Best and worst Honda Accord years — which to avoid

Through eleven generations, the model simply stayed a personal favorite of many drivers looking for a mid-size family sedan. Still, is it as reliable as they say? In this guide, we’ll go over the Honda Accord years to avoid and some of the main drawbacks of this model, as well as the best Honda Accord years to buy.

Our team has reviewed the Honda Accord by model year, their common issues, and complaints submitted to NHTSA to see which years should be avoided when buying one of these. We’ll address the reliability of the best and worst Honda Accord models through the lens of our team’s research, so let’s get into it.

Why you can trust REREV’s advice on which car model years to avoid: Our car experts look at official data, ask real drivers what they think, and talk to experienced mechanics to make sure our list is useful. This reliable info can make buying a car easier for you. Want to know how we do it? Find out more about our research methodology.

How we rated the best and worst Honda Accord years

Rating the best and worst Honda Accord models wasn’t easy as we wanted to bring you both documented information on recalls and complaints, and first-hand driving experiences that previous owners had with the car.

So, we combined the two by scrolling through NHTSA reports and complaints first and then moving on to driver reviews on Edmunds, Consumer Reports, and KBB. We finally wrapped up our search by going through the Honda Accord forums searching for details on common complaints and issues that we verified through reliability logs afterward. Here’s what we were left with as the best and worst Accord years:

Most common Honda Accord problems

Going over the main problems that Honda Accord drivers have reported over the years, you can truly see that the car has reliable model years coming in streaks. Even with that in mind, there are some common issues that you should keep in mind when buying a used Honda Accord.

1. Transmission problems

The transmission slipping problem for the Honda Accord mostly occurred for the 1999, 2000, and 2001 model years. Cars equipped with an automatic gearbox had a fair share of issues, and some drivers have reported that the transmission has failed before the car reaches 90,000 miles.

The earliest problems occurred with the 2001 and 2002 model years when drivers reported excessive transmission faults with the automatic transmission. These issues could lead to transmission slipping and a repair bill of up to $2700.

As a result, Honda extended the warranty deal, but many drivers who faced this problem in 2001 and even 2002 models weren’t covered by it. As a result, drivers have experienced harsh shifting and noises coming from the transmission, which eventually resulted in seized transmission and having to get the transmission rebuilt.

2. Airbag problems

While the transmission is a key system in your car, it’s at least good that transmission faults didn’t happen as frequently for future generations. However, one issue that stuck with the Honda Accord as a model for a bit longer is a faulty airbag inflator.

This problem mainly concerned 2003 to 2007 Honda Accord models, while the 2008 to 2012 Accord model had problems with improperly installed driver’s side airbags. A common problem was also the airbag inflator that might explode due to long periods without use and under the influence of moisture and dust.

Because of this, Honda did several recalls of the Accord just to make sure that the airbags are safe to use, and these recalls were mainly initiated in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. The final airbag recall concerning the seventh and eighth generations of Accord occurred in 2019.

3. Fuel delivery system faults

One of the worst problems with Honda Accord cars is the fuel delivery system fault that caught up the 2013 Honda Accord and 2015 to 2017 Honda Accord. The culprit was most often a failing fuel pump that was improperly installed, but sometimes it also had to do with the faulty gas tank cap and leaking O-rings.

As a result of this, there have been several recalls in 2013 and 2015, to deal with the issue and the latest recall regarding this issue took place in 2019 for replacing the fuel pump for the 2017 Accord model.

4. Engine problems

Many drivers will swear by the efficiency and longevity of VTEC engines in Honda Accord vehicles, but it was inevitable that some engines will have a few faults after such a long production period. One of the most negatively regarded engines was the 3.5-liter V6 with a variable cylinder activation system.

This issue persisted for most models and it ended up in increased oil consumption and eventually internal engine damage which required it to be rebuilt. The problem was in the variable cylinder timing system that sometimes shuts down a cylinder at a certain speed to ensure the maximum efficiency of the engine.

However, the bad thing is that this caused cylinders to work at different temperatures, and it’s a vital fault, especially for a V6. Drivers have also reported issues with a newer generation 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with oil dilution.

Worst Honda Accord years to avoid

Because of all these problems, some Honda Accord years are simply not as reliable as others. Some of the major problems that persisted for a few model years included airbag system faults, faulty fuel pumps, and increased oil consumption of some engines.

