Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti FX35 vs Honda Accord
How the Infiniti FX35 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
Infiniti FX35 vs Honda Accord: The FX35 averages 8.2 complaints per year with 42 recalls, while the Accord averages 443.8 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The FX35's top issues are air bags and door locks, while the Accord's are engine and electrical. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti FX35 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti FX35
The Infiniti FX35 is a luxury SUV with a relatively low complaint rate of about 8 per year, but it has a high number of recalls (42) and recurring issues with air bags, door locks, and electrical components. Owners report Takata air bag inflator recalls with parts delays, power door lock actuators that fail intermittently, and fuel gauge or power loss problems. The cracked or melting dashboard is a common structural complaint that can be a costly cosmetic and safety annoyance.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream sedan with a much higher complaint rate of about 444 per year, reflecting its huge sales volume. The most common issues involve engine noises or failures, electrical glitches, and forward collision avoidance system warnings. Recalls cover hybrid power control software, spare tires, brake control units, and fuel pumps, indicating a wide range of potential problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti FX35 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 74 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 42 | 38 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 3 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 8.2 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 5 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.
Infiniti FX35
- 01AIR BAGS16
- 02LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES12
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11
- 04STRUCTURE9
- 05ENGINE8
Owners report Takata air bag inflator recalls with parts unavailable for months, and some say they were told it was safe to drive despite the recall. Another complaint describes air bags deploying from debris hitting the undercarriage, which can cause unexpected injuries and windshield damage.
Power door lock actuators fail intermittently or completely, often starting with the driver's door and spreading to others. In some cases, child locks engage and rear doors cannot be opened from outside, forcing children to climb over seats to exit.
Owners report fuel gauges that stop registering fuel level, and instances where the vehicle loses power at speed with warning lights for engine, VDC, and slip. These electrical faults can leave a driver stranded or unaware of fuel status.
Dashboard cracking and melting is a frequent complaint, with sticky surfaces causing blinding reflections and pieces falling apart. This is a cosmetic and safety issue that dealers may refuse to fix, leading to expensive repairs.
“TAKATA RECALL THE RECALL WAS ISSUED ON THIS CAR IN MAY 2016, AND THE DEALERSHIPS STILL DO NOT HAVE PARTS AS OF TODAY, 10/21/2016. WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE PARTS WILL NOT BE HERE BEFORE MID TO END OF NOVEMBER. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING TOLD THAT IT IS SAFE TO…”
“WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON A FIVE LANE FREEWAY, A PIECE OF DEBRIS (ABOUT 1X2 FT) WAS BOUNCING FROM LANE TO LANE. IT BOUNCED INTO MY LANE AND WENT UNDER MY 2012 INFINITE FX35. I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND MY AIRBAGS EJECTED OPEN. MY WHOLE FRONT WINDSHIELD…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report noises from new vehicles and sudden loss of speed with multiple alarms like brake, hill descent, and ABS failure. These engine-related issues can occur at highway speeds and may indicate serious mechanical or electronic faults.
Complaints include TPMS warnings followed by catastrophic tire failure, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses in nearly new cars. Such electrical problems can lead to safety-critical failures like tire blowouts or engine sensor malfunctions.
Owners report intermittent dashboard warnings for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams, sometimes with no obstructions. These failures can disable advanced safety features without warning, reducing driver assistance when needed.
Some complaints involve sunroof glass exploding spontaneously and tire failures after service. These unpredictable issues can cause injury or property damage and are hard to anticipate during a pre-purchase inspection.
“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.
Infiniti FX35 — 42 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (INFINITI) is recalling certain 2003 INFINITI FX35, 2006-2008 FX35 and FX45 vehicles that previously received a replacement front passenger air bag assembly under recall number 20V-008. The air bag cushion was folded incorrectly, which could increase internal pressure and…
The risk: A tear in the air bag may decrease air bag performance, and increase the risk of injury.
The fix: INFINITI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 19, 2021. Owners may contact INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200. INFINITI's number for this recall…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles ar…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 o…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and th…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on June 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2003-2004 Infiniti I35, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2011 Nissan Versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missis…
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2017. All owners should receive a second notice by May 15, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer s…
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
Infiniti FX35 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Infiniti FX35 has far fewer complaints per year (8.2 vs. 443.8), but both vehicles have notable safety-related issues. The Honda Accord's higher volume means more reported problems, but the FX35's lower rate still includes serious air bag and electrical faults. In practice, the FX35 may have fewer overall issues, but the Accord's issues are more widely documented and may have more available fixes.
Key differences
- The Infiniti FX35 has 74 complaints over 9 years, while the Honda Accord has 4,438 over 10 years, but the Accord sells in much higher volumes.
- Air bag issues dominate FX35 complaints, including Takata recalls and unexpected deployment, whereas Accord complaints are spread across engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance systems.
- FX35 owners report door lock actuator failures that can trap children, while Accord owners report engine noises and sudden power loss at speed.
- Both have electrical complaints, but the FX35's include fuel gauge failure and power loss, while the Accord's include TPMS-related tire failure and rodent damage to wiring.
- Check for open Takata air bag recalls and confirm the inflator has been replaced; parts may still be unavailable, so verify with a dealer.
- Test all power door locks and actuators multiple times, especially rear doors, and check for intermittent operation or child lock issues.
- Listen for unusual engine noises at idle and during test drive, and check for any warning lights related to brakes, hill descent, or ABS.
- Inspect tires for uneven wear or damage, and verify that any TPMS warnings have been properly resolved, as some owners reported tire failure after service.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models using the NHTSA VIN lookup tool.
- For the Infiniti FX35, specifically ask if the Takata air bag inflator has been replaced and get documentation.
- For the Honda Accord, test all advanced safety features like adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist to ensure they work without intermittent warnings.
- Have a mechanic inspect the electrical system, including fuel gauge and door lock actuators on the FX35, and engine and wiring on the Accord.
- During the test drive, pay attention to any unusual noises, warning lights, or loss of power, and note any dashboard cracks or sticky surfaces on the FX35.
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 Infiniti FX35 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti FX35 vs Honda Accord
- Infiniti FX35 total complaints
- 74
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Infiniti FX35 total recalls
- 42
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Infiniti FX35 avg complaints/year
- 8.2
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti FX35
- Infiniti FX35 top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE