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1985 Honda Accord

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 1 of 13 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 2003
Fuel System, OtherSeat BeltsCrashFireInjury

HONDA ACCORD GOING 45 MPH WAS STRUCK ON LEFT REAR BY ANOTHER CAR GOING ALSO FORTY 45 MPH HITTING GAS TANK LOCATED BEHIND LEFT BACK PASSENGER DOOR. CAR INGNITED UNDER CAR AS CAR WAS SPINNING FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE. FIRE BURNED THOURGH BACKSEAT IGNITING SEAT AND SEATBELT TENNSIONIERS.CAR DOORS DID NOT OPEN BUT WINDOWS WERE DOWN. …

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HONDA ACCORD GOING 45 MPH WAS STRUCK ON LEFT REAR BY ANOTHER CAR GOING ALSO FORTY 45 MPH HITTING GAS TANK LOCATED BEHIND LEFT BACK PASSENGER DOOR. CAR INGNITED UNDER CAR AS CAR WAS SPINNING FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE. FIRE BURNED THOURGH BACKSEAT IGNITING SEAT AND SEATBELT TENNSIONIERS.CAR DOORS DID NOT OPEN BUT WINDOWS WERE DOWN. ONE ADULT TWO CHILDREN WERE PASSENGERS,ONE CHILD SUFFERED SECOND AND THIRD DEGREE BURNS FROM BEING IN BACK SEAT. OLDER BROTHER EXTRICATED GRANDMOTHER AND YOUNGER SISTER FROM BACKSEAT OF BURNING CAR OUT OF RIGHT FRNOT PASSENGER WINDOW.AK

NHTSA ODI #10043715

Mileage unknown · May 19, 1997
Seat Belts

SEAT BELTS IN REAR DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. PARKED VEHICLE, TOOK TIRE OFF & NOTICED THAT REAR SEAT BELT CAME DETACHED FROM ANCHOR ATTACHMENT. WILL BE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #812373

Official recalls

1

92V028000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap

Mar 3, 1992

IF THE PLASTIC COATING OF THE FUEL FILLER AND/OR BREATHER PIPE IS DAMAGED, SALT WATER MAY ACCUMULATE BETWEEN THE PLASTIC COATING AND THE STEEL PIPES, AND THE ACCUMULATION COULD CAUSE CORROSSION WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY RUST THROUGH THE AFFECTED PIPES, ALLOWING GASOLINE FUMES AND FUEL TO LEAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: GASOLINE FUMES AND/OR FUEL LEAKAGE THROUGH THE FILLER ORBREATHER PIPES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Remedy: CORRODED FILLER OR BREATHER PIPES WILL BE CLEANED AND RECOATED OR REPLACED AS NEEDED.

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

2

DP87013 · Honda High Engine Speed

Opened Mar 3, 1987 · Closed May 4, 1987

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

HONDA HIGH ENGINE SPEED

PE86066 · Sudden Acceleration

Opened Jul 28, 1986 · Closed Nov 3, 1986

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:INFORMATION FROM HONDA RELEVANTTO THIS PE WAS PROVIDED BY LETTER DATED 8 SEPTEMBER AND A PRESENTATION TONHTSA ON 2 OCTOBER.HONDA HAS ISSUED NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS OROTHER NOTIFICATIONS TO DEALERS RELATING TO FUEL FLOW AND DELIVERY, THROTTLECONTROL, OR ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS THAT MAY RESULT IN UNINTENDED SUDDENACCELERATION.THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A CARBURETOR DESIGNWHICH, ACCORDING TO HONDA'S EVALUATION, WILL NOT PERMIT ENGINE RPM TOEXCEED A FAST IDLE CONDITION OF 2000 RPM WITHOUT DRIVER ACTUATION OF THETHROTTLE. TEST DATA WERE PROVIDED TO SHOW THAT AN ENGINE SPEED OF 2000 RPMWITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION WOULD, WHEN SHIFTED INTODRIVE, YIELD A VEHICLE SPEED OF 8 MPH AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS.OTHER TEST DATA WERE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT HONDA'S POSITION THAT FAILEDENGINE MOUNTS WOULD NOT CONTRIBUTE TO SUDDEN VEHICLE ACCELERATION ASALLEGED IN THIS PE.ANALYSIS:THE FOLLOWING ARE CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT OBSERVATIONS AND/ORANALYTICAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE FACTS IN THIS PE FILE: OTHE ALLEGED INCIDENTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE FROM OTHER PE/EA FILESIN THAT THEY TEND TO EMPHASIZE OCCURRENCE OF THE PHENOMENON WHENTHE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO ANOTHER GEAR. OA HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE REPORTED OCCURRENCES ALSO INVOLVEACCIDENTS,BUT THE RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF INJURY ACCIDENTSSUGGESTS THAT MOST ARE LOW SPEED COLLISIONS. OHONDA HAS NOT IDENTIFIED, AND ODI'S ANALYSES HAVE NOT DISCOVERED,A TREND OF MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FAILURE WITH ACAUSAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE ALLEGED OCCURRENCES.IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, ANALYSIS OF THE RATES OF ALLEGED INCIDENTS,ACCIDENTS, AND INJURY ACCIDENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE TOTAL VEHICLEPOPULATION OF 746,000, SHOWS THAT THE HONDA ACCORD COMPARES FAVORABLYTO OTHER VEHICLES REPORTED TO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR OCCURRENCES.THIS ANALYSIS, TOGETHER WITH OTHER INFORMATION ACQUIRED, SHOWS THAT NODEFECT TREND EXISTS TO JUSTIFY CONTINUATION OF INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITY.PROPOSED ACTION:CLOSE THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.===

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