Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Sentra vs Honda Accord
How the Nissan Sentra 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 Sentra averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Nissan Sentra has 1,133 complaints and 25 recalls on record; Honda Accord has 4,301 complaints and 38 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Sentra | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,133 Better | 4,301 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 25 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 96 Better | 155 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 113.3 Better | 430.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 77 Better | 141 |
| 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 Sentra
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM253
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER219
- 03POWER TRAIN207
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE180
- 05STEERING162
“I am submitting a vehicle defect complaint pursuant to 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 regarding a potential safety related defect involving engine, electrical, and powertrain systems. The vehicle experienced early engine and electrical malfunction at relatively low mi…”
“I purchased this car around January 2025 & around August 2025 I started having battery issues. It’s currently March 2026. I have to keep having the battery jumped at. When he battery wasn’t jumping I had to get it sent to a nissan where they said nothing was…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE928
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM824
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE798
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER699
- 05SERVICE BRAKES577
“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 Sentra — 25 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Sentra vehicles. The driver's seat frame may not be fully secured to the outer side of the seat track. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 207, "Seating Systems,"…
The risk: An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's side lower seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Sentra vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 205, "Glazing Mat…
The risk: Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PMA58…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Mot…
The risk: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD185 and PMA61. Vehicle Iden…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The front left-side driveshaft may not be fully seated in the continuously variable transmission (CVT) assembly, which can cause a transmission fluid leak and loss of drive power.
The risk: An unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. In addition, a driveshaft that is not fully engaged can result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the front left driveshaft, and if necessary, replace the driveshaft and CVT assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 5, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1…
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 are expected to be mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is availa…
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…
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 Sentra | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | 4 |
| 2025 | 25 | 97 |
| 2024 | 31 | 207 |
| 2023 | 18 | 220 |
| 2022 | 80 | 217 |
| 2021 | 129 | 217 |
| 2020 | 204 | 341 |
| 2019 | 221 | 655 |
| 2018 | 184 | 1815 |
| 2017 | 230 | 528 |
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 Sentra or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Sentra vs Honda Accord
- Nissan Sentra total complaints
- 1,133
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,301
- Nissan Sentra total recalls
- 25
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Nissan Sentra avg complaints/year
- 113.3
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 430.1
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Sentra
- Nissan Sentra top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE