular midsize sedan, has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 440 per year, with frequent reports in engine, electrical, and advanced safety systems. Despite its reputation, the data suggests a wide range of issues, including some that could impact safety, as evidenced by crash-related complaints and injuries.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Chrysler 300C | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 25 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 7 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 3.6 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.
Chrysler 300C
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
- 02ENGINE6
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4
- 04AIR BAGS3
- 05ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)2
Owners report stalling, loss of power steering, and warning lights (check engine, StabiliTrak) due to electrical faults. Some also mention a grinding noise from the front wheel wells and a smoke odor, indicating potential wiring or component failures.
The 5.7L Hemi engine is prone to the 'Hemi tick,' a loud noise from hydraulic lifters, which can be annoying and may indicate wear. Other reports mention the vehicle not starting or surging unexpectedly, possibly due to an unidentified system.
Fuel odor inside the cabin after refueling is a common complaint, with fuel vapor entering the AC vents. A cracked fuel pump, located under the rear seat, poses a safety risk and has been reported on low-mileage vehicles.
Air bag warning lights illuminate, and there are multiple recalls for Takata inflators. Owners have reported difficulty in getting repairs done due to part unavailability, leaving them with a potentially dangerous defect.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER 300C. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A GRINDING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEEL WELLS. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE, STABILITRAK, AND HAZARD WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED A SMOKE ODOR…”
“The contact owns a 2011 Chrysler 300C. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled and lost power steering on several occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle required to be jumpstarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report unusual noises and loss of power, with warning lights for brake, hill descent, and ABS appearing. Some vehicles experience sudden speed loss, which can be dangerous on highways.
Issues include TPMS warnings leading to tire failures, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses, which can cause various malfunctions. These electrical problems can be intermittent and hard to diagnose.
The system may falsely activate or show errors for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and automatic high beams. These intermittent glitches can be distracting and may undermine driver trust in safety features.
Brake-related complaints are frequent, with reports of the brake system failing or warning lights appearing. Some incidents have led to crashes, highlighting the potential severity of these issues.
“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.
Chrysler 300C — 7 recalls
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal…
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
Chrysler 300C or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Chrysler 300C has far fewer complaints per year (3.6 vs 443.8) than the Honda Accord, indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Accord's higher volume may reflect its larger sales base, but the sheer number of complaints, including safety-related ones, suggests a higher likelihood of encountering problems.
Key differences
- The 300C has a much lower complaint rate (3.6/yr) compared to the Accord (443.8/yr), but the 300C's complaints often involve stalling and fuel leaks, which are serious.
- The Accord has a high number of complaints about forward collision avoidance systems, which can be distracting or malfunction, while the 300C has fewer such issues.
- The 300C has multiple recalls for Takata air bags, a known safety defect, whereas the Accord's recalls include fuel pump and brake control unit issues.
- Engine issues differ: the 300C's Hemi tick is a common annoyance, while the Accord's engine problems include loss of power and warning lights, which can be more alarming.
- Check for any signs of fuel odor inside the cabin, especially after a fill-up, and inspect the fuel pump area under the rear seat for cracks.
- Listen for a loud ticking noise from the engine on startup, which could indicate Hemi lifter issues, and test the power steering for any loss of assist.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system on a safe road to ensure it doesn't false-alarm or show errors, and check for any warning lights related to brakes or ABS.
- Inspect the wiring harnesses for rodent damage, especially if the car is parked outdoors, and verify the TPMS is functioning correctly to avoid tire failures.
Before you buy
- For the 300C: have a mechanic inspect the fuel system for leaks and the engine for unusual noises, and confirm all air bag recalls have been completed.
- For the Accord: check the service history for any recalls related to fuel pump or brake control unit, and test all driver-assistance features.
- Ask for a diagnostic scan to check for any stored trouble codes in both vehicles.
- Take both cars for a test drive at highway speeds to feel for any stalling, loss of power, or warning light activations.
- Review the vehicle's maintenance records and look for patterns of repeated repairs.
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 Chrysler 300C or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Chrysler 300C vs Honda Accord
- Chrysler 300C total complaints
- 25
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Chrysler 300C total recalls
- 7
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Chrysler 300C avg complaints/year
- 3.6
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Chrysler 300C
- Chrysler 300C top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE