Head-to-head reliability
Hyundai Palisade vs Honda Accord
How the Hyundai Palisade 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
Hyundai Palisade vs Honda Accord: The Palisade has 2,443 complaints over 7 years (349/year) and 32 recalls, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years (452/year) and 38 recalls. Palisade owners report brake and seat belt issues; Accord owners report engine and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Hyundai Palisade or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Hyundai Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade is a three-row family SUV with 2,443 NHTSA complaints over 7 years, averaging about 349 per year. The most common trouble spots are brakes, seat belts, and engine issues, with 32 recalls and 58 crash-related reports. Owners describe brake problems like unintended acceleration and ABS diagnostic codes, plus seat belt buckle failures that can misreport whether a belt is latched. It's a practical vehicle, but these safety-related complaints mean a thorough pre-purchase inspection is essential.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a midsize sedan with 4,524 NHTSA complaints over 10 years, averaging about 452 per year. The biggest complaint areas are engine, electrical system, and forward collision avoidance, with 38 recalls and 162 crash-related reports. Owners report stalling, power steering and braking failures, and false or missed automatic emergency braking. While the Accord has more total complaints, the higher annual average suggests a broader range of issues to watch for.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Hyundai Palisade | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,443 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 32 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 58 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 349.0 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 71 Better | 146 |
| 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.
Hyundai Palisade
- 01SERVICE BRAKES442
- 02SEAT BELTS417
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER381
- 04ENGINE315
- 05VISIBILITY/WIPER272
Owners report unintended acceleration when pressing the brake, and some see repeated ABS diagnostic trouble codes (like C183987) even when the app says the system is fine. This matters because brake issues directly affect your ability to stop safely.
Complaints describe the third-row seat belt buckle indicating it's buckled when it's not, or showing unbuckled when it is. This can defeat safety reminders and potentially leave passengers unrestrained in a crash.
Reports include severe shaking, sputtering, loss of acceleration, and stalling at low mileage (under 10,000 miles). Such drivetrain problems can leave you stranded or cause dangerous situations in traffic.
This component ranks high in complaints, though specific owner text is not provided. Buyers should check wiper operation and visibility-related recalls, as these affect driving in bad weather.
“My "Vehicle Health" reports all systems good on the BlueLink App-- however, when I open "diagnostics history", it shows 8 repeated reports under DTC: C183987 (SAFETY - Anti-lock Braking System). There is also a reports for a DTC C186B87 (ELECTRICAL- Lane Depa…”
“INCIDENT: Pressed brakes but car accelerated. STORY: I reversed out of a parking spot, turning so I could go to the right in parking lot. Put the car in drive and proceeded driving veering right in the parking lot. I pressed brake within 5 seconds of that but…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report loss of speed, multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS), and rattling noises during acceleration. Some also note rough transitions between EV and gas modes, which can signal hybrid system problems.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warnings that led to a tire blowout. These electrical glitches can cause sudden loss of control.
Owners describe the system failing to intervene or activating unexpectedly, sometimes with adaptive cruise control set. This can lead to near-misses or collisions if the automatic braking does not work as expected.
This area has many complaints, often related to fuel pump or hybrid power control issues. A failing fuel pump can cause stalling, while hybrid problems may lead to reduced power or breakdowns.
“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.
Hyundai Palisade — 32 recalls
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel displa…
The risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Palisade and 2026 Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with a Limited or Calligraphy trim package. The second and third row power seats may fail to detect a person. The seat may continue to move after contacting a person during powered seat fun…
The risk: A person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised to exercise caution when operating the second and third row power seat functions until the repair is performed. Children are advised to not be in the rear seats or near the rear seating area during power-folding operatio…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Hyundai Palisade and 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with "Limited" and "Calligraphy" trim packages. The internal wiring within the third-row driver-side seat belt buckle may become damaged and result in a permanent display of…
The risk: A faulty seat belt status indicator may fail to alert occupants to an unfastened seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will install a wiring harness extension and replace the seat belt assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 8, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The seat belt buckles in the driver, passenger, and second-row window seats may fail to latch.
The risk: Seat belt buckles that fail to latch may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Passengers are advised to insert the belt firmly into the buckle with a quick and direct motion, pulling on the belt to confirm the seat belt is fully secured, until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle…
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
Hyundai Palisade or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Hyundai Palisade has fewer complaints per year (about 349) than the Honda Accord (about 452), but both have safety-related issues. In practice, the Palisade's problems cluster around brakes and seat belts, while the Accord's are more spread across engine, electrical, and driver-assist systems. Neither is trouble-free, so a pre-purchase inspection focused on the reported failure patterns is critical.
Key differences
- The Palisade has 2,443 complaints over 7 years (349/year) versus the Accord's 4,524 over 10 years (452/year), so the Palisade sees fewer complaints per year.
- Palisade owners frequently report brake and seat belt problems, including unintended acceleration and false buckle status, while Accord owners report engine stalling and electrical failures like power steering loss.
- The Accord has more crash-related reports (162) and injuries (146) than the Palisade (58 crashes, 71 injuries), though both have fatalities (1 for Palisade, 3 for Accord).
- Recalls differ: Palisade recalls include seat belts and electrical cluster, while Accord recalls cover hybrid power control, fuel pump, and air bag sensors.
- Check for any signs of unintended acceleration or brake pedal issues; scan for ABS diagnostic codes like C183987 even if the dashboard shows no warning.
- Test the third-row seat belts thoroughly: buckle and unbuckle each one to ensure the dashboard indicator matches the actual buckle status, as false readings are a reported safety defect.
- Listen for rattling noises during acceleration and feel for rough transitions between EV and gas modes; these can indicate engine or hybrid system problems.
- Test the electronic power steering and braking at low speeds and during a test drive; any warning lights or intermittent failure could signal a serious electrical defect.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and confirm all recalls have been completed, especially for the Palisade's seat belt buckles and the Accord's fuel pump and hybrid software.
- Have a mechanic scan for stored diagnostic trouble codes, even if no warning lights are on, to catch issues like the Palisade's ABS codes or the Accord's electrical faults.
- During a test drive, specifically test the brakes, seat belts (all rows), and driver-assist features like forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and check for any repeated repairs related to the top complaint areas (brakes, engine, electrical).
- For the Accord, inspect tires and TPMS operation, as a reported incident involved a tire failure after a TPMS warning.
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 | Hyundai Palisade | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 123 | 10 |
| 2025 | 248 | 109 |
| 2024 | 387 | 219 |
| 2023 | 400 | 226 |
| 2022 | 309 | 252 |
| 2021 | 439 | 234 |
| 2020 | 537 | 362 |
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 Hyundai Palisade or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Hyundai Palisade vs Honda Accord
- Hyundai Palisade total complaints
- 2,443
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Hyundai Palisade total recalls
- 32
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Hyundai Palisade avg complaints/year
- 349.0
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Hyundai Palisade
- Hyundai Palisade top complaint area
- SERVICE BRAKES
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE