AI Damage1990 Honda Accord LX, DX: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Honda Accord LX, DX filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 14
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 36% of all complaints
- 2 Latches, locks, linkages 21% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 7% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 7% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 5 complaints (36% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 3 complaints (21% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 14 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
While the vehicle was parked all of the seat belts were fastened but the seat belt warning light remained illuminated and the warning sound continued to alert as if the seat belt was unfastened. There were occupants in the vehicle when the failure occurred.
While driving 25 mph when she noticed that the seatbelt buzzer would exhibit an abnormal noise intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was unable to be diagnosed because the failure had not occurred in the presence of the dealer.
Tl contact owns a 1990 honda accord. While driving approximately 10 mph approaching a stop, the contact heard a noise coming from under the vehicle as if something had dropped. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic where the technician replaced a bolt and pin which fell from the vehicle.
The ignition switch on a 1990 honda accord. I recently was driving my car and I noticed that when I speed up the car just shuts off and it goes back on. It does it around 55 mph. I haven't replaced the part.
I just purchased a 1991 honda accord lx and the automatic seatbelt is jammed it does not go back to where I can wear it, thus I only have a lap belt. I was told that honda does have a lifetime warranty on the seatbelt and its components.
It appears there is a fault with the internal door latch. At this point, the door will just not open. I am unable to remove the door panel to diagnose the problem because the door is closed. It's a real catch22. I am now forced to enter and exit the vehicle from the passanger side.
Inside door handle cracked and broke the whole handle assembly. The consequences have made it to where the door cannot be opened from the inside, god forbid if there was an accident or a fire, how would my passanger get out of the car in a hurry? Have been told to replace it myself........why?
Consumer had the distributor replaced twice. Dealer told the consumer that honda knew that the distributors was defective.
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 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Honda Accord LX, DX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, latches, locks, linkages, electrical system. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (29%), door locks, latches, handles (21%), smoke, burning smell, fire (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Honda Accord LX, DX?
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 1990 Honda Accord LX, DX 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 1990 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.