Head-to-head reliability
Nissan 350Z vs Honda Accord
How the Nissan 350Z 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
Nissan 350Z vs Honda Accord: The 350Z averaged 93.9 complaints per year over 7 years, while the Accord averaged 443.8 per year over 10 years. The 350Z had 12 recalls and 1 death; the Accord had 38 recalls and 3 deaths. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan 350Z or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan 350Z
The Nissan 350Z is a two-seat sports car that averaged about 94 complaints per year over seven years, with 12 recalls. Owners most often report suspension, power train, and tire problems, including clutch failure and tire blowouts. There were 28 crash-related complaints, 20 injuries, and 1 death in the data.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a family sedan with a much higher complaint volume: about 444 per year over ten years, plus 38 recalls. The most common issues are engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance problems, with 160 crash-related complaints, 144 injuries, and 3 deaths. Many reports involve advanced driver-assist warnings and sudden power loss.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan 350Z | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 657 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 12 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 28 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 93.9 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 20 Better | 144 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 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.
Nissan 350Z
- 01SUSPENSION148
- 02POWER TRAIN133
- 03TIRES123
- 04AIR BAGS87
- 05ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING76
Owners report suspension issues that can affect handling and ride comfort. A buyer should have the suspension inspected for worn bushings or shocks.
Complaints include clutch failure where the pedal stays on the floor and the car won't go into gear, as well as sudden loss of power. These can leave a driver stranded.
There are reports of tire blowouts at highway speeds, with sidewall damage that looks like it was cut open. This is a serious safety concern.
Some owners found missing or faulty air bag components, including a missing passenger air bag. This means the air bag may not deploy in a crash.
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Owners report engine noises and sudden power loss, sometimes with multiple dashboard alarms. This can happen at highway speeds and may require major repairs.
Complaints include TPMS warnings followed by tire failure, and rodent damage to wiring harnesses. Electrical glitches can affect safety systems.
Many owners see warnings for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams, often intermittently. These failures can disable driver-assist features.
Brake-related complaints include ABS and traction control issues. Problems here can reduce stopping ability in an emergency.
“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.
Nissan 350Z — 12 recalls
The defect: NISSAN IS RECALLING 204,361 MY 2007-2008 ALTIMA, ALTIMA HYBRID, 350Z, 350Z ROADSTER, MY 2008 ALTIMA COUPE, ROGUE, MY 2009 MURANO, AND INFINITI MY 2007-2008 G35 SEDAN, MY 2008 G37 COUPE AND EX35 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS' OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) CON…
The risk: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING SUPPRESSED WHICH COULD FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL TEST THE SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND ACU SYSTEMS USING A SPECIAL TOOL TO CHECK THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. IF NECESSARY, THE SEAT CUSHION (CONTAINING OCS HARDWARE) WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFI…
The defect: ZF SERVICE IS RECALL CERTAIN CLUTCH KIT ASSEMBLIES, PART NUMBER SX: K70358-01, SHIPPED TO WHOLESALERS AS SERVICE PARTS BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2010, AND MARCH 8, 2011. THESE SERVICE PARTS ARE INTENDED FOR USE ON MODEL YEAR 2003-2006 NISSAN 350Z AND INFINITI G35 VEHICLES. THE SX: K70358-01 CLUTCH KIT C…
The risk: AN OVERSIZED CLUTCH DISC COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY ON THE INITIAL START-UP, IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT FOLLOW THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND FAILS TO USE THE SERVICE BRAKES WHILE THE HAND BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED. UNINTENT…
The fix: ZF SERVICE NOTIFY WHOLESALERS TO RETURN ANY AFFECTED CLUTCH KIT ASSEMBLIES STILL IN INVENTORY FOR FREE REPLACEMENT KITS. THIS CONDITION WILL CORRECT ITSELF AFTER THE FIRST START-UP AND USAGE OF THE CLUTCH KIT. HOWEVER, IF AN OWNER IS NOT S…
The defect: ZF SERVICE IS RECALL CERTAIN CLUTCH KIT ASSEMBLIES, PART NUMBER SX: K70358-01, SHIPPED TO WHOLESALERS AS SERVICE PARTS BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2010, AND MARCH 8, 2011. THESE SERVICE PARTS ARE INTENDED FOR USE ON MODEL YEAR 2003-2006 NISSAN 350Z AND INFINITI G35 VEHICLES. THE SX: K70358-01 CLUTCH KIT C…
The risk: AN OVERSIZED CLUTCH DISC COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY ON THE INITIAL START-UP, IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT FOLLOW THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND FAILS TO USE THE SERVICE BRAKES WHILE THE HAND BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED. UNINTENT…
The fix: ZF SERVICE NOTIFY WHOLESALERS TO RETURN ANY AFFECTED CLUTCH KIT ASSEMBLIES STILL IN INVENTORY FOR FREE REPLACEMENT KITS. THIS CONDITION WILL CORRECT ITSELF AFTER THE FIRST START-UP AND USAGE OF THE CLUTCH KIT. HOWEVER, IF AN OWNER IS NOT S…
The defect: CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.…
The risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
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
Nissan 350Z or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Nissan 350Z has far fewer complaints per year (about 94) than the Honda Accord (about 444). However, the 350Z's issues often involve serious safety components like tires and air bags. The Accord's higher volume means more overall reports, but many are for driver-assist warnings rather than immediate mechanical failure.
Key differences
- The 350Z has about 94 complaints per year; the Accord has about 444 per year, but the Accord sold in much higher numbers.
- The 350Z's top issues are suspension, power train, and tires; the Accord's are engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance.
- The 350Z has 1 death and 20 injuries in the data; the Accord has 3 deaths and 144 injuries, though exposure differs.
- The 350Z has 12 recalls; the Accord has 38 recalls, including software and fuel pump issues.
- Check for clutch pedal that sticks to the floor or difficulty shifting, as owners report clutch failure.
- Inspect tires for sidewall damage or uneven wear, since blowouts have been reported at highway speeds.
- Listen for engine noises and check for sudden power loss or multiple dashboard warnings during a test drive.
- Test all driver-assist features (adaptive cruise, lane keeping) for intermittent warnings or failures.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- Have a mechanic inspect the 350Z's suspension, clutch, and tires before purchase.
- For the Accord, scan for stored error codes and test all electronic safety systems.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially for the Accord's engine and electrical repairs.
- Take a test drive that includes highway speeds to check for power loss or warning lights.
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 Nissan 350Z or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan 350Z vs Honda Accord
- Nissan 350Z total complaints
- 657
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Nissan 350Z total recalls
- 12
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Nissan 350Z avg complaints/year
- 93.9
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Nissan 350Z
- Nissan 350Z top complaint area
- SUSPENSION
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE