AI Damage1996 Acura Integra: common problems
Owners of the 1996 Acura Integra filed 36 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 36
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 22% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 8 complaints (22% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 4 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 3 complaints (8% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 36 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I got into a car accident where a car drove into oncoming traffic and hit the front of my car. The airbags on both the driver's and passengers seat were released. The vehicle was in motion at the time of the accident.
I was involved in a violent collision in my 1996 acura integra. I was going around 25 miles per hour and a pickup truck going from my right to left at about 40 miles per hour collided with my car. The pickup's left front impacted with my right front (I steered left and he steered right as evasive maneuvers).
Was driving about 25 mph, the car lurched and the engine rpm when all the way up, out of control. Applying the brakes full force could not stop the car. Car eventually crashed into a fence and came to a stop with the engine still turning at very fast rpm.
Hit in the back at (35) mph and both front seatbacks broke. Please describe details.
Today, friday, march 18th 2016 at 3:40 pm I hit a pothole that had already been patched while driving that came loose and destroyed my rim off of rocky point rd nw roughly 1/2 a mile from crown hill elementary school in bremerton wa.
I was driving my vehicle down the road suddenly the car just quit while I was in my fourth gear. After having it towed to my house and a technician looking at my situation I was told that it was the ignition switch and from honda acura dealer ship.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 acura integra. While driving approximately 40 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle did not slow down. An independent mechanic stated that the calipers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified.
While driving down the highway at legal speed limit of 70 mph, the sun roof detached from my 1996 acura integra and landed somewhere behind the car on the highway. I was in traffic and could not stop immediately to see what happened to the sun roof.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,253 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Integra has 33 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 36, about average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
- Integra 19865 sources
- Integra 198711 sources
- Integra 19889 sources
- Integra 198916 sources
- Integra 199032 sources
- Integra 199136 sources
- Integra 199228 sources
- Integra 199321 sources
- Integra 199455 sources
- Integra 199552 sources
- Integra 199722 sources
- Integra 199821 sources
- Integra 19998 sources
- Integra 200017 sources
- Integra 20016 sources
- Integra 2023260 sources
- Integra 2024122 sources
- Integra 202563 sources
- Integra 202619 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Acura Integra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 36. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), airbag warning light (6%), stalls while driving (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1996 Acura Integra?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1996 Acura Integra from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1996 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.