1988 Honda ACCORD: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
60 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
200,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1988 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 14 of 60 complaints (23.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 6.7% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 5.0% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 3.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 3.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 1.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 14 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 5 |
| Seat Belts | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 2 |
| Power Train:Axle Assembly | 2 |
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 14; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 5; Seat Belts: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 2; Power Train:Axle Assembly: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 5
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 54 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 | 25 |
| 1996 | 9 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 8 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
1995: 25; 1996: 9; 2000: 4; 2001: 8; 2002: 3; 2003: 3; 2004: 2; 2005: 1; 2008: 2; 2017: 2; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001000 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
ON 12/24/02 I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A DODGE NEON TRAVELING ABOUT 25-30 MPH. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AT THE TIME. MY CAR HONDA [VIN [XXX]] WAS TOTALED. DURING THE CRASH THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT FAILED. THE RESULT WAS I WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING COLUMN WITH GREAT FORCE. I SUFFERED MULTIPLE INJURIES BUT IN PARTICULAR I BROKE THREE RIBS ON THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF MY RIB CAGE . THERE IS NO QUESTION BUT THAT THE BROKEN SEAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY INJURIES. IT IS MY PRACTICE TO ALWAYS WEAR A SEAT BELT. BROKEN SEAT = BROKEN RIBS + CHE…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001000 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020483 · 2003-05-23 (May 23, 2003)
THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE LAP/SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT RETRACT WHEN BUCKLED THEN RELEASED. DURING AN ABRUPT STOP THE BELT DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020483 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046417 · 2003-11-05 (November 5, 2003)
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION IT INADVERTENTLY ROLLS BACKWARDS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046417 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10055337 · 2004-01-22 (January 22, 2004)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ROLLBACK WHILE PARKED WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION.*MR 1988 HONDA ACCORD HAS EXPERIENCED ROLL BACK WHILE PARKED WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE HONDA DEALERSHIP WHICH IN TURN PAID NO ATTENTION TO THEIR COMPLAINT.*MR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10055337 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069893 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO OVER HEAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE REPLACED THE RADIATOR, RADIATOR HOSE, AND BACK UP FOR THE RADIATOR. ALSO THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME UNDONE ONCE SOMEONE HAS LOCKED THEMSELF IN. WE HAVE TO TAKE A SCREW DRIVER TO GET THE LOCK OUT. THE CAR HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING GEARS AND WHEN IT DOES IT SLAMS INTO GEAR OR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10069893 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10129867 · 2005-07-25 (July 25, 2005)
DT: CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL LINE RUNS UNDERNEATH THE CARPET INSIDE THE CAR AND THERE WAS A GAS LEAK FROM THE FUEL LINE AND HER CAR FILLED UP WITH GASOLINE. THIS HAPPENED ON 7-16-05. SHE HAS TAKEN IT TO A DEALER AND THEY PUT A SPLICE IN THE FUEL LINE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SHE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. SHE HAS NOT HAD FURTHER PROBLEMS SINCE THE REPAIR WAS DONE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 195,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129867 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10239476 · 2008-08-23 (August 23, 2008)
I HAD REPLACED THREE TIRES ON MY VEHICLE AT SEARS. APPROXIMATELY, THREE WEEKS AGO, I HAD A TIRE DEFLATE WHILE DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING AREA TOWARD THE FREEWAY. I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND DISCOVERED AIR LEAKING FROM THE VALVE STEM. I FILLED THE TIRE AND DROVE THE CAR TO SEARS A COUPLE MILES AWAY AND IT WAS REPAIRED. LAS NIGHT AS I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME, ANOTHER LEAK OCCURRED FROM A DIFFERENT TIRE, AGAIN IT WAS THE VALVE STEM. I PLAN ON TAKING THE CAR INTO SEARS FOR REPAIR AND TO HAVE THEM ALSO CHECK THE THIRD TIRES VALVE…
Owner-reported narrative. 318,965 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239476 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10252586 · 2008-12-22 (December 22, 2008)
I HAD TWO TIRE BLOWOUTS WITHIN 3 WEEKS,THE TIRE VALVE STEMS ON BOTH TIRES WERE SEVERLY SUN CRACKED,I HEARD ABOUT THE DILL COMPANY'S RECALL ON VALVE STEMS MADE IN 2006 BOTH MY STEMS WERE MADE IN 2005 MODEL #TR 418,I THINK THEY NEED TO EXPAND THIS RECALL DRASTICALLY BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE GETS KILLED!!!,BOTH TIRES WERE DESTROYED AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL ON THE LAST ONE,3 YEAR OLD TIRE VALVES SHOULD NOT BE ROTTEN BY THE SUN AND FAIL,PLEASE HELP US,YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN !!! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10252586 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
87V171000 · Equipment:Other:Owners/Service/Other Manual
Reported: 1987-10-29 (October 29, 1987)
OWNERS MANUAL INFORMATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, SECTIONS 6A AND 6B WAS OMITTED FROM THE MANUAL.
Consequence: VEHICLES MANUAL INFORMATION DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS210.
Remedy: UPGRADE EXISTING MANUALS BY INSERTING ADHESIVE BACKED CORRECTION PAGES.
NHTSA campaign record ↗95V103001 · Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
Reported: 1995-05-24 (May 24, 1995)
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUG ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, THEN PRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS ANY SIGN OF BREAKAGE OR CRACKING, OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, PROMPTLY CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED HONDA/ACURA DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
NHTSA campaign record ↗