IllustrationCLEAR COAT PEELING AWAY FROM PAINT ON HOOD ROOF TRUNK AND DOORS. *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
Structure complaints
12 reportsCLEARCOAT AND PAINT SEPARATION SYSTEMATIC DEFECT WITH CERTAIN HONDAS PAINTED WITH GREEN PAINT. MY HONDA IS A 1997 HONDA 4-DOOR ACCORD LX WITH APPROXIMATELY 41,800 MILES. THE CLEAR COAT AND PAINT HAVE SEPARATED ON CERTAIN AREAS OF THE HONDA TO INCLUDE THE HOOD AND RIGHT SIDE DOOR. THE HONDA DEALER, ED VOYLES HONDA, MARIETTA, GEOR…
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CLEARCOAT AND PAINT SEPARATION SYSTEMATIC DEFECT WITH CERTAIN HONDAS PAINTED WITH GREEN PAINT. MY HONDA IS A 1997 HONDA 4-DOOR ACCORD LX WITH APPROXIMATELY 41,800 MILES. THE CLEAR COAT AND PAINT HAVE SEPARATED ON CERTAIN AREAS OF THE HONDA TO INCLUDE THE HOOD AND RIGHT SIDE DOOR. THE HONDA DEALER, ED VOYLES HONDA, MARIETTA, GEORGIA, PAINT MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HONDA HAS HAD A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THIS COLOR OF GREEN PAINT WHICH IS WIDESPREAD TO OTHER HONDA VEHICLES ALSO. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS RESEARCHING THE WEBSITE UNDER "DEFECTIVE HONDA AUTOMOBILE PAINT." HONDA ACKNOWLEDGES THIS WIDESPREAD PROBLEM BUT FAILS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM BY REPAINTING THE VEHICLES. THEREFORE, HONDA WILL NOT REPAINT THIS SYSTEMATIC DEFECT IN SO MANY HONDAS PAINTED GREEN. *TR
FAULTY PAINT, CLEAR COAT COMING OFF THEREFORE LEADING TO SPOTS WITH FADING PAINT. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THE TRUNK SPRING SPLIT.*JB
BOTH FRONT AND REAR AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS DO NOT OPERATE. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO LOCK DOORS OR, ONCE LOCKED, TO UNLOCK DOORS. COULD PRESENT PROBLEM IN AN EMERGENCY. MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HAS NOTICED HIGH FREQUENCY OF SIMILAR FAILURES AND SAID SUCH PROBLEM SHOULD NOT EXIST ON CAR SO NEW WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE.*AK
AUTOMATIC LOCKS DOES NOT LOCK WHEN DEPRESSING AUTOMATIC LOCK ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. *AK THE POWER DOOR LOCK WAS INOPERATIVE DUE TO CONTROL UNIT FAILURE. *YH
THE POWER DOOR LOCK ACTIVATOR IS DEFECTIVE, WHEN ALL DOORS ARE LOCKED THEY WILL START ACTIVATING INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT. *MJS
WINDSHIELD HAD SCRATCH. *SLC
SIZE OF THE SUN VISOR IS INADEQUATE AND DOES NOT COVER ENOUGH TO BLOCK SUN. MJS
NOTICED WATER ACCUMILATION ON BOTTOM PART OF ALL DOORS AFTER RAINSTORMS. WATER ALSO ACCUMILATE DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS, ALONG THE ENTIRE PLASTIC MOLDING. ALSO CAN HEAR WATER DRIPPING SLOWLY WITHIN THE DOORS. ALSO NOTICED HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF EACH DOORS, THEY SEEM TO BE THERE TO LET WATER ESCAPE. WONT AL…
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NOTICED WATER ACCUMILATION ON BOTTOM PART OF ALL DOORS AFTER RAINSTORMS. WATER ALSO ACCUMILATE DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS, ALONG THE ENTIRE PLASTIC MOLDING. ALSO CAN HEAR WATER DRIPPING SLOWLY WITHIN THE DOORS. ALSO NOTICED HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF EACH DOORS, THEY SEEM TO BE THERE TO LET WATER ESCAPE. WONT ALLOWING WATER TO BE INSIDE THE DOORS DAMAGE THE SPEAKER, POWER WINDOW MOTOR, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONANTS?
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.