Is the 2006 Honda Accord a bad year?
433 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Accord years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2006 Honda Accord are in line with other Accord years. Air bags stands out for this year: see below.
3th quietest of 20 Accord years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2006 Accord owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 106,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 130 (30%) | 70k–142k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 50 (12%) | 47k–160k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Steering | 48 (11%) | 87k–141k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Electrical system | 42 (10%) | 40k–130k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 32 (7%) | 70k–126k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Body structure | 19 (4%) | 46k–116k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 13 (3%) | 40k–118k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Suspension | 9 (2%) | 60k–140k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Seat belts | 7 (2%) | 48k–154k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 53 (12%) | 10k–46k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 24 (6%) | 27k–102k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Tires | 20 (5%) | 17k–75k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 20 (5%) | 14k–104k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Equipment | 14 (3%) | 19k–49k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 106,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 433 complaints: 52 mention a crash · 8 mention a fire · 30 report an injury · 15 say the car was towed.
3 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
While accelerating to highway speed (65) my car automatic transmission suddenly fell out of gear and the engine raced to 6k rpms and was unable to catch gear again with patting the gas peddle.
Power steering fluid keeps gushing out of the housing unit. Transmission keeps on studders when shifting from 1st gear to 2ND.
Transmission shudders when rpm's reach 1500-2000 at slow to moderate acceleration. Shuddering does not occur when hard accelerating.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 106,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2006 Honda Accord: 17
The rotating portion of the accelerator pedal assembly may bind. 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.
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. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode. 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.
The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement. An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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. 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.
The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment. 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.
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. 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.
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. If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
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. This could result in a short circuit causing the engine to stall.
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. Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
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. Misalignment of the lights deminishes frontal illumination which could result in a vehicle crash.
On certain passenger vehicles and motorcycles, the owner's manuals contain incorrect contact information for the national highway traffic safety administration's (NHTSA) vehicle safety hotline. The language in the owner's manuals is not in accordance with the current mandatory requirements.
Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
On certain passenger vehicles, the tires could have been damaged when the tires were mounted on the wheels. In certain circumstances, the bead area of the tire may have been damaged. If the bead sealing area is damaged, loss of air could occur while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
On certain passenger vehicles, on the frontal airbag system where the two external impact sensors is mounted, near the front headlights the front impact sensor bolts were not properly torqued. If the bolts loosen or fall out, the sensor may fail to properly detect a crash, possibly resulting in delayed or non-deployment of the front airbag increasing the risk of injury.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Honda: 47
Repair instructions Honda sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2006 Honda Accord. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Tech line summary article - Is the MIL on with DTC P2271 (secondary HO2S [sensor 2] circuit signal stuck rich)
The MIL comes on with one of these DTCs: P2646/P2651 (Rocker arm oil pressure switch circuit low voltage)
The rear cylinder head cover gasket leaks oil
Never use conventional wheel & tire assemblies on pax vehicles; MIL on after throttle body cleaning or replacement…
NHTSA defect investigations: 4
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Braking Performance
Neighbouring years
2005 Accord: 656 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2007 Accord: 524 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Honda Accord year
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Questions
Is the 2006 Honda Accord a bad year?
433 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Accord years. At 106,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Honda Accord?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (130), transmission and drivetrain (50), steering (48), electrical system (42), engine (32).
How many recalls does the 2006 Honda Accord have?
17 recall campaigns list this model year: Speed control (NHTSA 19E068000), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-501), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-499), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-182) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.