1991 Honda Accord Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe problems with the motorized automatic shoulder belts, which on many cars stop moving, stay stuck in one position, or trigger a flashing belt light and chime. Reports arrive at widely spread mileages from roughly 54,000 up to the high 200,000s, so the failures appear gradual and age-related rather than tied to one short window. Door latches that will not release and occasional hydraulic brake problems also appear in the sample.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Automatic shoulder belt stuck or will not retract

   • 46 complaints (22%)
   • median 180,318 mi at 19.4 yrs old (24 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2018

   Owners describe the motorized shoulder belt stopping in the forward or rear position so it no longer moves with the door, or failing to latch and hold. Many say the belt warning light flashes with a chime while the belt is buckled, and that the dealer told them the belt motor, control module or retractor needed replacement. Several owners report being told the lifetime belt warranty does not cover these electrical parts, while their warranty manual states the whole belt assembly is covered. Spread widely from about 54,000 to more than 290,000 miles, with many reports above 120,000 miles.

   Recall 95V103001

   What to check: With the car running, open and close each door and watch whether both shoulder belts travel to the driving position and retract, and check that the belt light stays off. Ask for any records of belt motor or module replacement and whether warranty coverage was claimed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In november 2005, the driver side automatic seatbelt on my 1991 Honda Accord coupe (ex) started malfunctioning and would not retract to the driving position. There was an annoying beeping sound associated with this malfunction. The local Honda dealer (in st. Thomas vi) informed me that they didn't know what the problem was, and quoted 4 parts costing over $1,411.62, and they couldn't guarantee me that these replacements would work. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10295733, filed 2009-12, 90,000 miles

   “The passive (motorized) seat belt in my car will not retract/operate. According to the Honda vehicle warranty manual, it is covered under a lifetime warranty. Honda refuses to repair/replace my seat belt assembly. The exact statement from the warranty manual: this warranty continues for the useful life of the car. Honda will repair or replace, at it's option, any Honda seat belt assembly that fails to function properly during normal use. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10144354, filed 2005-12, 187,699 miles
2. 2
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Door will not open from inside or outside

   • 45 complaints (21%)
   • median 123,000 mi at 12.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • owner-quoted repair $650 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 1995–2010

   Owners report the driver's door suddenly failing to unlatch from either the inside or outside handle, sometimes leaving them to enter and exit through the passenger side. Complaints describe cracked plastic at the handle or a lock mechanism that came apart, and dealers quoting several hundred dollars for the repair. Some owners connect the same worn handle parts to the door lock not releasing. Reported across a wide mileage range, with several reports around 100,000 miles and others at unknown mileage.

   What to check: Open and close each door several times from both the inside and outside handles, and check the handle surrounds for cracks or looseness. Ask whether any door latch or handle assembly has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I attempted to exit my vehicle through my driver side door, it was impossible to open from the inside or the outside. Until I had the $600 for the repair, I was forced to enter my vehicle through the passenger side. I am a full-time student, working a full-time job, living in a busy world. It was quite embarassing, an inconvienience, and an incredible safety hazard. Before visiting this site, I thought this problem was a strange misfortune only I suffered. This is the most common defect listed; not to mention the most expensive repair. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10052634, filed 2004-01, 100,000 miles

   “Consumer attempted to unlock vehicle one day from inside and was not able to do so. She had to climb across console, and go out on passenger's side. On same day she attempted to unlock driver's side door from outside and again could not do so. Consumer thinks there is a recall because she has found that other doors are also having problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #8013363, filed 2002-07
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal sinking or going hard

   • 13 complaints (6%)
   • median 145,520 mi at 12.3 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 1995–2012

   Complaints describe the brake pedal going to the floor intermittently or needing much more pressure to stop the car, with some owners saying the braking feel in the front wheels was lost. Shops and owners attributed the problem to the master cylinder, and in one report the engine also shut down while braking. One owner reported a hard pedal rather than a sinking one. Mileage varies in the sample, from as little as about 40,000 miles up to roughly 145,000 miles.

   What to check: With the engine running, hold steady pressure on the brake pedal and see whether it slowly sinks, and check the brake fluid level and any leaks around the master cylinder. Ask for service records on brake hydraulic work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “During normal to hot weather conditions and in stop and go traffic the brake pedal fail and went directly to the floor when press. The car slowly slow down when this happen and has no braking feeling in the front wheels.”

   NHTSA complaint #10003032, filed 2003-01, 145,520 miles

   “Needed to apply more pressure on brake pedal to get vehicle to stop properly. Dealer / manufacturer were not notifiied at this time. Brake pedal goes to floor intermittently due to master cylinder failure.”

   NHTSA complaint #882575, filed 2001-03
4. 4
   Tires

   Tire tread separation and blowouts

   • 10 complaints (5%)
   • median 222,000 mi at 19.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2011

   Some owners report the tread or sidewall coming apart at highway speed, sometimes with a brief vibration beforehand, and one describes a spare tire that failed after a short distance at low speed. Tires from more than one brand are named, and owners say the tire maker denied responsibility after the failed tire was returned. Reported on tires of various ages, including one failure at roughly 35,000 miles on the set and others on high-mileage vehicles.

   What to check: Check the DOT date codes and look for bulges, cracks or uneven tread wear on all four tires and the spare. Ask how old the tires are and whether they have been replaced recently.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “A michelin destiny 195/60/15 tire with DOT # Honda-f5ax-5005 failed without warning while traveling on ca-94e in san diego at approximately 65 MPH. The steel belts separated from the cap piles in the left rear tire on my 1991 Honda Accord ex coupe causing the side wall of the tire to rupture and the tire to subsequently disintegrate. I was able to pull off the road safely and discovered that the outer side wall on the left rear tire had completely separated from the tire. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10286934, filed 2009-10, 295,398 miles

   “Treads separated from tire while driving, nearly causing an accident. A couple of miles before it came apart, there was a slight vibration. I slowed down to fifty MPH on a highway, the tire blew apart, momentarily lost control of the vehicle, and once I maintained control of the vehicle, I pulled over to the side of the highway. I took the tire back to discount tire, they wrote a report on the condition of the tire and sent the report back to falken tire. They denied liability for the tire failure and the tire is still in their possession.”

   NHTSA complaint #10416558, filed 2011-08, 116,700 miles

Buying note. On this model year, the automatic shoulder belts and door latches are the items to test carefully in person, since repairs can be costly if warranty coverage is denied. A brake-pedal and road test, plus a close look at tire age, covers most of the other problems owners describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.