Head-to-head reliability
Honda Accord vs Nissan Altima
How the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Nissan Altima averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Honda Accord has 4,173 complaints and 35 recalls on record; Nissan Altima has 1,184 complaints and 23 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda Accord | Nissan Altima |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 4,173 | 1,184 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 35 | 23 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 146 | 96 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 417.3 | 118.4 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 135 | 73 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 3 | 1 Better |
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.
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE940
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM812
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE784
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER677
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM567
“2021 Honda Accord EX-L, 1.5T turbocharged engine. Within 8 months of purchase at approximately 21,900 miles, I experienced three separate incidents of sudden complete engine power loss at highway speeds. During each incident the vehicle would not exceed 2,000…”
“I am filing a complaint regarding the premature head gasket failure on my 2021 Honda Accord, which failed on May 28, 2026, with only 89,000 miles on the vehicle. A head gasket is a critical engine component that should last well beyond 89,000 miles under norm…”
Nissan Altima
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER238
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM206
- 03POWER TRAIN193
- 04ENGINE157
- 05SERVICE BRAKES148
“Recently purchased a NISSAN Altima 2024. Found the backup/camera safety component as well as front and side cameras extremely cloudy whether its in the day or night. Not to mention during inclement weather it gets worse. It is to the point I cannot see clearl…”
“Recently purchased a new 2024 Nissan Altima SL in December 2023. Found the backup camera safety component display to have a poor-quality, low resolution, distorted image. Guidelines are not sharp and objects in the backup path are obscured and practically inv…”
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.
Honda Accord — 35 recalls
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…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV,…
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansi…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
Nissan Altima — 23 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Mot…
The risk: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD185 and PMA61. Vehicle Iden…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima vehicles. The front passenger air bag and front passenger knee air bag may have been installed with incorrect mounting fasteners, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.
The risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the air bag mounting fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 25, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan’s customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall i…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Altima vehicles. The bolts connecting the electronic power steering unit to the steering rack may loosen, resulting in a loss of steering control or steering lock-up.
The risk: A loss of steering control or steering lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC997.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand…
The risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge.…
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 | Honda Accord | Nissan Altima |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 |
| 2025 | 98 | 6 |
| 2024 | 0 | 41 |
| 2023 | 224 | 29 |
| 2022 | 231 | 20 |
| 2021 | 221 | 69 |
| 2020 | 349 | 178 |
| 2019 | 667 | 227 |
| 2018 | 1846 | 224 |
| 2017 | 532 | 390 |
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 Honda Accord or Nissan Altima in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda Accord vs Nissan Altima
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,173
- Nissan Altima total complaints
- 1,184
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 35
- Nissan Altima total recalls
- 23
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 417.3
- Nissan Altima avg complaints/year
- 118.4
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Altima
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Nissan Altima top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER