2012 Honda Accord Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2012 Honda Accord has a complaint index of 35 and ranks 14th worst among 21 model years, but its verdict is capped at Caution because of 8 recall campaigns. Structure & Body issues lead complaints at 23% share, mostly airbag deployment failures.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 35/100
- #14 of 21 Accord years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 373
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 8
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 46
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 4
- Injuries
- 44
- Top issue
- Structure & Body
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 26
- 22 city / 31 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 44 / 1
Top 2012 Honda Accord problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Structure & Body86 (23%)
- Engine72 (19%)
- Airbags56 (15%)
- Steering51 (14%)
- Brakes46 (12%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires43 (12%)
- Electrical System35 (9%)
- Other29 (8%)
- Transmission & Powertrain27 (7%)
- Fuel System16 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the front passenger or side curtain airbag failing to deploy in moderate-speed crashes.
- Some drivers describe sudden unintended acceleration after braking, in one case leading to a crash.
- Brakes reportedly failed to stop the car during low-speed parking maneuvers, causing collisions with fixed objects.
- Electrical system complaints describe the car stalling on the highway with dashboard lights and radio cutting out, followed by unresponsive acceleration.
- One report describes the transmission rolling the car out of park and through a fence while parked with the engine running.
- A seat belt reportedly failed to restrain a driver during a low-speed rear-end collision, causing a head injury.
2012 Honda Accord recalls
8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V502000Jun 27, 2019Airbags9,555 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are F5F and Q5E.
- NHTSA 19V378000May 16, 2019Airbags19,138 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M4O, P4R, T4Q, and W4P.
- NHTSA 18V661000Sep 27, 2018Airbags1,355,406 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX, TSX Wagon and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Insight, Fit and Pilot vehicles, 2011-2012 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Lastly, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot, 2011-2013 TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord and 2010-2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M2J and S2K.
2012 Honda Accord fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22 MPG
- Highway
- 31 MPG
- Combined
- 26 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,500
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Honda Accord reliable?
- NHTSA data shows 373 complaints and a complaint index of 35, ranking 14th worst out of 21 Accord model years. The verdict is Caution, driven mainly by 8 recall campaigns rather than complaint volume alone.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Honda Accord?
- Structure & Body complaints lead at 86 complaints (23% share), followed by Engine at 72 (19%) and Airbags at 56 (15%). Airbag-related complaints are tied to a median mileage of 60,000.
- Does the 2012 Honda Accord have a recall?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2012 Accord, most involving airbag inflator or module replacement, including campaign 12V030000 for side curtain airbags.
- How does the 2012 Accord compare to other years?
- Its complaint index of 35 is lower than 2008 (95), 2013 (90), and 2018 (100), all rated Avoid, but higher than 2011 (5) and later years like 2021-2024, which reach Best.