Most common 1997 Honda Accord problems
Share of the 460 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Accord complaints by model year
Best Accord years: 2023, 2011, 2012. Years to avoid: 2018, 2013, 2019, 2014, 2003. Compare all years →
1997 Honda Accord recalls (3)
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
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.
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…
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
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.
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.
What 1997 Honda Accord owners say
Air bags all 113 →
The SRS light came on suddenly while driving. Took to dealer and they are charging a lot to repair it. I have not done the repair . How come air bag related SRS light can come while just driving and why do I need to pay for it ? It should be covered by manufacturer
The SRS light on our 1997 Honda ex-v6 model will not go off. We complained to the dealer, willey Honda, (where the automobile was purchased new and all service work has been done) and they simply turned the light off saying there must be a "short" in the light. The first complaint was before the warranty was up on the vehicle. Several times since when it has come back on - they would turn it off. Now they are telling us it must be the computer system and they want us to pay $750.+ to have it repaired properly as the air bags might not be working right! We feel this is a safety issue and they should have taken care of the problem the first time instead of "guessing". This should not be our problem no matter how many miles are on the car! We are, now, afraid to drive it in case they inflate when they "shouldn't" or when they "should". …
Electrical system all 96 →
The contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and attempting to slow down, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality however, the failure became a persistent failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. However, the contact stated that the battery, carburetor, and alternator were replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 02V120000 (Electrical System) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Honda dealership replaced ignition switch. The original ignition switch was replaced in the 2002 recall. The replacement switch was replaced in 2016 after exhibiting the same symptoms that LED to the original recall: silent stall. The faulty switch LED to a stall at a stop light and when the light turned green I was rear ended as I was attempting to restart the car. I had to reach out to Honda asking them to verify the problem and replace at no charge.
Engine & cooling all 58 →
I bought this car from a private owner about 2 months ago ever since I had it the car shuts off I think it O2 sensor is not working or it's gone the CV joint went out on the right side I had it replaced and it still messed up it's something with the suspension and stuff the front end alignments out real bad it ate up my tires really bad to where it keeps eating up tires every time I put them on here badly real fast too the left side CV joint I believe is about to go out cuz it's knocking the lights are messed up the wiring in this car is bad with the lighting system because the left headlight is out and it won't stay on it blinks on and off the cigarette lighter is not working sometimes this car will not crank it'll turn over and show the lights but it won't crank the radiator fans are not working I don't know what's going on with that and it's a lot of other things I believe that's not …
My car engine some times used to suddenly shut off and stop abruptly, while slowing or braking. At times, it will start right away after cranking the ignition switch, but, some times, required several tries. Abrupt stopping caused extremely dangerous situation, as the drivers behind had to make very hard stops and narrowly missed hitting rear end of my Honda. Since the problem was occurring intermittently, it was very difficult to diagnose and took almost one year. First my mechanic thought it was caused by defective idling speed control relay, then due to bad ignition related relay, which was replaced, but the fault persisted and stalling became more frequent. Actually, the defect was due to worn or defective ignition switch, which use to shut the engine off while slowing or braking. After replacing the ignition switch approximately one year ago, car has never stalled.
1997 Honda Accord engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 29 / 25 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Honda Accord a good car?
Based on 460 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Accord rates average: 34% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Accord at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Honda Accord?
The air bags — 113 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the electrical system (96) and engine & cooling (58).
How many recalls does the 1997 Honda Accord have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1997 Honda Accord, the most recent from May 16, 2002 (switch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda Accord?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2011 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2018, 2013, 2019, 2014 and 2003. See the full Honda Accord years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Honda Accord problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 107,000 miles; 10% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.