IllustrationMY STEERING WENT OUT. WONDERING IF THERE WERE SIMILAR REPORTS ON THIS SPECIFIC CAR. *AK
1988 Honda Accord
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 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: 6 of 88 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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports1 fire reports15 injury reports
What owners actually said
88 reportsI BEGAN TO SMELL GASOLINE WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED OR ENGINE OFF. THE SMELL WAS VERY STRONG AFTER THE ENGINE WAS OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO NORTHSIDE AUTO REPAIR. THE OWNER INFORMED ME IT WAS THE FUEL INJECTORS. I DID NOT CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD THE FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED WITH NEW ONES. THE OWNER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS…
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I BEGAN TO SMELL GASOLINE WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED OR ENGINE OFF. THE SMELL WAS VERY STRONG AFTER THE ENGINE WAS OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO NORTHSIDE AUTO REPAIR. THE OWNER INFORMED ME IT WAS THE FUEL INJECTORS. I DID NOT CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD THE FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED WITH NEW ONES. THE OWNER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE INJECTORS LEAKING. HE ALSO STATED THAT VERY RARILY DO THEY REPLACE FUEL INJECTORS. HE SAID THEY SELDOM LEAK OR NEED REPAIR. I ASSUMED IT WAS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR, BUT HE DID NOT FEEL LIKE THIS WAS TRUE. WITH HIS COMMENTS, I FELT LIKE MAYBE THERE WAS A DEFECT. AFTER HIS COMMENTS ON HOW DANGEROUS IT WAS TO DRIVE THE CAR, THIS CERTAINLY SEEMED LIKE A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK
SEVERE SWERVING ON RUTTED ASPHALT HIGHWAYS. NO SWERVING W/MICHLEN,GOODYEAR (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: 185/70SR13) (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: 185/70SR13)
I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 YEARS. I GOT THIS PROBLEM A COUPLE MONTHS A GO. WHEN DRIVING THE BEEPING OF THE FRONT DOOR AND SEATBELT GOES OFF ALL THE TIME. THE HONDA WORLD DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE RECALLED SEATBELT HAS BEEN FIXED. THEY BLAMED THIS IS THE DOOR PROBLEM. IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO FIX AND NOW I'M SCARED TO DRI…
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I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 YEARS. I GOT THIS PROBLEM A COUPLE MONTHS A GO. WHEN DRIVING THE BEEPING OF THE FRONT DOOR AND SEATBELT GOES OFF ALL THE TIME. THE HONDA WORLD DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE RECALLED SEATBELT HAS BEEN FIXED. THEY BLAMED THIS IS THE DOOR PROBLEM. IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO FIX AND NOW I'M SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR SINCE I DON'T KNOW THE DOOR OR THE SEATBELT WILL FALL OFF. THE BEEPING GOES OFF EVERY MINUTE AND DRIVING ME CRAZY. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT 2 FUSES FAILED. WIRING HARNESS AT LAS TSTRAP TOO SHORT, AND ALL THREE CONDUCTORS HAD BARE INSULATION AND SHORTED OUT AGAINST EACH OTHER. ONE CONDUCTOR WAS NEGATIVE.
HORN FAILED. *MJS
(RE: NHTSA ITEM # SB008535, SB009785, ETC.)
SEAT BELT FAILURE.
LIGHT PANEL DOESN'T WORK
I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FIXED. HONDA HAD A RECALL ON ALL SEAT BELTS MANUFACTURED. I RECEIVED A RECALL CARD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ACT DUE TO FACT I WAS OVERSEAS. THE CARD WAS MISPLACED. MY SEAT BELTS ARE NOT RETRACTING. I ONLY WANT A DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. THANK FOR YOU CONSIDERATION TO THIS MATTER. *…
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I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FIXED. HONDA HAD A RECALL ON ALL SEAT BELTS MANUFACTURED. I RECEIVED A RECALL CARD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ACT DUE TO FACT I WAS OVERSEAS. THE CARD WAS MISPLACED. MY SEAT BELTS ARE NOT RETRACTING. I ONLY WANT A DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. THANK FOR YOU CONSIDERATION TO THIS MATTER. *AK
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.
87V171000 · Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Oct 29, 1987
OWNERS MANUAL INFORMATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, SECTIONS 6A AND 6B WAS OMITTED FROM THE MANUAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES MANUAL INFORMATION DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS210.
Remedy: UPGRADE EXISTING MANUALS BY INSERTING ADHESIVE BACKED CORRECTION PAGES.
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
1EA94035 · 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