1997 Honda Odyssey Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Odyssey years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 32nd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Honda Odyssey. That ranks 32nd out of 32 Odyssey model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (9 complaints, 45%), typically at around 119,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 20owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Honda Odyssey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 9 | 45% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 5% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 5% | 120,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Honda Odyssey recalls (2)
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.
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.
transmission problem
Faulty ignition switch causes the engine to spontaneously shut off while the vehicle is in motion. Since the engine cannot be restarted while not in park, this requires coming to a complete stop without the aid of power brakes or steering. This has happened multiple times and various speeds and…
When the vehicle was turned off and the key removed from the ignition there was a loud popping noise that sounded like an explosion from the rear right of the vehicle. The noise went away for a while when the brake pads were replaced. Dealership serviced the vehicle several times for this problem…
While driving at any speed vehicle was running roughly. Consumer examined the tires and saw that the tread separated on the right rear. Several months later, the same thing happened on the left rear tire. Dealer gave the consumer a discount on the first tire, but refused any discount on the second…
The ignition locks without warning. *ak
Other Honda Odyssey years
← 1996 Odyssey · 1998 Odyssey →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Odyssey | 48 | 2 |
| 2025 Odyssey | 417 | 2 |
| 2024 Odyssey | 117 | 3 |
| 2023 Odyssey | 102 | 5 |
| 2022 Odyssey | 138 | 9 |
| 2021 Odyssey | 146 | 8 |
| 2020 Odyssey | 481 | 14 |
| 2019 Odyssey | 984 | 20 |
| 2018 Odyssey | 1,000 | 16 |
| 2017 Odyssey | 39 | 2 |
| 2016 Odyssey | 270 | 6 |
| 2015 Odyssey | 206 | 6 |
| 2014 Odyssey | 310 | 5 |
| 2013 Odyssey | 210 | 6 |
| 2012 Odyssey | 245 | 5 |
| 2011 Odyssey | 235 | 5 |
| 2010 Odyssey | 255 | 1 |
| 2009 Odyssey | 198 | 3 |
| 2008 Odyssey | 499 | 4 |
| 2007 Odyssey | 830 | 4 |
| 2006 Odyssey | 703 | 3 |
| 2005 Odyssey | 830 | 8 |
| 2004 Odyssey | 585 | 13 |
| 2003 Odyssey | 914 | 15 |
| 2002 Odyssey | 960 | 10 |
| 2001 Odyssey | 619 | 1 |
| 2000 Odyssey | 675 | 6 |
| 1999 Odyssey | 518 | 9 |
| 1998 Odyssey | 73 | 3 |
| 1997 | 20 | 2 |
| 1996 Odyssey | 70 | 0 |
| 1995 Odyssey | 96 | 0 |
See all Honda Odyssey 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 Odyssey?
Owners most often report electrical system, vehicle speed control, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 9 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Honda Odyssey?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Honda Odyssey a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Odyssey model years, the 1997 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.