So, it’s best to go around these production years and go for the model that has gone through a recall, and you can’t help but wonder – what are the worst Honda Accord years?

The worst Honda Accord years are 2003 and 2008, but these are all of the model years you should avoid:

• 1999
• 2000
• 2001
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005
• 2008
• 2013
• 2014
• 2015

Let’s take a closer look at what might be wrong with these Accord models, shall we?

Sixth-generation Honda Accord (1999-2001 model years)

If you are buying a sixth-generation Honda Accord, it’s best to stay away from the 1999 to 2001 model years. While the last years of production are usually the best for most models and their generations, this isn’t the case with a sixth-gen Accord.

These model years faced significant issues with failing transmission, shifting issues, and EGR valve problems. On top of that, some drivers have reported bad motor mounts and having to replace them after symptoms like harsh engine vibrations.

Seventh-generation Honda Accord (2003-2007 model years)

Most drivers swear by their 2.4-liter seventh-gen Honda Accords, and they have the full right to do it, especially with a manual transmission where the VTEC kicks in under your control. However, even this generation of Accord received a bit of complaint, especially concerning those mentioned airbag recalls.

This turned down some drivers who didn’t want to bother checking whether the faulty inflators and airbag systems have been replaced. Besides the airbag fault, there haven’t been any other reported problems with this generation, except for diesel variants with the first Honda’s diesel engine that required a bit more expensive servicing.

Eighth-generation Honda Accord (2008 model year)

The 2008 Honda Accord faced numerous issues that made it one of the worst model years in the model’s history. Despite the visible aesthetic advancements and some interior improvements, the car received numerous complaints regarding brake pads wearing off prematurely, oil leak issues, and airbag faults that persisted.

Ninth-generation Honda Accord (2013-2015 model years)

The ninth-generation Honda Accord also got a few complaints from drivers, and they were mainly concerned with the fuel pump failure and improper pressure in fuel lines. Also, with the ninth generation, the 3.5-liter V6 engine with a variable cylinder management system came into play, and it didn’t have the reliability of the previous engines.

What are the best Honda Accord years to buy?

If so many bothersome Honda Accord years came as a shock to you, here’s the good news – there are far more appraised and reliable model years. The airbag issues were mostly present in the seventh and eighth-generation Accord, and fuel pump and pressure problems were mostly present from 2013 to 2015.

So, except for a few minor issues, here are the best Honda Accord years starting from the sixth generation:

• 1995
• 1996
• 1997
• 1998
• 2004
• 2009
• 2010
• 2011
• 2012
• 2016
• 2018
• 2019
• 2020
• 2021

Earlier generations before the sixth generation came in place are mostly reliable and Honda enthusiasts find these models to be practically indestructible. There have been numerous reports of Honda Accords with 2.0-liter engines easily going over 300,000 miles.

On the other hand, the problems with the sixth generation started with the 1999 model year, and they mostly concerned automatic transmission issues, so earlier model years like 1997 are safe to buy. Among the best Honda Accord models to buy, you can opt for the 2006 or 2012 models.

2006 Honda Accord

The 2006 Accord was arguably the best CL7 model with the least reported driver complaints. Problems with the engine and transmission were more or less dormant with this one and there weren’t many reports of the vehicle being unreliable by previous owners.

Among the issues of these, we can point out the body and paint peeling issue, as well as the matter of faulty interior accessories. Even so, the 2006 Honda Accord received by far the best reliability grade and overall rating among all the seventh-generation models.

2012 Honda Accord

As for the 2012 model, it also didn’t have many engines or transmission difficulties which were sadly still a problem for the eighth-gen model. So, going with a 2011 or 2012 model can be of good use since these have a better track record of decent reliability without any particular engines being associated with one of the car’s vital systems.

The 2012 Accord, in general, had a great overall safety rating and a high-reliability score, and there were lots of recalled Accords on the market, so in case you buy such a model, you wouldn’t have to worry about the airbag situation.

Is the Honda Accord worth buying?

Ultimately – yes, Honda Accord is worth buying as long as you avoid problematic model years like 1999 to 2002, 2003, as well as 2008. The latest Honda Accord from the eleventh generation of the model has been rated 5 out of 5 stars on the safety test conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

So, as long as you keep out from buying model years that had significant fuel delivery system and airbag faults, your Accord will get you to your destination every time.

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