Head-to-head reliability
Honda Cb500x vs Honda Accord
How the Honda Cb500x 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
Honda CB500x vs Honda Accord: The CB500X has 1 complaint and 4 recalls over 10 years, while the Accord has 4,438 complaints, 38 recalls, and 160 crash-related reports. The CB500X owner report cites water pump oil residue; Accord owners report engine noise, power loss, and electrical faults. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda Cb500x or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda Cb500x
The Honda CB500X is a midsize adventure-style motorcycle that, over the past decade, has generated just 1 NHTSA complaint and 4 recalls. The single owner report describes oil residue under the water pump on a 2019 model, with no warning lights and no diagnosis yet. Recalls cover hydraulic service brakes and exterior lighting, but there are no crash, injury, or death reports in this dataset. In ownership terms, it appears to be a low-volume, low-complaint machine, though the lack of complaints also means fewer real-world patterns to learn from.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan and hybrid that has generated 4,438 NHTSA complaints over 10 years, averaging about 444 per year, plus 38 recalls. Owner reports cluster around engine noises and sudden power loss, electrical glitches such as TPMS and rodent-damaged wiring, and forward collision avoidance warnings that appear intermittently. There are also 160 crash-related reports, 144 injuries, and 3 deaths in this dataset, which does not prove the car caused them but shows the volume of serious outcomes reported. Recalls include hybrid power control software, antilock brake control modules, fuel pumps, airbag sensors, and spare tires.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda Cb500x | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.1 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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.
Honda Cb500x
- 01ENGINE1
One owner of a 2019 CB500X found oil residue underneath the water pump but had no warning lights and had not yet had it diagnosed. For a buyer, this means checking for coolant or oil weeping around the water pump area is a smart, low-cost inspection.
Two recalls involve hydraulic service brakes, though no specific owner complaint text is provided for this area. A buyer should confirm any open brake-related recall has been performed, since brake issues on a motorcycle are directly safety-relevant.
Two recalls cover exterior lighting, again without detailed owner complaint text. Lighting failures can reduce visibility, so verifying that recall work was completed is a practical pre-purchase step.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HONDA CB500X. THE CONTACT STATED HE DISCOVERED OIL RESIDUE UNDERNEATH THE WATER PUMP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED IN RELATION TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD YET TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO BE DIAGNOSED OR…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report noises that persist after purchase and, in one case, alarms for brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure followed by loss of speed at highway speeds. These are not just annoyances; sudden power loss can leave a driver exposed in traffic.
Reports include a TPMS warning that was supposedly fixed before a tire catastrophically failed the same day, and rodent damage to a camshaft position wiring harness on a nearly new car. Electrical gremlins can be intermittent and hard to diagnose, so a pre-purchase scan for stored codes is worthwhile.
Owners describe intermittent dashboard messages for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, and automatic high beams, sometimes with no obstruction present. If these systems drop out unpredictably, a buyer should not assume they will always be available.
There are 592 service brake complaints in the top components, and one recall covers the antilock/traction control electronic control unit. Brake-related complaints at this volume mean a buyer should check for recall completion and any lingering ABS or brake warning lights.
“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.
Honda Cb500x — 4 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 CB500X and CBR500R ABS motorcycles. Excessive grease in the ABS modulator may collect debris, which can get stuck in the check valve and cause a brake fluid leak.
The risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the lot number on the ABS modulator, and replace the modulator as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Honda Powersports customer service at 1-866-784-…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 CB500X and CBR500R ABS motorcycles. Excessive grease in the ABS modulator may collect debris, which can get stuck in the check valve and cause a brake fluid leak.
The risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the lot number on the ABS modulator, and replace the modulator as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Honda Powersports customer service at 1-866-784-…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Super Cub C125, CB500X, CB650R, CBR300R, CBR500R, CBR650R, Rebel 300, Rebel 500, Monkey, 2020 CRF250L, GROM, 2021 CRF300L, and CB500F motorcycles. The rear reflector lens may not reflect brightly enough. As such, these vehicles fail to…
The risk: A dim rear reflector may reduce the visibility of the motorcycle to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the rear reflector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KM3.
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Super Cub C125, CB500X, CB650R, CBR300R, CBR500R, CBR650R, Rebel 300, Rebel 500, Monkey, 2020 CRF250L, GROM, 2021 CRF300L, and CB500F motorcycles. The rear reflector lens may not reflect brightly enough. As such, these vehicles fail to…
The risk: A dim rear reflector may reduce the visibility of the motorcycle to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the rear reflector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KM3.
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
Honda Cb500x or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Honda CB500X has far fewer issues per year, with 0.1 complaints annually versus 443.8 for the Honda Accord. In practice, that means the motorcycle owner is much less likely to file a complaint, but the Accord's much larger population and broader use also generate more reports. The difference is not a direct safety ranking; it reflects volume, vehicle type, and how owners use each machine.
Key differences
- The CB500X has 1 complaint and 4 recalls over 10 years, while the Accord has 4,438 complaints and 38 recalls over the same period.
- CB500X owner reports focus on a single water pump oil residue issue, whereas Accord owners report engine noise, sudden power loss, TPMS failures, rodent wiring damage, and forward collision warnings.
- The Accord dataset includes 160 crash-related reports, 144 injuries, and 3 deaths; the CB500X dataset includes none of these.
- Accord recalls cover hybrid power control software, ABS control modules, fuel pumps, airbag sensors, and spare tires, while CB500X recalls are limited to hydraulic service brakes and exterior lighting.
- Look for oil or coolant residue around the water pump area, especially on a 2019 model, since one owner reported this without any warning light.
- Ask for proof that both hydraulic service brake recalls and both exterior lighting recalls have been completed, as these are the only recall subjects listed.
- Listen for persistent engine noises and check for any stored codes related to brake, hill descent, ABS, or critical failure warnings, as owners report sudden power loss at highway speeds.
- Inspect tires and TPMS history carefully, because one owner reported a TPMS repair followed by a catastrophic tire failure the same day.
Before you buy
- For either vehicle, run the VIN through NHTSA to confirm all open recalls are closed before purchase.
- On the CB500X, inspect the water pump area for oil residue and test all lights, since recalls cover brakes and exterior lighting.
- On the Accord, ask for a pre-purchase scan of all electronic control modules to look for stored forward collision, ABS, or engine codes.
- On the Accord, check tire dates and TPMS operation, and look for any signs of rodent damage to wiring under the hood.
- Take a test drive that includes highway speeds and, if possible, activate adaptive cruise control and lane keeping to see if warnings appear intermittently.
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 Cb500x | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 214 |
| 2023 | 0 | 224 |
| 2022 | 0 | 238 |
| 2021 | 0 | 226 |
| 2020 | 0 | 355 |
| 2019 | 1 | 677 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 Honda Cb500x or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda Cb500x vs Honda Accord
- Honda Cb500x total complaints
- 1
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Honda Cb500x total recalls
- 4
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Honda Cb500x avg complaints/year
- 0.1
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Honda Cb500x
- Honda Cb500x top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE