WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON AT ALL TIMES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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.
What owners actually said
373 reportsVEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATION, DEALER REPAIRED WIRING SYSTEM HOWEVER AFTER REPAIR THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE AS WELL, ADDITIONAL WIRING REPAIRS IN THE HARNESS COMPLETED, THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DO WIRING REPAIRS PROPERLY AND HARNESS WAS BROKEN WITH SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE…
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VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATION, DEALER REPAIRED WIRING SYSTEM HOWEVER AFTER REPAIR THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE AS WELL, ADDITIONAL WIRING REPAIRS IN THE HARNESS COMPLETED, THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DO WIRING REPAIRS PROPERLY AND HARNESS WAS BROKEN WITH SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS DUE TO DAMAGED WIRING HARNESS. *MJS
RANDOM OCCURRENCES OF CAR SUDDENLY BEGINNING TO SHAKE AS THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN. TYPICALLY OCCURS ON HIGHWAY GOING SPEEDS OF 60 MPH OR GREATER. HOWEVER, AFTER SHAKING BEGINS, SLOWING DOWN OR SPEEDING UP HAS NO EFFECT - THE SHAKING CONTINUES. *AK
IF THE CAR IS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH OR GREATER AND THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE CAR SHAKES UNTIL THE BRAKES ARE RELEASED. *AK
RIGHT SIDE OF TRUNK LEAKS ,CAUSING THE OWNER TO PUT EVERYTHING IN THE BACK SEAT INSTEAD OF THE TRUNK. POSSIBLE HAZARD IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR AND ITEMS IN BACK SEAT WERE TO FLY FORWARD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK (IN 5:00 PM RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC) ATTEMPTED TO USE THE SUNVISOR. THE SUNVISOR BROKE OFF AND DEBRIS WAS TEMPORARILY LODGED IN LEFT EYE. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW COMES OFF TRACK AND DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ROLLED UP. *AK
FENDER LINER REPLACED 8 MONTHS AGO DUE TO ACCIDENT. WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, PART OF FENDER LINER CAME APART AND GOT STUCK ON FRONT LEFT TIRE, CAUSING CAR TO ALMOST GO OFF ROAD. CONTACTED HONDA BODYSHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN HONDA PROBLEM. NOT THEIR FAULT, AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF. CONTACTED HONDA DEAL…
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FENDER LINER REPLACED 8 MONTHS AGO DUE TO ACCIDENT. WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, PART OF FENDER LINER CAME APART AND GOT STUCK ON FRONT LEFT TIRE, CAUSING CAR TO ALMOST GO OFF ROAD. CONTACTED HONDA BODYSHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN HONDA PROBLEM. NOT THEIR FAULT, AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF. CONTACTED HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS BOUGHT, AND THEY COULDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING. *AK
A DESIGN FLAW IN REAR WINDOW MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE OVER THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE. YH
THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND APPARENTLY BURST CAUSING SEVERE EYE INJURY A TWELVE YEAR OLD CHILD (MY SON) WHO WAS WAERING HIS SEAT BELT. FROM THE INITIAL DIAGNOSIS OF THE AMBULANCE CREW TO HIS CHIEF CORNEA & OTHER EYE SPECIALIST - ALL OF THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. WE WERE STRUCK FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE B…
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THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND APPARENTLY BURST CAUSING SEVERE EYE INJURY A TWELVE YEAR OLD CHILD (MY SON) WHO WAS WAERING HIS SEAT BELT. FROM THE INITIAL DIAGNOSIS OF THE AMBULANCE CREW TO HIS CHIEF CORNEA & OTHER EYE SPECIALIST - ALL OF THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. WE WERE STRUCK FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A SPEEDING VEHICLE AT AN INTERSECTION IN SAGINAW MICHIGAN. BECAUSE OF THE INTENSIVE INJURIES TO MY SON, HIS CARE WAS TRANSFERED TO THE KELLOGG CENTER, THE REGIONAL EYE TRAUMA & CARE EXPERTS IN MICHIGAN. ACCORDING TO CHRIS SURGEONS - HE SUSTAINED THE MOST MASSIVE INJURIES (VOID OF A FATALITY) SURGEONS HAS SEEN AT THE REGIONAL CENTER. EVERY MAJOR PART OFO HIS EYE WAS DAMAGED, THE CORNEA- BURNED, THE IRIS TORN IN SEVERAL PLACES, THE LEND DISLOCATED & ERUPTED (IT HAS SINCE BEEN REPLACED), RETINA SCARRING, OCCULAR BONE FRACTURES, LOST HIS UPPER TEAR DUCT, TORN, SEPERATED EYE LID, AND SEVERAL OTHERS INJURIES INTERNAL TO THE EYE AND THE FACIAL AREA AROUND HIS LEFT EYE, THE LEFT EYE WAS THE ONLY EYE DAMAGED. MY SON IS STILL UNDERGOING SURGERIES, AND OTHER RESTORATIVE MEDICAL PROCEDURES TO RESTORE HIS VISION & HIS APEARANCE. I TRIED TO CONTACT THE HONDA CORPORATION TO NO AVAIL. I ALSO CONTACTED THE U.S. DEPT OF TRANSP SAFETY TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT - I WAS SENT A FORM AND SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. I AM FILING THIS REPORT AS AN ASSURED WAY OF HAVING THIS CASE INVESTIGATED, NOTED OR LOOKED INTO, THIS MUCH DAMAGE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE TO MY CHILD. HIS PHYSICIANS AGREE TO THIS GIVEN THEIR HISTORY OF TREATING AIR BAG INJURIES. THUS, ONE COULD CONCLUDE THE AIR BAD MALFUNCTIONED. I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED SCORES OF ARTICLES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF AIR BAGS - IT BOTHERS ME THAT THE PUBLIC IS MADE AWARE OF THIER DANGERS TO INFANTS BUT NOT AS THEY RELATE TO YOUNG CHILDREN. I SEEK SOME FOLLOW-UP T O THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR DISPLAYED A MADE IN AMERICA STICKER ON THE BACK. I DON'T THINK THAT MATTERS BUT I HAVE OWNED HOND
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.
Illustration