IllustrationWHILE PARKING INSIDE OF THE PARKING LOT AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WENT FORWARD WITH SPEED AND HIT A POLE.*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
What owners actually said
460 reportsACCELERATOR GOT STUCK FOR THE SECOND TIME, FIRST WHILE PULLING IN TO PARK ENGINE REVVED AND BRAKE WAS APPLIED, VEHICLE RAN INTO LARGE BOULDER, CAUSING $ 4000.00 DAMAGE. ALSO, ON 5 APRIL 2002 AT SLOW SPEED ENGINE REVVED, BRAKE WAS APPLIED, AND CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE HIT A CEMENT POST, CAUSING $ 6100.00 DA…
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ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK FOR THE SECOND TIME, FIRST WHILE PULLING IN TO PARK ENGINE REVVED AND BRAKE WAS APPLIED, VEHICLE RAN INTO LARGE BOULDER, CAUSING $ 4000.00 DAMAGE. ALSO, ON 5 APRIL 2002 AT SLOW SPEED ENGINE REVVED, BRAKE WAS APPLIED, AND CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE HIT A CEMENT POST, CAUSING $ 6100.00 DAMAGE. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME.*AK
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER DUE TO SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST DURING ACCELERATION, THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK A SECOND TIME IN WHICH THE DEALER REMOVED THE HEADS AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE IN WHICH THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACED, THE DEALER WOULD NOT…
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CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER DUE TO SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST DURING ACCELERATION, THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK A SECOND TIME IN WHICH THE DEALER REMOVED THE HEADS AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE IN WHICH THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACED, THE DEALER WOULD NOT MAKE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. *SLC
CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND ENDED UP IN BACK SEAT. FIRST SHE WENT FORWARD AND BOUNCED BACK, AND ENDED UP IN REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HIT STEERING WHEEL, AND SUSTAINED HEAD/ EYE, AND NECK INJURIES. *AK
ON APRIL 9, 2002 AS I WAS PARKING INTO MY APARTMENT COMPLEX DRIVE, GOING ABOUT 5 MPH PARKING IN A SPACE. MY 1997 HONDA ACCORD SE ACCELERATED FORWARD INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THE CAR JUMPED THE PARKING MEDIAN AND I ENDED UP IN SOME BRUSHES AND ON ONE OF THE APARTMENT PATIO BALCONIES. PRAISE GOD, THE BRUSHES WAS THERE WHICH SLOWED …
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ON APRIL 9, 2002 AS I WAS PARKING INTO MY APARTMENT COMPLEX DRIVE, GOING ABOUT 5 MPH PARKING IN A SPACE. MY 1997 HONDA ACCORD SE ACCELERATED FORWARD INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THE CAR JUMPED THE PARKING MEDIAN AND I ENDED UP IN SOME BRUSHES AND ON ONE OF THE APARTMENT PATIO BALCONIES. PRAISE GOD, THE BRUSHES WAS THERE WHICH SLOWED THE SPEED AND DID NOT CAUSE MORE DAMAGE THAN IT DID. THE CAR PICKED ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED, I WOULD SAY ABOUT 30-45 OR MORE MPH. IT SOUNDED LOUD LIKE AN ACCELERATOR JUST PICKED UP VERY HIGH SPEED.*AK
WHILE BRAKING TO PARK, ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND TOOK OFF OUT OF CONTROL, FORCING VEHICLE INTO SOME BUSHES AND A PRIVATE PATIO DECK BEFORE STOPPING. ONE INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED. *TT
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING STOLEN, THE ALARM DID NOT SOUND OFF. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK *YH
1ST ACCIDENT OF 2 INVOLVING HONDA ACCORD. BOTH ACCIDENTS HAPPENED WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF EACH OTHER IN DIFFERENT TOWNS. BOTH DRIVERS OF THE 97 AND 98 ACCORDS SAID WHEN THEY WERE PASSING A VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. STEERING LINKAGES AND SUSPENSION PARTS WERE INSPECTED AND CHECKED OUT FINE. UNKNOWN I…
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1ST ACCIDENT OF 2 INVOLVING HONDA ACCORD. BOTH ACCIDENTS HAPPENED WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF EACH OTHER IN DIFFERENT TOWNS. BOTH DRIVERS OF THE 97 AND 98 ACCORDS SAID WHEN THEY WERE PASSING A VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. STEERING LINKAGES AND SUSPENSION PARTS WERE INSPECTED AND CHECKED OUT FINE. UNKNOWN IF STEERING COLUMN HAS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM OF LOCKING UP. STEERING COLUMN WAS TURNING FINE AT INVESTIGATION. NLM
SRS LIGHT APPEAED ON DASHBOARD FOURTH TIME WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
OIL 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
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.