IllustrationTHE SRS LIGHT REMAINS ON. *JB
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 reportsI STARTED THE IGNITION OF MY 1996 HONDA ACCORD EX AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE EXPLOSION WAS VERY LOUD AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD OF THE CAR. I WAS NOT MOVING AT THE TIME. THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK WITH THE BRAKE ON. I GOT VERY SCARED.
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WITH DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS AND SRS SYSTEMS WHEEL ALIGNMENT BRAKE PROBLEMS, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS YES , PARTS WERE REPLACED, REPAIRED BUT I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, AFTER SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. *NM
THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. *JB *NM
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED/RUNNING FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED, SHATTERING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE STOPPING AN ONCOMING VEHICLE TRAVELING 60 MPH STRUCK CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
I BOUGHT THE CAR ON OCT 22ND, AND ON THE SECOND DAY IT STALLED BECAUSE OF WRONG FUSE BEING PLACED IN THE CAR. DURING THAT CHECK UP I FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR HAS HAD EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE AND NONE OF THIS IS SHOWN UP IN CARFAX REPORT AND ALSO THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. SO I WANT TO RETURN T…
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I BOUGHT THE CAR ON OCT 22ND, AND ON THE SECOND DAY IT STALLED BECAUSE OF WRONG FUSE BEING PLACED IN THE CAR. DURING THAT CHECK UP I FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR HAS HAD EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE AND NONE OF THIS IS SHOWN UP IN CARFAX REPORT AND ALSO THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. SO I WANT TO RETURN THE CAR UNDER CONSUMER FRAUD.
BOTH THE ABS AND THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. HAD DEALER CHECK AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW ABS ACCUMULATOR AND MODULATOR, IN ADDITION TO A NEW SRS CONTROLUNIT, ( AIR BAG SYSTEM). THESE ARE BOTH COST PROHIBITIVE, WERE VERY EXPENSIVE OPTIONAL SAFTEY FEATURES OFFERED AT THE TIME OF SALE. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND THIS APPEARS TO…
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BOTH THE ABS AND THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. HAD DEALER CHECK AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW ABS ACCUMULATOR AND MODULATOR, IN ADDITION TO A NEW SRS CONTROLUNIT, ( AIR BAG SYSTEM). THESE ARE BOTH COST PROHIBITIVE, WERE VERY EXPENSIVE OPTIONAL SAFTEY FEATURES OFFERED AT THE TIME OF SALE. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE ACCORD 1994-1999 AND THE ODYSSEY, BOTH OF WHICH USE THE SAME ABS MODULATOR/ACCUMULATOR. UPON DIAGNOSIS, THE DEALER ASSURED ME THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR."
SRS LIGHT COMES ON AT START UP AND STAYS ON. ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND COSTS OVER A $1000.00 TO REPLACE MODULATOR. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!*AK
THE SRS LIGHT FOR THE AIRBAG ILLUMINATED AND WOULDN'T GO OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY RESET THE SRS LIGHT, THEN THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. *PH THE 1995 HONDA ACCORDS HAD A RECALL ISSUE AND THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE 1996 MODELS. *SCC *JB
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.