IllustrationSTEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. *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
Steering complaints
13 reportsVEHICLE/STEERING VIBRATES/RATTLES WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AT LOW SPEEDS
STEERING AND BRAKE PROBLEM
BRAKES AND STREERING FROZE, CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT HIT A GUARDRAIL HEAD ON, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG. NLM
TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE CAR VIBRATES OR AT LEAST THE STEERING COMPONENTS VIBRATE. IT IS SIMILAR TO THE VIBRATION YOU WOULD GET IF THE POWER STEERING BELT WERE LOOSE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE, IT WAS CHECKED TWICE.
LOUD VIBRATION IN THE FRONT LEFT OF CAR WHEN TURNING.
VEHICLE HAD FAULTY RIGHT SIDE RACK SEAL AND INNER TIE ROD CAUSING STEERING AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.
RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED.
STEERING WHEEL AT TIMES MAKES RATTLING NOISE WHEN TURNING SHARPLY TOWARD THE LEFT AND RIGHT, IT ALSO VIBRATES.
MADE A U TURN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, WHEN THE DRIVER TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP FOR A FEW SECOND. THIS IS THE FORTH TIME THIS LOCK UP OCCURRED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *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.