IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE BALANCE SHAFT SEAL CAME OUT AND CAUSED OIL TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
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 reportsMY HUSBAND COULD OF BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY HURT FROM THIS PART COMING OFF OF HIS VEHICLE AS HE WAS GOING TOO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE.THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE TO ACCORDS YEARS 96&97 AND I'M VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. MRS. SUTTON H
CONSUMER STATES AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT (SRS) CAME ON AND STAYED ON, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED AND CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN INTERNAL FAILURE TO THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND IF AN ACCIDENT WAS TO OCCUR THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY, MECHANIC ALSO ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A NA…
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CONSUMER STATES AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT (SRS) CAME ON AND STAYED ON, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED AND CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN INTERNAL FAILURE TO THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND IF AN ACCIDENT WAS TO OCCUR THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY, MECHANIC ALSO ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A NATIONAL BACK ORDER FOR THE NEEDED PART, AND WAS NOT SURE WHEN PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. *JB
SAME EXACT INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ANOTHER CAR I OWNED, HONDA ACCORD LX 96, AT THE SAME MILEAGE RANGE (59K-60K). ONLY WITH ACCORD 96, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO STOP ON TIME, AND WAS ABLE TO SAVE THE ENGINE. WHEREAS, IN THIS CAR - ACCORD 97 SITUATION, I WAS TOO LATE, ALL OF THE OIL CAME OUT, AND ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLY DAMAGED. ACCOR…
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SAME EXACT INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ANOTHER CAR I OWNED, HONDA ACCORD LX 96, AT THE SAME MILEAGE RANGE (59K-60K). ONLY WITH ACCORD 96, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO STOP ON TIME, AND WAS ABLE TO SAVE THE ENGINE. WHEREAS, IN THIS CAR - ACCORD 97 SITUATION, I WAS TOO LATE, ALL OF THE OIL CAME OUT, AND ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLY DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO THE HONDA ACCORD MANUALS, MAINTENANCE (CHANGE OF TIMING BELTS, ETC.) ON THE CAR SHOULD BE DONE AT AROUND 90K MILES, EXCLUDING THE REGULAR OIL CHANGES. THEREFORE, BOTH INCIDENTS WERE NOT RELATED TO A DELAYED MAINTENANCE, BUT TO AN IRREGULAR FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP AND THE OIL SEAL. BOTH CASES ARE IDENTICAL ON SIMILAR CARS AND DESERVE TO BE INVESTIGATED.
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ABS LIGHT ACTIVATED, VEHICLE STILL HAD BRAKING CAPACITY. TOOK VEHICLE TO NEAREST HONDA DEALER IN GOLDSBORO, N.C AND WAS INFORMED ABS MODULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACE QUOTED A COST OF $ 996.00. *AK
THE FUSE BOX FAILED CAUSING COMPLETE POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT WERE PROBABLY RELATED TO THE FUSE BOX FAILURE. *MJS
THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON IN VEHICLE. IT'S FAULTY DEFECTIVE PIECE. AIRBAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MANUFACTURE FELT NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS.*AK THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAG IS FACTORY DEFECT. *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
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON & DID NOT GO OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE AIR BAGS IN VEHICLE REPLACED.*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.