IllustrationTHE ABS SYSTEM FAILED PREMATURELY AT 47000 MILES, PRIOR SERVICE OF THE ABS SYSTEM WAS COMPLETED AT THE DEALERSHIP. *MJS
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 reportsPASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON ITS OWN WHILE CONSUMER TURNED ON IGINITON TO START VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR CRASH INDICATION /WARNING OF DEFECT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT FIND REASON FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYING. *YH
REAR HATCH STRUTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IN COLD WEATHER HATCH FELL DOWN. DEALER CLAIMED STRUTS USUALLY FAILED WITHIN A 2 YEAR PERIOD, NO PARTS AVAILABLE. *AK *SLC
BALNCER OIL SHAFT GAVE OUT AND CAR LEAKED ALL OIL OUT IMMEDIATELY AND ENGINE SEIZED AND WE HAD TO REPLCE ENGINE AT THE COST OF $2,860 (USED ENGINE) - HONDA HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE - RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE AND HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THEM TO OBTAIN REIMBURSEMENT AND HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE NOVEMBER. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
ABS PUMP AND ASSEMBLY FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
OIL SEAL FAILED WITH NO WARNING WHILE DIRVING AT LOW SPEED IN PARKING LOT. OIL LOSS ESTIMATED AT 1 QUART PER 3 MINUTES AT ENGINE IDLE RPM. WHEN DRIVEN (AFTER OIL REFILL) OIL SOAKS L. FT. BRAKE CALIPER AND ALL ENGINE BELTS. IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT PREVENTED DRIVING TO ENGINE SEIZURE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND ABS MODULATOR LEAKS. DEALER SUGGESTED TO RESEAL IT, AND DEALER SAID THEY'VE SEEN THE SAME PROBLEMS BEFORE BUT CANNOT PROVIDE INFORMATION WHAT CAUSES THE LEAK. *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.