IllustrationAIR CONDITIONER WIRE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL (98V-231) CAUSED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY TO FAIL. YH
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
Electrical System complaints
40 reportsTHIS LATEST ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE HAS YET TO BE DIANOSED BY A MECHANIC; I AM GUESSING THE CAUSE IS THE SAME AS THE 2 PREVIOUS FAILURES. WHETHER MY GUESS IS CORRECT, THE BIKE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER WITH NO WARNING, WHILE I WAS RIDING IN THE MIDDLE (THIRD) LANE OF THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH. A H…
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THIS LATEST ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE HAS YET TO BE DIANOSED BY A MECHANIC; I AM GUESSING THE CAUSE IS THE SAME AS THE 2 PREVIOUS FAILURES. WHETHER MY GUESS IS CORRECT, THE BIKE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER WITH NO WARNING, WHILE I WAS RIDING IN THE MIDDLE (THIRD) LANE OF THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH. A HONDA TECHNICIAN WHO REPLACED A DEFECTIVE REGULATOR ON THIS BIKE BEFORE TOLD ME THE UNITS TENDED TO FAIL BECAUSE THEY WERE INTENDED FOR TOURING AND DIDN'T PERFORM WELL IN COMMUTER CONDITIONS. HAVE YOU HEARD THIS BEFORE? *AK
TAIL LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT DUE TO A FUSE WHICH KEPT BLOWING OUT. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ARRIVING HOME. TOOK TO DEALER NEXT DAY. WAS INFORME D BY MECHANIC A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK
IGNITION KEY FUSE LIGHT FAILED.
STARTER AND IGNITION FAILURE,DEALER CAN NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM.
DUE TO THE LOCATION AND THE SIZE OF THE HORN, IN A EMERGENCY THE HORN IS DIFFICULT OF DEPRESS. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES PORBLEMS KEEPS REACCURING, KEEP REPLACING COMPUTER SYSTEM. *AK
THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE OTHER DEFICIENIES. *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.