1992 Honda Accord: common problems

Owners of the 1992 Honda Accord filed 206 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 206
involving a crash: 41

What fails most often

1 Air bags 17% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
4 Seat belts 12% of all complaints
5 Structure 12% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
7 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
8 Tires 7% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 34 complaints (17% of all), 28 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 26 complaints (13% of all).
Powertrain: 25 complaints (12% of all).
Seat belts: 24 complaints (12% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 24 complaints (12% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 206 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbags did not deploy22 · 11%
seat belts20 · 10%
stalls while driving13 · 6%
door locks, latches, handles10 · 5%
warning lights, check engine8 · 4%
windows, sunroof7 · 3%
A/C or heater5 · 2%
smoke, burning smell, fire5 · 2%
unintended acceleration5 · 2%
vibration5 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	34	28
Electrical system	26	0
Powertrain	25	0
Seat belts	24	6
Structure	24	0
Engine and cooling	19	0
Service brakes	18	3
Tires	15	1
Vehicle speed control	12	5
Visibility	9	0
Steering	7	0
Suspension	5	1
Equipment	4	0
Latches, locks, linkages	4	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

When she attempted to make a left turn, the vehicle that had the right of way wasnt able to stop and crashed into her vehicle left side causing the vehicle turned several times the vehicle stopped when it crashed head into the other vehicle front end, and the driver frontal air bag didnt deployed.
Air bags · crash · 2009-09-04 · NHTSA complaint #10282880
The brakes failed to stop the vehicle when the pedal was depressed while driving at 25 mph. The vehicle stopped when it hit another vehicle.
Service brakes · crash · 2004-01-05 · NHTSA complaint #10053299
Lower ball joint stud separated from ball, causing entire left front suspension and driveshaft to separate from car.
Suspension · crash · 2002-04-29 · NHTSA complaint #761207
Had a 25 mph frontal impact and driver's airbag did not deploy, which did not protect the occupant in crash. Manufacturer has not been contacted. Please provide further information.
Air bags · crash · 1999-05-28 · NHTSA complaint #838590
While driving at 45mph vehicle was involved in a frontal collision and the driver's side airbag did not deploy, causing minor injuries to the driver. Dealer has been notified.
Air bags · crash · 1998-08-06 · NHTSA complaint #826373
Driver was able to stop vehicle by releasing parking brake and reapplying brake again. Mechanic found no malfunction in vehicle.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1997-07-14 · NHTSA complaint #813320
Vehicle surged, causing loss of control/accident/injuries.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1996-05-02 · NHTSA complaint #488681
Consumer was in an accident hit from the rear the driver side seat frame broke seat reclined backwards. Tt
Seats · crash · 1995-09-14 · NHTSA complaint #972032

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199534
199633
199712
199819
199925
200017
200119
20029
200310
20046
20054
20063
20071
20082
20091
20121
20131
20146
20161
20201
20211

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,979 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Accord has 503 complaints (49 years in the data). This year has 206, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1992 Honda Accord?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 206. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (11%), seat belts (10%), stalls while driving (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 Honda Accord?

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 1992 Honda Accord 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 1992 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.