USED VEHICLE RESEARCH

2016 Honda Accord

Research the 2016 Honda Accord using available NHTSA owner complaints, safety recalls, manufacturer communications, defect investigations, and CarIQ data-coverage analysis.

DATA CONFIDENCE: Moderate

Owner complaints

613NHTSA records

Recall campaigns

4Year, make and model lookup

Manufacturer communications

0Matched NHTSA records

Investigations

0Matched NHTSA records

SUBJECTIVE OWNER FEEDBACK

OWNER EXPERIENCE

What it is like to live with the vehicle—kept clearly separate from official NHTSA evidence.

BUILDING THE COMMUNITY

THE FIRST USEFUL PERSPECTIVE COULD BE YOURS

No approved owner experiences yet.

Contributions are collected carefully and only appear here after moderation. No placeholders, sample testimonials, or invented sentiment.

OWNED THIS CAR?

Help the next buyer understand the real ownership experience.

Share what you liked, what could be better, and whether you would choose it again. Every contribution is moderated before publication.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE 2016 Honda Accord
INDEPENDENT EVIDENCE TYPES

NHTSA owner complaint records remain part of Official Vehicle Data. Subjective review contributions remain in Owner Experience. One does not validate or prove the other. Read the methodology.

EVIDENCE, NOT A SCORE

WHAT THIS DATA CAN TELL YOU ABOUT RELIABILITY

Official records can provide useful research context, but each source has a different meaning. Complaint counts are not failure rates; recalls are formal safety campaigns; manufacturer communications are technical or service documentation; and investigations reflect formal NHTSA activity. Data Confidence measures evidence availability, not vehicle quality. CarIQ does not publish a composite Reliability Score.

Available evidence summary: 613 NHTSA owner complaint records; 4 safety recall campaigns; 0 manufacturer communications; 0 applicable NHTSA defect investigations.

EVIDENCE AVAILABILITY — NOT VEHICLE RELIABILITY

DATA CONFIDENCE

Moderate

Data Confidence measures how much usable evidence CarIQ has for this vehicle. It does not measure how reliable the vehicle is.

Why this rating?
Owner complaint data
Available
Manufacturer communications
Available
Recall data
Available
Investigation data
Available
Production denominator
Unavailable
Complaint component completeness
100%
Mileage completeness
0%
Incident-date completeness
100%

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYTICS

DATA INSIGHTS

Derived from official NHTSA source records. These statistics are descriptive and are not a reliability score.

Complaint records analyzed
613
NHTSA complaints
Most reported component
Electrical System
33% of categorized complaint records
Top-three component concentration
65%
Records mentioning at least one top-three component
Median reported incident mileage
Not available from current source
0 valid mileage observations
Recall campaigns
4
NHTSA recalls
Most recent recall report
May 22, 2026
NHTSA recalls
Manufacturer communications
0
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Most documented component
Not available
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Top-three communication concentration
Not available
Share of categorized manufacturer communications

SOURCE COMPLETENESS

DATA QUALITY

Complaint records analyzed
613
Component classification available
100%
Incident date available
100%
Mileage available
0%
Structured outcome fields available
100%

Completeness describes fields present in the retrieved complaint records. It is not a data-quality grade or a vehicle assessment.

Learn about CarIQ methodology

PRODUCTION-ADJUSTED DESCRIPTIVE METRIC

NORMALIZED COMPLAINT CONTEXT

Production-normalized complaint data is not currently available for this vehicle.

This metric compares the number of NHTSA owner complaint records retrieved by CarIQ with NHTSA-reported production volume for the corresponding vehicle population.

It is not a vehicle failure rate. Complaint reporting behavior, vehicle age, time on the road, production definitions, and other factors can affect the result.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Early Warning Reporting, Light Vehicle Production Data. Read the methodology.

OFFICIAL NHTSA OWNER COMPLAINT DATA

PROBLEMS REPORTED IN NHTSA RECORDS

CarIQ groups available NHTSA owner complaint records for the 2016 Honda Accord by vehicle system to make recurring documentation easier to research. Most represented complaint categories describe the retrieved records—not failure frequency.

TOTAL COMPLAINTS613

MOST REPRESENTED COMPLAINT CATEGORIES

Electrical System202 complaints
33%of categorized complaint records
Unknown or Other131 complaints
21%of categorized complaint records
Exterior Lighting128 complaints
21%of categorized complaint records
Engine44 complaints
7%of categorized complaint records
Fuel/propulsion System39 complaints
6%of categorized complaint records
Service Brakes33 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Steering31 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Power Train29 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Visibility/wiper28 complaints
5%of categorized complaint records
Vehicle Speed Control23 complaints
4%of categorized complaint records
Structure20 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Wheels17 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Air Bags16 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Forward Collision Avoidance14 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)13 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Suspension13 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Seats12 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Lane Departure10 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Back Over Prevention7 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Tires7 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Fuel System5 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Gasoline4 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Seat Belts4 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Visibility4 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Child Seat3 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Equipment3 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Hydraulic3 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Latches/locks/linkages3 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Engine and Engine Cooling2 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Buckle1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Chest Clip1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Harness1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Other1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records

A complaint may list more than one component and therefore contribute to multiple categories. Percentages show the share of categorized complaint records that mention each component—not the percentage of vehicles affected. Category percentages may overlap.

INCIDENT REPORTS BY YEAR

1969
1
1989
2
2002
1
2015
2
2016
72
2017
65
2018
85
2019
76
2020
34
2021
26
2022
29
2023
44
2024
46
2025
83
2026
47

Grouped from complaint records with a valid incident date.

RECENT OWNER COMPLAINTS

Electrical System · Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11774386
Read complaint narrative

There is an electric issue with the stereo system that causes a extremely loud static sound that comes from all speakers and does not stop until the car is turned off. The sound is still persistent while the radio system is turned off. This a major safety hazard as I can't hear emergency vehicles due to this issue. This needs to be recalled as this is happening to most Honda's in this version. If it has not happen yet it will soon. The repair fee is outrageous for something that is happening to multiple cars. This needs to be recalled ASAP!

Electrical System · Unknown or Other · Visibility/wiper

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11774049
Read complaint narrative

The rear defroster was turned on while the vehicle was being driven to clear the rear window. Shortly afterward, the window shattered from the inside. The tint film on my window held the shattered glass in place and prevented it from falling out. No. However, when I took my vehicle to Ace Auto Glass in Kahului, Maui, for a window replacement, they told me that several other vehicles of the same make and model had experienced the same issue and been brought in for repairs within the past few days or weeks. This has resulted in significant expenses for the affected owners.

Electrical System

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11773855
Read complaint narrative

My backup camera has malfunctioned where it is just displaying a black screen when I put my car in reverse. It is a serious safety concern since I need the camera in order to backup properly. There is currently no recalls for the 2016 Honda Accord but it should be looked into since it is a safety risk.

Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11771866
Read complaint narrative

I am having an issue with the ABS/VSA module for my vehicle. The ABS, VSA, Brake and EPS lights illuminate on the dashboard randomly. I took my car to a Honda service center and I was informed that the module needed to be replaced at the cost of over $3000 for the module and another $500 for the labor. I was told that this is a common issue with Honda Accord from 2013 - 2017 model years.

Steering · Electrical System · Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11769768
Read complaint narrative

Was leaving for work got off to open gate and car turned off on its own. Power steering bacame hard and won’t turn on.

Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11769224
Read complaint narrative

The vehicle is a 2016 Honda Accord Coupe. The exact failed component is UNKNOWN, but the malfunction appears to involve the vehicle’s audio system, amplifier, Active Noise Cancellation system, or a related electrical/audio component. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. When the vehicle is started, the audio system initially operates normally. After approximately one minute, a loud abnormal/distorted noise begins coming through the vehicle’s speakers. The noise continues even when the audio volume is turned all the way down to zero and also continues when the infotainment/audio system is turned off. Because the noise is not controlled by the normal audio volume or infotainment controls, I am concerned that the malfunction may be occurring elsewhere in the vehicle’s audio or electrical system. The sudden and persistent noise creates a safety concern because it occurs while I’m driving and startles and distracts me from safely operating the vehicle. The exact cause of the malfunction has not been confirmed. The problem has not yet been reproduced or diagnosed by a Honda dealer or independent service center. The vehicle/component has not been inspected by Honda, police, insurance representatives, or another outside party in connection with this problem. There were no warning lamps or dashboard warning messages before the malfunction. The primary symptom is that the audio initially functions normally and then the abnormal noise begins approximately one minute after startup. The noise persists regardless of the audio volume setting and even when the infotainment system is turned off. I have video documentation showing the malfunction, including the abnormal noise continuing with the audio volume at zero and with the infotainment system turned off. The video is available upon request. The exact defective component and cause are UNKNOWN at this time.

Electrical System

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11767314
Read complaint narrative

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INFOTAINMENT HEAD UNIT / AUDIO AMPLIFIER. While driving my 2016 Honda Accord, the vehicle's infotainment head unit and factory audio amplifier suffered a sudden, catastrophic hardware failure. Without warning or driver input, the audio system emitted an explosive, deafening static screech at maximum volume (estimated at 85–90 decibels).This unexpected, extreme noise triggered an immediate startle response, nearly causing a loss of vehicle control on a busy road. The infotainment head unit completely locked up; the power button, volume knob, and steering wheel controls were entirely unresponsive. Anything can trigger this static response such as connecting to Bluetooth using the radio using navigation system, etc. The only way to stop the deafening noise was to abruptly pull over into a hazardous roadside situation and cycle the vehicle's ignition.Furthermore, this hardware failure caused the internal components to overheat, resulting in a complete blackout of the touchscreen. This caused a total loss of federally mandated safety equipment, specifically the backup camera and the passenger-side LaneWatch blind-spot camera. The extreme, uncontrolled volume of the static screech also completely masked external ambient sounds, preventing me from hearing emergency sirens, police horns, or surrounding traffic. This is a severe, recurring safety defect that causes dangerous driver distraction, disables critical visibility features, and cannot be mitigated while the vehicle is in motion.

Air Bags · Unknown or Other

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11767389
Read complaint narrative

1-The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) / active collision avoidance system failed. Warning lights are actively displayed on the dashboard indicating that the SRS and collision mitigation systems are disabled/malfunctioning. The vehicle is parked and available for inspection upon request 2- Because the SRS / collision safety system is completely non-functional, the primary driver and passengers are operating a vehicle where airbags and active restraint systems may fail to deploy during a crash, presenting an immediate safety risk on public roads. 3-Yes. The safety defect was identified, but the selling dealership refused to provide assistance or perform the necessary repairs to resolve the active safety defect. 4-The vehicle issue was reported directly to the selling dealership, but they failed to complete repairs. Additionally, a formal complaint has been filed and opened with the State DMV Vehicle Safety Complaint Unit to investigate the unroadworthy condition of the vehicle. 5-SRS and collision system warning indicators appeared on the dashboard. Upon inspecting repair options, the vehicle warranty company confirmed that SRS/collision system components are strictly excluded from coverage, leaving an unaddressed safety defect. 1. Attempted Warranty Repair: Contacted the extended warranty provider, who formally denied coverage because SRS and collision systems are excluded under the policy terms.  2. Contacted Selling Dealership: Reached out directly to the dealership to address the unroadworthy SRS safety fault; the dealer remained non-responsive and failed to resolve the issue.  3. Escalated to State DMV: Opened an official case with the state DMV Vehicle Safety Complaint Unit regarding the selling of a vehicle with an active, unaddressed SRS safety defect.  4. Escalated to Financing Lender (Credit Acceptance): Sent formal notice to the auto loan holder requesting assistance or escalation; the lender refused to assist

NHTSA complaints are reports submitted by vehicle owners and other consumers. Complaint counts do not represent the percentage of vehicles affected and do not by themselves establish that a safety defect exists.

A higher complaint count can partly reflect how many vehicles were sold, vehicle age, and other factors. CarIQ does not yet normalize complaint counts by vehicles sold.

Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This site is not endorsed by NHTSA.

OFFICIAL NHTSA SAFETY RECALL DATA

SAFETY RECALLS

4 recall campaigns found

01AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERCampaign 26V332000May 22, 2026

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

Safety Consequence

Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

02FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMPCampaign 23V858000December 19, 2023

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Safety Consequence

Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

03FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMPCampaign 19V060000January 29, 2019

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.

Safety Consequence

Reduced fuel pump performance can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the fuel injection engine control unit (FI-ECU) software and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's recall number for this recall is P3W. Honda's recall number for this recall is N3X.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERYCampaign 17V418000June 29, 2017

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Honda Accord vehicles. The case for the battery sensor, part of the battery management system, may allow water to get in, potentially causing an electrical short.

Safety Consequence

An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensor, free of charge. Dealers will perform an interim remedy of applying adhesive to the case to prevent water intrusion. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact American Honda Customer Support Center at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KG0.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall results shown here are based on year, make, and model. A specific vehicle may or may not be affected. Check the vehicle's VIN with NHTSA to confirm open recalls before purchasing. Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

OFFICIAL NHTSA MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION DATA

MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS

TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS0

No NHTSA manufacturer communication records were returned for this year, make, and model.

Manufacturer communications include service bulletins and other technical information submitted by manufacturers to NHTSA. The existence or number of communications does not establish how often a condition occurs or whether an individual vehicle will experience it.

Some manufacturers may issue more detailed service documentation than others, so communication counts should not be used alone to compare vehicle reliability.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration manufacturer communications

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS

TOTAL INVESTIGATION RECORDS0

No applicable NHTSA defect investigation records were returned for this year, make, and model.

NHTSA investigations evaluate potential motor-vehicle safety defects. The existence of an investigation does not by itself establish that a safety defect exists, and the absence of an investigation does not establish that a vehicle is problem-free.

Open and closed describe NHTSA's process status, not a CarIQ reliability judgment.

View official NHTSA investigation data ↗

DESCRIPTIVE SOURCE OVERLAP

CROSS-SOURCE VEHICLE DATA

CarIQ compares categories appearing across independent NHTSA datasets. Overlap can help identify areas with more available documentation, but it does not establish defect frequency or prove that an individual vehicle will experience a problem.

ComponentOwner complaintsManufacturer communicationsRecall campaignsNHTSA investigationsOfficial sources containing records
Electrical System2020001 of 4
Unknown or Other1310001 of 4
Exterior Lighting1280001 of 4
Engine440001 of 4
Fuel/propulsion System390001 of 4
Service Brakes330001 of 4
Steering310001 of 4
Power Train290001 of 4
Visibility/wiper280001 of 4
Vehicle Speed Control230001 of 4

Displayed first by the number of source categories containing the component, then by owner complaint count, then alphabetically. This is a presentation rule, not a vehicle ranking. Complaint reports, manufacturer communications, recalls, and investigations describe different events and are never added into a combined total.

complaint
Available
communication
Available
recall
Available
investigation
Available
production
Unavailable

COMMON RESEARCH QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2016 HONDA ACCORD

Is the 2016 Honda Accord reliable?

CarIQ does not currently assign a reliability score to the 2016 Honda Accord. Available evidence is shown as separate official-source records with a Data Confidence classification of Moderate.

What problems are reported for the 2016 Honda Accord?

613 NHTSA owner complaint records. When complaint data is available, the page groups records by the NHTSA component categories they identify without treating those categories as verified failure rates.

Are there recalls for the 2016 Honda Accord?

4 safety recall campaigns. Year, make, and model results do not confirm whether a specific VIN is affected or whether a remedy has been completed.

USED-CAR CANDIDATE RESEARCH

Considering buying a 2016 Honda Accord?

Enter the mileage and asking price to review Is This A Good Car?'s available evidence for the specific candidate. No buy/no-buy or pricing judgment is produced. Open the full research tool.