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1988 Honda AccordProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 88 owner complaints about the 1988 Honda Accord, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

82
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years77% below the Accord median · #38 of 42 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints8832 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage200kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 29, 2018. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 Honda Accord has problems

88 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts316
Vehicle speed control128
Power train111
Engine and engine cooling80
Tires60
Fuel system, gasoline40
Electrical system41
Steering32
Exterior lighting30
7 other systems154

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1988 Honda Accord recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 95V-103 · May 24, 1995 · 3,700,000 vehicles

Risk. THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.

Best & worst years

1988 vs. every other Accord year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Accord median. How we score

'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 Honda Accord, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILUREEA94035 · closed Jul 31, 1995
    Led to recall 95V-103
In owners' words

What Accord owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (HONDA OF THOUSAND OAKS, 3925 AUTO MALL DR, THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91362) AND WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF THE YEAR…
Complaint 11065628 · Jan 29, 2018 · 200,000 miles
THIS IS MY 2ND COMPLAINT FOR THE SAME ISSUE...MY FIRST ONE NEVER GOT A RESPONSE AND IT HAS BEEN MONTHS SINCE I SENT IT. PLEASE RESPOND WITH HELP FOR THIS. I WAS REALLY HOPING TO AVOID A LOCAL NEWS STORY FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT I WILL GIVE THIS ONE LAST CHANCE BEFORE I GO THAT ROUTE. MY 1988 HONDA…
Complaint 11056238 · Dec 23, 2017 · 206,000 miles
MY 1988 ACCORD HATCHBACK IS HAVING SEATBELT RETRACTOR ISSUES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE ONE A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK. (DIFFERENT COLOR, BUT THAT IS OK). I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE RETRACTOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE SEATBELT COMES ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE DOOR AND WILL NOT…
Complaint 11025034 · Sep 22, 2017 · 200,000 miles

Own a 1988 Accord?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.