IllustrationSEAT BELT NOT LONG ENOUGH FOR MY DAUGHTER IN LAW TO USE. CONTACTED DEALER. WAS TOLD HONDA DOESN'T MAKE EXTENTIONS LIKE FORD DOES. CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS?*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 reportsTIRES HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS IN SIDEWALL. LF TIRE BLEW OUT WHEN LARGE PORTION OF SIDEWALL BECAME DETACHED FROM INNER CORDS. TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED AT 34PSI SHORTLY BEFORE INCIDENT. NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO TIRE FROM ROAD DEBRIS, ETC. WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN FAI (DOT NUMBER: M3NX83AX50 TIRESIZE: 185/65R15)
THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS STAY ON, NO PROBLEM FOUND. *SLC
HEARED A LOUD BANGING NOISE UNDER THE SHIFT LEVER WHILE DRIVING 40+ MPH ACCELERATING ONTO THE INTERSTATE. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, CAR STALLED WHILE TURNING CORNER. EXPERIENCED SLUGGISH AND INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER (WITH FREQUENT STALLING DRIVING BETWEEEN 10 TO 65 MPH ON RESIDENTIAL AREA OR ON A HIGHWAY). HONDA SERVICE TECHNICIA…
Read full complaint
HEARED A LOUD BANGING NOISE UNDER THE SHIFT LEVER WHILE DRIVING 40+ MPH ACCELERATING ONTO THE INTERSTATE. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, CAR STALLED WHILE TURNING CORNER. EXPERIENCED SLUGGISH AND INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER (WITH FREQUENT STALLING DRIVING BETWEEEN 10 TO 65 MPH ON RESIDENTIAL AREA OR ON A HIGHWAY). HONDA SERVICE TECHNICIAN REMOVED AND REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL & MAIN RELAY, AND ADVISED ME TO DISCONNECT A NON-HONDA CAR THEFT ALARM SYSTEM FOR FURTHER TROUBLESHOOTING OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM. PROBLEM GOT WORST AFTER DISCONNECTING CAR THEFT ALARM SYSTEM. CAR LOST POWER, (SOMETIMES POWER COMES BACK ON WHEN FOOT WAS LIFT OFF THE GAS PEDAL), MORE THAN 15 TIMES WITHIN 8 MILES OF DRIVING AT 4:30AM AND HAD DIFFICULTY RESTARTING. EXPERIENCED HARD START LATER THAT DAY AT 3:30PM. TODAY, CHRISTMAS DAY, I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, CLEANED THE TERMINALS, CHECKED THE WIRES UNDER THE DASHBOARD FOR CUT OR LOOSE CONNECTIONS, RECONNECT THE BATTREY, TEST DRIVED, AND CAR STALLED WITH SOME WEIRD NOISE (LIKE A NOISE MADE BY AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT LOSSING POWER) BY FRONT/LOWER OF THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR. THIS PROBLEM HAD ALREADY COST ME A LITTLE OVER $500.00 AND I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO SPEND JUST TO GUESS WHAT WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *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
NO FULE PUMP IN TOWN, ON ORDER FOR 4 DAYS NOW. FUEL PUMP SHOULD NOT GO OUT AT 40000 MILES. *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
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
I LOST MORE THAN HALF OF THE OIL ON 2 MILE DRIVE TO SCHOOL- BROKEN SEAL, WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. MY LUCK IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY- THE CAR WOULD'VE BEEN GONE. A MECHANIC AT FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER WAS NOT SURPRISED - HE HAD SEEN THIS HAPPEN ON MANY OTHER ACCORDS.*AK
PEOO 020; ATTENDANT AT GARAGE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A CRACKING ALL AROUND SIDEWALL. LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS SHOWING MORE WEAR . ALL TIRES WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF CRACKING. BRIDGESTONE, POTENZA, RE92 1856515, THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK CRACKING WAS ON INSIDE AND CORD FAILURE WAS VISIBLE ON BOTH FRONT TIRES. *YH
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.