IllustrationEACH TIME I AM STOPPED AND THE CAR IS IN DRIVE THE IDLE FLUCTUATES RAPIDLY BETWEEN 0 AND 1000 RPM. WHEN THE GAS IS PRESSED THE CAR WILL JERK INTO DRIVE AND WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP. *AK
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 reportsTHE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THE HONDA CIVIC. THE COST OF REPAIR WILL BE OVER $600.00 PROVIDED THAT THIS DID NOT DAMAGE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN THE COST…
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THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THE HONDA CIVIC. THE COST OF REPAIR WILL BE OVER $600.00 PROVIDED THAT THIS DID NOT DAMAGE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN THE COST WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $100.00 TO $200.00 MORE. GIVEN THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURENCE, I FELT THAT IT MAY WARRANT FURTHER REPORTING TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.*AK
POWER WINDOW BROKE
AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING 2.5 HOURS, SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDER HOOD AND CAR MISFIRED REPEATEDLY. AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM NON-FUNCTIONAL; HALL HONDA ATTRIBUTES TO COOLING FAN FAILURE BUT IS RELUCTANT TO REPAIR UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY CLAIMING PROBLEM IS RELATED TO PREVIOUS ACCIDENT DAMAGE THREE YEARS AGO ALTHOUGH ANOTHER MANAGER FROM…
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AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING 2.5 HOURS, SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDER HOOD AND CAR MISFIRED REPEATEDLY. AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM NON-FUNCTIONAL; HALL HONDA ATTRIBUTES TO COOLING FAN FAILURE BUT IS RELUCTANT TO REPAIR UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY CLAIMING PROBLEM IS RELATED TO PREVIOUS ACCIDENT DAMAGE THREE YEARS AGO ALTHOUGH ANOTHER MANAGER FROM SAME DEALERSHIP DISAGREES. *AK
YOUR WEBSITE INDICATES THAT THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN FOR THIS ITEM, I PAID FOR THE REPAIR, AND UPON CONTACTING BOTH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE WORK WAS PERFORMED, AND HONDA, WAS TOLD THAT IT ONLY APPLIED TO '96 MODELS...IS THIS ACCURATE? SHOULD I BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS REPAIR? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
SCOTT HONDA MAILED A POST CARD TO MY HOME IN FEB 2OOO FOR CAR RECALL. UPON CALLING HOINDA THE LEASE AGENT PUT ME ON HOLD AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE DEPT. SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO SAY THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS UNTIL MY CAR REACHED BETWEN 60,000-70,000 MILES. SHE STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD RUMBLE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOU…
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SCOTT HONDA MAILED A POST CARD TO MY HOME IN FEB 2OOO FOR CAR RECALL. UPON CALLING HOINDA THE LEASE AGENT PUT ME ON HOLD AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE DEPT. SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO SAY THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS UNTIL MY CAR REACHED BETWEN 60,000-70,000 MILES. SHE STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD RUMBLE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOUDL COME ON DUE TO FAULTY WIRING,ETC. I EXPALINED THAT MY CAR WAS SERVICE AND THE ENGINE LIHGT CAME ON DURING MY INSPECTION AND THAT I SPENT 450.00 ON GETTING MY CAR REWIRED ETC.. SHE EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE WIHT THE CAR AND IT WOULD OCCUR AT A HIGHER MILAGE AND TO BRING MY CAR IN. I ASKED HER WAHT TO DUE IN CASE I DON'T EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS OR IF I LOST MY RECALL POSTCARD . SHE STATED THAT IT WAS NO PROBLEM AND TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP MGR. AND THAT HE WOULD HONOR THE SITUATION AND GIVE ME A NEW POSTCARD.. UPON MY ENIGINE LIGHT TURING ON...AND MY CONTACTING HONDA SERIVE THE GENTLEMAN WAS RATHER SCARASTIC AND RUDE AND ACCUSED ME OF NOT TAKING CAR OF MY CAR AS WELL AS STATING THAT HE KNEW OF NO RECALLS FOR A 1997 CIVIC. WOULD SOMEONE BE SO KIND AS TO INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION?? HONDAS ARE RELIABLE CARS AND THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBELEMS @ 3 YEARS OLD. IN ADDITION, MY AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATING SYSTEM ONLY LASTED APPROX. 2/12/ YEARS. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ELECTRONICALLY WRONG WITH THIS MODEL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. SINCERELY, DEIDRE L. ADORE. *AK
REPEATED WARPING OF BRAKE ROTOR WITH SEVERE VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHENEVER BRAKES APPLIED. TURNING (RESURFACING) ROTOR ONLY SOLVES PROBLEM FOR 10,000 MILES. DEALER WOULDN'T COVER UNDER WARRANTY & INSISTS VIBRATION DOES NOT AFFECT SAFETY. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS, AS STEERING WHEEL JERKS VIOLENTLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS.*AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN LOW SPEED AND UPON ACCELERATING VEHICLE JERKS. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 99I002000 DUE TO VIN. *AK *ML
RECALL 99E015000 REPAIRS DID CORRECT THE PROBELM, FLOOR MAT CAUSED ACCELERATOR PEDAL NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE MAKING A TURN PIN THAT HOLDS THE PULLEY FELL OFF, CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*AK
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.