Head-to-head reliability
GMC Sierra vs Honda Accord
How the GMC Sierra 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
GMC Sierra vs Honda Accord: Over 10 years, the Sierra had 4,345 complaints and 86 recalls, while the Accord had 4,524 complaints and 38 recalls. The Sierra averages 434.5 complaints per year; the Accord 452.4. Both show serious issues, but the Accord has more crash-related reports. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the GMC Sierra or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
GMC Sierra
The GMC Sierra is a full-size pickup that owners often rely on for heavy work, but NHTSA data shows a steady stream of complaints over the past decade. The most common trouble spots are the engine and power train, with reports of glow plug failures, fuel rail issues, and sudden power loss while driving. Electrical gremlins, such as false trailer brake warnings and even a parked fire, add to ownership frustration. Brake problems, especially when towing, also appear in the complaint sample.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a midsize car that many buyers choose for everyday commuting, yet it has its own set of reported issues. Complaints frequently involve the engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance features. Owners describe alarming warnings, loss of power, and unexpected braking or steering failures. The Accord also has a higher number of crash-related complaints and injuries in the data, though it has far fewer recalls than the Sierra.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | GMC Sierra | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 4,345 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 86 | 38 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 107 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 434.5 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 68 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.
GMC Sierra
- 01ENGINE1,552
- 02POWER TRAIN949
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM665
- 04SERVICE BRAKES576
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER439
Owners report repeated glow plug failures, fuel rail and fuel pressure problems, and a diesel injector connector fault that can cause the exhaust brake to disengage, leading to shaking and speed limiting. These issues often require multiple dealer visits and can leave the truck undrivable.
Complaints describe abnormal shaking at speeds over 30 mph, stalling, and sudden power loss while merging, sometimes causing near-misses with other vehicles. Dealerships may attempt software reflashes, but the problem can persist.
A recurring 'Service Trailer Brake System' warning can chime constantly and be difficult to dismiss. In one case, a parked Sierra caught fire, suggesting a potential electrical short that could be a serious safety concern.
Owners towing trailers report brake pedal issues, such as the pedal going to the floor or failing to slow the vehicle on downhill grades. This is especially dangerous when carrying heavy loads.
“Constant issues with glow plug failures, fuel rail failure, fuel pressure failure. Truck has been in the Gmc service regarding these issues constantly for the last year with a total of five repairs and replacement of glow plugs with releaning learning new plu…”
“GM Duramax L5P diesel engine electrical connector for #4 fuel injector. This failure caused the Diesel exhaust brake, which controls downhill speed, to disengage, extreme shaking of the vehicle, emissions system warning and speed limiting. This occurred while…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Some owners experience sudden loss of power with multiple dashboard warnings (brake, hill descent, ABS) and a 'critical failure' message. Others hear rattling noises during acceleration and feel rough transitions between electric and gas modes in hybrids.
Reports include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, which can cause a near-collision. A TPMS warning led to a tire failure shortly after a dealership repair in one case.
Owners describe unexpected braking or failure to brake when using adaptive cruise control, sometimes occurring repeatedly on the same route. These malfunctions can startle the driver and increase crash risk.
A persistent rotten-egg or sulfur odor is reported, which may indicate a fuel or emissions problem. In hybrids, the issue can be tied to the fuel system or battery cooling, and simple fixes like filter replacement may not resolve it.
“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.
GMC Sierra — 86 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The hood-latch striker wires may not have been heat-treated properly, possibly causing them to fracture.
The risk: If a striker wire fractures, the hood may open unexpectedly while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the hood assembly, free of charge. The recall began April 13, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for…
The defect: General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500 vehicles equipped with a 17" spare tire (RPO ZHQ or ZXT) and either the 20" accessory road tire (RPO REM) or the 18" accessory road tire (RPO Q2V). Operating the spare tire with other 20" or 18" ti…
The risk: An ABS system that cannot control the rear wheels independently increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will provide the appropriate spare tire and apply a new spare tire information label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 18, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; GMC…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame…
The risk: If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC cus…
The defect: General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly cr…
The risk: If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or…
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
GMC Sierra or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Honda Accord has slightly more complaints per year (452.4 vs. 434.5) but far fewer recalls (38 vs. 86). The Sierra's issues often cluster around heavy-duty components like the engine and brakes, while the Accord's problems more frequently involve electronic safety systems. In practice, the Accord may have fewer mechanical breakdowns, but its electronic failures can be more immediately dangerous.
Key differences
- The Sierra has more than twice as many recalls (86) as the Accord (38), often for issues like hood latches, seat belts, and air bag inflators.
- Accord complaints include 162 crash-related reports and 146 injuries, compared to 107 crashes and 68 injuries for the Sierra, despite similar total complaints.
- Sierra owners frequently report engine and power train failures that cause stalling or power loss, while Accord owners more often report electronic steering and braking failures.
- The Accord has a notable number of forward collision avoidance complaints (837), a category not prominent in the Sierra data.
- Check for any history of glow plug or fuel injector repairs, especially on diesel models, and ask for service records.
- Test the trailer brake system and look for any 'Service Trailer Brake System' warnings; also inspect for signs of electrical burning or fire damage.
- Test the electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds if possible, and look for any warning lights related to ABS or hill descent.
- Check for a rotten-egg or sulfur smell, and verify that any fuel or emissions system repairs have been completed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and all available service records, focusing on engine, transmission, and electrical repairs.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, specifically checking the components mentioned in complaints for each model.
- For the Sierra, test drive at highway speeds and while towing if possible, and check for shaking, stalling, or brake issues.
- For the Accord, test all electronic safety features, including adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning, and check for unusual noises or odors.
- Verify that all outstanding recalls have been addressed by checking the NHTSA recall database using the VIN.
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 | GMC Sierra | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 84 | 10 |
| 2025 | 152 | 109 |
| 2024 | 525 | 219 |
| 2023 | 545 | 226 |
| 2022 | 1250 | 252 |
| 2021 | 0 | 234 |
| 2020 | 0 | 362 |
| 2019 | 1122 | 691 |
| 2018 | 66 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 601 | 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 GMC Sierra or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- GMC Sierra vs Honda Accord
- GMC Sierra total complaints
- 4,345
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- GMC Sierra total recalls
- 86
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- GMC Sierra avg complaints/year
- 434.5
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- GMC Sierra
- GMC Sierra top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE