Head-to-head reliability
FORD F 450 vs Honda Accord
How the FORD F 450 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
FORD F 450 vs Honda Accord: The F-450 averaged 12.5 complaints per year with 60 recalls, while the Accord averaged 443.8 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The F-450's issues include engine fires and drivetrain failures, whereas the Accord's are more often electronic and engine-related. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the FORD F 450 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
FORD F 450
The Ford F-450 is a heavy-duty truck often used for towing and hauling, and its complaint pattern reflects that hard-working life. Over 10 years, it averaged 12.5 complaints per year, with electrical and power train issues leading the list. Owners report water leaks that soak dashboards and cause electrical faults, as well as drivetrain vibrations that can escalate to fractured driveshafts. Engine compartment fires near the fuel filter are also reported, matching a known investigation.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular family sedan, and its complaint volume is much higher—averaging 443.8 complaints per year over the same period. The most common areas are the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance features. Owners describe engine noises, sudden loss of power, and warning lights for braking and stability systems. Some also report unexpected activation or failure of driver-assist technologies.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | FORD F 450 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 125 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 60 | 38 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 4 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 12.5 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 6 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.
FORD F 450
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM25
- 02POWER TRAIN22
- 03ENGINE18
- 04STRUCTURE17
- 05STEERING14
Owners report water pouring from doors and soaking the dashboard, which can cause alarms to sound and electrical components to fail. This matters because water damage can lead to costly repairs and unpredictable electrical behavior.
Complaints include severe vibrations at highway speeds that can lead to a fractured driveshaft and transmission housing damage. A buyer should be aware that these issues can occur suddenly and may require major drivetrain repairs.
Reports describe engine compartment fires originating near the secondary fuel filter, as well as oil leaks from injector seals. These are serious safety and reliability concerns that could lead to expensive fixes or dangerous situations.
Owners report tailgates opening unexpectedly while driving and doors that fail to latch closed, even on low-mileage trucks under warranty. These defects can compromise cargo security and passenger safety.
“WAS PASSING BY THE TRUCK THE ALARM WAS GOING OFF, UPON OPENING THE DOOR THERE WAS WATER POURING OUT OF THE DOOR, THEN I NOTICED THE FRONT DASH WAS SOAKING WET. THE CONSOLE HAD SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER IN IT. THE TRUCK WAS FLATBEDDED TO COLUMBIA FORD, FOUND SUN…”
“incidents Summary: The vehicle experienced a significant engine compartment fire while in operation. The fire originated in the engine valley near the secondary fuel filter, consistent with the failure mode described in NHTSA Investigation PE24014. 1. Compone…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report noises, loss of power, and multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS) appearing at highway speeds. These symptoms can indicate critical failures that may leave a driver stranded or in a dangerous situation.
Complaints include tire pressure monitoring system warnings followed by catastrophic tire failure, as well as rodent damage to wiring harnesses in newer vehicles. Electrical gremlins can be intermittent and hard to diagnose.
Owners describe adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams malfunctioning intermittently, sometimes with no obstructions present. These failures can reduce driver confidence in safety features.
While not detailed in the sample complaints, the high number of brake-related complaints suggests owners experience issues with the braking system, which is critical for safety. Buyers should have brakes thoroughly inspected.
“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.
FORD F 450 — 60 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: LGE Coachworks, Inc. (LGE Coachworks) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Ford E-450, F-550, and Freightliner M2-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager back-up camera displays. The displays may unexpectedly revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be…
The risk: The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: ASA will notify LGE Coachworks owners, and dealers will replace the displays, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA customer service at 1-800-384-4400 or LGE Coachworks at 1-800-209-3985.
The defect: Taylor Made Ambulances is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford E-350, F-450, E-450, F-550, and GMC G3500-based ambulances equipped with Whelen brake lights. Depending on the specific wiring of the vehicle, these brake lights may illuminate when the brake pedal has not been pressed.
The risk: If the brake lights incorrectly illuminate, it can confuse other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Taylor Made will notify owners and Whelen will replace the brake lights, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2019. Owners may contact Taylor Made Ambulances customer service at 1-800-468-1310.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
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
FORD F 450 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Ford F-450 has far fewer complaints per year (12.5 vs. 443.8), but its issues tend to be severe, including fires and drivetrain failures. The Honda Accord has many more complaints, but they are spread across a larger number of vehicles and often involve electronic glitches. In practice, the F-450 may need fewer visits to the shop, but when something goes wrong, it can be more serious.
Key differences
- The Ford F-450 averages 12.5 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord averages 443.8, but the F-450's complaints include engine fires and driveshaft fractures.
- Honda Accord complaints often involve advanced driver-assist systems (forward collision avoidance) malfunctioning, a category not prominent in F-450 complaints.
- Ford F-450 owners report structural issues like tailgates opening and doors not latching, which are not highlighted in Accord complaints.
- The Accord has more crash-related complaints (160 vs. 4) and injuries (144 vs. 6), though these numbers must be considered relative to the much larger number of Accords on the road.
- Check for water leaks around the doors and dashboard, as owners report water pouring out and soaking electronics.
- Listen for unusual vibrations or clunks at highway speeds, which could indicate a failing driveshaft or transmission.
- Test all driver-assist features (adaptive cruise, lane keeping) for intermittent warnings or failures.
- Inspect tires and TPMS sensors, as some owners reported tire failure shortly after TPMS warnings.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- For the F-450, have a mechanic inspect the undercarriage for signs of water intrusion and check the driveshaft and transmission.
- For the Accord, test drive at highway speeds to see if any warning lights appear and verify all safety systems work.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially for oil changes and any electrical or engine repairs.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model's common 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 | FORD F 450 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2 | 101 |
| 2024 | 8 | 214 |
| 2023 | 5 | 224 |
| 2022 | 19 | 238 |
| 2021 | 17 | 226 |
| 2020 | 24 | 355 |
| 2019 | 19 | 677 |
| 2018 | 10 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 20 | 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 FORD F 450 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- FORD F 450 vs Honda Accord
- FORD F 450 total complaints
- 125
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- FORD F 450 total recalls
- 60
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- FORD F 450 avg complaints/year
- 12.5
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- FORD F 450
- FORD F 450 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE