Fixya Test of Time Sedans Report

Today we announced the release of a new report comparing the number of troubleshooting requests for five lines of classic sedans – pitting them head-to-head with data from over 30 million Fixya users to see which car line is the more reliable, and the top problems for each line.

By looking at the top issues with each car, and taking into account all models from the past ten years, the Fixya Test of Time Report seeks to provide clarity to consumers by highlighting the main problems across these five standout vehicles – giving consumers some insight on which cars might wind up having costly repair bills in the long run.

To see the full Fixya Test of Time Report, please visit: https://blog.fixya.com/fixyareport/feb2014/car-report-sedans-test-of-time.html


Our report uses information based on over four million troubleshooting requests posted by consumers through its product Q&A site and iOS mobile app. Taking into account the severity of the most common problems per vehicle, along with the ratio of cars sold to total problem impressions for each vehicle, we have assigned a Test of Time Ranking for each vehicle. The lower the number assigned to each vehicle, the higher the vehicle is ranked. U.S. sales numbers are based on information from GoodCarBadCar.net.

The Fixya Test of Time Report covers the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, and Ford Focus car lines, with the Toyota Camry proving itself the most reliable car by having the lowest problem-to-cars sold ratio.

The Test of Time rankings for this report are as follows, along with the most standout issue, from best to worst:

1. Toyota Camry (.15) – Top Issue: Gas Pedal/Acceleration
2. Honda Civic (.17) – Top Issue: Brakes
3. Honda Accord (.28) – Top Issue: Transmission
4. Toyota Corolla (.33) – Top: Gas Pedal/Acceleration
5. Ford Focus (.54) – Top Issue: Power Steering

Following the jump, major trends found within the Fixya Test of Time Report:

  • The biggest issue among Honda Accord owners was transmission trouble– whether that was the engine stalling while starting the vehicle, a slight delay in response time when accelerating, and the gearbox feeling like it is disengaging while driving the vehicle. Smaller issues included headlight and power steering issues, but these are both less worrisome and expensive for Accord owners.
  • Over the years, Toyota has experienced serious gas pedal and acceleration issues with the Camry (and Corolla) – and in 2009 saw widespread controversy due to the issue. This has been cause for concern with Camry owners, along with power steering and troubles with its electrical system.
  • Not surprisingly, Fixya users also experienced these same gas pedal problems with their Toyota Corollas. The Test of Time report offers several potential causes and solutions, one of which being user error from not shifting to neutral when shifting in to gear.
  • Ford Focus owners reported having a lot of problems with the power steering in their vehicles, which could be caused from rundown brake pads, the power steering fluid needing to be replaced, or even a steering rack in need of inspection and tune up.
  • Honda Civic owners on Fixya had the most trouble with their brakes – whether that was problems with their brake lights or the brakes themselves. Issues with brakes are particularly worrisome to owners, with consumers feeling vibrations when braking and taking longer than normal for braking to complete. This could be caused from worn down brake pads, warped brake rotors or a faulty brake pin.

Below are the top five problems for each line of sedans in the Fixya Test of Time Report, as well the number of troubleshooting requests attributed to that specific problem:

Top 5 Toyota Camry Issues:
1. Gas Pedal/Acceleration — 43,000
2. Brake lights — 30,500
3. Power Steering — 24,000
4. Electrical System — 18,250
5. Windows — 18,000

Top 5 Ford Focus Issues:
1. Power Steering — 73,500
2. Headlights — 34,500
3. Door Issues — 33,750
4. Electrical System — 33,000
5. Break Lights — 11,000

Top 5 Honda Accord Issues:
1. Transmission — 74,000
2. Headlights — 37,250
3. Power Steering — 36,750
4. Fuel Pump — 28,250
5. Electrical System — 18,500

Top 5 Honda Civic Issues:
1. Brake lights — 35,750
2. Brakes — 23,500
3. Electrical System — 16,750
4. Dashboard — 13,250
5. Headlights — 10,500

Top 5 Toyota Corolla Issues
1. Gas Pedal/Acceleration — 63,250
2. Brakes — 42,500
3. Engine — 41,000
4. Electrical System — 33,000
5. Power Steering — 31,750

Those interested in viewing the full report can do so here: https://blog.fixya.com/fixyareport/feb2014/car-report-sedans-test-of-time.html

“Buying a car is a big decision – both financially and for reasons of safety, and every vehicle is going to have its own, unique problems,” said Fixya CEO and founder Yaniv Bensadon. “Consumers often turn to Fixya when troubleshooting issues with their cars, and by organizing and publicizing the data from years of questions and answers being posed, we sought to give consumers a fair and accurate comparison between these vehicles to aid their purchase decisions.”

About Fixya
Fixya is a community based trouble-shooting resource that provides consumer-generated, practical product tips to help consumers solve problems on 20 million products. Fixya is a place where individuals can share real world experiences and connect to provide each other practical advice. From fixing cars, to cameras, to mobile devices, Fixya empowers over 30 million monthly visitors to repair and improve upon products they already own via its website and on mobile devices around the globe. Fixya is a venture-funded company with offices in San Mateo, California.

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