IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DIED AND WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND AFTER DIAGNOSTIC TEST IT WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM IN WHICH THERE HAD BEEN A PRODUCT RECALL. *LA *MR
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 THE DRIVER STARTED THE VEHICLE THE DASHBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. SOMEHOW THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NM
OIL FROM MY 1996 HONDA ACCORD POURED OUT OF THE FRONT BALANCER SEAL WHILE WARMING UP IN MY DRIVEWAY. LUCKILY I NOTICED IT BEFORE I HAD ENGINE TROUBLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC'S SHOP AND HAD IT REPAIRED FOR ABOUT $500. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE BALANCER SEAL HAD WORKED ITSELF OUT AND SITTING ON THE CRANKSHAFT. I HAVE ONLY 6…
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OIL FROM MY 1996 HONDA ACCORD POURED OUT OF THE FRONT BALANCER SEAL WHILE WARMING UP IN MY DRIVEWAY. LUCKILY I NOTICED IT BEFORE I HAD ENGINE TROUBLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC'S SHOP AND HAD IT REPAIRED FOR ABOUT $500. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE BALANCER SEAL HAD WORKED ITSELF OUT AND SITTING ON THE CRANKSHAFT. I HAVE ONLY 68900 MILES ON IT. *AK
WHILE STOPPING AN ONCOMING VEHICLE TRAVELING 60 MPH STRUCK CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
AFTER THE SEAL BROKE, OIL DRAINED FROM THE ENGINE AND CAUSED SOME DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *PH THERE WAS A PRODUCT UPDATE REGARDING THE SHAFT OIL SEAL, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *JB
A METAL ROD THAT SUPPORTS THE TRUNK HAD SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE TRUNK TO FALL DOWN. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS, WHERE THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE METAL ROD NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO A WORN OUT PART.*AK
I BOUGHT THE CAR ON OCT 22ND, AND ON THE SECOND DAY IT STALLED BECAUSE OF WRONG FUSE BEING PLACED IN THE CAR. DURING THAT CHECK UP I FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR HAS HAD EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE AND NONE OF THIS IS SHOWN UP IN CARFAX REPORT AND ALSO THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. SO I WANT TO RETURN T…
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I BOUGHT THE CAR ON OCT 22ND, AND ON THE SECOND DAY IT STALLED BECAUSE OF WRONG FUSE BEING PLACED IN THE CAR. DURING THAT CHECK UP I FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR HAS HAD EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE AND NONE OF THIS IS SHOWN UP IN CARFAX REPORT AND ALSO THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. SO I WANT TO RETURN THE CAR UNDER CONSUMER FRAUD.
WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE CAR BOGS DOWN, GOES VERY SLOWLY - LIKE IT IS WORKING VERY HARD TO ACCELERATE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE SQUARE AROUND THE D4 GEAR FLASHES. THE CAR EVENTUALLY GETS UP TO SPEED AND WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT A PROBLEM UNTIL YOU STOP AGAIN. THIS IS AN INTERMITTEN…
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WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE CAR BOGS DOWN, GOES VERY SLOWLY - LIKE IT IS WORKING VERY HARD TO ACCELERATE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE SQUARE AROUND THE D4 GEAR FLASHES. THE CAR EVENTUALLY GETS UP TO SPEED AND WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT A PROBLEM UNTIL YOU STOP AGAIN. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 7 TIMES FOR THIS. I HAVE NEVER BEEN CHARGED FOR THE REPAIRS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. I AM AFRAID I AM GOING TO GET HIT BY ANOTHER CAR IF I PULL OUY AND SUDDENLY HAVE POWER.
BOTH THE ABS AND THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. HAD DEALER CHECK AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW ABS ACCUMULATOR AND MODULATOR, IN ADDITION TO A NEW SRS CONTROLUNIT, ( AIR BAG SYSTEM). THESE ARE BOTH COST PROHIBITIVE, WERE VERY EXPENSIVE OPTIONAL SAFTEY FEATURES OFFERED AT THE TIME OF SALE. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND THIS APPEARS TO…
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BOTH THE ABS AND THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. HAD DEALER CHECK AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW ABS ACCUMULATOR AND MODULATOR, IN ADDITION TO A NEW SRS CONTROLUNIT, ( AIR BAG SYSTEM). THESE ARE BOTH COST PROHIBITIVE, WERE VERY EXPENSIVE OPTIONAL SAFTEY FEATURES OFFERED AT THE TIME OF SALE. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE ACCORD 1994-1999 AND THE ODYSSEY, BOTH OF WHICH USE THE SAME ABS MODULATOR/ACCUMULATOR. UPON DIAGNOSIS, THE DEALER ASSURED ME THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR."
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM MODULATOR FAILURE. LEAKING FLUID IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EXHAUST MANAFOLD. FIRE HAZARD. DEALER REPAIR PRICE QUOTED AT $1400 - $1600. THIS ABS MODULATOR APPEARS TO HAVE A MUCH HIGHER FAILURE RATE THAN EXPECTED, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I'VE SEEN ON THE INTERNET. BASED ON THE EXCESSIVE REPAIR PRICE M…
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ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM MODULATOR FAILURE. LEAKING FLUID IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EXHAUST MANAFOLD. FIRE HAZARD. DEALER REPAIR PRICE QUOTED AT $1400 - $1600. THIS ABS MODULATOR APPEARS TO HAVE A MUCH HIGHER FAILURE RATE THAN EXPECTED, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I'VE SEEN ON THE INTERNET. BASED ON THE EXCESSIVE REPAIR PRICE MANY PEOPLE WILL CHOSE TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM, OR CONTINUE TO ADD FLUID, WHICH WILL ONLY INCREASE THE FIRE HAZARD. OTHERS HAVE CHOSE TO BYPASS THE ABS, WHICH DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THE ABS SAFETY ENHANCEMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE
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.