SPORT MODE LIGHT FLASHES THEN TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE IN GEARS. IT STARTS TO MAKE A WHINING SOUND ,CAR MOVES SLOWLY WHEN GAS IS PRESSED. HAPPENS MORE WHEN WEATHER IS HOT. POSSIBLE PROBLEM: TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT (TCU). *TR
1991 Honda Accord
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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: 42 of 212 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 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Latches/locks/linkages complaints
24 reportsDRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. I HAD TO EXIT CAR OVER THE CONSOLE ON PASSENGER SIDE. AFRAID TO BE TRAPPED IN CAR DURING ACCIDENT OR FIRE IN CAR. *TR
WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT MY VEHICLE THROUGH MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. UNTIL I HAD THE $600 FOR THE REPAIR, I WAS FORCED TO ENTER MY VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT, WORKING A FULL-TIME JOB, LIVING IN A BUSY WORLD. IT WAS QUITE EMBARASSING, AN INCO…
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WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT MY VEHICLE THROUGH MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. UNTIL I HAD THE $600 FOR THE REPAIR, I WAS FORCED TO ENTER MY VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT, WORKING A FULL-TIME JOB, LIVING IN A BUSY WORLD. IT WAS QUITE EMBARASSING, AN INCONVIENIENCE, AND AN INCREDIBLE SAFETY HAZARD. BEFORE VISITING THIS SITE, I THOUGHT THIS PROBLEM WAS A STRANGE MISFORTUNE ONLY I SUFFERED. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON DEFECT LISTED; NOT TO MENTION THE MOST EXPENSIVE REPAIR. IF THIS DEFECT IS NOT WORTHY OF A RECALL, WE NEED TO RE-THINK THE "RECALL STANDARDS" AND PUT REALISTIC MEASURES INTO THE PROCESS. MY CAR DOOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AND PAID FOR BY HONDA, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I AM ONE IN ENOUGH WITH THE EXACT SAME DEFECTIVE CAR. WHEN I PURCHASED A BIG NAME COMPUTER AND REALIZED THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE SYSTEM, IT WAS REPAIRED WITH NO CHARGE TO ME. THE COMPANY I AM EMPLOYED BY WILL TAKE FULL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECT IN A PRODUCT WE HAVE ISSUED. IF WE IGNORED ISSUES SUCH AS MINE WITH MY HONDA ACCORD, WE WOULD NOT BE THE MAGNIFICENT COMPANY THAT WE ARE. WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS PERMANENTLY SHUT, I HAD NO WAY OF ENTRY OTHER THAN THE DOOR MY PASSENGERS/CLIENTS USED. ENTERING AND EXITING MY VEHICLE WAS AN OBSCENITY AS I WOULD TRY MY HARDEST TO REMAIN THE PROFESSIONAL FEMALE THAT I AM. I WAS ALWAYS IN FEAR THAT A CAR WOULD PLOW INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE LEAVING ME TRAPPED IN WHATEVER EMERGENCY WOULD ARISE. PLEASE EXAMINE THIS DEFECT AND DEMAND A RECALL TO PREVENT FUTURE DISASTERS AND TO ASSURE THE SAFETY OF HONDA ACCORD DRIVERS. *LA
ONE DAY I WENT TO GET OUT OF MY CAR AND THE DOOR JUST WOULD NOT OPEN. I HAD TO CRAWL OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE KEY, AND IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE COST OF REPLACING THE LATCH IS APPROXIMATELY $700. ONE WOULD THINK THAT HONDA WOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM, CONSIDERING IT'S SUC…
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ONE DAY I WENT TO GET OUT OF MY CAR AND THE DOOR JUST WOULD NOT OPEN. I HAD TO CRAWL OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE KEY, AND IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE COST OF REPLACING THE LATCH IS APPROXIMATELY $700. ONE WOULD THINK THAT HONDA WOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM, CONSIDERING IT'S SUCH A SAFETY HAZARD. ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS ONE CRASH TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND I WOULD BE TRAPPED IN MY VEHICLE! *LA
BOTH DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED, MAKING DOORS INOPERATIVE. *AK
THE VEHICLE DOORS JAMMED AND THE DOOR HANDLES BROKE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *NLM
CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT OF DRIVER DOOR AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. SHE HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE CONSOLE AND GO OUT PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN SHE WENT AROUND TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE SHE FOUND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. SHE WENT TO THE HONDA DEALER WHO TOLD HER THIS WAS A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL AND GAV…
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CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT OF DRIVER DOOR AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. SHE HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE CONSOLE AND GO OUT PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN SHE WENT AROUND TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE SHE FOUND THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. SHE WENT TO THE HONDA DEALER WHO TOLD HER THIS WAS A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL AND GAVE HER A PRINT OUT OF HOW TO FIX THE DOOR, WHICH IS QUITE COMPLEX, BUT WOULD SAVE HER $600.00 TO DO THE WORK HERSELF. SHE HAD 2 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE THEIR CAR SEATS IN THE BACK AND THIS COULD BE A VERY DEADLY SITUATION SHOULD SHE HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE AND NEED TO EXIT THE CAR OR GET ACCESS TO HER CHILDREN IMMEDIATELY. *JB
CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK VEHICLE ONE DAY FROM INSIDE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. SHE HAD TO CLIMB ACROSS CONSOLE, AND GO OUT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. ON SAME DAY SHE ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FROM OUTSIDE AND AGAIN COULD NOT DO SO. CONSUMER THINKS THERE IS A RECALL BECAUSE SHE HAS FOUND THAT OTHER DOORS ARE …
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CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK VEHICLE ONE DAY FROM INSIDE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. SHE HAD TO CLIMB ACROSS CONSOLE, AND GO OUT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. ON SAME DAY SHE ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FROM OUTSIDE AND AGAIN COULD NOT DO SO. CONSUMER THINKS THERE IS A RECALL BECAUSE SHE HAS FOUND THAT OTHER DOORS ARE ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS.*AK
DRIVER DOOR IS UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR FROM EITHER SIDE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SUDDENLY LOCKED CLOSED, AN INTERNAL COMPONENT INSIDE THE DOOR IS BROKEN. THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INTERIOR OR THE EXTERIOR. SHOULD THERE BE A COLLISION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE DRIVER WILL BE LOCKED IN.
Official recalls
395V103001 · 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.
93V056000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Apr 22, 1993
THE REAR OUTSIDE SEATING POSITION SAFETY BELTS MAY LOCK UP AT ANGLES OTHER THAN THOSE REQUIRED BY FMVSS 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES". THIS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: NON-CONFORMING SAFETY BELTS CAUSE AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE SENSOR IN THE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR.
91V195000 · Interior Lighting
Nov 8, 1991
A WASHER IN THE CARGO AREA LIGHT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ATTACHED, AND MAY HAVE FALLEN IN THE CARGO LIGHT DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THIS OCCURRED, AND THE THREE POSITION LIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE MIDDLE POSITION, AND THE TAILGATE IS OPEN, THE WASHER CAN CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE LIGHT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LIGHT SHORT CIRCUIT COULD CAUSE THE SWITCH TOOVERHEAT AND RESULT IN A CARGO COMPARTMENT FIRE.
Remedy: REMOVE THE WASHERS BEHIND THE CARGO AREA LIGHT AND REPLACE ANY DAMAGED LIGHT ASSEMBLIES.
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
Illustration