IllustrationWHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND DID NOT GO OFF. DEALER CONTACTED AND RAN CHECK ON COMPUTER. FOUND A CODE, RESET IT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK
1996 Honda Accord
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 85 of 472 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 96 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
52 crash reports3 fire reports21 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
109 reportsAIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY FOR SENSOR. *AK
BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION, ALSO NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG, CAUSING INJURY. (QC-AW)
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER RAN OVER DEBRIS, AND AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT INDICATIONS. *AK
THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS COMING ON EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE SRS MODULE WAS REPLACED TWICE. FIRST TIME IN SEPTEMBER OF 97, SECOND TIME ON APRIL 9, 1998. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. *AK
DRIVING ON A RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH THERE WASN'T ANY TRAFFIC AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT..
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS WHILE MAKING A"U" TURN ON A RURAL STREET WITHOUT CURBS. CONSUMER STATED BUMPER HIT DIRT EDGE GOING LESS THAN 15 MPH, BREAKING WINDSHIELD, AND CAUSING $3000.OO WORTH OF DAMAGES. *AK
INDAVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT: CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING MADE A SUDDEN STOP AND BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT CAUSE, CRACKING THE THE WINDSHILD. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROX. 45MPH WHEN HE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. CONSUMER'S ENTIRE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED. DUE TO THE IMPACT OF CRASH, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK
Official recalls
198V231000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Sep 22, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SEDAN, COUPE AND WAGON PASSENGER VEHICLES EXCEPT THE DX MODEL AND MODELS WITH V6 ENGINES. THE FACTORY INSTALLED AIR CONDITIONER WIRE HARNESS WAS IMPROPERLY ROUTED ALLOWING SOME WIRES TO RUB AGAINST EACH OTHER, EVENTUALLY CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SHORT CIRCUIT CANPOSSIBLY CAUSE THE UNDERHOOD WIREING TO OVERHEAT AND SMOKE, CAUSING A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN ALSO RESULT IN A BLOWN FUSE OR DEAD BATTERY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR PROPER ROUTING OF THESE WIRES. ANY HARNESS IMPROPERLY ROUTED WILL BE INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE AND THE ROUTING WILL BE CORRECTED. IF ANY INSULATION IS WORN THROUGH AND THE COPPER WIRES ARE EXPOSED, THE HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED. DEALERS WILL ALSO INSTALL PLASTIC TUBING TO PROTECT THE HARNESS.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.