IllustrationAIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, AND THERE ARE AIRBAGS IN THE CAR. BUT, THEY WILL NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE OF A MECHANISM THAT HAS BEEN ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER FOR A OVER A MONTH. CONSUMER FELT VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK.*AK
1997 Honda Accord
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Honda Accord do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 356.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Accord years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
60–25K
725–50K
2450–75K
2275–100K
32100–150K
37150K+
128 reports with mileage · 332 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 113 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 96 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
42 crash reports10 fire reports24 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
113 reportsAIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON AT ALL TIMES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT PART(S) TO CORRECT PROBLEM WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. *AK *ML
AIR BAG SOS CONTROL UNIT BROKE, CAUSING THE AIR BAG SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERABLE. CONTACTED BOTH DEALER AND HONDA, PART NOT AVAILABLE, WAITING FOR SHIPMENT FROM JAPAN. *AK *ML
VEHICLE WAS COMING TO STOP WHEN IT WAS REARENDED AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, THEN HITTING A GUARDRAIL WHERE NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED, FALLING BACKWARD WHERE A CHILD CAR SEAT WAS LOCATATED, VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK
VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 25 TO 30MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S NOR PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY SOMEONE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER FEELS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED BODILY HARM. *AK
DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN A PARKED VEHICLE WAS BEING STARTED AND INJURED THE DRIVER, AT THE TIME OF THE DEPLOYMENT THE IGNITION SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING. YH
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE AIRBAG COMPUTER HAD GONE BAD, AND THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEREFORE, COULD NOT FIX THE AIR BAG COMPUTER. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
Official recalls
302V120000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
May 16, 2002
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: 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.
99V069000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
May 10, 1999
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.
98V231000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Sep 22, 1998
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.