Illustration1997 HONDA ACCORD EX FAILED ABS MODULATOR. IT SEEMS THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS PART BEING A HIGH FAILURE ITEM. HONDA JUST SITS BACK AND CHARGES 1300 DOLLARS TO REPLACE A SAFETY ITEM. PLEASE HONDA MAKE THIS A RECALL AND START TAKING CARE OF YOUR CUSTOMERS. *TR
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
32 reportsWHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AT NORMAL CONDITIONS ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO CONSUMER ABS MODULE AND SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSES OF $2,200, BUT PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF SUBJECT VEHICLE. THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING THRICE ON MY 1997 HONDA ACCORD EX WAGON [XXX] WITH 31000 MILES; THE VEHICLE HAS NO BRAKE LIGHTS AFTER BRAKE SWITCH FAILS. PREVIOUS IDENTICAL FAILURES WERE AT 22000 MILES ON 06/18/2002 AND 164K MILES ON 09/29/2000. MY DEALER SAYS THAT SUCH A …
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I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF SUBJECT VEHICLE. THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING THRICE ON MY 1997 HONDA ACCORD EX WAGON [XXX] WITH 31000 MILES; THE VEHICLE HAS NO BRAKE LIGHTS AFTER BRAKE SWITCH FAILS. PREVIOUS IDENTICAL FAILURES WERE AT 22000 MILES ON 06/18/2002 AND 164K MILES ON 09/29/2000. MY DEALER SAYS THAT SUCH A FAILURE IS TYPICAL AFTER EACH 100-150K MILES ON THESE VEHICLES. WHEN THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILS, THE OPERATOR MUST USE THE "SHIFT LOCK RELEASE" (SLR) TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR FROM THE PARK POSITION. PAGE 105 OF THE OWNS MANUAL MERELY STATES "IF YOU NEED TO USE THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE, IT COULD MEAN YOUR CAR IS DEVELOPING A PROBLEM. HAVE THE CAR CHECKED BY YOUR HONDA DEALER." THERE IS NO MENTION THAT THE CAR MAY NOT HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS. THERE NO DASH INDICATOR NOTIFYING THE DRIVER THAT THERE ARE NO BRAKE LIGHTS: THERE IS NO WARNING OF ANY SORT THAT ALL BRAKE LIGHTS ARE OUT. (THE "BRAKE LAMP" FAILURE DASH LAMP ONLY TELLS IF A BULB IS OUT IF THE BRAKE SWITCH IS WORKING.) THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT COULD RESULT IN FATAL ACCIDENTS. IN THIS LASTEST BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE, I WAS 500 MILES FROM HOME AND OPERATED THE CAR FOR THE NEXT DAY UNAWARE OF THIS CONDITION UNTIL I RETURNED HOME AND WENT TO MY LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED BY REPLACING THE BRAKE SWITCH AT A COST OF ABOUT $127. I HAVE MY SERVICE RECEIPTS FROM ALL THREE REPAIRS. *AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I RECENTLY ABOUT 1 1/2 MONTHS AGO HAD MY BRAKE PADS REPLACED, 2 DAYS AGO THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF, I HAVE DONE ALL THE CHECKS AND EVERYTHING IS FINE...ESTIMATED REPAIR RUNS FROM $900-$1500..I HAVE ALSO NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER HONDA OWNERS FOR THE SAME THING I FEEL THAT HONDA NEEDS TO …
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I RECENTLY ABOUT 1 1/2 MONTHS AGO HAD MY BRAKE PADS REPLACED, 2 DAYS AGO THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF, I HAVE DONE ALL THE CHECKS AND EVERYTHING IS FINE...ESTIMATED REPAIR RUNS FROM $900-$1500..I HAVE ALSO NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER HONDA OWNERS FOR THE SAME THING I FEEL THAT HONDA NEEDS TO DO A RECALL AND GET THIS ISSUE CORRECTED..IT SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON THE CONSUMER HONDA NEEDS TO STAND UP AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE FACT THEY HAVE VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. *JB
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED I HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE ABS MODULATOR. THE NOISE REPEATEDLY OCCURS APPROX EVERY 2-3 MINUTES. AFTER APPROX 5 MILES OF DRIVING THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT 2 PARTS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED, THE MODULATOR AND ?. THE COST OF REPAIR WAS 1200 WITH A DEALER DISCOUNT.
I PURCHASED THIS 1997 HONDA ACCORD FROM MY MOM (SHE WAS THE ONLY OWNER) IT ONLY HAD 18,000 MILES AT THE TIME. CURRENTLY THE AUTO HAS A LITTLE MORE THAN 40,000 AND THERE IS NOTICABLE TIRE WEAR AND THE BRAKES MAKE A STRANGE CLICKING NOISE WHEN BRAKING.
ABS SYSTEM WASL LEAKING COST$ 640 TO REPAIR. THEN FOUND THAT ABS MODULATOR HAD FAILED WHICH COST OVER $940 TO REPLACE. WHAT KIND OF BRAKE DESIGN IS THIS? TOTAL RIPOFF. NEVER AGAIN HONDA.
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND FLIPPED OVER. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, AND WHEN DOING SO, VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND NOT SLOW DOWN AT ALL. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO ANYTHING.*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.