1996 Honda Accord LX from North America - Comments

Transmission started slipping terribly at 60,000 miles.

A/C leaks water all over passenger carpet.

Driver side power window goes down, but not up in cold weather.

I really thought this car was going to last longer considering Honda's reputation. I could not afford a new transmission so I got rid it. It occurs to me that the only two cars I've owned that had major problems was this Honda and a Nissan (cracked head).I've owned a Grand Prix, two Camaros, a Corvette, and an Olds Intrigue. The American cars have never cost me a dime except for routine maintenance.

The Air Conditioning system started leaking water? Usually heater cores leak antifreeze onto carpets when they are cracked. I have never heard of an Air Conditioning System leaking water. There is a filter in the system that accumulates water, this may need replaced.

I just experienced the same thing in my 1996 Accord DX the other day. It is NOT antifreeze. It is certainly water. I touched it and smelled it... plain water. I put my hand up under the glove compartment and there was a metal piece up there that was cool and damp to the touch as if it were sweating. Not sure what that is.

I very much doubt your problem is the A/C leaking water into the passenger floor, sounds to me like the same type of problem my Integra had... and the was the fact that my window wasn't sealed properly... other than that, let's just say it really was the A/C, just get a new compressor. Bam Boom! As for your transmission problems, that why they have such as thing called Manual.

I also have a 96 accord that had/has the same a/c water leak in the passenger floor area. I checked and cleaned the water drain rubber hose and that's fine. I put towels down to sop-up the water, and this was definitely the a/c system leaking water, because it would leak when it was not raining. Finally, one day out of frustration when it was leaking, I reached under and slapped the under-side of the black molded plastic area under the dash where it was leaking and the water started pouring on from under the car, out of the drain hose (water would normally come out anyway, but this time it was like a river!). This cured the problem for a month, and now every time it acts-up, I just slap it a couple of times and everybody's happy. Especially my wife whose feet were always getting leaked on.

I have been investigating the same kind of leak issue with a 96 accord, but this one seems to be more related to water from outside the car such as rain, or a car wash. The AC may be a contributing factor, but I can take this car through the car wash, and water will steadily drip on the passenger side floor. The water is somehow getting into the heater box, and makes it's way to the fan motor. The water then leaks through

the plastic parts of the motor onto the floor. This car has no sun roof either. I suspect the ventilation system is somehow letting water in, and it is not able to drain out properly.