FaultScore

Ford Explorer vs Honda Accord

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Ford Explorer Honda Accord
Complaints on file 43,182 32,025
Model years covered 1977–2026 1979–2026
Worst model year 1998 2008
Best model year 2008 1993
Crashes reported 2,346 2,780
Fires reported 987 316
Injuries reported 1,945 1,815
Deaths reported 182 59
Most complained-about part Transmission & Drivetrain Electrical System
Share of complaints involving harm 12.6% 15.5%

Ford Explorer by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Body & Structure 5,304 12.3%
Engine & Cooling 4,189 9.7%
Tires 4,187 9.7%
Steering 4,173 9.7%
Other & Unspecified 3,096 7.2%
Electrical System 2,300 5.3%
Brakes 2,221 5.1%

Honda Accord by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Electrical System 4,144 12.9%
Airbags 4,117 12.9%
Engine & Cooling 3,398 10.6%
Brakes 2,940 9.2%
Other & Unspecified 1,746 5.5%
Steering 1,643 5.1%