Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Frontier vs Honda Accord
How the Nissan Frontier 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 Frontier vs Honda Accord: The Frontier averages 49.9 complaints per year with 22 recalls, while the Accord averages 452.4 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The Accord also has more crash-related reports (162 vs 32). This suggests the Frontier has fewer reported issues overall. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Frontier or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier is a body-on-frame pickup that tends to see fewer complaints per year than many rivals, but owners still report serious issues. Electrical problems are the most common, with reports of the engine and electrical system shutting off randomly while driving. Power train complaints include hesitation and jerking, and brake issues like a soft pedal are also noted. Overall, it's a truck with a moderate complaint rate, but some failures can leave you stranded.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular midsize sedan with a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 450 per year. Engine and electrical system issues dominate, with reports of loss of power, warning lights, and even simultaneous failure of power steering and brakes. Forward collision avoidance problems are also frequent, with unintended braking or failure to warn. The Accord has more recalls and crash-related reports, indicating a broader range of safety concerns.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Frontier | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 499 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 22 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 32 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 49.9 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 12 Better | 146 |
| 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 Frontier
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM131
- 02POWER TRAIN121
- 03SERVICE BRAKES81
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER76
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE65
Owners report the engine and electrical system shutting off randomly while driving, causing a complete loss of power. This can happen without warning and may reset in low gear, which is dangerous in traffic.
Complaints include the vehicle failing to accelerate properly, jerking, and running at idle for several seconds. Some owners found a cracked high-pressure AC line, but the core issue is unpredictable power delivery.
The brake pedal can feel soft and go almost to the floor, and in some cases the accelerator pedal sits too close to the brake. This reduces braking confidence and could lead to longer stopping distances.
This system is a top complaint area, though specific owner reports are not detailed here. Buyers should be aware that warnings or automatic braking may not always function as expected.
“Issue: engine and electric system completely shut off randomly while vehicle is driving. Cannot reliably reproduce, but all electric is lost and engine shuts off or at best resets in low gear until things come back alive. This has happened about 4 times to me…”
“The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the infotainment system was inoperative; the contact had to restart the infotainment system several times for the infotainment system to return to normal operat…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report sudden loss of speed, multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS), and rattling noises while accelerating. These issues can leave the car undrivable and may require costly repairs.
There are reports of electronic power steering and braking systems failing simultaneously at highway speeds, causing a near-collision. Other electrical glitches include TPMS warnings and tire failures after service.
Complaints describe the system braking unexpectedly or failing to warn, sometimes under consistent conditions. This can startle the driver and increase crash risk if the system reacts incorrectly.
Fuel pump issues are common enough to trigger a recall, and owners may experience stalling or difficulty starting. This can strand you and is a critical safety concern.
“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.
Nissan Frontier — 22 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
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
Nissan Frontier or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Nissan Frontier has far fewer complaints per year (about 50) compared to the Honda Accord (over 450), and fewer recalls and crash-related reports. In practice, this means the Frontier owner is less likely to face frequent repair visits, but the Accord's higher volume may reflect its popularity and a wider range of reported problems. Neither is problem-free, but the Frontier appears to have a lower overall complaint rate.
Key differences
- The Frontier averages about 50 complaints per year, while the Accord averages over 450, a nearly ninefold difference.
- The Accord has 38 recalls versus 22 for the Frontier, and more crash-related reports (162 vs 32).
- Frontier owners most often report electrical shutdowns and brake pedal issues; Accord owners report engine power loss and simultaneous steering/brake failure.
- The Accord has a higher rate of forward collision avoidance complaints, which can involve unexpected braking or failure to warn.
- Check for any history of random engine/electrical shutdowns; test drive and ask if the battery or alternator has been replaced.
- Inspect brake pedal feel for softness or sinking, and ensure the accelerator and brake pedals are not too close together.
- Look for warning lights related to ABS, hill descent, or brake system; scan for stored codes even if no lights are on.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system if possible, and check for any history of unintended braking or failure to alert.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- Have a mechanic inspect the electrical system and battery/charging components, especially on the Frontier.
- For the Accord, test the hybrid system if applicable and check for fuel pump recall completion.
- During test drive, pay attention to transmission shifting, brake pedal feel, and any warning lights.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, particularly for oil changes and any software updates.
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 | Nissan Frontier | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 20 | 10 |
| 2025 | 16 | 109 |
| 2024 | 44 | 219 |
| 2023 | 132 | 226 |
| 2022 | 112 | 252 |
| 2021 | 38 | 234 |
| 2020 | 46 | 362 |
| 2019 | 28 | 691 |
| 2018 | 25 | 1884 |
| 2017 | 38 | 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 Nissan Frontier or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Frontier vs Honda Accord
- Nissan Frontier total complaints
- 499
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Nissan Frontier total recalls
- 22
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Nissan Frontier avg complaints/year
- 49.9
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Frontier
- Nissan Frontier top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE