IllustrationVEHICLE EXPERIENCED ROLLBACK WHILE PARKED WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION.*MR 1988 HONDA ACCORD HAS EXPERIENCED ROLL BACK WHILE PARKED WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE HONDA DEALERSHIP WHICH IN TURN PAID NO ATTENTION TO THEIR COMPLAINT.*MR
1988 Honda Accord
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Honda Accord do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 356.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Accord years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 6 of 88 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports1 fire reports15 injury reports
Power Train complaints
11 reportsTHE ENGINE CONTINUES TO OVER HEAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE REPLACED THE RADIATOR, RADIATOR HOSE, AND BACK UP FOR THE RADIATOR. ALSO THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME UNDONE ONCE SOMEONE HAS LOCKED THEMSELF IN. WE HAVE TO TAKE A SCREW DRIVER TO GET THE LOCK OUT. THE CAR HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING GEARS AND WHEN IT DOES IT SLAMS INTO…
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THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO OVER HEAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE REPLACED THE RADIATOR, RADIATOR HOSE, AND BACK UP FOR THE RADIATOR. ALSO THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME UNDONE ONCE SOMEONE HAS LOCKED THEMSELF IN. WE HAVE TO TAKE A SCREW DRIVER TO GET THE LOCK OUT. THE CAR HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING GEARS AND WHEN IT DOES IT SLAMS INTO GEAR OR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION IT INADVERTENTLY ROLLS BACKWARDS. *AK
I STARTED THE CAR AND REVERSED IT FROM GARAGE. CAR STALLED. I FORGOT TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK BEFORE TAKING THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION. AFTER SOME TIME I STARTED THE CAR STANDING OUTSIDE WHILE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS STILL WIDELY OPENED. IMMEDIATELY THE CAR WENT BACKWARD PULLING ME WITH THE OPEN DOOR. I FELL ON THE GROUND. MY LEG…
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I STARTED THE CAR AND REVERSED IT FROM GARAGE. CAR STALLED. I FORGOT TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK BEFORE TAKING THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION. AFTER SOME TIME I STARTED THE CAR STANDING OUTSIDE WHILE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS STILL WIDELY OPENED. IMMEDIATELY THE CAR WENT BACKWARD PULLING ME WITH THE OPEN DOOR. I FELL ON THE GROUND. MY LEG GOT CAUGHT IN THE FRONT WHEEL. I GOT SOME SCRATCH ON MY LEFT LEG WITH SEVERE PAIN THROUGH OUT MY LEFT LEG. THE DOOR OF THE CAR HIT ON THE SIDE OF HOUSE WHICH STOPPED THE FURTHER MOVEMENT OF THE CAR. OTHERWISE I COULD HAVE BEEN BADLY INJURED. AS A SAFETY, A CAR MUST NOT START WHEN IT IS IN REVERSE OR DRIVE MODE. THIS CAR DOES EVERY THING. ON PREVIOUS 3 OCCASIONS THE CAR STARTED AND WENT FORWARD WHILE ON DRIVE MODE. THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHICH CAN CAUSE SEVERE INJURY TO DEATH. I NOW NEED MY CAR TO BE FIXED (BODY AND TRANSMISSION). ANY HELP FROM NTSB OR MANUFACTURER IS APPRECIATED.*AK
THE AXLE BROKE IN TWO AT LOW SPEED(LUCKILY), SPUN AROUND THE STEERING LINKAGE AND PUNCTURED THE OIL PAN IN TWO PLACES. I BELIEVE I CAN SHOW THAT THE AXLE WAS CRACKED AT OR BEFORE THE TIME OF RE-MANUFACTURE AND WAS NOT PROPERLY INSPECTED BY CRS.
THE AXLE IN QUESTION FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY, WITHOUT WARNING AFTER ONLY 26000 MILES OF USE. HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, A LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY ENSUED. *AK
HORN FAILED. *MJS
FIFTH GEAR FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION WILL STOP AND THE CAR WILL JUST STOP AND IT WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE EITHER. PLEASE DESRIBE. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION BLOW OUT . TT
Official recalls
295V103001 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
May 24, 1995
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUG ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, THEN PRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS ANY SIGN OF BREAKAGE OR CRACKING, OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, PROMPTLY CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED HONDA/ACURA DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
87V171000 · Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Oct 29, 1987
OWNERS MANUAL INFORMATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, SECTIONS 6A AND 6B WAS OMITTED FROM THE MANUAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES MANUAL INFORMATION DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS210.
Remedy: UPGRADE EXISTING MANUALS BY INSERTING ADHESIVE BACKED CORRECTION PAGES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA94035 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Oct 27, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available