Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Honda Accord problems

Owners filed 478 complaints about the 1996 Honda Accord with NHTSA between Dec 1995 and Jul 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (109).

Complaints
478
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
53
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
26
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags109
  2. Engine and engine cooling95
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic74
  4. Electrical system40
  5. Vehicle speed control30
  6. Power train27
  7. Visibility22
  8. Tires20
  9. Structure17
  10. Seat belts16
  11. Latches/locks/linkages13
  12. Steering13
  13. Suspension11
  14. Equipment10

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19951
199633
199756
199840
199939
200070
200156
200242
200346
200427
200510
200610
20077
20083
20094
20108
20112
20121
20132
20142
20153
20165
20172
20184
20190
20202
20210
20221
20232

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

109 reports25 crashes
“The contact owns a 1996 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the SRS air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the SRS unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,100.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2023Air bagsODI 11520429

Engine and engine cooling

95 reports2 crashes
“AS I PREPARED TO SLOW TO A STOP IN A RELATIVES CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP WITH A HIGH PITCHED WHINE. I TURNED THE WHEEL TO AVOID HITTING A PARKED CAR IN HOPES OF STOPPING THE CAR BUT IT CONTINUED TO GAIN SPEED AND ENDED UP HITTING A PICKUP IN THE SAME CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY. THE BRAKES DID NOT SEEM TO FUNCTION AS THE CAR PICKED UP SPEED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2013Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10549080

Service brakes, hydraulic

74 reports11 crashes
“1996 HONDA ACCORD. CONSUMER STATES BRAKE FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT WAS VERY HARD AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT APPEARED THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT OF THE ABS RESERVOIR. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10354289

Electrical system

40 reports3 crashes2 fires1 related recall
“SRS My safety and other person in my car in case of accident worries no air bag protection in case of accident.. YES. Diamond Valley Honda code 7-2 need to start with replacing SRS unit, 2 to 3 wks. to repair meanwhile no transportation. Who knows what els entails. NO not that I know of. It’s in the hands of Diamond Valley Honda Hemet, CA YES warning light yesterday 7/13/2022 coming from my doctor office Wildomar, CA.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2022Electrical system, Air bags, Seat beltsODI 11473940

Vehicle speed control

30 reports15 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED EXCESSIVELY AS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 192,000. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2013Vehicle speed controlODI 10523300

Power train

27 reports
“ONE DAY JUST LIKE THAT I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND I CAME TO A RED LIGHT SO AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN MY CAR WAS ON IN DRIVE AND I ACCELERATED AND THE CAR JUST WOULDN'T MOVE. GOT IT TOWED AND I GOT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODES AND IT WAS P0401 AND P0108 SO I CLEANED THE EGR VALVE AND BOUGHT A NEW MAP SENSOR AND INSTALLED IT. THE CAR HAD A NEW BATTERY, THE TRANSMISSION OIL WAS FULL AND WITH NO VISIBLE BLACK COLOR OR SMELL, THE CAR STARTED BUT WOULD NOT GET INTO GEAR AND JUST WOULDN'T MOVE. CALLED A SPECIALIST MECHANIC AND HE BROUGHT HIS TOOL TO CHECK THE WHOLE COMPUTER PART OF THE CAR WICH IS THE NEXT BEST THING TO TOWING IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP, THE RESULT CAME BACK INCONCLUSIVE WITH ALMOST CERTAIN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. AFTER CORONA A LOST OF VEHICLE AND JOB I AM JUDT ABOUT TO SELL IT AS IS CUT MY LOSSES AND MAYBE BUY A BICYCLE FOR NOW. I JUST NEED TO LEAVE ABOUT ONE HOUR BEFORE WORK AND BUY A GOOD AXE BODY SHOWER SPRAY AND ATTACH LIFE ONES AGAIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 29, 2020Power trainODI 11361702
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.