Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti Q60 vs Honda Accord
How the Infiniti Q60 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 Q60 vs Honda Accord: The Q60 averages about 10 complaints per year with 6 recalls, while the Accord averages over 450 complaints per year with 38 recalls. Both have engine and electrical concerns, but the Q60's issues often involve air bags and steering, while the Accord's include forward collision avoidance. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti Q60 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti Q60
The Infiniti Q60 is a low-volume luxury coupe, averaging about 10 complaints per year over eight years. Owners most often report air bag warning lights, engine smoke or unintended acceleration, and steering or power train issues. With only 6 recalls and 5 injuries reported, it's a niche car where problems tend to be serious but less frequent.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a high-volume family sedan, averaging over 450 complaints per year across ten years. The most common trouble spots are engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance systems, with 38 recalls and 3 deaths reported. Its popularity means more data, but also more reported failures per year.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti Q60 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 83 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 4 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 10.4 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 5 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.
Infiniti Q60
- 01AIR BAGS21
- 02ENGINE20
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER12
- 04POWER TRAIN10
- 05STEERING10
Owners report the air bag/SRS warning light coming on, often tied to the passenger-side occupancy classification system. This can mean the air bag may not deploy correctly in a crash, so it's a safety concern to check.
Complaints include extreme white smoke from the exhaust and unintended acceleration while driving. These symptoms can lead to loss of visibility or control, making engine health a key inspection point.
Some owners describe stalling, failure to accelerate, and swerving on slight bumps. These issues can make the car unpredictable, so a thorough test drive and diagnostic scan are wise.
Reports mention the car swerving on its own with the slightest bumps, suggesting steering system problems. This affects basic control and should be checked by a mechanic.
“Component/System: Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) / Airbag Occupancy Classification System — Passenger Side What Happened: The airbag/SRS warning light illuminated on my 2018 Infiniti Q60 (VIN [XXX], 102,388 miles). The vehicle was taken to Sewell Infinit…”
“Hello, I purchased my Infiniti Q60 Red Sport brand new in 2028. About a year after that I started to have electrical issues with the car. I've brought it in to the Infiniti dealer in Valencia, CA numerous times during the warranty period (and a few times out…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report alarms for brake, hill descent, and ABS, plus loss of speed and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These can leave you with reduced power or warning lights that are hard to diagnose.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and tire failure after TPMS service. Electrical glitches can affect critical safety systems, so a pre-purchase electrical check is important.
Owners describe the system failing to resolve threats, with incidents under adaptive cruise control. This means the car may not brake or warn as expected, so you should test these features carefully.
Reports include a persistent rotten-egg/sulfur odor and fuel pump issues. These can indicate fuel delivery problems that may lead to stalling or failed emissions tests.
“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.
Infiniti Q60 — 6 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Infiniti Q60 vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.
The risk: In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-8…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (INFINITI) is recalling certain 2021 INFINITI Q50 and Q60 vehicles. After detecting rapid acceleration, the Engine Control Module (ECM) may incorrectly reduce engine power and reduce fuel supply to the engine.
The risk: A lack of fuel may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: INFINITI will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECM software, free of charge. The recall began on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200. INFINITI's number for this recall is R20C5.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Infinity Q50, Q60, and QX80 vehicles. A software error may deactivate the audio/video control unit screen, preventing the rear-view image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehi…
The risk: A rear-view camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 14, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R21A9.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
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
Infiniti Q60 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Infiniti Q60 has far fewer complaints per year (about 10 vs. 452 for the Honda Accord), but its issues often involve air bags, engine, and steering. The Honda Accord's higher volume means more reported problems, especially with engine, electrical, and collision avoidance systems. In practice, the Q60 may need less frequent attention, but when something goes wrong it can be serious.
Key differences
- Complaint volume: Q60 averages ~10/year; Accord averages ~452/year, so the Accord has far more owner-reported issues.
- Recalls: Q60 has 6 recalls; Accord has 38, including fuel pump and electrical system recalls.
- Crash/injury data: Q60 reports 4 crash-related complaints and 5 injuries; Accord reports 162 crash-related and 146 injuries, though volume differs.
- Top failure areas: Q60 owners report air bag, engine, and steering problems; Accord owners report engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance problems.
- Check for any air bag/SRS warning lights and have the passenger occupancy sensor scanned—owners report this failing.
- Listen for engine rattles or white smoke and test for unintended acceleration or stalling during a test drive.
- Test all electrical systems, especially power steering and brakes, and look for warning lights for ABS, hill descent, or TPMS.
- Verify forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control work properly, as owners report failures under these conditions.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls have been performed.
- Have a mechanic inspect the specific trouble areas: air bags and engine for the Q60; electrical and forward collision avoidance for the Accord.
- During a test drive, pay attention to warning lights, unusual noises, and whether safety systems engage correctly.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially for software updates and any prior repairs related to the reported complaints.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a dealer or independent shop familiar with the model.
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 | Infiniti Q60 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 252 |
| 2021 | 3 | 234 |
| 2020 | 2 | 362 |
| 2019 | 4 | 691 |
| 2018 | 25 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 34 | 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 Infiniti Q60 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti Q60 vs Honda Accord
- Infiniti Q60 total complaints
- 83
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Infiniti Q60 total recalls
- 6
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Infiniti Q60 avg complaints/year
- 10.4
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti Q60
- Infiniti Q60 top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE