Total Complaints
8 filings
HONDA ACCORD · model year
1981 HONDA ACCORD
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1981HONDAACCORD carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1981 ACCORD is structure:frame and members with 3 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (1) and power train:axle assembly (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 11 investigation files overlapping the 1981 ACCORD, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000501LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
ALL FOUR DOORS ARE NOT OPERABLE. DOORS WLL NOT LOCK OR OPEN FROM EITHER SIDE. CONSUMER HAS TO ENTER THROUGH WINDOW. *AK *ML
19991025FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
WHILE DOWNSHIFTING THE RPMS DROPPED TO 400 AND THEN CAR DIED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, AND INVOLVED THE CARBURETOR. *AK
19980722ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED WITH THE AIR CONDTIONER ON VEHICLE LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENT LIGHTS AND THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19980220STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME RAIL RUSTED THROUGH AND FRONT CROSS MEMBER HAS COME LOOSE, CAUSING VIBRATION.
19971204STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRONT CROSS MEMBER MOUNT TO FRAME OF VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, CAUSING FRONT END TO SHIFT AND RIGHT REAR TIRE TO WEAR OUT. ENGINE MAY FALL OUT AT ANY TIME. THE VEHICLE PRESENTLY IS NOT DRIVEABLE, VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING.
19950511POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE CAME TO COMPLETE HALT; PROCEEDED THRU GREEN LIGHT TO 25 MPH; FRONT LEFT AXLE BROKE; LOST VEHICLE POWER. TT
19950130FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
RUSTING OF THE GAS TANK AND FLOOR PANEL. TT
19950130STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
RUSTING OF THE GAS TANK AND FLOOR PANEL. TT
Compare 1981HONDAACCORD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA24002Engineering AnalysisOpen
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
PE22003Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
EA21001Engineering AnalysisClosed
Loss of Direction Control
DP20005Defect PetitionClosed
Loss of Direction Control
PE14033Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1981 HONDA ACCORD have?▼
The 1981 HONDA ACCORD has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1981 HONDA ACCORD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1981 HONDA ACCORD is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY and POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1981 HONDA ACCORD safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.