IllustrationCONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL 02V120000 IGNITION SWITCH REPAIRS. DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL CAR HAS 50000 MILES BEFORE THEY WOULD DO REPAIRS. *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
Electrical System complaints
96 reportsNHTSA RECALL 02V120000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. GWINNETTE PLACE HONDA, GA; PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER, AND DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHEN PARTS ARE COMING IN. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER TO GO TRY ANOTHER LOCATION, WITH LACK OF CONCERN FOR REFERRALS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
HORN STARTS BLOWING WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT YOU TOUCHING THE HORN BUTTONS. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERS DOES NOT KNOW THE CAUSE. WHEN THE HORN STARTS BLOWING IT DEPROGRAMS THE ALARM AND KEYLESS ALARM REMOTES.*AK
DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO DO RECALL 02V12000 REPAIRS CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH.AK
ERRATIC PERFORMANCE IS ACCURRING IN THIS VEHICLE WITH LIGHTS COMING ON WITHOUT SWITCH BEING ON. ALSO, OWNER NOTICES OTHER FAILURES. HE WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL 02V120000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE JUST QUITS.*AK
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE SRS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DEALER SAYS A COMPUTER CHIP HAS TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STALLED (NO POWER) WITHOUT WARNING. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN THREE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE BEING REPAIRED. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY IGNITION WAS BAD ON THE LAST VISIT (THE MECHANIC HAD TROUBLE STARTING THE CAR). NO PROBLEM EXCEPT THAT I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM STARTING THE CAR,…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STALLED (NO POWER) WITHOUT WARNING. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN THREE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE BEING REPAIRED. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY IGNITION WAS BAD ON THE LAST VISIT (THE MECHANIC HAD TROUBLE STARTING THE CAR). NO PROBLEM EXCEPT THAT I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM STARTING THE CAR, EVEN AFTER HAVING TO START THE CAR AND MOVE IT AT THE DEALERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE REPAIR. WHEN I INITIALLY DECLINED THE REPAIR SOLUTION (UNBELIEVABLE) I ASKED TO TALK TO THE MANAGER. THE MANAGER NEVER SPOKE TO ME BUT DID ADJUST THE PRICE DOWN BETTER THAN $50 AND MADE THE REPAIR WITHOUT MY CONSENT. I PAID RELUCTANTLY INFORMING THEM THAT IF THIS HAPPENED AGAIN THEY HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM ON THEIR HANDS. I THOUGHT ONLY TO USE THE INTERNET TO FIND IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITHOUT HAVING BEEN RECALLED. SOMEONE MAY HAVE LOST LOST THEIR LIFE OR WILL LOOSE THEIR LIFE. MY CAR HAS NOT STALLED SINCE BEING REPAIRED. MY LAST THREE CARS WERE HONDA ACCORDS. I DON'T THINK FUTURE PURCHASES WILL BE.*AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING STOLEN, THE ALARM DID NOT SOUND OFF. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK *YH
THE VEHICLE POWER STEERING FAILED.
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.