1996 Honda Accord: problems, recalls and reliability
13 recalls and 472 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (22% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall May 2009
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 472 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The instrument panel on my car is not working so I don't know if it has any gas in it or not. I know the gauges work also my windows don't go up or down in my sunroof does not open or close.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jan 2023
“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 report · Electrical System · Jul 2022
“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 report · Air Bags · Apr 2020
Show 7 more owner reports
“Came to a red light then tried to drive and the while still on would not move, it was if like in didn't engage the gear, when I put on gas the only thing it would do is the rpm would go up but the speedometer wouldn't.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2020
“Takata recall. I was in a accident on sycamore street in baton rouge louisiana on 1/3/18 and a piece of metal shard punctured my leg and fracture my tibia. I was treated for contusions of chest wall also at ochsner on o'neal lane . I'm currently on bedrest and have to remain of my leg and can't return to work until I have a follow-up on 1/9/18. I really would like to attend to this matter as soon as possible , thank you and have a blessed day”Owner report · Air Bags · Jan 2018
“Takata recall notice was sent to me on 10/31/2017. I key in my VIN and it meets the airbag recall or replace requirement. I then following the online instruction and call a local honda authrized dealer. They answered my call and check the VIN to see if my 1996 honda 2 door hatchback accord meets the airbag replacement. They told me that my vehicle does not meet the airbag replace/recall service. I am filing this complaint to bring the attention to the NHTSA regarding this safety issue.”Owner report · Air Bags · Oct 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 honda accord. While stationary and driving various speeds, the engine indicator illuminated and remained lit over a period of time. The contact stated that the speedometer would not record the proper speed/mileage. In addition, the contact stated that the battery was drained on numerous occasions and the battery life of the vehicle lasted six months or less. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 185,736.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2016
“Takata recall. I have a 10 year old honda accord that is well within the danger zone for recall for airbag failure. Todays washington post says takata admits the problem and says it will recall 40 million affected vehicles. I should be high on the priority list can you help me assure this?.”Owner report · Air Bags · May 2016
“Air bag light comes on, won't go off. This has been going on since april 2016. Light comes on when car is started, and stays on while driving till car is turned off. I read this is an ongoing thing. Why isn't there a recall on this problem? The cost to have this fixed is half the value of what the car is worth.”Owner report · Air Bags · Apr 2016
“Srs system light on after car is running, approx. Cost to repair 900.00 .is there a recall on this problem , seems there is a lot of people experiencing same as myself . *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2014
When filing, owners marked a crash in 52 of these complaints and injuries in 24 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 13 campaigns
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.
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.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
CERTAIN E SPEED RACING COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: E SPEED RACING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT E SPEED RACING 909-923-3636.
CERTAIN J & A AUTO ACCESSORIES COMBINATION HEADLAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: J & A AUTO ACCESSORIES WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE HEADLAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT J & A AUTO ACCESSORIES AT 310-327-4981.
CERTAIN POLI-AUTO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. 11-728, 11-728D, 11-710, 11-419, 11-713, 11-703, 11-704, 11-708P, 11-735, 11-725, 11-726, 11-716 (P&C), 11-721-1, 11-733, 11-729, 11-730, AND 11-732, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: POLI-AUTO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE HEADLAMPS AT ITS ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT POLI-AUTO AT 305-477-1356.
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
CERTAIN EAGLE EYES AND SONAR HEADLIGHTS AND CORNER LIGHTS SOLD AS AFTERMARKET FOR USE ON 1988-2005 HONDA CIVIC, 1990-2005 HONDA ACCORD, AND 1990-2001 ACURA INTEGRA PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. HEADLIGHTS AND CORNER LIGHTS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: TOM MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF NONCOMPLIANT LIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN APRIL 17, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOM MOTORSPORT AT 626-968-4007.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 1996 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Accord by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Honda Accord reliable?
NHTSA has 472 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on record for the 1996 Honda Accord. The most complained-about area is air bags (22% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1996 Honda Accord problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 106,602 miles or less.
Does the 1996 Honda Accord have open recalls?
13 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:wiring:front underhood. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.