IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, AND UPON COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER, HOWEVER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE PROVIDE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*JB
1997 Honda Civic
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Civic years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Honda Civic are substantially higher than the model-year median of 183.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Civic 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
Limited mileage data: 93 of 373 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 140 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
67 crash reports2 fire reports42 injury reports
What owners actually said
373 reportsWHILE TRAVELING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, BOTH AIRBAGS WENT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THERE WAS A THUNDEROUS NOISE AND PUMMELING FORCE THAT THREW THE VEHICLE INTO A TAILSPIN NEARLY COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLES, IT WAS NOT UNTIL LATER THAT CONSUMER NOTICED WHAT HAPPENED, VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM A TIRE BLOW OUT, CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL 4 TIRES WHIC…
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CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THERE WAS A THUNDEROUS NOISE AND PUMMELING FORCE THAT THREW THE VEHICLE INTO A TAILSPIN NEARLY COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLES, IT WAS NOT UNTIL LATER THAT CONSUMER NOTICED WHAT HAPPENED, VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM A TIRE BLOW OUT, CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL 4 TIRES WHICH WERE SAID TO BE DEFECTIVE FROM A REP AT A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP. *JG
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM DETECTED AND CONFIRMED BY GRESHAM HONDA. SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR 1997 HONDA CIVIC OWNERS. HONDA ACKNOWLEGED PREMATURE TRANNY FAILURE AND OFFERED TO PAY HALF FOR REPLACEMENT. CAR WAS GIVEN BACK TO ME WHILE PART IS BEING ORDERED AND WHILE DRIVING TODAY FROM A STOP LIGHT ON A HILL CAR WOULD NOT GO IN…
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TRANSMISSION PROBLEM DETECTED AND CONFIRMED BY GRESHAM HONDA. SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR 1997 HONDA CIVIC OWNERS. HONDA ACKNOWLEGED PREMATURE TRANNY FAILURE AND OFFERED TO PAY HALF FOR REPLACEMENT. CAR WAS GIVEN BACK TO ME WHILE PART IS BEING ORDERED AND WHILE DRIVING TODAY FROM A STOP LIGHT ON A HILL CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR AND STARTED TO SLIP BACKWARDS. LUCKILY BY FLOORING IT I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT BACKWARDS SLIDE INTO VEHILCE BEHIND ME BUT FEEL SOMEONE NEEDS TO CONTACT HONDA AND START A RECALL ON THIS MODEL FOR A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. IN MY CASE THEY HAVE AGREED TO COVER HALF OF THE REPAIR COST TO INSTALL A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION BUT I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS OFFER AND FEEL YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT MANY MORE ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLE INJURIES BY THE SUDDEN JERKING FROM STOP WHILE CAR TRIES TO GO INTO GEAR. PLEASE RESEARCH THIS IMMEDIATELY AND PREVENT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM BEING INJURED BY THIS KNOWN DEFECT THAT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED CORRECTLY.*AK
I RECEIVED A NEW MOTOR FOR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE CAUSING ME PROBLEMS AGAIN. *AK
TRANSMISSION STARTS SLIPPING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. VEHICLE HAS A CLEAN HISTORY AND HASNT BEEN DRIVEN HARD. I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND IDENTICAL PPROBLEMS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY FAR TO FEW MILES ON THE CAR FOR A PROBLEM OF THIS NATURE SINCE IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED AND REPLACEMENT COSTS ARE IN EXCE…
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TRANSMISSION STARTS SLIPPING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. VEHICLE HAS A CLEAN HISTORY AND HASNT BEEN DRIVEN HARD. I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND IDENTICAL PPROBLEMS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY FAR TO FEW MILES ON THE CAR FOR A PROBLEM OF THIS NATURE SINCE IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED AND REPLACEMENT COSTS ARE IN EXCESS OF $5000. HONDA REFUSES TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS AND I THINK IT WARRANTS A RECALL OR AT LEAST SOME KIND OF INVESTIGATION INTO THEIR PRODUCT. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THERE WAS A THUNDEROUS NOISE AND PUMMELING FORCE THAT THREW THE VEHICLE INTO A TAILSPIN NEARLY COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLES, IT WAS NOT UNTIL LATER THAT CONSUMER NOTICED WHAT HAPPENED, VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM A TIRE BLOW OUT, CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL 4 TIRES THAT…
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CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THERE WAS A THUNDEROUS NOISE AND PUMMELING FORCE THAT THREW THE VEHICLE INTO A TAILSPIN NEARLY COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLES, IT WAS NOT UNTIL LATER THAT CONSUMER NOTICED WHAT HAPPENED, VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM A TIRE BLOW OUT, CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL 4 TIRES THAT WERE SAID TO BE DEFECTIVE FROM A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP. *JG *TT
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 55 MPH, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *JG
TOOK CAR IN FOR 60000 SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS MY V-TECH TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN ON THE FREEWAY. HONDA DOES NOT WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS SPECIFIC PART IS DEFECTIVE. THESE V-TECH TRANSMISSIONS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. THERE ARE MANY MORE HONDA CIVIC OWNERS THAT KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABO…
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TOOK CAR IN FOR 60000 SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS MY V-TECH TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN ON THE FREEWAY. HONDA DOES NOT WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS SPECIFIC PART IS DEFECTIVE. THESE V-TECH TRANSMISSIONS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. THERE ARE MANY MORE HONDA CIVIC OWNERS THAT KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT! JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!*AK
WHILE DRIVING, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO STATED THAT CONTROL UNIT WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED. *AK. *JB
Official recalls
220V026000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Jan 17, 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.
97V193000 · Air Bags:frontal
Nov 1, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULES HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED. THE CLOTH FLAPS COVERING THE FOLDED AIR BAG MAY HAVE BEEN TUCKED IN TOO FAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD PREVENT PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. IN A CRASH, AN IMPROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE FRONT PASSENGER'S AIR BAG MODULE TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING.
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
1SQ98012 · Condenser Fan Motor Inoperative
Opened Jun 30, 1998 · Closed Nov 2, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.