IllustrationOIL LEAKS FROM THE ABS BRAKE UNIT, CAUSING THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM TO MALFAUNCTION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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 reportsDRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR HAS 1/4 INCH OF FREE PLAY CAUSING VIBRATION AND POOR VISIBILITY. MJS
OIL PUMP SEAL BLEW WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION CAUSING ALL THE OIL TO IMMEDIATELY DRAIN FROM THE CAR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S TIMING BELTS AND AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TIME BELT. IF THE CAR HADN'T BEEN IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ENGINE WOULD'VE SEIZED. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE ISSUED AN UPGRADE KIT…
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OIL PUMP SEAL BLEW WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION CAUSING ALL THE OIL TO IMMEDIATELY DRAIN FROM THE CAR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S TIMING BELTS AND AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TIME BELT. IF THE CAR HADN'T BEEN IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ENGINE WOULD'VE SEIZED. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE ISSUED AN UPGRADE KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BUT THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED CAR OWNERS. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED SO THEY CAN GET IT FIXED BEFORE IT BLOWS AND CAUSES ADDITIONAL DAMAGE.
THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL OF OIL AS RESULT OF RUPTURE OF ENGINE SEAL. THIS IN TURN CAUSED DAMAGE TO TIMING BELT AND CRANKSHAFT BELT. SPOKE WITH WRECKER OPERATOR (FORMER CONTRACTOR FOR HONDA) AND MECHANIC AND BOTH INDICATED THIS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM IN HONDA'S OF THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.
TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE CAR VIBRATES OR AT LEAST THE STEERING COMPONENTS VIBRATE. IT IS SIMILAR TO THE VIBRATION YOU WOULD GET IF THE POWER STEERING BELT WERE LOOSE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE, IT WAS CHECKED TWICE.
MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY AND GAVE THE CAR TO HER GRANDSON. HE WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK. HE PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE SPEED AT ENGINE STOP WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. HE HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN 961001B, NHTSA ID #SB049981, ISSUED 10…
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MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY AND GAVE THE CAR TO HER GRANDSON. HE WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK. HE PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE SPEED AT ENGINE STOP WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. HE HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN 961001B, NHTSA ID #SB049981, ISSUED 1096, LISTED IN THE NHTSA DATABASE ON THE BALANCE SHAFT SEAL WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE FAILED. THE CAR IS NOW AT JACK ELLENA HONDA IN LAWRENCE, KS (785) 843-0550 WITH A BLOWN ENGINE. AMERICAN HONDA DOEST NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD COVER THE BURDEN OF A NEW REPLACEMENT ENGINE, THOUGH THEY HAVE AGREED TO A 50% REPLACEMENT COST OF A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. THE CAR IS JUST 2000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD.
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ARRIVING HOME. TOOK TO DEALER NEXT DAY. WAS INFORME D BY MECHANIC A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY IS NOT WORKING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, IT WON'T DEACTIVATE. ALSO, BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE, CAUSING A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CV BOOT AND JOINTS WERE REPLACED . CAR NOW PULLS TO THE SIDE, AND SERVICE DEPT. SAYS THAT IT CAN NOT BE ALIGNED W/OUT 700.00 REPLACEMENT PART. *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.