1986 Honda Accord problems & reliability
54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1986 Honda Accord. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
8 complaints report injuries (9 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1986 Honda Accord vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 18 | 33% |
| Seat Belts → | 14 | 26% |
| Power Train | 5 | 9% |
| Suspension | 4 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 6% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 4% |
| Structure | 2 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Rust on the fuel filler pipe - 1986 accord - there was a recall on that, but honda does not respect it anymore. Why??? It is a safety hazard - potential fire. On top of that honda's carburetors have defective float - it gets stuck, causing gasoline leak. *tr”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Oct 20, 2009
“Tl*the contact owns a 1986 honda accord. The inlet pipe of the fuel tank is busted on the inside and prevents fuel from entering the engine. The contact scheduled an appointment with the dealer and the vehicle is able to be driven in the interim. The contact was uncertain if the vehicle had already been inspected or…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Oct 31, 2007
“Engine: radiator was leaking-replace radiator and water pump. Transmission: hesitation during excelleration, car would not go in reverse. Replaced with used transimission. Fuel system: (2x's) no repair as of yet, hesitation during excelleration, cannot get into gear. Engine reves up but car will not go. Mechanic…”
Power Train · filed Apr 22, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA94035 · opened Oct 27, 1994 · closed Jul 31, 1995 · led to recall 95V103001
- FUEL SYSTEM VENTING
Engineering Analysis EA89005 · opened Nov 16, 1988 · closed Nov 30, 1989
- FUEL SYSTEM VENTING
Preliminary Evaluation PE88062 · opened Jun 21, 1988 · closed Nov 16, 1988
- ACCORD SUDDEN ACCEL-SEE DP87-026
Defect Petition DP88008 · opened Jan 13, 1988 · closed Mar 30, 1988
- HONDA HIGH ENGINE SPEED
Defect Petition DP87013 · opened Mar 3, 1987 · closed May 4, 1987
- SUDDEN ACCELERATION
Preliminary Evaluation PE86066 · opened Jul 28, 1986 · closed Nov 3, 1986
Technical service bulletins
1 manufacturer communication (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1986 Honda Accord.
Campaign responsibility report for the 1986-87 accord fuel filler pipe recall. *tw
HON950405B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1986 Honda Accord in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1986 Honda Accord?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.