IllustrationOIL SEAL BLOWN OUT AT VERY LOW MILEAGE; GARAGE INFORMS THAT PROBLEM IS OCCURRING AT HIGH FREQUENCY AMONG HONDAS OF SIMILAR AGE, ALTHOUGH NOT MILEAGE, AND THAT HONDA IS AVOIDING OR DELAYING SENDING OUT NOTICES OF DEFECT. *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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
48 reportsWHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER STOPPED VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND SAW THAT OIL WAS POURING ONTO THE GROUND. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THE BALANCE SHAFT SEAL WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A NEW RETAINER, BALANCE BELT AND TIMING BELT. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR (APPROX. 50 MPH) THE BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL BACKED OUT. THE ENGINE OIL WAS PUMPED OUT. THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY WIFE PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. BUT IT WAS TOO LATE THE ENGINE SEIZED. HONDA WAS WILLING TO REPLACE THE SEAL BUT SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE ENGINE. HONDA KNOWS THAT THIS SEAL IS A …
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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR (APPROX. 50 MPH) THE BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL BACKED OUT. THE ENGINE OIL WAS PUMPED OUT. THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY WIFE PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. BUT IT WAS TOO LATE THE ENGINE SEIZED. HONDA WAS WILLING TO REPLACE THE SEAL BUT SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE ENGINE. HONDA KNOWS THAT THIS SEAL IS A PROBLEM AND HAS SENT A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT TELLING PEOPLE SO. (WE DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE FROM HONDA ON THIS) INSTEAD OF RECALLING THE FAULTY PART HONDA HAS FIGURED OUT THAT THEY CAN PUT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DESIGN MISTAKES ON THEIR CUSTOMERS BY SIMPLY SENDING OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN. IF YOU DON'T GET A LETTER FROM HONDA --OH WELL. HONDA SHOULD REPLACE THE SEALS IN ALL OF THE AFFECTED CARS AND HONDA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR/REPLACE ANY ENGINES DESTROYED BY THE FAULTY SEAL. *AK
THE LOUD NOISE TICKING VALVE PROBLEM HAS START AROUND 50000 MILES. AFTER HAVING THE VALVES ADJUST, PROBLEM STILL PERSIST.*AK
THE MUFFLER FAILED AT 33,695 MILES. DEALER SAID ORIGINAL MUFFLER IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 75MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED OFF, PUT VEHICLE IN PARK, AND RESTARTED VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS AND DEALER STILL COULDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED, AND IS ALSO INTERMITTENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WOULD DIE INTERMITTENTLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
OIL SEAL BLEW, LOST ALMOST ALL OF THE OIL. NO WARNING. HONDA DEALER IN ALHAMBRA, CA SAID THAT THE ENGINE HAD CEASED, WANTED OVER $8,000 TO REPLACE ENGINE. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THE ENGINE HAD NOT CEASED. HE HAD 2 OTHER HONDA ACCORDS THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
BALANCE SHAFT SEAL BLEW, OIL SOAKING THE TIMING AND DRIVE BELTS. DEALER TRIED TO CHARGE ME FOR REPAIR THAT WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY SEAL THAT HONDA KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH. *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.