Head-to-head reliability
Tesla SEMI vs Honda Accord
How the Tesla SEMI 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
Tesla SEMI vs Honda Accord: the SEMI has 3 complaints over 4 years and 0 recalls, while the Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years and 38 recalls. The Accord also shows 162 crash-related reports and 146 injuries. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Tesla SEMI or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Tesla SEMI
The Tesla SEMI is a heavy-duty electric truck with very few owner complaints on file—just 3 over 4 years, or about 0.8 per year. The reported issues cluster around body hardware and charging, such as a door striker that came loose and a home charger that failed after 20 seconds. There are no recalls, crashes, injuries, or deaths in the data, but the sample size is tiny, so it is hard to draw broad conclusions about long-term reliability.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a mainstream sedan with a much larger complaint history: 4,524 complaints over 10 years, averaging about 452 per year. Owners report engine stalling or losing speed, electrical failures including power steering and braking lock-up, and forward collision avoidance issues like adaptive cruise control braking unexpectedly. There are also 38 recalls, 162 crash-related reports, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths, so a used Accord buyer should check recall status and inspect carefully.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Tesla SEMI | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 0.8 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 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.
Tesla SEMI
- 01STRUCTURE2
- 02STEERING1
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
- 04VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
- 05LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES1
Owners report the driver door striker latch coming loose and nearly disconnecting from the body, creating a panel gap and the possibility of the door opening while driving. This matters because a door that can open in motion is a serious safety concern.
One owner complaint mentions a charging issue that began shortly after delivery, but the steering component is also listed. The sample text is limited, so buyers should ask whether any steering warnings or unusual steering feel have been reported.
The same owner reported that a home charger failed 20 seconds after each charging attempt, though it worked at a Supercharger. This suggests a potential compatibility or onboard charging issue that could affect daily ownership.
The sample complaint tied to vehicle speed control repeats the charging failure story rather than describing a speed control defect. With so few complaints, it is unclear whether this is a real pattern or a misclassified report.
“The driver door striker latch came loose and was close to completely disconnecting from the vehicle body. This led to a body panel gap and the possibility of the door opening while in motion. Elon Musk on twitter is saying that a number of vehicles from the f…”
“The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Cyber Truck. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed during daylight, the dashboard accent would reflect in the side mirrors. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and taken to a local dealer…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report the vehicle losing speed and showing brake, hill descent, ABS, and critical failure alarms, as well as rattling noises while accelerating and rough transitions between EV and gas modes. These symptoms can leave a driver stranded or unable to maintain highway speeds.
Complaints describe electronic power steering and braking systems failing and locking up simultaneously at highway speeds, plus a tire failure shortly after a TPMS repair. Electrical faults that affect steering and braking are especially dangerous.
Owners report adaptive cruise control suddenly braking under the same driving and weather conditions on the same route, and service centers failing to resolve the issue. Unexpected braking can cause a rear-end collision or loss of control.
The fuel/propulsion system is a top complaint area, and one recall covers a fuel pump delivery issue. A failing fuel pump can cause stalling or a no-start condition, which is a safety risk in traffic.
“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.
Tesla SEMI
No recalls on record.
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
Tesla SEMI or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Tesla SEMI has far fewer complaints per year—about 0.8 versus 452.4 for the Honda Accord—and no recalls, crashes, injuries, or deaths in the data. In practice, that means a used Accord buyer faces a much higher volume of reported problems and should budget time for recall checks and inspections, while the SEMI's low complaint count comes with the caveat of a very small sample.
Key differences
- The Tesla SEMI has 3 complaints over 4 years and 0 recalls, while the Honda Accord has 4,524 complaints over 10 years and 38 recalls.
- Tesla SEMI owners report a loose door striker and a home charging failure, whereas Honda Accord owners report engine stalling, power steering and braking lock-up, and unexpected adaptive cruise braking.
- The Honda Accord data includes 162 crash-related reports, 146 injuries, and 3 deaths; the Tesla SEMI data includes none of these.
- The Accord has a recall for a fuel pump delivery issue and hybrid power control software, while the SEMI has no recall subjects on record.
- Inspect the driver door striker and latch for looseness, panel gaps, or signs the door may not stay closed while driving.
- Test home charging and confirm the charger does not fail after a short time; also check for any steering or speed control warnings.
- Check for engine rattles, rough EV-to-gas transitions, and any history of losing speed or showing brake/ABS/hill descent alarms.
- Test the electronic power steering and braking at low and highway speeds, and verify the forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control do not brake unexpectedly.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to confirm all recalls are repaired, especially the Honda Accord fuel pump and hybrid power control recalls.
- Ask for a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on the Tesla SEMI door striker and charging system.
- For the Honda Accord, test drive at highway speeds and check for stalling, steering lock-up, braking issues, and unexpected adaptive cruise braking.
- Request service records for any prior engine, electrical, or forward collision avoidance repairs on the Accord.
- For the Tesla SEMI, verify home charging works repeatedly and inspect body panels and door latches for looseness or gaps.
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 | Tesla SEMI | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 10 |
| 2025 | 0 | 109 |
| 2024 | 3 | 219 |
| 2023 | 0 | 226 |
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 Tesla SEMI or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Tesla SEMI vs Honda Accord
- Tesla SEMI total complaints
- 3
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Tesla SEMI total recalls
- 0
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Tesla SEMI avg complaints/year
- 0.8
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Tesla SEMI
- Tesla SEMI top complaint area
- STRUCTURE
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE