Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1983 Accord.
The 1983 Honda Accord requires 3.7 quarts of oil in grades from 10W-40 up to 20W-50, and its own reliability tally sits at just eight owner complaints — mostly structural — with one recall on record. Across the Accord lineage tracked from 1990 to 2022, annual complaints swung from a high of 2,013 in 2003 down to 213 by 2022, putting the 1983 model's sparse complaint count at the favorable end of the long-term spectrum and indicating a relatively clean sheet for its vintage.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 165.7 in |
| Overall width | 65.4 in |
| Overall height | 53.5 in |
| Wheelbase | 96.5 in |
| Curb weight | 2068 lb |
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.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Sedan 1.8L I-4 | 13.40 sec | 19.20 sec | 75 hp | FWD |
| 1979 | CVCC Sedan 1.8L I-4 | 12.00 sec | 18.80 sec | 72 hp | FWD |
| 1978 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-4 | 15.20 sec | 19.30 sec | 68 hp | FWD |
| 1989 | LXi Coupe 2.0L I-4 | 11.40 sec | 18.40 sec | 120 hp | FWD |
| 1976 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-4 | 13.80 sec | 20.00 sec | 68 hp | FWD |
| 1990 | EX Sedan 2.2L I-4 | 9.70 sec | 17.10 sec | 125 hp | FWD |
| 1991 | EX Wagon 2.2L I-4 | 9.00 sec | 16.80 sec | 125 hp | FWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 3.7 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-40 engine oil.
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 10W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30 · 5W-20 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 3.7 qt |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1983 Honda Accord presents a minimal number of reported issues, with top complaint areas involving the structure (2), fuel system (2), tires (1), and electrical system (1). There were two recorded fire complaints and zero crash complaints for the target year. Because the provided federal record begins in 1990, there is no available data to compare this vehicle to the years immediately before or after, nor is there sufficient data to establish a generational trend. The root causes for the recorded complaints are not specified in the dataset. Based on the extremely low volume of federal complaints, this is a good year to buy.
All 8 complaints on record, top 6 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
IF THE PLASTIC COATING OF THE FUEL FILLER AND/OR BREATHER PIPE IS DAMAGED, SALT WATER MAY ACCUMULATE BETWEEN THE PLASTIC COATING AND THE STEEL PIPES, AND THE ACCUMULATION COULD CAUSE CORROSSION WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY… Remedy: CORRODED FILLER OR BREATHER PIPES WILL BE CLEANED AND RECOATED OR REPLACED AS NEEDED.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
3.7 qt of ABOVE 14 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-40, -4 degrees TO 90 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30, BELOW 14 degrees F: 5W-20, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.