Head-to-head reliability
Dodge Avenger vs Honda Accord
How the Dodge Avenger 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
Dodge Avenger vs Honda Accord: The Avenger averaged 291 complaints per year over 9 years, while the Accord averaged 452 per year over 10 years. The Avenger has 32 recalls and 1 death; the Accord has 38 recalls and 3 deaths. Both show real owner-reported electrical and engine issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Dodge Avenger or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Dodge Avenger
The Dodge Avenger is a mid-size sedan that averaged about 291 complaints per year over nine years, with 32 recalls. Owners frequently report electrical gremlins, air bag warning lights, and engine surging that can make braking feel unpredictable. It can be a budget-friendly used car, but you should expect to stay on top of warning lights and odd noises.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular mid-size sedan that averaged about 452 complaints per year over ten years, with 38 recalls. Complaints often involve engine and electrical problems, including sudden power loss and electronic steering or braking failures on newer models. It has more total complaints than the Avenger, but also more advanced safety features that can generate complex issues.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Dodge Avenger | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,623 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 32 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 151 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 291.4 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 147 | 146 Better |
| 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.
Dodge Avenger
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM552
- 02AIR BAGS515
- 03ENGINE437
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER418
- 05POWER TRAIN366
Owners report RPMs rising and falling at idle, slow starts, and windows that suddenly fall into the door. These electrical faults can leave you stranded or unable to roll up a window, and they are often hard for shops to diagnose.
The air bag light may come on and off, beep, or stay on, sometimes during left turns. Owners worry the bags could deploy unexpectedly, so they sometimes pull the fuse, which disables the system entirely.
Complaints describe the car accelerating on its own while braking, bogging down between 40 and 65 mph, and taking longer to start. These symptoms can make stopping and merging feel unpredictable.
Some owners report the car moving or rolling after the key is removed, and others note a bogging sensation at highway speeds. These vague but serious reports suggest intermittent faults that are hard to pin down.
“2009 DODGE AVENGER RPMS WOULD RISE AND FALL 200-300 AT IDLE. EXHAUST/MUFFLER WOULD RATTLE. HAVE BEEN TO MULTIPLE SHOPS AND THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. IT IS TAKING LONGER TO START UP. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED LA…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE AVENGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ROLL DOWN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WHEN IT SUDDENLY SLID DOWN INTO THE DOOR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ROLL THE WINDOW BACK UP. THE CONTACT TOOK THE…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners describe sudden loss of speed with multiple alarms, rattling noises while accelerating, and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These issues can leave you with reduced power on the highway.
Reports include electronic power steering and braking failing at highway speeds, and a tire failure shortly after a TPMS repair. These are severe safety concerns that can happen without much warning.
Owners say the system can fail to resolve a threat, and some report sudden braking or warnings under adaptive cruise control. This can be startling and may reduce trust in the car’s safety aids.
Complaints include persistent rotten-egg odors and a foot getting stuck behind a plastic panel. These are not always safety-critical, but they show build and design details that can annoy owners.
“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.
Dodge Avenger — 32 recalls
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012 Jeep Liberty and 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger vehicles. A component within the occupant restraint controller (ORC) may fail and prevent the active headrests from deploying in the event of a rear-end crash.
The risk: If the active headrests do not deploy in certain rear-end crashes, the front seat occupants have an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ORC as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2017. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is T56.
The defect: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Sebring and 200 vehicles manufactured June 28, 2011, through December 13, 2012; model year 2011-2013 Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured June 25, 2011, through January 14, 2013; model year 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011,…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the active head restraints , their non-deployment could increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will flash the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) or replace the occupant restraint control module, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler…
The defect: CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011DODGE JOURNEY, JEEP WRANGLER, CHRYSLER 200, CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE, DODGE AVENGER, DODGE NITRO, JEEP LIBERTY, DODGE CALIBER, JEEP COMPASS, JEEP PATRIOT, DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUIL…
The risk: A MISSING OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED RIVET COULD COMPROMISE THE ABILITY OF THE STEERING COLUMN TO SUPPORT THE OCCUPANT LOADS IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL CRASH, DECREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FRONTAL IMPACT SAFETY SYSTEM. AS A RESULT, THE…
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR RIVET PRESENCE AND ALIGNMENT AND REPAIR THE STEERING COLUMN PIVOT AS REQUIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 4, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
The defect: CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 CHRYSLER SEBRING; DODGE AVENGER AND NITRO; JEEP LIBERTY, COMMANDER AND GRAND CHEROKEE; AND MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 DODGE RAM TRUCK. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN IMPROPERLY FORMED OR MISSING BRAKE BOOSTER INPUT ROD RETAINING CLIP.
The risk: THIS COULD RESULT IN BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH.
The fix: CHRYSLER WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER INPUT ROD RETAINING CLIP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
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
Dodge Avenger or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Dodge Avenger has fewer complaints per year (about 291) than the Honda Accord (about 452), but the Accord’s issues often involve newer electronic safety systems. In practice, the Avenger may have more frequent small electrical and air bag annoyances, while the Accord can have less frequent but more complex and potentially serious failures.
Key differences
- The Avenger averages about 291 complaints per year; the Accord averages about 452 per year, so the Avenger has fewer complaints overall.
- Avenger owners often report air bag lights and electrical issues like windows falling into doors; Accord owners report engine power loss and electronic steering or braking failures.
- The Accord has more crash-related complaints (162 vs 151) and more deaths (3 vs 1) in the data, though these numbers alone do not prove cause.
- Avenger recalls include seats, steering, and brakes; Accord recalls include hybrid power control software, fuel pumps, and seat belt retractors.
- Check for air bag warning lights that come on and off, beep, or stay on—especially during turns—and confirm the air bag system has not been disabled.
- Test for electrical oddities like RPMs rising and falling at idle, slow starts, and windows that drop into the door; these can be expensive to trace.
- Look for any history of electronic power steering or braking failure, especially on newer models, and ask if related software updates or recalls were done.
- Listen for engine rattles while accelerating and check for rough transitions between EV and gas modes on hybrid models; these can signal costly repairs.
Before you buy
- Ask for a full vehicle history report and confirm all open recalls have been repaired by a dealer.
- Have a mechanic inspect the air bag system, electrical components, and engine for the specific symptoms owners report.
- Test drive at highway speeds and during turns to check for surging, warning lights, or steering and braking issues.
- For the Accord, verify any hybrid or forward collision avoidance software updates and check for rotten-egg odors.
- For the Avenger, check window regulators, idle stability, and whether the car ever rolls after the key is removed.
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 Dodge Avenger or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Dodge Avenger vs Honda Accord
- Dodge Avenger total complaints
- 2,623
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Dodge Avenger total recalls
- 32
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Dodge Avenger avg complaints/year
- 291.4
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Dodge Avenger
- Dodge Avenger top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE