Equal-exposure complaint evidence and changes in the reported problem mix
1996 vs 1997 HONDA ACCORD
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Share shifts show how a vehicle's problem mix changed. They do not measure reliability, and complaint counts are not normalized for sales volume.
First 359 months on market for each model year
Exposure window calculated through Aug 22, 2026
Age-matched reports
▼ 0.7% fewer reports in the equal exposure window
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Component share shift
Bars start at the neutral midpoint. Left means a smaller share; right means a larger share.
View component share data as a table
| Component | 1996 share | 1997 share | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 7.0% | 18.3% | ▲ 11.3 pts larger share |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 15.1% | 6.0% | ▼ 9.2 pts smaller share |
| ENGINE | 17.3% | 11.3% | ▼ 6.1 pts smaller share |
| SUSPENSION | 1.8% | 4.9% | ▲ 3.1 pts larger share |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4.8% | 7.1% | ▲ 2.2 pts larger share |
| SEAT BELTS | 3.1% | 5.1% | ▲ 2.0 pts larger share |
| AIR BAGS | 21.3% | 23.2% | ▲ 1.9 pts larger share |
| POWER TRAIN | 4.8% | 6.2% | ▲ 1.4 pts larger share |
| VISIBILITY | 4.0% | 2.7% | ▼ 1.3 pts smaller share |
| TIRES | 1.5% | 2.7% | ▲ 1.1 pts larger share |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 2.0% | 0.9% | ▼ 1.1 pts smaller share |
| STRUCTURE | 3.5% | 2.4% | ▼ 1.1 pts smaller share |
| STEERING | 2.6% | 1.8% | ▼ 0.9 pts smaller share |
| WHEELS | 0.2% | 0.7% | ▲ 0.4 pts larger share |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 0.4% | 0.4% | ◆ 0.0 pts unchanged |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 70.0% | 62.0% | ▼ 7.9 pts smaller share |
NHTSA Safety Recalls recalls · snapshot 2026-08-22
Recall campaigns
Campaign components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Campaign components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, and SUSPENSION
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety signals
- ◆ Fires
- 3 → 10
- ◆ Injuries
- 22 → 31