FaultScore

Honda Accord vs Ford Explorer

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

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%

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%