Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti QX56 vs Honda Accord
How the Infiniti QX56 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 QX56 vs Honda Accord: The QX56 has 46.1 complaints per year vs 443.8 for the Accord, but QX56 brake complaints (200) and engine issues (59) are more safety-critical. Accord's forward collision avoidance complaints (821) are frequent but less severe. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti QX56 or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti QX56
The Infiniti QX56 is a large, heavy SUV that owners report having serious brake issues, including delayed response and warning lights, which can be alarming in everyday driving. Electrical problems, such as sudden stalling and starting failures, add to the ownership headaches. While the total complaint count is lower than the Accord's, the nature of the failures—especially brakes and engine—raises safety concerns. Recalls cover suspension, brakes, airbags, and fuel system, indicating a pattern of component weaknesses.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, a popular midsize sedan, has a much higher complaint volume, but many are tied to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and electrical glitches rather than catastrophic failures. Engine complaints include loss of power and warning lights, but the sample also shows issues like sunroof glass exploding and rodent damage, which are less predictable. With more recalls, including for fuel pumps and airbag sensors, the Accord has its share of problems, but they are often less severe than the QX56's brake and engine issues.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti QX56 | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 461 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 30 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 18 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 46.1 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 14 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 QX56
- 01SERVICE BRAKES200
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM59
- 03HYDRAULIC59
- 04ENGINE59
- 05AIR BAGS34
Owners report brake pedal delay, increased stopping distance, and warning lights like 'VDC OFF' and 'SLIP' illuminating while driving. This suggests potential issues with the brake booster or hydraulic system, which can compromise braking performance.
Multiple complaints describe the vehicle failing to start, requiring jumps, and stalling with all instrument panel lights on. This points to possible battery, alternator, or wiring problems that can leave owners stranded.
Engine issues include timing belt/chain failure and catalytic converter problems, as well as a complaint about acceleration difficulty. These can lead to costly repairs and potential loss of power while driving.
“DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY 421 IN WILKESBORO, NC ON A 45 MPH SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY, MERGED OVER INTO THE TURNING LANE TO TURN LEFT ACROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC. WAITED FOR A BREAK IN TRAFFIC, UPON A BREAK IN TRAFFIC TRIED TO ACCELERATE TO CROSS TRAFFIC, AS VEHICLE…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 INFINITI QX56. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL OFF SLIP ON WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE O…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report engine noise, loss of power, and warning lights for brake, hill descent, and ABS systems, indicating possible engine or transmission control module issues. Some complaints mention the vehicle losing speed on the highway, which is a safety concern.
Electrical problems include TPMS warnings and rodent damage to wiring harnesses, which can cause various malfunctions. The sample shows a tire failure after a TPMS service, suggesting potential sensor or system errors.
Many complaints involve the forward collision avoidance system malfunctioning, with false alerts or system failures. Owners report the system activating unexpectedly or showing errors for adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, which can be distracting and undermine trust in safety features.
“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 QX56 — 30 recalls
The defect: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, AR…
The risk: IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY AFFECTED LOWER LINK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
The defect: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, QX56, FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 19, 2009 THROUGH MARCH 3, 2010. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER…
The risk: IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
The defect: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 TITAN, ARMADA, AND INFINITI QX56, AND MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 NISSAN QUEST VEHICLES. THE BRAKE PEDAL PIVOT PIN END WAS NOT SPIN-FORMED TO SPECIFICATION DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. THE PIVOT PIN COULD SLIDE AND CAUSE THE…
The risk: THE DRIVER WILL EXPERIENCE UNUSUAL AND NOTICEABLE LOOSENESS IN THE PEDAL AND A REDUCTION IN BRAKING FORCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE IF THE PIVOT PIN HAD BEEN FORMED PROPERLY AND WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 22, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 Infiniti QX56 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2012, to April 26, 2013, and 2014 Infiniti QX80 vehicles manufactured June 18, 2013, to February 11, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag inflator may ha…
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the incorrect part may block the flow of propellant to the air bag and the air bag's inflator may rupture. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike and pote…
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
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 QX56 or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Infiniti QX56 has far fewer complaints per year (46.1) compared to the Honda Accord (443.8), but the QX56's issues are more concentrated in critical safety systems like brakes and engine. The Accord's higher volume is partly due to its larger sales base and includes many ADAS-related complaints. In practice, the QX56 may pose a higher risk of brake failure, while the Accord's problems are more about electronic glitches and driver assistance quirks.
Key differences
- The QX56 has a much lower complaint rate per year (46.1) than the Accord (443.8), but its complaints are heavily weighted toward service brakes (200) and engine (59), which are critical for safety.
- The Accord's top complaint areas are engine (985) and electrical (863), but it also has a significant number of forward collision avoidance complaints (821), which are not present in the QX56 data.
- The QX56 has 30 recalls, including for suspension control arms and brake pedals, while the Accord has 38 recalls, including for fuel pumps and airbag sensors.
- The Accord has more crash-related complaints (160) and injuries (144) than the QX56 (18 and 14), but the QX56 has zero deaths reported, while the Accord has 3.
- Inspect the brake system thoroughly: test for pedal feel, check for warning lights, and have a mechanic examine the brake booster and hydraulic components.
- Check the electrical system for signs of battery drain or starting issues, and review service records for any previous stalling or jump-start incidents.
- Test the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control systems to ensure they function correctly without false alerts.
- Look for any signs of rodent damage to wiring, especially in the engine bay, and check the condition of the TPMS sensors and tires.
Before you buy
- For the QX56: Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the brake system, including the ABS module and brake lines, and ask for service records related to brake complaints.
- For the QX56: Check the engine for any signs of timing belt/chain wear or previous replacement, and listen for unusual noises during a test drive.
- For the Accord: Test all driver assistance features (adaptive cruise, lane keep, collision warning) on a safe road to ensure they respond correctly.
- For the Accord: Inspect the electrical system, including the battery and alternator, and ask about any prior TPMS or wiring issues.
- For both: Obtain a vehicle history report to check for open recalls and ensure all recall repairs have been completed.
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 QX56 or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti QX56 vs Honda Accord
- Infiniti QX56 total complaints
- 461
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Infiniti QX56 total recalls
- 30
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Infiniti QX56 avg complaints/year
- 46.1
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti QX56
- Infiniti QX56 top complaint area
- SERVICE BRAKES
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE