IllustrationTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW IT FAILED TO OPEN OR CLOSE COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89000.
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
Visibility complaints
13 reportsELECTRIC WINDOWS OPERATE VERY SLOWLY (TO NOT AT ALL) ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER. HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH STICKS TO THE "ON" POSITION IN COLD WEATHER. ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. EMISSIONS LIGHT COMES ON (AND STAYS ON) PREMATURELY OR FOR NO REASON). *AK
WHEN PUSHING BUTTON TO OPEN OR CLOSE WINDOW, WINDOW GOES REALLY SLOW. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THEY WOULD CHANGE DRIVER'S SIDE SWITCH. LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER, WINDOW WAS STARTING TO MOVE SLOWLY AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AKI
CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE LEAKS FROM THE SUNROOF WHEN RAINING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*JB
ALL WINDOWS WHEN BEING OPERATED EITHER UP OR DOWN CONTINUE TO COME OFF TRACK. DEALER HAS REPLACED POWER WINDOW REGULATOR BUT ALL WINDOWS HAVE FALLEN OFF THE TRACK INSIDE THE DOORS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
WINDSHIELD HAD SCRATCH. *SLC
INTERNAL PIECES OF THE HEATER FAN ARE FALLING OFF, GOING INTO THE FAN ITSELF, CAUSING THE FAN TO BE INOPERATIVE. PROBLEM COULD CREATE A FIRE HAZARD DUE TO THE MATERIAL GOING INTO THE FAN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
POWER WINDOWS(ESPECIALLY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE) OPERATE VERY SLOWLY AFTER RAINSTORMS. THERE IS ALSO SOME SORT OF STICKY FILM THAT DEVELOPES ON THE INNER TOP PART OF ALL THE WINDOWS WHERE THE GLASS COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE WEATHER STRIPS. A LOUD , UNSTICKING SOUNDS COMES FROM THE WINDOWS WHEN THEY ARE FIRST LOWERED. TRIED TO CL…
Read full complaint
POWER WINDOWS(ESPECIALLY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE) OPERATE VERY SLOWLY AFTER RAINSTORMS. THERE IS ALSO SOME SORT OF STICKY FILM THAT DEVELOPES ON THE INNER TOP PART OF ALL THE WINDOWS WHERE THE GLASS COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE WEATHER STRIPS. A LOUD , UNSTICKING SOUNDS COMES FROM THE WINDOWS WHEN THEY ARE FIRST LOWERED. TRIED TO CLEAN WINDOWS AND WEATHER STRIPING WITH A MILD CLEANSER, BUT NO LUCK! THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ALREADY.
WHILE DRIVING HEARD A POP AND HIT A BUMP AND REAR GLASS WINDOW STARTED TO SHATTER INTO THE VEHICLE, THE REAR DEFOGGER WAS ON. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. LEASED VEHICLE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE DEFECTIVE DEFOGGER SYSTEM CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD TO FOG UP, RESULTING IN VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *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.