Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
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).
I had filed a report with the bar about a seat belt on the driver side of my Honda Accord starting to frey and they had spoke with Honda in poway ca and they will not cover the seat belt because it is not broken. To me it seems like a safety issue because if I am involved in an accident will the seat belt be working 100%? There are tear marks on the belt were it clicks to the belt buckle and I feel this is not safe. I feel Honda should cover this.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the seat belt failed to latch in place without warning. In addition, the contact stated that the ignition key disengaged while in the on position. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
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.
Front and rear shoulder belts fail to properly retract, causing inadequate protection when belts are needed. Consumer has yet to contact dealer. The rear seat belt is not usable at all and the driver seat belt does not retract properly.
Passenger side front seat belt gets stuck. Passenger must unbuckle seat belt and retract it completely and then rebuckle it. This always happens whenever a passenger is in the vehicle since the vehicle was new.
This is a general complaint for the front seat belt buckles used on a wide variety of Honda vehicles over multiple production years being able to unlatch during a collision. To keep this complaint form brief, only the main topics will be discussed. The defect consists of the seatbelt failing to fully latch in place if a small amount of a beverage (usually soda pop) is spilled into the seatbelt housing. After drying, the beverage residue becomes sticky and the design of the seatbelt buckle prevents the buckle from latching securely. The failure mode can be either the seatbelt not latching at all or the buckle giving a 'false latch' condition meaning that the seatbelt tongue clicks and seems to hold in place normally to the occupant but if pulled firmly it will release. Obviously, this is a major safety concern to occupants. …
Vehicle was involved in a collision. Upon impact, rear lap belt unbuckled where an unoccupied child restraint was located. Dealer has been notified. Feel free to provide any further information.
Design: right frnt shoulder belt only retracts after it's fully extended, becomes tighter and tighter unil occupant is forced to unlatch seat belt. Occupant continues to ride unrestrained.
The seat belt is not big enough. The dealer has inform me that Honda does not have an extension for the seat belt, it is illegle to drive anywhere but my state without the seat belt fasten.
One of the seat belt at the back doesnt retract. Its just dangling. I have hardly used this seat belt however when used sparingly the seat belt got stuck didnt retract.
Seat Belt complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1997 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the seat belts of the 1997 Honda Accord, 5% of the model year's 460 complaints. The component named most often is front › anchorage (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Honda Accord seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts 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 seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 405,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to seat belts 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.