Pre-purchase inspection checklist — 2012 Honda Accord
The 2012 Honda Accord shows a significant number of complaints and recalls, mainly concerning the airbag system. With 372 owner complaints and 8 recall campaigns, this model requires careful inspection. Key areas to focus on include the airbag system and steering issues, while limited data is available on other components.
NHTSA data on file today
The 2012 Honda Accord has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 373 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #19V502000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V378000 Improperly Installed Passenger Air Bag Inflator NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V661000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V268000 Improperly Installed Passenger Air Bag NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V042000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V545000 Incorrectly Installed Replacement Air Bag NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V030000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V030000 DRIVER-SIDE OR PASSENGER-SIDE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Seats 64 complaints
- Air Bags 57 complaints
- Steering 50 complaints
- Engine 43 complaints
- Service Brakes 35 complaints
- Electrical System 32 complaints
Of the 373 complaints on file, 46 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 373 complaints, owners report 44 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Known issues to inspect
Airbag inflator issues
How to check: Verify airbag recall completion with the seller.
Steering malfunction
How to check: Check for unusual resistance while turning.
Test-drive walkthrough
- 01
Cold start
What to check: Listen for any irregular engine noises.
Red flag: Loud knocking or persistent noise
- 02
First minute idling
What to check: Check for unusual vibrations.
Red flag: Excessive shaking or vibrations
- 03
City driving
What to check: Monitor steering responsiveness and noise.
Red flag: Hard to steer or noisy turns
- 04
Highway acceleration
What to check: Observe for smooth power delivery.
Red flag: Hesitation or uneven acceleration
- 05
Hard braking
What to check: Assess for vibrations or noise.
Red flag: Grinding noise or severe pulling
Questions for the seller
Use this exact phrasing.
- Has the airbag recall been addressed?
- Any complaints about steering performance?
- Has the car experienced electrical issues?
- Can you provide maintenance history?
- Are there any unresolved recalls?
Documents to request
Don't sign anything until you have these.
- Maintenance records
- Recall repair confirmation
- Vehicle history report
- Title and registration
- Current emissions test
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2012 Honda Accord at the time. AI output can be wrong; confirm anything you find with a mechanic.
Next step
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