IllustrationDRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT.*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
What owners actually said
472 reportsI WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY THE CAR SURGED FORWARD, I TRIED HITTING THE BRAKES BUT THEY WOULD NOT STOP, IT WAS HARD AS A ROCK. I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR BETWEEN 2 CARS AND THE CAR CONTINUE TO SURGE FORWARD AND I MANAGE TO HIT ANOTHER CAR, A TRUCKS REAR BUMPER, EVEN AFTER THIS THE CAR CONTINUED ON IT OWN COURS…
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I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY THE CAR SURGED FORWARD, I TRIED HITTING THE BRAKES BUT THEY WOULD NOT STOP, IT WAS HARD AS A ROCK. I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR BETWEEN 2 CARS AND THE CAR CONTINUE TO SURGE FORWARD AND I MANAGE TO HIT ANOTHER CAR, A TRUCKS REAR BUMPER, EVEN AFTER THIS THE CAR CONTINUED ON IT OWN COURSE UNTIL IT STOPPED ON ITS OWN. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, ONE OTHER TIME, I WAS ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH AND THE CAR AGAIN SURGED FORWARD BUT THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME AND AGAIN, IT STOPPED ON ITS OWN.*AK
AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND HAD SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM UNIT REPLACED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE BATTERY NEEDED REPLACING. THIS VEHICLE WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *JG
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
FRONT LEFT TIRE BLEWOUT, CAUSING HARNESS WIRING TO COME OUT OF AUTO. ALSO, BLEWOUT A CORNER LIGHT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED.*AK
DEFECTIVE BALANCER SHAFT SEAL BROKE LOOSE, CAUSING AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF IMMEDIATE OIL LOSS W/NO WARNING INDICATORS. JUST HAD OIL CHANGE AND TRANSMISSION OIL FLUSH A MONTH AGO. HONDA NEEDS TO REIMBURSE COSTS OF TOTAL REPAIR DUE TO DEFECTIVE ITEM. NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE EITHER.*AK
THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE IN THE SET OF FOUR TO DEVELOP A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL.(DOT # MMV9MAHR0100)THIS WOULD INDICATE A 50% FAILURE RATE ON THIS BATCH OF TIRES!*AK
THERE IS A RATTLE FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AT 2000 RPM'S, WHICH APPEARS TO CAUSE A DELAY IN ACCELERATION. THE SERVICE TECH INFORMED ME HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS BUT FEELS THAT IT DOESN'T WARRANT REPAIR AT THEIR COST.*AK
WE HAD OUR BATTERY REPLACED BY A NATIONAL AUTO CHAIN. WHEN COMPLETE, THE "SRS" WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED. PURSUANT TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER - CASEY, NEWPORT NEWS,VA. THEY INFORMED US IT REQUIRED A NEW CONTROL UNIT, THE COST $565.00. WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER HONDA DEALER - WILLIAMSON, HAMPTON,VA. …
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WE HAD OUR BATTERY REPLACED BY A NATIONAL AUTO CHAIN. WHEN COMPLETE, THE "SRS" WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED. PURSUANT TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER - CASEY, NEWPORT NEWS,VA. THEY INFORMED US IT REQUIRED A NEW CONTROL UNIT, THE COST $565.00. WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER HONDA DEALER - WILLIAMSON, HAMPTON,VA. THEY ALSO INFORMED US IT REQUIRED A NEW CONTROL UNIT FOR $583.00 SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE IT WAS SAID IT WAS DUE TO "LOW VOLTAGE". AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT EACH TIME A HONDA REQUIRES A BATTERY, IT WILL COST $583.00 + THE COST OF THE BATTERY. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M THE FIRST TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS.*AK
I OWN A 1996 ACCORD EXL. ONE MORNING RECENTLY MY CAR STARTED HUMMING WHEN I TURNED IT ON AND WHEN THE HUMMING STOPPED MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS ABS PUMP RUNNING EXCESSIVELY AND LEAKING MODULATOR. THE COST OF THE REPAIR TOTALLED $1,920.00. THE DEALER TOLD ME TO CONTACT HONDA AS THEY THOUGHT THAT THE ABS SHO…
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I OWN A 1996 ACCORD EXL. ONE MORNING RECENTLY MY CAR STARTED HUMMING WHEN I TURNED IT ON AND WHEN THE HUMMING STOPPED MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS ABS PUMP RUNNING EXCESSIVELY AND LEAKING MODULATOR. THE COST OF THE REPAIR TOTALLED $1,920.00. THE DEALER TOLD ME TO CONTACT HONDA AS THEY THOUGHT THAT THE ABS SHOULD NOT FAIL THIS EARLY. WHEN I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS OUTSIDE THEIR ASSISTANCE AS I HAD OVER 36,000 MILES ON MY CAR. IN ADDITION, THIS WAS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PART LIKE BRAKE PADS. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE FAULTY ABS PART WHICH PRIMARILY AFFECTS 94, 95 AND 96 MODELS HAS BEEN MODIFIED. I ALSO OWN A 1994 HONDA ACCORD EX AND A 1995 CIVIC EX. NOW I'M WORRIED ABOUT THOSE ABS PARTS FAILING TOO. *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.