Total Complaints
6 filings
HONDA DEL SOL · model year
1996 HONDA DEL SOL
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996HONDADEL SOL carries 6 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 1996 DEL SOL is structure:body with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1) and unknown or other (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 77 investigation files overlapping the 1996 DEL SOL, and 9 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.
6
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:BODY | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20200128SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 HONDA DEL SOL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING, SHE NOTICED THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WAS CONCERNED. THE CONTACT PERFORMED A BRAKE CHECK ON THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER SEAL DETACHED WHICH CAUSED BRAKE FLUID TO FLOW INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 49,000
19970912STRUCTURE:BODY
SUN VISOR IS TOO SMALL AND OWNER FEELS IT'S INSUFFICIENT.
19970912ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE/MOTOR DOES NOT HANDLE WELL DURING INCLINE DRIVING.
19970912UNKNOWN OR OTHER
INADEQUATE STORAGE SPACE WITHIN INTERIOR OF VEHICLE.
19970912STRUCTURE:BODY
POOR VISIBILITY (BLIND ANGLE) CREATED BY THE DESIGN OF THE EXTENDED ROOF SUPPORT WINGS.
19970912SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
HIGH BACKREST WITH FIXED HEADREST CAUSES PROBLEMS FOR SMALL PEOPLE.
Compare 1996HONDADEL SOL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 9 Open
PE25017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
PE25016Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Loss of Motive Power
PE25018Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
PE25008Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Engine failure
EA25004Engineering AnalysisOpen
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 HONDA DEL SOL have?▼
The 1996 HONDA DEL SOL has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 HONDA DEL SOL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 HONDA DEL SOL is STRUCTURE:BODY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 1996 HONDA DEL SOL 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.