IllustrationELECTRICAL 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
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
Suspension complaints
11 reportsBOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS CRACKED IN HALF, WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE AXLE. THE CONSUMER REPLACED BOTH BALL JOINTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
WE HAD OUR BATTERY REPLACED BY A NATIONAL AUTO CHAIN. WHEN COMPLETE, THE "SRS" WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED. PURSUANT TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER - CASEY, NEWPORT NEWS,VA. THEY INFORMED US IT REQUIRED A NEW CONTROL UNIT, THE COST $565.00. WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER HONDA DEALER - WILLIAMSON, HAMPTON,VA. …
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WE HAD OUR BATTERY REPLACED BY A NATIONAL AUTO CHAIN. WHEN COMPLETE, THE "SRS" WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED. PURSUANT TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER - CASEY, NEWPORT NEWS,VA. THEY INFORMED US IT REQUIRED A NEW CONTROL UNIT, THE COST $565.00. WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER HONDA DEALER - WILLIAMSON, HAMPTON,VA. THEY ALSO INFORMED US IT REQUIRED A NEW CONTROL UNIT FOR $583.00 SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE IT WAS SAID IT WAS DUE TO "LOW VOLTAGE". AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT EACH TIME A HONDA REQUIRES A BATTERY, IT WILL COST $583.00 + THE COST OF THE BATTERY. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M THE FIRST TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS.*AK
BOTH UNDERFENDERS FOR FRONT FENDERS SPONTANEOUSLY DETACHED ON FLAT, DRY HIGHWAY WHEN I WAS GOING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 45 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE REMAINED ATTACHED AT FRONT END AND TWISTED AROUND TIRE, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF CAR AND VEER ONTO VERGE. PASSENGER SIDE ABRUPTLY DETACHED COMPLETELY AND FLEW ONTO ROADWAY. FRONT END…
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BOTH UNDERFENDERS FOR FRONT FENDERS SPONTANEOUSLY DETACHED ON FLAT, DRY HIGHWAY WHEN I WAS GOING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 45 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE REMAINED ATTACHED AT FRONT END AND TWISTED AROUND TIRE, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF CAR AND VEER ONTO VERGE. PASSENGER SIDE ABRUPTLY DETACHED COMPLETELY AND FLEW ONTO ROADWAY. FRONT END OF CAR HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN COLLISION. HONDA DEALER CLAIMS THEY NEVER SEE THIS HAPPENING AND CONTINUES TO BLAME DRIVER FOR FAULTY DRIVING
BALANCER SHAFT SEAL BURST DAY AFTER OIL CHANGE, ALL OIL HAD LEAKED OUT DUE TO BALANCER SHAFT SEAL BURSTING. DAMAGED ENGINE, $510.00+ REPAIR COSTCOULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY IF WE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY WE HAD STOPPED PRIOR TO OIL LIGHT GOING
CV BOOT AND JOINTS WERE REPLACED . CAR NOW PULLS TO THE SIDE, AND SERVICE DEPT. SAYS THAT IT CAN NOT BE ALIGNED W/OUT 700.00 REPLACEMENT PART. *AK
MOLD IN A/C, CAR SHOOK WHEN TURNING (PS LINE PINCHED), POWER WINDOWS (2) FELL OFF TRACK
VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT CAUSING FRONT TIRES TO WEAR AFTER ONLY 10,000 MILES.
VEHICLE HAD FAULTY RIGHT SIDE RACK SEAL AND INNER TIE ROD CAUSING STEERING AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.
DOORS SEALS FAILED.
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.