2012 Honda Accord Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
40/100
#10 most-complained of 16 Accord years
The 2012 Honda Accord has a complaint index of 40 and ranks 10th out of 16 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Accord years. NHTSA lists 373 complaints, 8 recalls, and 1 death, with Structure & Body as the top problem area.
- Complaints
- 373
- Recalls
- 8
- Crashes / fires
- 46 / 4
- Injuries / deaths
- 44 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 26
- 22 city / 31 hwy
Top 2012 Honda Accord problems
NHTSA owner 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%)
What owners report
- Owners report brakes failing to stop the car even with the pedal firmly depressed, sometimes at low parking-lot speeds.
- Some describe sudden unintended acceleration after braking, leading to crashes.
- Airbags deployed excessively or failed to deploy at all during moderate-speed collisions.
- Takata airbag inflators reportedly sent metal shrapnel into the cabin during a crash.
- Engine-related complaints mention rough automatic transmission shifting, overheating, and front wheel hub covers detaching.
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?
- Compared with other Accord model years, the 2012 ranks 10th of 16 with a complaint index of 40 and a "Good" verdict. It has fewer NHTSA complaints (373) than years like 2013 (1,421) or 2018 (1,881).
- What year Honda Accord should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA data, 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2019 are rated "Avoid," with complaint indexes of 93, 87, 100, and 80. The 2012 model year is rated "Good" by comparison.
- Does the 2012 Honda Accord have airbag recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2012 Accord, and most involve Takata airbag inflators or side curtain airbags, including campaign 12V030000 specific to the 2012 model year.
- What is the top problem area for the 2012 Honda Accord?
- Structure & Body complaints lead with 86 reports, 23% of the total, and a median failure mileage of 1,500 miles.
- How many deaths and injuries has NHTSA recorded for the 2012 Accord?
- NHTSA records 1 death and 44 injuries linked to 2012 Accord complaints, along with 46 crashes and 4 fires.