IllustrationTHE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL FROM THE HEAD GASKET. *NLM.
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 reportsWITHOUT WARNING THE AIR BAG AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON THE ENTIRE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *JB
THE ABS AND AIR BAG LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO STATED THE ABS MODULATOR, ABS ACCUMULATOR, AND THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB *TS
ABS AND AIR BAG SAFETY SYSTEM FAILED AT THE SAME TIME ON A 1996 HONDA ACCORD W/ 90,000 MILES. *JB
THE ANTI-LOCK MODULE NO LONGER WORKED ON THE VEHICLE. *JB
AN INTERNAL OIL LEAK CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE (REFER TO TSB 618908). *NLM
SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OUT. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. DEALER SAYS SRS UNIT HAS INTERNAL FAILURE, (CODE 8-5) NEEDS REPLACING. UNIT FAILURE IS NOT COVERED BY MANUFACTURER. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE, WHY IS HONDA NOT RECALLING THIS SYSTEM?? RESEARCH SHOWS MANY PROBLEMS WITH AIR …
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SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OUT. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. DEALER SAYS SRS UNIT HAS INTERNAL FAILURE, (CODE 8-5) NEEDS REPLACING. UNIT FAILURE IS NOT COVERED BY MANUFACTURER. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE, WHY IS HONDA NOT RECALLING THIS SYSTEM?? RESEARCH SHOWS MANY PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG SYSTEMS ON THIS 1996 MODEL.*JB
THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD AND STAYED ON. *JB
THE ENGINE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE. *JB THE ENGINE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 60 MPH IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROMT HE ENGINE STARTED . VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS R…
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THE ENGINE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE. *JB THE ENGINE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 60 MPH IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE FROMT HE ENGINE STARTED . VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS RUINED. *MR
DISCOUNT TIRE COMPANY, 20225 NORTH SCOTTSDALE RD, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85255 AS AN INDEPENDENT TIRE DISTRIBUTOR AND DEALER FAILURES TO COMPLY WITH TITLE 49, VOLUME 5, PART 574, SEC OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, BY NOT PROVIDING TIRE PURCHASERS (CONSUMERS) THE REQUIRED TIRE REGISTRATION FORM. THIS INCIDENT HAPPEN ON THE RAINY M…
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DISCOUNT TIRE COMPANY, 20225 NORTH SCOTTSDALE RD, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85255 AS AN INDEPENDENT TIRE DISTRIBUTOR AND DEALER FAILURES TO COMPLY WITH TITLE 49, VOLUME 5, PART 574, SEC OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, BY NOT PROVIDING TIRE PURCHASERS (CONSUMERS) THE REQUIRED TIRE REGISTRATION FORM. THIS INCIDENT HAPPEN ON THE RAINY MORNING OF FEB 2003 AT THE DISCOUNT TIRE STORE AT 407 WEST BELL ROAD, PHOENIX, AZ 85023. I INQUIRED AT TWO OTHER DISCOUNT TIRE COMPANY STORES AND THEY DENIED HAVING ANY TIRE REGISTRATION FORMS FOR CONSUMERS, SO IT APPEARS THIS IS STANDARD TO THIS COMPANY. THOUSAND OF CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN WRONGED BY THIS COMPANY'S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH 49CFR574.8. FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS PLEASE CONTACT ME. *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.