I've been all over the net and getting quite confused on everything pertaining to my fuel pump. All say different locations, mines in the trunk, all the pics of it are different. Mine has no fuel line hookups on it just the quick connect harness,(in attached pic),and that's it. Some say you have to drop the tank, others say not, it just pulls out. I don't see any my year that look like this. Totally confused. Anybody really know .
Never mind on pic...couldn't figure it out

 

You have to drop the gas tank on the 1996 accord. I had a 95 (essentially the same as yours) and there is not access panel to get to the fuel pump.

 

Like PAhonda stated, you have to drop the fuel tank to access the fuel pump.

The access panel is for the fuel gauge sending unit, which you can replace without dropping the tank. But, not the fuel pump.

 

Having had the tank out of my 97 Accord this spring, I can tell you that you have to drop it. At least Honda provided a drain plug, to help "lighten the load" of a full fuel tank. As for the acess hole in the front of the trunk, it doesn't help you with anything other the the wiring going to the pump and sender (both are built together and go into the same opening), as it's really just a wiring access point. You still can't reach anything like the sender or the pump. Just be glad you don't have a 98 to 02 Accord, as you have to drop the rear subframe assembly out BEFORE you can drop the tank (a real PIA job from what I can see).
If you're looking at dropping the tank to replace the fuel pump, go with a DENSO pump. Don't waste your time with anything else, as you'll be back in there replacing it again.

 

You can replace the gauge sender unit via the access panel...

 

Thanks all for the info. "Let the battle begin"

 

I just had to do this job. But not because the pump went out. Would drive down the road and periodically gas would just stop hitting the rail. Electrical on but the car just stalled. Pretty scary to happen at 55MPH. Would pull over to the side and within 1 minute turn the ignition and the car would just start up again. Sometimes I'd get only slightly down the road to happen again, other times it would putter periodically and then other times I would just get wherever I was heading without a problem.

First started with the relay thinking maybe it was sticking sometimes.

Then I finally did the pump, pulled the pump out. Uhh... where the heck is the filter?


oh.. there it is..


After two taps (one for a exhaust shield and one to a bolt for the strap, I just got everything back together after changing pump and filter. Believe me, make this job a last resort if you can.

My guess is the filter was catching in the pump periodically as it was just floating about in the tank. The pump literally outlived the plastic that was holding the filter.