U.S. public vehicle records

1990 Honda ACCORD problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

126 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

152,011 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1990 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 14 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Body:Door is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 126 complaints (15.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	11	8.7%
Steering behavior	10	7.9%
Transmission and shifting	5	4.0%
Electrical and battery issues	4	3.2%
Engine operation	2	1.6%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Structure:Body:Door

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Seat Belts

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Electrical System:Ignition

Seat Belts:Front:Retractor

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Structure:Body:Door	19
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	16
Seat Belts	11
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	9
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	6
Electrical System:Ignition	5
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor	5
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	4

Structure:Body:Door: 19; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 16; Seat Belts: 11; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 9; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 6; Electrical System:Ignition: 5; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 7

150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 112 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2007

2008

2010

2014

2020

2022

1995: 39; 1996: 30; 2000: 22; 2001: 7; 2002: 8; 2003: 3; 2004: 6; 2005: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 5; 2010: 1; 2014: 1; 2020: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Structure:Body:Door leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10027211 · 2003-07-14 (July 14, 2003)

WHILE TRAVELING AT 10 MPH, DRIVER SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT TO THE RIGHT. FELT LIKE THE BRAKES WERE ON. MECHANIC STATES IT'S THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 118,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10027211 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10083439 · 2004-07-21 (July 21, 2004)

CONSUMER STATED THAT HER VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. ALSO, SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT IN THE BACK WINDOW SHORTED OUT. THIS CAUSED A WIRE TO IGNITE AND THERE WERE FLAMES AND BLACK SMOKE. THE INTENSE HEAT CAUSED THE REAR WINDSHIELD TO EXPLODE. PLEASE HELP AS SHE STATES SHE NEEDS HELP TO REPAIR VEHICLE. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083439 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10069574 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

MY DAUGHTER WAS HIT HEAD-ON AND HER BODY SLAMMED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. SHE WAS WEARING BOTH THE LAP AND AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT. APPARENTLY THE LOCKING MECHANISM DID NOT WORK ON THE SHOULDER BELT.

Owner-reported narrative. 226,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069574 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10586158 · 2014-05-02 (May 2, 2014)

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MAJOR STREET WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED. I REACTED QUICKLY AND WAS ABLE TO COAST AND PULL OFF ONTO A SIDE STREET WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. I BARELY MADE THE TURN WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING. I DID SOME INVESTIGATING AND FOUND THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD SOME BURNED CONTACTS. THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10586158 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 483925 · 1995-09-11 (September 11, 1995)

SEAT ADJUSTER FAILS TO LOCK, RESULTING IN SEAT SHIFTING. *TW

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 483925 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 722168 · 2000-05-01 (May 1, 2000)

I WAS PARKING CAR, BRAKING AS I ENTERED SPOT WHEN CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD, JUMPING A CONCRETE PARKING CURB AND SLAMMING INTO A CONCRETE BLOCK WALL. BRAKING DID NOT SLOW CAR. CAR WAS STOPPED BY STEEL THREADS IN WALL, ALTHOUGH WHEELS CONTINUED TO SPIN UNTIL IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. ALL ELECTRICAL (SEAT BELT, LIGHTS,ETC.) WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL AFTER IGNITION TURNED OFF. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 722168 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 960965 · 1995-03-02 (March 2, 1995)

EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, BAD CONNECTIONS. CABLE FROM IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT FUNCTION, REPLACED. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 960965 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046350 · 2003-12-02 (December 2, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50-60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. *AK *TT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 133,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046350 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10204375 · 2007-09-28 (September 28, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 HONDA ACCORD. A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT FILLED THE FUEL TANK AND NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF GASOLINE ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. SHE ALSO SMELLED GAS FUMES IN THE GARAGE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK AND THAT THE VEHICLE COULD EXPLODE AT ANY TIME. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT SOMEONE ATTEMPTED TO RIG THE FUEL TANK DURING A PREVIOUS REPAIR. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE ALSO NOT WORKING WHEN SHE TOO…

Owner-reported narrative. 214,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204375 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 982943 · 1996-04-18 (April 18, 1996)

ANTENNA'S MOTOR WILL NOT SHUT OFF, CAUSING OVERHEATING OF THE FENDER NEAR THE GAS TANK PIPE FILLER, DISCONNECTED THE WIRING TO THE MOTOR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 982943 at NHTSA ↗