Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord lx. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 60 MPH (the cruse control on), when attempted to slow down, the vehicle did not stop. The contact attempted to avoid the vehicles in front, went in to an embankment, and then came out onto oncoming traffic. The contact got striked by a pick up truck. A police report was filed. The passenger was taken to the hospital by ambulance, treated and released. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 171,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH the contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently and would not stop. The contact crashed into a brick wall and the air bags deployed. The contact sustained burns to his hands due to the air bag and was also suffering from back pain. The front passenger sustained a broken rib and pain to her entire body. The contact and the front passenger were undergoing physical therapy treatment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. While driving 50 MPH with the cruise control activated, the speed limit on the road decreased. The contact decided to decelerate, but the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably and struck another vehicle and a tree. The air bag deployed. The vehicle was destroyed and the contact sustained a fractured ankle. A police report was filed. The manufacturer stated that there were no recalls for the cruise control. The current mileage was 107,600 and failure mileage was 107,000. Updated 03/17/09. Updated 03/17/09.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH in an alley, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, causing the contact to crash into a concrete wall before independently coming to a stop. The contact and his wife sustained injuries as a result. A police report was not available. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and had not been inspected for the cause of the sudden acceleration failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileages were 160,000. Updated 10/24/12 updated 10/25/2012
Dt: the contact stated while pulling into garage the vehicle surged and went through the garage door and went over an embankment. The cruise control was not engaged at the time of the accident. The contact's foot was on the brake pedal but it failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was totaled. No police report was taken. The contact sustained minor injuries. There has been no determination on the cause of the accident. There was damage to the garage door and part of the house. Updated 12/22/2005.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 71 MPH and entering heavy traffic, the cruise control switch was shut off in order to decelerate, but the cruise control was not responsive at all. This caused the vehicle to rear-end another vehicle, bounce off, and hit a third. There was a police report taken at the scene. The vehicle was towed to a garage, but was not seen by a dealer. Updated 2/9/2007 -
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. While driving 55 MPH, the speedometer failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 155,899. Updated 09/03/15 the consumer stated the vehicle speed sensor was replaced at the owner's expense. Updated 12/8/2015
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle severely hesitated to accelerate. The contact mentioned the failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 255,015. The VIN was not available.
Throttle cable stuck while parking at work. Motor revved up and car jumped over median and struck parked car on other side of median. I was brakeing all the time. Car continued revving after crash until motor turned off.
In a short distance the vehicle is likely to have accelerated out of control, jumped a concrete curb, and struck a tree. The deceased had a broken ankle, which was likely caused by attempting to brake. Other injuries included broken jaw and sever internal injuries. The air bags did not deploy since the car had previously been in a side impact accident. However the car was driven by me and my wife for over 25K miles during which time we had no problems. Recently there was a claim stating a similar problem with a run-away Honda Accord accelerating out of control and I believe my wife's accident was due to the same problem. Please contact me with any information you can. Thank you, [redacted] dt
Acceleration complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 1997 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 1997 Honda Accord, 8% of the model year's 460 complaints. The component named most often is linkages (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Honda Accord acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 1997 Honda Accord, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Honda Accord acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 156,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 17 crashes, 0 fires and 14 injuries and 1 death to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.