Head-to-head reliability
Lexus RX vs Honda Accord
How the Lexus RX 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 RX vs Honda Accord: Over 10 years, the RX averaged 63.5 complaints per year and had 17 recalls, while the Accord averaged 452.4 complaints per year and had 38 recalls. The RX also had 73 crash-related complaints versus 162 for the Accord. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Lexus RX or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Lexus RX
The Lexus RX is a luxury SUV that averages about 64 complaints per year over the last decade, with 17 recalls. The most common owner complaints involve air bags, electrical system issues like 12-volt battery drain, and occasional unintended acceleration. While the overall complaint rate is relatively low, the severity of some reported incidents—such as crashes and injuries—means buyers should still pay close attention to specific systems.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream sedan with a much higher complaint rate: about 452 per year over 10 years, plus 38 recalls. Owners frequently report engine problems, electrical failures, and forward collision avoidance malfunctions, with some incidents leading to crashes and injuries. The volume of complaints suggests that while many Accords are trouble-free, a significant number experience recurring issues that can be costly and sometimes dangerous.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Lexus RX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 635 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 17 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 73 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 63.5 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 67 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.
Lexus RX
- 01AIR BAGS260
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER107
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM83
- 04ENGINE51
- 05STRUCTURE37
Owners report unintended acceleration leading to crashes, as well as failure to alert when rear seat belts are unbuckled. These issues matter because they directly affect crash safety and could lead to injuries.
Complaints include 12-volt battery draining suddenly, sometimes within weeks of purchase, leaving the vehicle unable to start. This can strand drivers and require jump-starts or dealer visits.
Some owners experience unintended acceleration and check engine lights with turbocharger wastegate actuator faults. These can cause loss of power or unexpected acceleration, posing safety risks.
Reports describe sudden power loss after using seat coolers and uncontrollable acceleration in drive-thrus. These unpredictable events can be frightening and dangerous in traffic.
“The contact owns a 2025 Lexus RX 350. The contact stated that while driving into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove forward at a high rate of speed before crashing into the brick wall of an office building. Dur…”
“The car does not alert when a seat belt is not worn in the back seats. This feature is mentioned in the owner's manual, but the car fails to alert when a rear passenger does not buckle their seat belt. I have raised the complaint twice and proved to lexus ser…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report alarms for brake, hill descent, and ABS failures, leading to speed loss, as well as rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These can indicate serious powertrain issues that may be expensive to repair.
Complaints include simultaneous failure of electronic power steering and braking at highway speeds, and tire failures after TPMS service. Such failures can cause loss of control and near-collisions.
Owners describe the system failing to prevent collisions or activating unexpectedly under adaptive cruise control. This undermines a key safety feature and could lead to crashes.
Some report persistent rotten-egg odors and fuel system issues. While not always safety-critical, these can indicate underlying problems and lead to costly repairs.
“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.
Lexus RX — 17 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Camry, 2019 Lexus NX300, and 2019 RX350L vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 12, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TA01 and 25LA01.
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…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lexus NX350, NX250, 2023-2026 RX350, and 2024-2026 TX350 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federa…
The risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software or replace the rearview camera, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX350, RX500 Hybrid, TX500 Hybrid, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can result in…
The risk: A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front steering knuckles, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's num…
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
Lexus RX or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Lexus RX has far fewer complaints per year (about 64 vs. 452 for the Honda Accord) and fewer recalls (17 vs. 38). In practice, this means a used RX is likely to have fewer reported problems overall, but both vehicles have serious safety-related complaints that warrant a thorough inspection.
Key differences
- The Lexus RX averages about 64 complaints per year, while the Honda Accord averages about 452 per year—a sevenfold difference.
- Lexus RX complaints often involve air bag and electrical issues like battery drain, whereas Honda Accord complaints frequently cite engine and forward collision avoidance failures.
- The Honda Accord has more than twice as many recalls (38 vs. 17) and more crash-related complaints (162 vs. 73).
- Both vehicles have reports of unintended acceleration or power loss, but the Accord also has numerous reports of simultaneous steering and braking failure.
- Check for any history of unintended acceleration or sudden power loss, especially during test drives at low speeds or in parking situations.
- Inspect the 12-volt battery health and ask if it has been replaced; parasitic drain can leave you stranded.
- Test the electronic power steering and braking systems at highway speeds if possible; listen for any warnings or unusual feel.
- Ask about any forward collision avoidance or adaptive cruise control malfunctions, and verify that recalls for hybrid management software have been performed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models, especially the fuel pump and electrical system recalls.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the Lexus RX for battery drain and air bag functionality, and the Honda Accord for engine noises and braking system integrity.
- During a test drive, pay attention to any hesitation, unintended acceleration, or warning lights on the dashboard.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, particularly for battery replacements, software updates, and any repairs related to the complaints listed.
- Verify that all safety recalls have been addressed by checking the NHTSA website with the VIN.
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 RX | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9 | 10 |
| 2025 | 24 | 109 |
| 2024 | 59 | 219 |
| 2023 | 66 | 226 |
| 2022 | 42 | 252 |
| 2021 | 281 | 234 |
| 2020 | 154 | 362 |
| 2019 | 0 | 691 |
| 2018 | 0 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 Lexus RX or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Lexus RX vs Honda Accord
- Lexus RX total complaints
- 635
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Lexus RX total recalls
- 17
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Lexus RX avg complaints/year
- 63.5
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Lexus RX
- Lexus RX top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE