2012 Honda Accord Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Accord years
- Fewer complaints than other years 24th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 8 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 373 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Accord. That ranks 24th out of 32 Accord model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is seats (64 complaints, 17%), typically at around 300 miles. Complaints mention 46 crashes, 4 fires, 44 injuries. There are 8 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 373owner complaints
- 8safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 46complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Honda Accord problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats problems | 64 | 17% | 300 | “lumbar support” (16%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 56 | 15% | 60,000 | “air bag” (36%) | — |
| Steering problems | 51 | 14% | 22,181 | “steering rack” (16%) | — |
| Engine | 43 | 12% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 36 | 10% | 21,457 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 32 | 9% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 27 | 7% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 27 | 7% | 42,482 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 26 | 7% | 20,592 | — | — |
| Suspension | 23 | 6% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 22 | 6% | 31,917 | — | — |
| Wheels | 17 | 5% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 3% | 19,250 | — | — |
| Tires | 12 | 3% | 5,600 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 2% | 5,547 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 9 | 2% | 40,197 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 2% | 70,776 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 2% | 17,451 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 2% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 1% | 42,250 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 1% | 11,689 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 1% | 70 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 626 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 10,394 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 178,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 75,071 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Honda Accord recalls (8)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles and 2013 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Accord Crosstour, Fit and Pilot, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V, and 2010 Acura ZDX and Honda Insight vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, 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 or "Zone B." Unless included in Zones A or B above, Honda is recalling certain 2009 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Fit, and Pilot vehicles ever registered in the states of 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 or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain 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.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are B0K and L0J.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2008-2012 Accord, 2010-2012 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2012 Fit and Pilot, 2010-2012 Insight, and 2009-2012 Acura TSX vehicles that received replacement passenger frontal air bag inflators. One dealership may have incorrectly installed the replacement air bag inflators.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an incorrectly installed passenger frontal air bag inflator may deploy the air bag improperly, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are O07, Y0A, N06, G05, M04, Y01, and O09.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Acura TSX, 2011-2012 Acura TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Acura ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2012 Honda Accord Crosstour and Honda Insight, 2009-2012 Honda Fit, 2009-2012 Pilot, 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2012 Honda FCX Clarity and 2006-2011 Honda Civic, Civic Hybrid, Civic NGV vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain 2009 Acura TSX, Honda Fit and Pilot, 2008-2009 Honda Accord, 2006-2009 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, and 2007-2009 Honda CR-V vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, 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, or "Zone B." Additionally, if not included in "Zone B" above, Honda is recalling certain 2008 Honda Accord, 2006-2008 Honda Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV and 2007-2008 Honda CR-V vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, 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 inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has mailed an interim notification, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KE1 and KE2.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 accord and crosstour vehicles. The driver-side or passenger-side side curtain airbag inflator may not have been manufactured according to correct specifications.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the side curtain airbag may fail to deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Honda will replace the driver's side or passenger's side side curtain airbag as needed free of charge. The safety recall began on february 24, 2012. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture (EQ12002) — opened Feb 14, 2012, closed May 8, 2012.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Accord. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 124,414, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 170,762.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH and turning left onto a secondary road, the vehicle abruptly stopped in the middle of the road. The vehicle was pushed off to the shoulder of the road with help from other motorists who had stopped to…
The suspected failed component is on 3-4 General Altimax GT45 tires. After approximately 15,000 miles of use and regular tire rotations every 5,000 miles, a steering wheel vibration developed immediately following a tire rotation. Multiple tire balances and a road-force balance did not identify a…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Accord. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase the vehicle mileage wa47,000,p=and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 238, 629. A Carfax…
This car needs CV AXLE ASSEMBLY REPLACED as published under 'honda news' attached as i am in one one the 22 states that uses road salt. Honda dealer claims to have no knowledge of this , I need you to escalate please. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT…
Other Honda Accord years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Accord | 10 | 0 |
| 2025 Accord | 87 | 0 |
| 2024 Accord | 149 | 3 |
| 2023 Accord | 85 | 5 |
| 2022 Accord | 256 | 4 |
| 2021 Accord | 241 | 4 |
| 2020 Accord | 364 | 5 |
| 2019 Accord | 696 | 6 |
| 2018 Accord | 1,890 | 6 |
| 2017 Accord | 538 | 3 |
| 2016 Accord | 609 | 4 |
| 2015 Accord | 601 | 5 |
| 2014 Accord | 981 | 4 |
| 2013 Accord | 1,425 | 5 |
| 2012 | 373 | 8 |
| 2011 Accord | 296 | 9 |
| 2010 Accord | 580 | 12 |
| 2009 Accord | 726 | 10 |
| 2008 Accord | 1,520 | 8 |
| 2007 Accord | 524 | 9 |
| 2006 Accord | 432 | 12 |
| 2005 Accord | 656 | 15 |
| 2004 Accord | 1,018 | 13 |
| 2003 Accord | 1,987 | 13 |
| 2002 Accord | 1,050 | 5 |
| 2001 Accord | 922 | 7 |
| 2000 Accord | 1,183 | 8 |
| 1999 Accord | 1,135 | 4 |
| 1998 Accord | 1,200 | 6 |
| 1997 Accord | 460 | 3 |
| 1996 Accord | 472 | 1 |
| 1995 Accord | 543 | 2 |
See all Honda Accord problems by year, every Honda model, or the Honda VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Honda Accord?
Owners most often report seats, air bags, steering problems. The top one, seats, accounts for 64 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Honda Accord?
Yes, 8 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Honda Accord a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Accord model years, the 2012 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.