Head-to-head reliability
Volkswagen Routan vs Honda Accord
How the Volkswagen Routan 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
Volkswagen Routan vs Honda Accord: The Routan averaged 130 complaints per year over 6 years, while the Accord averaged 452 per year over 10 years. The Routan has 9 recalls and 16 crash-related complaints; the Accord has 38 recalls and 162 crash-related complaints. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Volkswagen Routan or Honda Accord more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Volkswagen Routan
The Volkswagen Routan is a minivan that averaged about 130 complaints per year over six years, with 781 total complaints and 9 recalls. The most common complaint area is the electrical system, often involving the engine shutting off while driving, which can cause loss of power steering and braking. This pattern suggests that some owners face sudden, dangerous failures that require immediate attention. Overall, the Routan has fewer complaints per year than the Accord but a higher proportion of severe safety issues.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a midsize car that averaged about 452 complaints per year over ten years, with 4,524 total complaints and 38 recalls. Complaints span many systems, including engine, electrical, and forward collision avoidance, with some owners reporting sudden loss of power or braking. The higher complaint rate means more owners are reporting problems, but the issues vary widely. The Accord has more crash-related complaints and injuries reported than the Routan, though it also has a longer time span.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Volkswagen Routan | Honda Accord |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 781 Better | 4,524 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 9 Better | 38 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 16 Better | 162 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 130.2 Better | 452.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 47 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.
Volkswagen Routan
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM454
- 02ENGINE195
- 03SERVICE BRAKES105
- 04STEERING76
- 05POWER TRAIN70
Owners report the engine and dashboard shutting off completely while driving, often linked to the ignition switch. This can cause loss of power steering and braking, making the van hard to control.
Complaints describe the engine dying at highway speeds, with power steering and gauges failing. Some owners say it restarts after pulling over, but the sudden shutdown is a serious safety risk.
Reports mention the ignition key slipping to OFF or ACCESSORY, which cuts power to brakes and air bags. This can lead to reduced braking and steering assist, especially at speed.
Owners link steering loss to the same shutdown issue, where the key moves and the van loses power steering. This makes turning difficult and increases crash risk.
“I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2012 VW ROUTAN LATELY. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, MY VAN HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE DASHBOARD, ENGINE, POWER STEERING, EVERYTHING COMPLETELY TURNS OFF AND I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE V…”
“THE ENGINE WILL DIE AS I'M DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THIS CAUSES ME TO LOSE POWER STEERING, ALL MY DIGITAL GUAGES ON DASH,ETC. WHEN I PULL OVER STOP AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL I CAN THEN TURN THE KEY AND IT WILL START RIGHT BACK UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TI…”
Honda Accord
- 01ENGINE1,006
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM895
- 03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE837
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER746
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM602
Owners report alarms for brake, hill descent, and ABS, followed by loss of speed. Some also note rattling noises and rough transitions between EV and gas modes, which can affect drivability.
Complaints include electronic power steering and braking failing simultaneously at highway speeds, causing near-collisions. Another report describes a tire failure after a TPMS repair, showing electrical and tire issues can overlap.
Owners say the system fails to resolve threats, with incidents occurring under similar conditions. This can lead to unexpected braking or failure to brake, increasing crash risk.
Reports include persistent rotten-egg odors and a foot slipping behind a plastic panel, which, while not always safety-critical, can distract the driver and indicate build quality issues.
“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.
Volkswagen Routan — 9 recalls
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain model year 2009 Volkswagen Routan vehicles manufactured February 7, 2008, to August 28, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.
The risk: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Additionally, the air bags may inadvertently deploy, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: VW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009 Routan vehicles manufactured June 25, 2008, to July 8, 2009, and 2010 Routan vehicles manufactured October 1, 2009, to August 11, 2010. This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this reca…
The risk: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including, but not limited to, air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of fu…
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began on June 23, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this rec…
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009 Routan vehicles manufactured June 25, 2008, to July 8, 2009, and 2010 Routan vehicles manufactured October 1, 2009, to August 11, 2010. This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this reca…
The risk: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including, but not limited to, air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of fu…
The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began on June 23, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this rec…
The defect: Freedom Motors Inc., (Freedom Motors) of Savaria Vehicle Group (formerly The Liberty Motor Company) is recalling one model year 2009 Volkswagen Routan and certain model year 2008-2010 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country wheelchair accessible vehicles modified by The Liberty Motor Compan…
The risk: Failure of the rear axle may increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Freedom Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected axles, free of charge. The recall began on April 1, 2014. Owners can contact Freedom Motors at 1-800-561-9600. Freedom Motors' number for this recall is ENGF0216-3.
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
Volkswagen Routan or Honda Accord: which should you buy?
The Volkswagen Routan has fewer complaints per year (about 130) than the Honda Accord (about 452), but the Routan's complaints often involve sudden engine shutdowns that can disable steering and brakes. The Accord's higher complaint rate means more owners report problems, but they are spread across more systems. In practice, the Routan may have fewer overall issues but a higher chance of a severe, single-point failure.
Key differences
- The Routan's top complaint is electrical system failures that can shut down the engine and power steering, while the Accord's top complaint is engine issues with alarms and power loss.
- Routan owners frequently report the ignition key moving out of position, causing sudden shutdowns; Accord owners report electronic power steering and braking failures at speed.
- The Accord has more recalls (38 vs 9) and more crash-related complaints (162 vs 16), but the Routan has a higher proportion of complaints tied to a single dangerous failure mode.
- The Routan averaged 130 complaints per year over 6 years; the Accord averaged 452 per year over 10 years, so the Accord has more reported problems overall.
- Check the ignition switch for looseness or unintended movement, as owners report the key slipping to OFF and causing shutdowns.
- Test drive at highway speeds and watch for any dashboard warning lights or sudden loss of power steering or braking.
- Listen for rattling noises during acceleration and feel for rough transitions between EV and gas modes, which owners report.
- Test the forward collision avoidance system and electronic power steering/braking at highway speeds, as some owners report simultaneous failures.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models, especially the Routan's ignition switch and the Accord's fuel pump and hybrid software recalls.
- Have a mechanic inspect the Routan's ignition switch, electrical system, and brakes for signs of intermittent shutdown issues.
- For the Accord, scan for stored trouble codes related to the engine, ABS, and forward collision avoidance, and test drive at various speeds.
- Ask the seller about any history of sudden engine shutdowns or loss of power steering/braking, and request maintenance records.
- Take a long test drive that includes highway speeds and stop-and-go traffic to replicate conditions where owners report failures.
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 Volkswagen Routan or Honda Accord in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Volkswagen Routan vs Honda Accord
- Volkswagen Routan total complaints
- 781
- Honda Accord total complaints
- 4,524
- Volkswagen Routan total recalls
- 9
- Honda Accord total recalls
- 38
- Volkswagen Routan avg complaints/year
- 130.2
- Honda Accord avg complaints/year
- 452.4
- More reliable overall
- Volkswagen Routan
- Volkswagen Routan top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Honda Accord top complaint area
- ENGINE