6th generation (North America) · CG1-CG6 / CF8 · 6,707 complaints, 3,909 with mileage
Owners filed 6,707 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998–2002 Honda Accord, and 3,909 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
48% of failures occur beyond 100,000 miles — a wear pattern. The car generally reaches substantial mileage before trouble starts.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (21.4% of complaints, typically around 89,000 miles), the airbag system (19.8% of complaints, typically around 82,025 miles), the electrical system (15.6% of complaints, typically around 123,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 1,436 | 21.4% | 89,000 | 67,316–116,000 |
| Air Bags | 1,328 | 19.8% | 82,025 | 52,000–121,010 |
| Electrical System | 1,044 | 15.6% | 123,000 | 81,500–152,624 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 421 | 6.3% | 87,000 | 61,165–120,000 |
| Structure | 361 | 5.4% | 134,437 | 98,000–176,855 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 289 | 4.3% | 60,000 | 32,360–112,270 |
| Suspension | 235 | 3.5% | 140,000 | 89,760–178,655 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 215 | 3.2% | 50,250 | 29,000–85,000 |
| Seat Belts | 184 | 2.7% | 83,424 | 48,735–137,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 158 | 2.4% | 130,000 | 80,000–175,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1,429 | 588 |
| 1999 | 1,345 | 765 |
| 2000 | 1,506 | 929 |
| 2001 | 1,160 | 693 |
| 2002 | 1,267 | 934 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 96,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 21.4% of complaints (1,436 reports, 1,036 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 89,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 67,316 and 116,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 19.8% of complaints (1,328 reports, 743 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 82,025 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 121,010 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 15.6% of complaints (1,044 reports, 647 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 123,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 81,500 and 152,624 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 6.3% of complaints (421 reports, 215 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 87,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 61,165 and 120,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 5.4% of complaints (361 reports, 248 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 134,437 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 98,000 and 176,855 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 4.3% of complaints (289 reports, 139 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 60,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,360 and 112,270 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2000 model year drew the most — 1,506 complaints — while 2001 drew the fewest at 1,160. The median year sits at 1,345.
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (5). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 6,707 complaints filed against this generation, 727 reported a crash; 36 reported a fire; 560 reported an injury; 16 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 10.8% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, a late-failure pattern shifts the question from whether to when. 48% of reported failures occur beyond 100,000 miles, so an example approaching that figure is approaching the range where other owners started reporting problems. The middle half of all failures falls between 65,000 and 140,000 miles.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the airbag system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 82,025, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Premature automatic transmission failure, worst on the V6 (B7XA/M7ZA). The design starves the 2nd and 3rd gear clutch packs of lubrication, causing overheating, slipping and burnt clutch material; weak differential bearings and the absence of a serviceable filter compound it. Honda extended the powertrain warranty to 93 months/109,000 miles on affected cars.
F23 balance shaft seal leak causing rapid oil loss (the seal can back out of the block); often misdiagnosed as an oil pan leak.
Ignition switch failure causing stalling and no-start (subject of recall action on this era of Honda).
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 20V027000 | 2020-10-01 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |
| 20V026000 | 2020-10-01 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V499000 | 2019-08-12 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V182000 | 2019-04-10 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |
| 15V320000 | 2015-07-01 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |