1997 Honda Accord Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Accord years
- Fewer complaints than other years 22nd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 460 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Honda Accord. That ranks 22nd out of 32 Accord model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (113 complaints, 25%), typically at around 75,500 miles. Complaints mention 42 crashes, 10 fires, 31 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 460owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 42complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Honda Accord problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 113 | 25% | 75,500 | “air bag” (38%) | $1,400 |
| Electrical System problems | 96 | 21% | 135,500 | “ignition switch” (35%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 48 | 10% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 38 | 8% | 149,950 | — | — |
| Power Train | 33 | 7% | 82,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 32 | 7% | 70,490 | — | — |
| Suspension | 28 | 6% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 23 | 5% | 405,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 16 | 3% | 96,654 | — | — |
| Equipment | 15 | 3% | 72,556 | — | — |
| Visibility | 13 | 3% | 82,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 3% | 80,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 11 | 2% | 144,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 10 | 2% | 191,750 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 2% | 235,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 1% | 88,745 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 230,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 1% | 69,178 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 0% | 192,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 0% | 93,850 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 192,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Honda Accord recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
Risk: Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began june 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.
Risk: This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power. Also steering controllability would be reduced.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: Vehicle description: sedan, coupe and wagon passenger vehicles except the dx model and models with v6 engines. The factory installed air conditioner wire harness was improperly routed allowing some wires to rub against each other, eventually causing a short circuit.
Risk: The short circuit canpossibly cause the underhood wireing to overheat and smoke, causing a fire in the engine compartment. A short circuit can also result in a blown fuse or dead battery.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for proper routing of these wires. Any harness improperly routed will be inspected for damage and the routing will be corrected. If any insulation is worn through and the copper wires are exposed, the harness will be replaced. Dealers will also install plastic tubing to protect the harness.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and attempting to slow down, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality however, the failure became a persistent failure. No warning lights were…
I bought this car from a private owner about 2 months ago ever since I had it the car shuts off I think it O2 sensor is not working or it's gone the CV joint went out on the right side I had it replaced and it still messed up it's something with the suspension and stuff the front end alignments out…
SEVERE frame rust where suspension bolts to. Safety hazard.
While driving car speed starts to fall soon there is no pedal at all and smoke and fire come from underneath dashboard transmission hesitates to shift now currently un safe to drive.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 honda accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30- 35 mph, the vehicle overheated and smoke was detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact let the vehicle cool down however experienced the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed…
Other Honda Accord years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Accord | 11 | 0 |
| 2025 Accord | 87 | 0 |
| 2024 Accord | 151 | 3 |
| 2023 Accord | 85 | 5 |
| 2022 Accord | 257 | 4 |
| 2021 Accord | 241 | 4 |
| 2020 Accord | 364 | 5 |
| 2019 Accord | 696 | 6 |
| 2018 Accord | 1,891 | 6 |
| 2017 Accord | 539 | 3 |
| 2016 Accord | 609 | 4 |
| 2015 Accord | 601 | 5 |
| 2014 Accord | 981 | 4 |
| 2013 Accord | 1,425 | 5 |
| 2012 Accord | 373 | 8 |
| 2011 Accord | 296 | 9 |
| 2010 Accord | 580 | 12 |
| 2009 Accord | 726 | 10 |
| 2008 Accord | 1,520 | 8 |
| 2007 Accord | 524 | 9 |
| 2006 Accord | 432 | 12 |
| 2005 Accord | 656 | 15 |
| 2004 Accord | 1,018 | 13 |
| 2003 Accord | 1,987 | 13 |
| 2002 Accord | 1,050 | 5 |
| 2001 Accord | 922 | 7 |
| 2000 Accord | 1,183 | 8 |
| 1999 Accord | 1,135 | 4 |
| 1998 Accord | 1,200 | 6 |
| 1997 | 460 | 3 |
| 1996 Accord | 472 | 1 |
| 1995 Accord | 543 | 2 |
See all Honda Accord problems by year, every Honda model, or the Honda VIN decoder.
Similar Honda models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Honda Accord?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 113 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Honda Accord?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Honda Accord a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Accord model years, the 1997 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.