IllustrationCONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WITH VEHICLE STILL IN DRIVE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A HILL, AND DAMAGED THE REAR END. *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
What owners actually said
472 reportsWHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON YOU HEARD A WEED EATER NOISE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND THEN NOISE WNET AWAY AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO HAVE THE ABS MODULATOR AND ACCUMULTOR REPLACED. DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS ODD FOR A DAR WITH NOT THAT MANY MILES ON IT. THEN LOOKED ON INTERNET AND SAW MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME T…
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WHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON YOU HEARD A WEED EATER NOISE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND THEN NOISE WNET AWAY AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO HAVE THE ABS MODULATOR AND ACCUMULTOR REPLACED. DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS ODD FOR A DAR WITH NOT THAT MANY MILES ON IT. THEN LOOKED ON INTERNET AND SAW MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME THING. I THINK THE ABS SHOULD BE RECALLED IN 1996 ACCORDS. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR CABLE BROKE. NO REASON/ABUSE. ENTIRE UNIT REPLACED FOR $400.00. *AK
THE REAR SEAT BELT BECAME TANGLED AND LOCKED AROUND A CHILD'S NECK. THE MORE THE CONSUMER PULLED TO RELEASE THE BELT THE MORE IT TIGHTENED. THE BELT HAD TO BE CUT FOR IT TO UNLOCK. THE CHILD SUSTAINED BRUISES FROM HIS CHIN TO HIS SHOULDERS. *AK *TS *NLM
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FANS BEING INOPERATIVE AND AN OIL LEAK. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED AS A PRECAUTIONARY ACTION TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, ALL THE DRIVE BELTS, AND FRONT END WORK. THE CONSUMER THEN COMPLAINED THAT THE FANS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER THAN WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A FR…
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PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FANS BEING INOPERATIVE AND AN OIL LEAK. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED AS A PRECAUTIONARY ACTION TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, ALL THE DRIVE BELTS, AND FRONT END WORK. THE CONSUMER THEN COMPLAINED THAT THE FANS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER THAN WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A FRONT ENGINE MOUNT. THE CONSUMER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. IN FACT, THERE WERE SEVERAL LEAKS AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW FAN, SHROUD, MOTOR, COOLANT, AND FUSE. AS A RESULT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REPEATEDLY APPROACH A DANGEROUS LEVEL (HAD TO MODIFY DRIVING HABITS), AND WAS UNABLE TO USE THE A/C DUE TO POSSIBLE OVERHEATING. THERE WERE TWO NEW LOCATIONS OF HIGH CONCENTRATION OF OIL; REAR MAIN OIL SEAL LEAK WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED, AND THE BALANCE SHAFT LEAKED (UNDER WARRANTY) WHICH REQUIRED AN OIL PUMP, GASKETS, AND SEALS.*SCC *JB
KEY COMES OUT OF IGNITION WITHOUT TRANSMISSION IN PARK. CAR IS A 1996 HONDA ACCORD. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THERE WAS NO BRAKING FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR. THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM THE ABS MODULATOR. TSB#96-050. *SCC *JB
WHILE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC DROVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS SEAL BALANCE SHAFT BLEW OUT, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK
SRS FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY CONTROL UNIT.*MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED POSSIBLE WARRANTY ASSISTANCE FOR HIS AUTOMOBILE, WHICH HAD TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY CONTROL UNIT, THE DEALER REPLACED THE UNIT, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. IT'S HAS NOW BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A NON FUNCTIONING PASSE…
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SRS FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY CONTROL UNIT.*MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED POSSIBLE WARRANTY ASSISTANCE FOR HIS AUTOMOBILE, WHICH HAD TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO A FAULTY CONTROL UNIT, THE DEALER REPLACED THE UNIT, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. IT'S HAS NOW BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A NON FUNCTIONING PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. *CB *JB
DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW CABLE SNAPPED.*MR *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.