Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti QX50 vs Honda Accord
How the Infiniti QX50 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 QX50 vs Honda Accord: The QX50 has 273 complaints and 11 recalls over 10 years, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints and 38 recalls. The QX50 reports engine and electrical fires; the Accord reports power steering and braking failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti QX50 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti QX50
The Infiniti QX50 is a compact luxury SUV with a relatively low complaint volume—about 27 per year over a decade—but the pattern shows serious engine and electrical problems. Owners report engine fires, check-engine codes, and infotainment failures that can leave the vehicle undrivable or even burn. Recalls cover airbag inflators, door latches, engine internals, and rear suspension, so you'll need to verify all recall work is done. Living with a QX50 means budgeting for potential major repairs and staying on top of open recalls.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream midsize sedan with a much higher complaint count—roughly 452 per year—but that's partly because there are far more on the road. The complaints cluster around engine stalling, electrical glitches, and forward collision avoidance false activations, with some reports of power steering and braking failure. Recalls address hybrid power control software, spare tires, seat belts, airbag sensors, and fuel pumps. Overall, the Accord's issues are more numerous but often less catastrophic than the QX50's fire risk.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti QX50 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 273 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 11 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 10 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 27.3 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 13 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 QX50
- 01ENGINE101
- 02ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING44
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM41
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER38
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE35
Owners report engine fires on the highway, check-engine codes like P0720 and P0500, and misfires causing shaking and weak power. One owner faced a $5,000 used-engine bill after a fire. This is the most common complaint area and a major financial risk.
Complaints include spontaneous fires starting in the infotainment system while parked, plus screens going black and time formats changing randomly. These failures can disable displays and create fire hazards even when the car is off.
With 35 complaints, owners report issues with the automatic braking or warning system, though specific symptoms aren't detailed in the sample. A malfunction could mean the system fails to intervene or brakes unexpectedly.
A recall (25V437000) for engine and engine cooling parts was not yet available for repair, and one owner noted sluggish driving. This suggests cooling or internal mechanical problems that can lead to overheating or power loss.
“so after my initial report about my engine catching fire on the highway, I received an invoice for $5,000 for a used engine with 80k miles on it; plus another $2800 for the service fee. I already put down about $3900 for the engine repair. The mechanic sent m…”
“There are 2 check engine codes that came up as an issue for my vehicle, out of the blue: P0720 and P0500. I reached out to my mechanic and he couldn't fix it. So my plan was to take it to the dealership at the end of this month; however, while driving the veh…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report sudden loss of speed with brake, hill descent, and ABS alarms, plus rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These issues can leave you stranded or cause a crash if power drops at highway speed.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speed, and a tire failure after a TPMS warning was supposedly fixed. These are severe safety risks that could lead to loss of control.
Owners describe the system braking unexpectedly or failing to resolve a threat, sometimes under adaptive cruise control. False or missed activations can cause rear-end collisions or near-misses.
With 602 complaints, this area includes fuel pump recalls and a rotten-egg sulfur odor that persisted after repairs. Fuel delivery problems can cause stalling or failure to start.
“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 QX50 — 11 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improper…
The risk: An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD103, PD10…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improper…
The risk: An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD103, PD10…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 INFINITI QX55 and 2022 INFINITI QX50 vehicles. The incorrect door latch may have been installed in the front right-side passenger door lock assembly, preventing the front right-side door lock from automatically locking.
The risk: An unlocked door may unlatch and open during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front right-side passenger door lock assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 14, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects tha…
The risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan…
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 QX50 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Infiniti QX50 has far fewer complaints per year (27.3 vs. 452.4), but its issues are more severe—engine fires and electrical fires—while the Honda Accord's higher volume includes many less catastrophic problems. In practice, the QX50 may spend more time in the shop for major repairs, while the Accord may have more frequent but often smaller annoyances. Neither is trouble-free, but the QX50's fire risk is a bigger immediate safety concern.
Key differences
- The QX50 has reports of engine and electrical fires, while the Accord's electrical complaints involve power steering and braking failure, not fire.
- The QX50 averages 27.3 complaints per year; the Accord averages 452.4, but the Accord sells in much higher volume.
- The QX50 has 11 recalls including airbag inflators and engine internals; the Accord has 38 recalls including hybrid software and fuel pumps.
- The Accord has 3 deaths and 146 injuries reported, while the QX50 has 0 deaths and 13 injuries, though crash-related counts are 162 vs. 10.
- Check for any signs of engine fire damage or a replaced engine, and ask for the recall repair invoice for campaign 25V437000.
- Test the infotainment system thoroughly for black screens, time format changes, and any burning smells, as fires have started there.
- Test the electronic power steering and brakes at highway speed if possible, and listen for rattling noises during acceleration.
- Check for a rotten-egg sulfur odor and confirm the fuel pump recall was performed, as fuel delivery issues are common.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls for the specific vehicle and confirm they were fixed.
- Ask for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the model, focusing on engine, electrical, and safety systems.
- For the QX50, check for engine misfire codes, infotainment function, and any fire-related repairs.
- For the Accord, test drive at highway speeds to feel for power loss, steering lockup, and unexpected braking.
- Review the owner's complaint history on NHTSA for the exact model year to see if common issues apply.
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 QX50 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 109 |
| 2024 | 4 | 219 |
| 2023 | 4 | 226 |
| 2022 | 16 | 252 |
| 2021 | 40 | 234 |
| 2020 | 33 | 362 |
| 2019 | 140 | 691 |
| 2017 | 13 | 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 QX50 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti QX50 vs Honda Accord
- Infiniti QX50 total complaints
- 273
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Infiniti QX50 total recalls
- 11
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Infiniti QX50 avg complaints/year
- 27.3
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti QX50
- Infiniti QX50 top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE