IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED. *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
What owners actually said
460 reportsFRONT AND THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS KEEP WEARING OUT. CONSUMER HAS TO KEEP REPLACING THE ROTORS. *AK CONSUMER STATED HE HAS SPENT OVER $800.00 IN 8 MONTHS REPLACING REAR AND FRONT ROTORS.*JB
SIZE OF THE SUN VISOR IS INADEQUATE AND DOES NOT COVER ENOUGH TO BLOCK SUN. MJS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPORX. 35-40 FROM A DEAD STOP, BOTH AIR BAGS FAIL TO DEPLOYED. DEALER / MFR. WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN OCTOBER OF 1998 AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED. HOWEVER, CONSUMER RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE (98V-231) ON MAY OF 1999 AND CALLED THE 800 NUMBER ON THE RECALL AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED. THE RECALL WAS FOR A WIRE HARNESS THAT COULD SHORT CIRCUI…
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CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN OCTOBER OF 1998 AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED. HOWEVER, CONSUMER RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE (98V-231) ON MAY OF 1999 AND CALLED THE 800 NUMBER ON THE RECALL AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED. THE RECALL WAS FOR A WIRE HARNESS THAT COULD SHORT CIRCUIT, AND CAUSE POSSIBLE FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. POSSIBLE INJURIES MAY HAVE OCCURED DUE TO FALSE INFORMATION FROM DEALER. *YC
WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE CONSUMER CAN SMELL FUEL OR VAPORS WITHIN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE THE SMELL GETS INTO VEHICLE, AND CONSUMER CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE FUEL OR VAPORS ARE COMING FROM. DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKS UP HOLDING THE PASSENGER TIGHTLY AGAINST THE SEAT AND CAN ONLY BE RELEASED IF THE SEAT BELT IS COMPLETELY RETRACTED. THIS CAN BE DONE MANUALLY WITHOUT THE CAR DRIVING. I HAVE CONTACTED OUR DEALER AND IT SAYS ALL IS WELL.LOOKING AT YOUR DATABASE INDICATES HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK
I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE ON MY DRIVEWAY TO GO TO WORK. I GENTLY PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL LIKE I DO EVERY DAY. THE CAR JUMPED LIKE A BULLET SPUN 180 DEGREES HIT A TREE IN MY FRONT YARD SPUN AROUND FOR ANOTHER 180 DEGREES AND LANDED IN MY FRONT YARD. THE TRUNK OF THE CAR WAS TOTALY DESTROID AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS BADLY DAMAGED WHE…
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I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE ON MY DRIVEWAY TO GO TO WORK. I GENTLY PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL LIKE I DO EVERY DAY. THE CAR JUMPED LIKE A BULLET SPUN 180 DEGREES HIT A TREE IN MY FRONT YARD SPUN AROUND FOR ANOTHER 180 DEGREES AND LANDED IN MY FRONT YARD. THE TRUNK OF THE CAR WAS TOTALY DESTROID AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS BADLY DAMAGED WHEN THE CAR SPUN THE SECOND TIME AND HIT ANOTHER TREE IN MY FRONT YARD. I THINK WHEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL SOMEHOW IT GOT STUCK AND CAUSED THE RAPID UNCONTROL ACCELERATION OF THE CAR. I CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT MAKE A REPORT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN A PRIVATE PROPERTY AND NOBODY WAS INJURED. I ALSO CALLED THE DEALER.
NOTICED WATER ACCUMILATION ON BOTTOM PART OF ALL DOORS AFTER RAINSTORMS. WATER ALSO ACCUMILATE DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS, ALONG THE ENTIRE PLASTIC MOLDING. ALSO CAN HEAR WATER DRIPPING SLOWLY WITHIN THE DOORS. ALSO NOTICED HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF EACH DOORS, THEY SEEM TO BE THERE TO LET WATER ESCAPE. WONT AL…
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NOTICED WATER ACCUMILATION ON BOTTOM PART OF ALL DOORS AFTER RAINSTORMS. WATER ALSO ACCUMILATE DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS, ALONG THE ENTIRE PLASTIC MOLDING. ALSO CAN HEAR WATER DRIPPING SLOWLY WITHIN THE DOORS. ALSO NOTICED HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF EACH DOORS, THEY SEEM TO BE THERE TO LET WATER ESCAPE. WONT ALLOWING WATER TO BE INSIDE THE DOORS DAMAGE THE SPEAKER, POWER WINDOW MOTOR, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONANTS?
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.