IllustrationWHEN DRIVNG ABOUT 5 MPH, THE BOTTOM OF THE BUMPER HIT A DIRT MOUND ON THE EDGE OF THE STREET AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD. THE AIR BAGS WERE REPLACED. *AK
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
Air Bags complaints
109 reportsTHE VEHICLE SRS (AIR BAG) LIGHT CAME LIT, DEALER SAID WHEN THE VEHICLE ARRIVED THE AIR BAG ALMOST DEPLOYED IF DRIVEN FURTHER. DEALER INDICATED THAT SERVICE MANUAL IS INCORRECT. *AK
DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH, WENT OFF SIDE OF ROAD, HIT FENCE, SPLIT BUMPER & BROKE GRILL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. 3RD ACCIDENT WHERE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE WAS REARENDED AND SLAMMED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER'S, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF EITHER AIR BAG. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT 5 MPH, CAUSING INJURY TO OCCUPANTS, BUT NOT DAMAGE TO THE CAR.*AK
SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT DURING AN ACCIDENT, ALSO NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG UPON IMPACT, RESULTING IN AN INJURY. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE MORE TO THE FRONT AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK
BOTH DUAL AIRBAGS INFLATED AT VERY LOW SPEED; NO ACCIDENT, VEHICLE HIT A BUMP; SPEED 5 MPH; SMOKE CAME FROM AIRBAGS. *AK
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.