HondaAccord1991Overview/honda/accord/1991/base/

1991 Honda Accord

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1991 Accord.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1991 Honda Accord is a passenger car equipped with an engine that holds 3.7 qt of oil and requires 10W‑30/5W‑30 API oil. It is paired with an automatic 4‑speed transmission and its EPA fuel‑economy rating is 19/26/22 mpg. In its debut year the model accumulated 227 owner complaints, most frequently related to seat belts, and was subject to 13 recall actions. This complaint level falls between the peak 2013 complaints recorded in 2003 and the 213 complaints recorded in 2022, placing the 1991 Accord in the early phase of the model’s reliability history.

Model year202420232022202120202019201820171991

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length185 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height54.7 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight2762 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume93 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Accord of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.00 sec — 1991 EX Wagon
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1991EX Wagon 2.2L I-49.00 sec16.80 sec125 hpFWD
1990EX Sedan 2.2L I-49.70 sec17.10 sec125 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.7 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant at 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 45,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Steering System (inspect) · Tie Rod (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect alignment)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Antilock Brake System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miBrake Line (replace) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 90,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (replace) · Water Pump (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Federal data positions the 1991 model between the 1990 and 1992 model years, which registered 220 and 230 total complaints respectively—figures that represent a low baseline before volumes escalated sharply to 461 by 1994 and continued climbing throughout the decade. Within this early-generation arc, 1991 exhibits concentrated concern in seat belts with 53 complaints, followed by structure (33), latches/locks/linkages (22), and hydraulic service brakes (17), alongside 17 crash-related and 6 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes for these incidents. This places the 1991 Accord in the generation's initial phase, prior to the significant upward trend in complaints, recalls, and technical service bulletins that characterize later 1990s and 2000s models. Given its position during a period of relatively low federal complaint volume compared to subsequent years, and without the elevated investigation or recall activity seen in later generations, the 1991 model year represents a statistically quieter point in the Accord's production history.

13
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
22
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
227
Owner complaints
17 involved a crash · 6 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 227 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts53
Structure33
Latches/Locks/Linkages22
Service Brakes, Hydraulic17
Engine & Engine Cooling16
Power Train16
Tires12
Electrical System12

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Accord. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1991 Accord take?

3.7 qt of ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1991 Accord have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accord get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.