2006 Honda Accord: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2006 Honda Accord
On the 2006 Honda Accord, the failure owners report most often is other steering problem, and the reports cluster around 125,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other visibility problem, reported by a median of 5,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2006.
High risk for a 2006 — 148th riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. 541 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2006 Honda Accord
Owners have reported 56 named failure modes on the 2006 Honda Accord, and the three most-reported carry 16% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other steering problem leads with 31 reports, about 0.2 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 87k to 155,000 miles.
Other electrical problem follows with 30 reports, usually reported between 38k to 125,000 miles.
Other brake problem follows with 27 reports, usually reported between 24k to 50,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into brakes (58), airbag (52) and electrical (51).
When these failures get reported
387 of the reports on the 2006 Honda Accord came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 77,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 38% by 50,000 miles, 61% by 100,000 miles and 84% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 18 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 15% of the dated reports.
31% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other visibility problem around 6k, ABS module or sensor failure around 7k, air conditioning failure around 23k and other brake problem around 33k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 56. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 18 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 47 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 21 an injury and 5 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.88, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other steering problem at $350–$2,400, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, other brake problem at $300–$1,800 and other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
15% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other steering problem | steering | 31 | 21 | 87k | 125k | 153k | 0.2 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 30 | 24 | 38k | 89k | 126k | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 27 | 21 | 24k | 33k | 50k | 0.2 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 26 | 25 | 47k | 80k | 140k | 0.2 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 22 | 15 | 68k | 106k | 119k | 0.2 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 21 | 10 | 55k | 110k | 150k | 0.2 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 20 | 16 | 11k | 23k | 37k | 0.1 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 20 | 13 | 23k | 45k | 102k | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 17 | 16 | 3k | 7k | 20k | 0.1 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 16 | 12 | 700 | 6k | 80k | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 15 | 10 | 2k | 78k | 98k | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 14 | 10 | 44k | 83k | 105k | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 13 | 4 | — | 98k | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 9 | 8 | 11k | 44k | 103k | 0.1 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 9 | 8 | 100k | 108k | 164k | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 9 | 6 | — | 78k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 9 | 9 | 22k | 45k | 160k | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 7 | 5 | — | 146k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 7 | 4 | — | 500 | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 7 | 6 | — | 38k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 7 | 6 | — | 64k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 6 | 4 | — | 210k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 6 | 4 | — | 67k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Power steering pump or fluid leak | steering | 6 | 5 | — | 83k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 6 | 6 | — | 27k | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 5 | 5 | — | 45k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 5 | 5 | — | 31k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 4 | 1 | — | 158k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 4 | 4 | — | 78k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 4 | 3 | — | 125k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 3 | 3 | — | 47k | — | 0.0 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Starter failure | electrical | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 3 | 3 | — | 70k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 3 | 3 | — | 37k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 3 | 3 | — | 94k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Seat, track or recliner failure | body | 3 | 3 | — | 33k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 3 | 3 | — | 180k | — | 0.0 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 3 | 3 | — | 55k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 2 | 1 | — | 29k | — | 0.0 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 3k | — | 0.0 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 79k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Engine knock or bearing noise | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 194k | — | 0.0 | $2,500–$9,000 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 100k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 29k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Paint peeling or clear coat failure | body | 2 | 2 | — | 55k | — | 0.0 | $600–$6,000 | Low |
| Door latch or handle failure | body | 2 | 2 | — | 83k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | High |
