RecallMyCar

1988 Honda Accord Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 1988 Honda Accord, and owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
88
owner complaints to NHTSA
15 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire
22–26
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 1988 Honda Accord

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Buckle assembly (seat belts)

    NHTSA 95V103001 Reported 3,700,000 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    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.

    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…

  2. Owners/service/other manual (equipment)

    NHTSA 87V171000 Reported 99,088 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    Owners manual information required by FMVSS 210, sections 6a and 6b was omitted from the manual.

    Remedy: Upgrade existing manuals by inserting adhesive backed correction pages.

88 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1988 Honda Accord have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA; 15 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 22 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 204,994 miles. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 25 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“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 ma”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 29, 2018 · Seat belts

“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 sto”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 23, 2017 · Seat belts

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1988 Honda Accord. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined22–26 mpg
City / Highway20–23 / 26–31
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars
Engine4 cyl, 2 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Honda Accord model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Honda Accord model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1976 Honda Accord10
1977 Honda Accord10
1978 Honda Accord10
1979 Honda Accord12
1980 Honda Accord02
1981 Honda Accord07
1982 Honda Accord210
1983 Honda Accord17
1984 Honda Accord222
1985 Honda Accord113
1986 Honda Accord254
1987 Honda Accord3111
1988 Honda Accord288
1989 Honda Accord186
1990 Honda Accord2192
1991 Honda Accord3212
1992 Honda Accord2206
1993 Honda Accord1186
1994 Honda Accord1369
1995 Honda Accord2543
1996 Honda Accord1472
1997 Honda Accord3460
1998 Honda Accord61,200
1999 Honda Accord41,135
2000 Honda Accord81,183
2001 Honda Accord7922
2002 Honda Accord51,050
2003 Honda Accord131,987
2004 Honda Accord131,017
2005 Honda Accord15656
2006 Honda Accord12430
2007 Honda Accord9524
2008 Honda Accord81,520
2009 Honda Accord10725
2010 Honda Accord12580
2011 Honda Accord9296
2012 Honda Accord8373
2013 Honda Accord51,422
2014 Honda Accord4981
2015 Honda Accord5601
2016 Honda Accord4608
2017 Honda Accord3538
2018 Honda Accord61,888
2019 Honda Accord6691
2020 Honda Accord5363
2021 Honda Accord4239
2022 Honda Accord4253
2023 Honda Accord587
2024 Honda Accord3146
2025 Honda Accord087
2026 Honda Accord010

Checking a specific 1988 Honda Accord

How do I know if my 1988 Honda Accord has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1988 Honda Accord; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Honda dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 87V171000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Honda models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.