Head-to-head reliability
Lexus ES vs Honda Accord
How the Lexus ES 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
Lexus ES vs Honda Accord: The Lexus ES has 181 complaints over 10 years (18.1/yr) versus the Accord's 4,438 (443.8/yr). The Accord shows more engine and electrical issues, while the ES has airbag and brake concerns. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus ES or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus ES
The Lexus ES, with 181 complaints over 10 years (about 18 per year), presents a relatively low-volume complaint profile. Owners report issues concentrated in air bags, fuel/propulsion, and brakes, with specific incidents of airbag non-deployment and sudden loss of power. While not alarmingly frequent, these reports highlight potential safety-critical concerns that buyers should investigate.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord, with 4,438 complaints over 10 years (about 444 per year), shows a much higher complaint rate. The dominant issues are engine problems, electrical glitches, and forward collision avoidance malfunctions, with owners describing sudden power loss, warning light cascades, and unintended braking. This pattern suggests a more problematic ownership experience, especially for a modern vehicle.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus ES | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 181 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 8 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 32 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 18.1 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 18 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.
Lexus ES
- 01AIR BAGS44
- 02FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM34
- 03SERVICE BRAKES23
- 04ENGINE20
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER18
Owners report airbags failing to deploy in crashes, with an 'SRS Airbag System Malfunction' message appearing. There are also prolonged recalls for the passenger-side airbag, leaving owners concerned about safety.
The car may 'lunge' forward when shifting into drive, or experience a temporary loss of power when accelerating after backing off. These intermittent issues can be unsettling and potentially dangerous in traffic.
Brake failure is reported, such as the pedal not responding when applied, requiring pumping to regain function. This is a critical safety concern that could lead to accidents.
Transmission failures have been reported on multiple ES350 models, and a timing chain cover leak at 53k miles can lead to expensive repairs. These issues affect reliability and cost of ownership.
“I am writing to formally express my deep concern and frustration regarding the prolonged recall of the passenger-side airbag in my 2020 Lexus ES350 (VIN #[XXX]). The recall numbers are (23LA03, 23LB03 and 23V865) these were issued in December of 2023, which h…”
“On 7/25/25, I was rear-ended while driving my 2018 Lexus ES 300h with my child in the front seat. Despite the force of impact and resulting injuries, none of the airbags deployed. Moments after the crash, a “SRS Airbag System Malfunction” message appeared on…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report unusual noises leading to major failures, and sudden loss of power with warning lights for brake, hill descent, and ABS systems. This can leave the vehicle unable to maintain speed, posing a hazard.
TPMS warnings that lead to tire failure, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses, are reported. Electrical issues can cause a range of malfunctions and are often difficult and costly to diagnose.
The system may trigger false alerts or unintended braking, and there are intermittent problems with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping. These can be annoying and potentially cause rear-end collisions.
Brake-related complaints are frequent, with issues like the vehicle losing speed and warning lights indicating brake system failures. This suggests potential problems with the braking system's electronics or hydraulics.
“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.
Lexus ES — 8 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Mirai, Lexus LS500, LS500H, 2023-2024 Lexus ES250, ES300H, ES350, 2024 Lexus LC500, and LC500H vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Due to incorrect programming of the parking-assist electronic cont…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TA01 and 24LA0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
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
Lexus ES or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Lexus ES has significantly fewer complaints per year (18.1) compared to the Honda Accord (443.8), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. In practice, this means a Lexus ES buyer is less likely to encounter the kinds of problems that dominate Accord complaints, but both have safety-critical issues to check.
Key differences
- The Accord has far more complaints per year (443.8) than the ES (18.1), suggesting a higher rate of reported problems.
- Accord owners frequently report engine power loss and electrical glitches, while ES owners report airbag non-deployment and brake failure.
- The Accord's forward collision avoidance system is a top complaint area, with false activations, while the ES has no such prominent issue.
- Both have recalls, but the ES's recalls focus on airbag sensors and backup camera, while the Accord's include fuel pump and brake control unit issues.
- Check for any open recalls related to the airbag occupant classification sensor and ensure they have been completed.
- Test the brakes thoroughly, especially for any delay or loss of pedal feel, and listen for unusual lunging when shifting into drive.
- Inspect the engine for any unusual noises and check for warning lights related to the braking system or power loss.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system in a safe area to see if it triggers false alerts, and check for any electrical issues like TPMS warnings.
Before you buy
- Obtain the vehicle's VIN and check NHTSA for open recalls on both models.
- For the Lexus ES, ask for service records related to airbag recalls and any transmission or brake repairs.
- For the Honda Accord, ask about any engine or electrical system repairs, and test the forward collision avoidance system.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the timing chain cover on the ES and the wiring harness on the Accord for signs of damage.
- Take both on a test drive that includes acceleration, braking, and highway speeds to feel for any hesitation or warning lights.
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 | Lexus ES | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 5 |
| 2025 | 12 | 101 |
| 2024 | 9 | 214 |
| 2023 | 22 | 224 |
| 2022 | 23 | 238 |
| 2021 | 28 | 226 |
| 2020 | 18 | 355 |
| 2019 | 62 | 677 |
| 2018 | 5 | 1864 |
| 2017 | 2 | 534 |
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 Lexus ES or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus ES vs Honda Accord
- Lexus ES total complaints
- 181
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Lexus ES total recalls
- 8
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Lexus ES avg complaints/year
- 18.1
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Lexus ES
- Lexus ES top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE