What are the most common problems with the 2012 Honda Accord?

Owners name seats, air bags, engine and steering most often. See the problems section for the full list.

Does the 2012 Honda Accord have recalls?

Yes. The by-year data shows 8 recalls. The recalls section on this page lists each one.

How many complaints has the 2012 Honda Accord received?

NHTSA has 381 owner complaints on file. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for sales.

What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Honda Accord?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is 2012 the best year for the Honda Accord?

The year comparison section on this page shows how 2012 stacks up.

2012 Honda Accord Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 381 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Honda Accord^[1]. Seats and air bags top the list^[2]^[3].

381owner complaints^[1]

8recalls^[4]

21–27MPG combined (EPA)^[5]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[6]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name most often, biggest first.

Seats. 64 complaints^[2]. Owners describe a driver seat that hurts their back, neck or legs, and some say the discomfort pulls their attention off the road.
Air Bags. 58 complaints^[3]. In the stories we read, owners describe air bags that did not open in a crash, plus one that went off with no warning. 28 of these complaints mention a crash^[3].
Engine. 53 complaints^[7]. Owners describe the engine revving higher than expected, vibration at idle and a misfire.
Steering. 52 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a shaking wheel at highway speed that came back after several dealer visits.
Brakes. 39 complaints^[9].
Electrical System. 32 complaints^[10].
Power Train. 30 complaints^[11].
Unknown Or Other. 28 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2012 Accord is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V502), June 2019. About 9,555 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V378), May 2019. About 19,138 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, stalling, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V661), September 2018. About 1,355,406 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V268), April 2018. About 1,335 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, stalling, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V042), January 2018. About 691,726 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[17]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (17V545), August 2017. About 3,257 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, stalling, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[18]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (17V030), January 2017. About 977,708 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[19]
Air Bags › Side/Window (12V030), February 2012. About 347 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[20]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Accord Coupe, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[21]	23 / 31 / 26	$2,600
Accord Coupe, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[22]	22 / 32 / 26	$2,600
Accord Coupe, 3.5L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[23]	18 / 26 / 21	$3,200
Accord Coupe, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[24]	19 / 29 / 23	$2,900
Accord, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[5]	23 / 33 / 27	$2,500
Accord, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[25]	22 / 33 / 26	$2,600
Accord, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[26]	20 / 30 / 23	$2,900

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[6]	5	5	5	5	9.5%
2 DR FWD^[27]	n/a	n/a	n/a	5	9.7%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2012 Honda Accord with 2.4L 4-cylinder^[28]	177 to 190 hp
2012 Honda Accord with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[29]	271 hp

How 2012 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Accord model year. The 2012 is highlighted^[4].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	543	2
1996	472	1
1997	460	3
1998	1,200	6
1999	1,135	4
2000	1,183	8
2001	922	7
2002	1,050	5
2003	1,987	13
2004	1,018	13
2005	686	15
2006	433	12
2007	525	9
2008	1,520	8
2009	727	10
2010	641	13
2011	311	9
2012	381	8
2013	1,437	6
2014	1,012	5
2015	641	6
2016	611	4
2017	584	3
2018	2,008	6
2019	792	6
2020	403	6
2021	293	4
2022	315	4
2023	230	9
2024	230	6
2025	116	3
2026	13	2

NHTSA's counts for the Accord show 381 complaints and 8 recalls for 2012^[4]. Among the 32 model years listed, 7 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 24 have more^[4]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (13) and the most are for 2018 (2,008)^[4]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2012 Accord?

These are unverified reports sent to NHTSA, so they show what owners ran into and not how often it happens^[1]. Seat comfort and air bag complaints lead the list for this year^[2]^[3]. Engine and steering complaints follow close behind^[7]^[8]. The air bag group has the most crash mentions among the top groups^[2]^[3]^[7]^[8]. Check the recalls section on this page and ask a seller for service records before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Honda Accord?: Owners name seats, air bags, engine and steering most often^[2]^[3]^[7]^[8]. See the problems section for the full list.
Does the 2012 Honda Accord have recalls?: Yes. The by-year data shows 8 recalls^[4]. The recalls section on this page lists each one.
How many complaints has the 2012 Honda Accord received?: NHTSA has 381 owner complaints on file^[1]. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for sales.
What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Honda Accord?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is 2012 the best year for the Honda Accord?: The year comparison section on this page shows how 2012 stacks up^[4].

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Honda Accord

2007 525 complaints, 9 recalls
2008 1,520 complaints, 8 recalls
2010 641 complaints, 13 recalls
2012 this page
2013 1,437 complaints, 6 recalls
2014 1,012 complaints, 5 recalls
2015 641 complaints, 6 recalls
2016 611 complaints, 4 recalls
2017 584 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 2,008 complaints, 6 recalls

Compare all model years of the Honda Accord

Other Honda models from 2012

2012 Honda Civic 474 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 Honda Pilot 171 complaints, 9 recalls

All Honda models

Similar cars from 2012: compact cars

2012 Audi A4 45 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 Chrysler 200 638 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 Ford Focus 3,803 complaints, 10 recalls
2012 Mazda 3 226 complaints, 1 recall
2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 579 complaints, 7 recalls
2012 Nissan Versa 486 complaints, 10 recalls

All compact cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 381 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Honda Accord (47 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 45 injuries, 1 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
64 complaints name the seats component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 13 injuries, median mileage at failure 300). NHTSA vehicle records
58 complaints name the air bags component group (28 crashes, 0 fires, 17 injuries, median mileage at failure 60,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Honda Accord model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Accord, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 33 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
53 complaints name the engine component group (6 crashes, 1 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 59,000). NHTSA vehicle records
52 complaints name the steering component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 22,180). NHTSA vehicle records
39 complaints name the brakes component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 21,281). NHTSA vehicle records
32 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 48,750). NHTSA vehicle records
30 complaints name the power train component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 62,000). NHTSA vehicle records
28 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 40,460). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 19V502, filed June 27, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V378, filed May 16, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V661, filed September 27, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V268, filed April 26, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V042, filed January 9, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V545, filed August 31, 2017: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V030, filed January 10, 2017: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 12V030, filed February 1, 2012: Air Bags › Side / Window. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Accord Coupe, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 31 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Accord Coupe, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 32 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Accord Coupe, 3.5L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Accord Coupe, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 29 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Accord, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 33 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Accord, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 30 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 2 DR FWD: rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.7%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2012 Honda Accord with 2.4L 4-cylinder: rated 177 to 190 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2012 Honda Accord with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 271 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2012 Honda Accord: problems, recalls and fuel economy