IllustrationUPPER CONTROL ARM BROKE, CAUSING TIRE TO COLLAPSE .
1986 Honda Accord
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1986 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: 2 of 54 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 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports
Suspension complaints
4 reportsWHEELS: DRIVING ALONG APPROXIMATELY 25MPH WHEN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL COLLAPSED DUE TO UPPER CONTROL ARM. SECOND INCIDENT SAME AS THE FIRST, EXCEPT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL COLLAPSED DUE TO REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM. *AK
LEFT FRONT STRUT SPRING BROKEN. *DSH
STABILIZER BAR BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY. TT
Official recalls
295V103001 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
May 24, 1995
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUG ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, THEN PRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS ANY SIGN OF BREAKAGE OR CRACKING, OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, PROMPTLY CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED HONDA/ACURA DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
92V028001 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Apr 15, 1993
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 CORROSION 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: REPAIRS WILL BE MADE TO VEHICLES WITH CORRODED FILLER OR BREATHER PIPES.
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
6EA94035 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Oct 27, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available
EA89005 · Fuel System Venting
Opened Nov 16, 1988 · Closed Nov 30, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
===
PE88062 · Fuel System Venting
Opened Jun 21, 1988 · Closed Nov 16, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
SUMMARY: THE FOUR OWNER COMPLAINTS INVOLVE FIVE VEHICLES, THREE ACCORDS AND TWO LEGENDS. A SEARCH OF ODI RECORDS PERTAINING TO HONDA SAFETY RECALLS AND DEALER SERVICE BULLETINS REVEALED NO INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS SUBJECT.===
DP88008 · Accord Sudden ACCEL-SEE DP87-026
Opened Jan 13, 1988 · Closed Mar 30, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
ACCORD SUDDEN ACCEL-SEE DP87-026
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.===