| Window regulator or power window failure | body | 2 | 2 | — | 53k | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Oil leak | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 60k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 200k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 130k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 130k | — | 0.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Airbag deployed without a crash | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 20k | — | 0.0 | $2,500–$8,000 | Critical |
| DPF, EGR or DEF system failure | emissions | 1 | 1 | — | 2k | — | 0.0 | $800–$5,000 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 32k | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 106 | 56 | 70k | 118k | 171k | 0.8 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2006 Honda Accord draws about 3.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 80th percentile of complaint rates among 2006 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 139,939 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2006 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other steering problem
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 honda accord. The contact stated the power steering hose leaked oil into the exhaust system. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated there were no recalls for the failure and the cost to replace the hose would be $400. The manufacturer was contacted and a claim was filed. The manufacturer offered no other assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 90,000. Updated 06/10/11 *bf the power steering high pressure hose leaked onto the exhaust generating smoke and a burning smell. The vehicle was taken to an acura dealer who stated that the smoke was caused by a failure of the high pressure steering hose which was included on a safety recall by the same manufacturer for two separate acura models with the same engine and high pressure power steering hose as the one in the honda accord. However, there was no recall for the failed part on the honda model. The replacement hose and installation would cost $400. The manufacturer was contacted and a claim was filed. The manufacturer offered no other assistance. The vehicle was repaired by the acura dealer at the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 honda accord ex. The contact stated that the vehicle started to leak fluids and white smoke was coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The dealer diagnosed that there was a hole in the high pressure power steering hose. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 07v551000 ( steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections), which he believed pertained to the exact defect. The vehicle was repaired by the contact. The failure mileage was 158,000 and the current mileage was 159,000. Updated 10/27/11*lj updated 12/06/2011 *ln
Other electrical problem
Vehicle was bought 02/2006. To date the odometer is reading more than 30,546 miles. My daily commute to my job round trip. Is approx 76 miles daily. My previous car was a toyota hylander. It was bought in august 2002. When I traded that car in to coggins honda it has a total of 57,816 miles and it ran a round trip and a half from new york to florida and back. It was bought in florida and was transported to new york via the auto train within the next year this honda car will have doubled its mileage. The mats in the front driver side appears that someone else was in use of this car. It is highly impossible that I will be keeping this car much longer. I need an explanation for the dealer why this odometer seem as if it set on springs like the energizer bunny, it just keeps running on and on with no intent on regulation. Thanks, lorna ingram *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 honda accord ex. While driving, the alarm and the horn automatically activated for an extended period of time. As a result, other drivers send rude signals to her and she feels that this is very dangerous. The contact notified the honda dealer in her area and a diagnostic test was performed. The dealer was unable to find the cause of failure. She also notified honda's regional office who stated that her vehicle is out of warranty and nothing can be done. Honda advised her to go to the passenger side of the vehicle and use the key in order to stop the failure. The engine size was unknown. The current mileage is 25,564 and failure mileage was 22,000.
Other brake problem
Dt*: the contact stated while applying brake pressure at various speeds, the engine revved at an accelerated rate and lurched forward without warning. This problem was intermittent in nature. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who performed a diagnostic test which produced no failure codes, although the problem persisted. The manufacturer was notified. Updated 11/9/2006 - it was later determined that the problem was user related. Whent he brake pedal decended below the level of the accelerator pedal the consumer's foot contacted the accelerator pedal causing the engine to rev. *nm
Tl* - the contact stated the ima brake system does not work effectively on his 2005 honda hybrid. He occasionally has to apply the brakes with force to stop the vehicle. The vehicle has approximately 12,000 miles. The contact stated he has taken the vehicle to the dealer, but they are unable to duplicate the failure. There are no warning indicators. *jb updated 02/16/07.*jb
Recalls on the 2006 model year
NHTSA has issued 17 recall campaigns covering the 2006 Honda Accord, affecting an estimated 538,529 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal, air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module and air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
3,744 vehicles 2019-10-10- Defect
- Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2007-2011 Honda Element, 2005-2008 Honda Pilot and 2006-2014 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The rotating portion of the accelerator pedal assembly may bind. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 124, "Accelerator Control Systems."
- Consequence
- If the accelerator pedal binds, the engine may not quickly return to idle after the pedal is no longer pressed, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492, using option 5. Dorman's number for this recall is AS1019XXXX.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
3,947 vehicles 2019-06-27- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver 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.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver 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 Q5A and Y58.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,657,752 vehicles 2019-06-27- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline 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.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag 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 E5D and X5C.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,101,534 vehicles 2019-03-06- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver…
- Consequence
- An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,335 vehicles 2018-04-26- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- 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
11,602 vehicles 2016-03-30- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Accord vehicles manufactured October 1, 2003, to August 17, 2007. The affected vehicles may have been assembled with an incorrect passenger frontal air bag module that does not comply with the advanced air bag requirements. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Consequence
- An air bag module does not meet the advanced air bag requirements can increase the risk of injury or death in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 2, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's number for this recall is JZ3.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
3,498,481 vehicles 2015-06-15- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to July 12, 2003, 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 19, 2002, to June…
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU4, JU5, JU6, and JU7. Note: Vehicles that have already received a replacement passenger air bag inflator as part of the recall remedy for an earlier campaign such as 14V353 or 14V700 (Honda recall numbers S95, JH6, JH7, JH8, JH9, JJ0, JJ1, JJ2, JJ6, JM5 and JM6) are not included in this recall. However, this recall does supersede 13V132 and…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
6,281,043 vehicles 2015-05-28- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag…
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
625,762 vehicles 2012-05-17- Defect
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL and model year 2003-2007 Accord V6 vehicles. In May 2012, Honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL vehicles. In September 2012, Honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 573,147 vehicles including certain model year 2003 through 2007 Accord V6 vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 625,762. Prolonged under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely, resulting in cracks and…
- Consequence
- If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose, free of charge. The original recall began in June 2012, and owners of those vehicles may obtain the free remedy. Sufficient parts are not yet available for owners of the vehicles covered by the September 2012 expansion, but are expected to be available in early 2013. Honda will notify owners of these vehicles beginning on October 26, 2012, and will notify these owners again when parts are available so those vehicles can be brought to dealers for applications of the free remedy…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
1,512,107 vehicles 2011-08-04- Defect
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 accord, 2007-2010 cr-v, and 2005-2008 element passenger cars manufactured from july 1, 2004, through september 3, 2010. The outer race of the secondary shaft bearing may be broken during certain driving styles. A broken outer race may cause abnormal noise, the malfunction indicator light to turn on, and allow contact between the transmission idle gear and an electronic sensor housing within the transmission.
- Consequence
- This could result in a short circuit causing the engine to stall. Additionally, broken pieces of the outer race or ball bearing from the secondary shaft may become lodged in the parking pawl resulting in the vehicle rolling after the driver has placed the gear selector in the park position. Engine stall and unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash or personal injury to persons within the path of a rolling vehicle.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners and dealers will update the automatic transmission control module software free of charge. The safety recall began on august 27, 2011. Owners may contact honda automobile customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
848 vehicles 2007-05-17- Defect
- Certain maxzone headlight assemblies, depo brand, p/nos. 317-1131l-as, 317-1131r-as, 317-1131l-us, and 317-1131r-us, sold for use as aftermarket equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. During production a slight distortion of the bezel changed the luminous intensity of the turn signal. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- Consequence
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Maxzone will notify owners and offer reimbursement for any noncompliant headlights. The recall began on may 17, 2007. Owners may contact maxzone at 909-822-3288.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
14,089 vehicles 2007-01-16- Defect
- Certain tyc headlamp assemblies p/ns 20-6361-00 and 20-6362-00 sold as aftermarket equipment for 2003-2006 honda accord passenger vehicles. The photmetric were misaligned which does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- Consequence
- Misalignment of the lights deminishes frontal illumination which could result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Genera will notify owners and offer to repurchase the noncompliant lamps. The recall began on january 26, 2007. Owners can contact genera at 714-522-6688.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2006 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2006 sits in the model line
High risk for a 2006 — 148th riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 30 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1997 comes out best at 61 and 2012 worst at 81, with 2006 itself at 69.
If the model year is negotiable, 1997 and 1996 score lower than 2006 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2000–2007 generation specifically, 2006 is the strongest year at 69 and 2003 the weakest at 73.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2000-2007 generation, 2006 Honda Accord scores best at 69 and 2003 Honda Accord worst at 73.
Where to spend the inspection money
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other visibility problem from about 700, other wheel or tire problem from about 2k, ABS module or sensor failure from about 3k and air conditioning failure from about 11k.
On a 2006 Honda Accord with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other visibility problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
What this page cannot tell you
541 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 541 reports, 387 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 72% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Honda Accord?
The most-reported failures are other steering problem (31 reports, median 125,000 miles), other electrical problem (30 reports, median 90,000 miles) and other brake problem (27 reports, median 35,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2006 Honda Accord problems start?
Other visibility problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 5,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 700 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 77,000 miles.
Is the 2006 Honda Accord reliable?
It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 148th riskiest of the 343 2006 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2006 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Honda Accord is best?
Within the 2000–2007 generation, 2006 scores best at 69 out of 100 and 2003 worst at 73. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed