Head-to-head reliability
Pontiac Aztek vs Honda Accord
How the Pontiac Aztek 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
Pontiac Aztek vs Honda Accord: The Aztek averages 100.5 complaints per year with 18 recalls, while the Accord averages 443.8 complaints per year with 38 recalls. The Aztek has 34 injuries and 0 deaths; the Accord has 144 injuries and 3 deaths. Both have serious reported issues, so a thorough inspection is essential. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Pontiac Aztek or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Pontiac Aztek
The Pontiac Aztek is a mid-size SUV with a relatively low complaint volume—about 100.5 per year over six years—but the pattern shows recurring fuel and electrical gremlins. Owners report strong fuel odors, fuel spills, and electrical shutdowns that can leave the vehicle dead on the road. With 18 recalls and 34 injuries reported, it's a vehicle that demands a thorough pre-purchase inspection, especially of the fuel and electrical systems.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a popular mid-size sedan with a much higher complaint rate—about 443.8 per year over ten years—but that's partly because far more Accords are on the road. The complaints cluster around engine problems, electrical glitches, and advanced driver-assistance systems like forward collision avoidance. There are also 3 deaths and 144 injuries reported, so while many issues are annoying rather than catastrophic, some can be serious.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Pontiac Aztek | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 603 Better | 4,438 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 18 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 29 Better | 160 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 100.5 Better | 443.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 34 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.
Pontiac Aztek
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM113
- 02FUEL SYSTEM102
- 03ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING84
- 04SERVICE BRAKES83
- 05GASOLINE83
Owners report sudden electrical shutdowns where the vehicle dies, the key can't be removed, and hazard lights fail. One complaint describes a new Aztek shutting down completely at 611 miles. This can leave you stranded and may be hard to diagnose.
Strong fuel odors inside and outside the cabin are common, and some owners find fuel spilling on the ground during refueling due to a fractured fuel line weld. This is a fire risk and should be fixed immediately if present.
Blown head gaskets are reported at low mileage, such as 36,130 miles, leading to costly repairs. This can cause overheating and engine damage if not addressed.
Owners describe the brake pedal going to the floor and ABS failing during abrupt stops, sometimes resulting in crashes. Brake fluid leaks are also mentioned. This is a critical safety concern.
“I WAS LEAVING SCHOOL AND I STARTED TO SMELL GAS, SO I STOPPED AND CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY LEAKING AND THERE WASN'T. A WEEK HAD WENT BY AND I DIDN'T SMELL THE GAS ANYMORE BUT MY RADIO AND DASH LIGHTS HAD QUIT WORKING. SO I HAD THE FUSES CHANGED AND THE…”
“I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 PONTIAC AZTEK ON JULY 1, 2005. SEVEN DAYS LATER, WITH 611 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, IT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, TURN ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS, OR EVEN REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. WH…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE985
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM863
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE821
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER725
- 05SERVICE BRAKES592
Complaints include strange noises, loss of power, and multiple warning lights (brake, hill descent, ABS) appearing while driving. Some owners report the vehicle losing speed and becoming undrivable. These issues can be intermittent and hard to replicate.
Problems range from TPMS warnings and tire failures after service to rodent damage on wiring harnesses. One owner reported a sunroof glass explosion. Electrical gremlins can be frustrating and expensive to trace.
Owners report false warnings and failures of adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams. These systems may not work when needed, reducing driver confidence in the car's safety features.
This category includes serious issues like tire blowouts and sunroof explosions. These are unpredictable and can be dangerous, though they may not affect every vehicle.
“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.
Pontiac Aztek — 18 recalls
The defect: CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.
The risk: FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
The fix: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
The defect: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, CONTAMINATION ON IGNITION RELAY CONTACTS CAN CAUSE HIGH RESISTANCE. THIS CAN AFFECT SIGNALS TO THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE AND, COULD CAUSE INTERMITTENT VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY TIME.
The risk: THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, IT COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION RELAY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 AND BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080.
The defect: CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.
The risk: FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
The fix: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
The defect: CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.
The risk: FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
The fix: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
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
Pontiac Aztek or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Pontiac Aztek has far fewer complaints per year (about 100.5) compared to the Honda Accord (about 443.8), but the Aztek's issues tend to be more severe, like fuel leaks and brake failures. The Accord's higher volume means more reported problems, but many are related to complex electronics and driver-assist systems. In practice, the Aztek may be simpler but riskier, while the Accord may have more frequent but sometimes less critical annoyances.
Key differences
- The Aztek has about 100.5 complaints per year, while the Accord has about 443.8 per year, but the Accord sold in much higher numbers.
- Aztek owners frequently report fuel odors and leaks, while Accord owners more often report engine noises and driver-assist failures.
- The Aztek has 34 injuries and 0 deaths in the data; the Accord has 144 injuries and 3 deaths, though these are raw counts not adjusted for sales volume.
- The Aztek's recalls include fuel tank pressure relief and ignition issues; the Accord's recalls include hybrid software, tires, and fuel pump problems.
- Check for any fuel smell inside or outside the vehicle, and inspect the fuel lines and tank for leaks or fractures.
- Test all electrical functions, including ignition, lights, and radio, and look for signs of previous electrical failures or repairs.
- Listen for unusual engine noises and check for any warning lights related to the engine, ABS, or driver-assist systems.
- Inspect tires for uneven wear or damage, and verify that any recent TPMS or tire repairs were done correctly.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to see if any recalls or major repairs are outstanding.
- Have a certified mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the fuel system, brakes, and electrical components.
- Test drive the vehicle under various conditions, including highway speeds and abrupt stops, to check for warning lights or performance issues.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially for any recall work or repairs related to the known problem areas.
- For the Accord, verify that any advanced driver-assist features are functioning properly and check for software updates.
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 Pontiac Aztek or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Pontiac Aztek vs Honda Accord
- Pontiac Aztek total complaints
- 603
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,438
- Pontiac Aztek total recalls
- 18
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Pontiac Aztek avg complaints/year
- 100.5
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 443.8
- More reliable overall
- Pontiac Aztek
- Pontiac Aztek top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE