How Long Could A Honda Accord Last With Regular Maintenance?

Honda has a reputation for making cars that are built well and defy the aging process, and the company has ranked as one of the world's 10 best-selling automakers for three years running. Honda's dependable, efficient, and affordable whips helped disrupt the global auto market a few decades ago when they enticed American buyers still reeling from the 1970s oil crisis. It's common to see nearly 50-year old Hondas still chugging along delivering pizzas or helping families with everyday errands. Honda's entry-level Civic eschews premium features in favor of no-frills value, and the Accord sits a step above the Civic with more space, refinement, and comfort. The Accord has a stellar reputation for longevity, commonly serving owners well for 200,000 or 300,000 miles. At least two Accords have been documented as lasting for a million miles, including a 2003 coupe with a V6 engine that medical supply courier Justin Kilmer used for work.

The Accord won Japan's Car of the Year award upon its release in 1976 and came to the United States quickly after going on sale in its home market. It was first available as a hatchback in the U.S., and sold more than 90,000 units there between May 1976 and the end of 1977. Honda replaced the Accord's 1.6-liter engine with a 1.8-liter four cylinder for 1978, hoping the larger engine would satisfy American sedan buyers. Honda sold more than 120,000 Accords in the U.S. that year, and in 1982 the second-generation Accord became Honda's first American-made car.

The Accord is now in its 11th generation and like any long-running model has its good and bad years. It goes toe-to-toe with the Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, and Nissan Altima in the midsize sedan segment and the current Accord boasts several trim options. If you want your new or used Accord to pass the quarter or half million mile mark, here are some things you'll want to know.

JD Power rates the 2020 Accord at 80/100 on the reliability scale and 81/100 overall, while more than 150 owners of that model year left reviews at cars.com giving their cars an average reliability score of 4.9 stars out 5. The Accord went through various growing pains with some generational updates, so you might do best to steer clear of the first couple years after any such changes.

As with any other car, following our basic engine care tips will help your Accord last longer. If you're doing your own oil changes, be sure to reset the oil life monitor each time to avoid pesky dashboard warnings. These maintenance reminders prompt you when you reach important mileage intervals; Honda recommends various service tasks at 30, 60, and 90,000 miles. Your owner's manual or dealership's service department can provide you with the complete maintenance schedule for your Accord, but read on for the recommended change intervals for some important consumables and components. 

Timing belt replacements are due every 90,000 to 100,000 miles and transmission fluid changes every 50,000 to 1000,000 miles depending on driving conditions. Check brake pads and rotors no less than every 20,000 miles and drain and fill your Accord's brake fluid every three years or 45,000 miles. Install new spark plugs and wires at 100,000 mile intervals, and swap out the battery every three to five years. Honda recommends changing the oil in your Accord every 5000 miles under normal conditions and never going more than 7,500 miles without putting in fresh oil and a new filter. Your dashboard oil change light will remind you if you go beyond that, and if you can light it up 200 times you'll be at a million miles or more.

Even the best-made cars have their weak points, and the Accord's common problems include transmission failures, faulty ignition switches, excessive oil consumption,  and starter failures. The most expensive of these potential pain points is the transmission. Rebuilding or replacing a transmission will usually cost thousands of dollars, but routine fluid changes and the right driving habits can help you avoid any problems there. Most of the Accord's typical issues aren't catastrophic, expensive, or too hard to address, and performing regular maintenance on schedule can delay or prevent problems.