1996 Honda ACCORD problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
328 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
106,602 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 85 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 55 of 328 complaints (16.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 64 | 19.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 14 | 4.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 13 | 4.0% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 2.1% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 1.8% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 55 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 40 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 38 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 25 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 24 |
| Unknown Or Other | 19 |
| Electrical System | 16 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 |
Air Bags: 55; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 40; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 38; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 25; Air Bags:Frontal: 24; Unknown Or Other: 19; Electrical System: 16; Vehicle Speed Control: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 19 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 29 |
| 150,000 and above | 18 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 19; 100,000 to 149,999: 29; 150,000 and above: 18
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 243 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 20 |
| 2000 | 70 |
| 2001 | 56 |
| 2002 | 41 |
| 2003 | 46 |
| 2004 | 27 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
1995: 1; 1996: 20; 2000: 70; 2001: 56; 2002: 41; 2003: 46; 2004: 27; 2005: 9; 2006: 10; 2007: 7; 2008: 3; 2009: 4; 2010: 8; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 2; 2015: 3; 2016: 5; 2017: 2; 2018: 4; 2020: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 64 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 14 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 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 10001640 · 2002-12-30 (December 30, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, THE ABS SYSTEM WAS LEAKING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001640 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004609 · 2003-01-24 (January 24, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY ABS LIGHT BECOME INOPERABLE, AND SOME NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE START. DEALER NOTIFIED REPLACE THE ABS WHICH COST $1,000. CONSUMER STATES WITH 57,OOO MILES WAS TO PREMATURE TO REPLACE THE ABS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004609 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046842 · 2003-11-13 (November 13, 2003)
ON AUGUST 19, 2003 THE OIL LIGHT ON MY CAR STARTED FLASHING. I CHECKED MY OIL AND NONE WAS TOUCHING THE OIL STICK. I CALLED WADE'S HONDA WHICH IS A SERVICE CENTER IN CLINTON, NC. MR. WADE CAME OUT AND CHECKED MY CAR AT WHICH TIME HE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN MY OIL SHAFT. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE CAMPAIGN HAD ENDED. I ADVISED HIM THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALL. MR. WADE CALLED AMERICAN HONDA AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS NOTIFIED BY MAIL, BUT THE NOTICE CAME BACK AS UNDELIVERABLE. THIS NOTICE WAS SE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046842 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10061859 · 2004-03-10 (March 10, 2004)
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. ELECTRICAL-HEADLIGHTS, POWER WINDOWS-DRIVER SIDE FAILED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10061859 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039098 · 2003-09-18 (September 18, 2003)
KEY COMES OUT OF IGNITION WITHOUT TRANSMISSION IN PARK. CAR IS A 1996 HONDA ACCORD. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039098 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10044152 · 2003-10-15 (October 15, 2003)
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FANS BEING INOPERATIVE AND AN OIL LEAK. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED AS A PRECAUTIONARY ACTION TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, ALL THE DRIVE BELTS, AND FRONT END WORK. THE CONSUMER THEN COMPLAINED THAT THE FANS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER THAN WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A FRONT ENGINE MOUNT. THE CONSUMER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. IN FACT, THERE WERE SEVERAL LEAKS AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW FAN, SHROUD, MOTOR, COOLANT, AND FUSE. AS A RESULT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REPEATEDLY APPROACH A DANGERO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10044152 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067679 · 2004-04-22 (April 22, 2004)
I OWN A 1996 HONDA ACCORD AND IT HAS BEEN A RELIABLE CAR UNTIL RECENTLY. IT HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTED. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THE CAR KEPT ACTING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL WHEN I HIT THE GAS. IT FINALLY STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AT 55 MILES PER HOUR. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE HONDA DEALER AND SPENDING $300 FOR REPAIRS WHICH INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF SPARK PLUGS, FUEL INDUCTION SERVICE AND THROTTLE BODY CLEANING, THE CAR WAS STILL NOT REPAIRED. AFTER THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I MYSELF REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP, ROTOR AND IGNI…
Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10067679 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071155 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
I BOUGHT THE CAR ON OCT 22ND, AND ON THE SECOND DAY IT STALLED BECAUSE OF WRONG FUSE BEING PLACED IN THE CAR. DURING THAT CHECK UP I FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR HAS HAD EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE AND NONE OF THIS IS SHOWN UP IN CARFAX REPORT AND ALSO THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. SO I WANT TO RETURN THE CAR UNDER CONSUMER FRAUD.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071155 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005915 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)
STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005915 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10150131 · 2006-02-13 (February 13, 2006)
ON FRIDAY, FEB. 10, 2006, AT 10:12 AM (PST) THE SANTA MARIA FIRE DEPT. RESPONDED TO A TRAFFIC COLLISION AND AFTER INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A PARTIAL DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAG. THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG COVER SPLIT PARTIALLY OPEN AS DID THE PASSENGER'S, BUT THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE INFORMATION: 1996 HONDA ACCORD 2-DOOR. VIN: 1HGEJ6225TLO36355 OUR INCIDENT REPORT NUMBER 2006-0000786. DIGITAL PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AND ARE ON FILE IF NEEDED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10150131 at NHTSA ↗