Most common 1997 Honda Civic problems
Share of the 373 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Civic complaints by model year
Best Civic years: 2011, 2021, 2014. Years to avoid: 2022, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2017. Compare all years →
1997 Honda Civic recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020.
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The front passenger air bag modules have been improperly assembled. The cloth flaps covering the folded air bag May have been tucked in too far.
Remedy: Dealers will repair the front passenger's air bag module to prevent this problem from occurring.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1997 Honda Civic:
Condenser fan motor inoperative
See resume for details.
What 1997 Honda Civic owners say
Air bags all 140 →
The contact owns a 1997 Honda Civic. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V026000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact then received a notice that the parts were available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it remained in their possession for three months due to the part for the vehicle not being available. The contact then signed a waiver to take liability for any air bag failure that may occur while in his possession. The contact also declined a buyback offer made by the manufacturer. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Takata recall: on 11/21/2012 my son was seriously injured in a collision with another vehicle that pulled out in front of him on a hwy where the speed limit is 50 MPH. My son was able to brake and steer to avoid the collision but still impacted the other car's left rear quarter-panel. As a result of the impact, his airbag deployed but with such force that it separated from the steering column and exited the vehicle. He received major facial lacerations and fractures in addition to an gaping wound in his wrist. He was told by several attorneys that since his car had just passed the statute of repose gate of 15 yr, he could not hope to bring suit against Honda/Takata. To date, there does not appear to be any effort to extend the recall prior to 2002 for Honda vehicles. …
Speed control & acceleration all 38 →
In 1987 I purchased a new Honda accord. About 7-1/2 years later this what occurred. I was pulling into a parking space and all of a sudden the car surged forward at a rapid pace and it hit a building. There was damage to the building and the car. No one was injured. I drove the car 3 years after that. Then I gave the car to my son and in about 1999 the same thing happened to him with the 1987 Honda. In 1997 I bought a Honda Civic (no bells or whistles). About 7-1/2 years later this is what happened. I was parking the car and all of a sudden it surged forward at an uncontrollable speed the same as it did in the 1987 Honda accord. I hit the side of a building, turned the wheel to avoid goinig through the windows of the building, hit another car, then finally the car slowed down some and I put the car in park. Since this has happed to me two times I am petrified to drive my car again. …
In 1987 I purchased a new Honda accord. Seven and 1/2 years later this is what occurred. I was pulling into a parking space and all of a sudden the car surged forward at a rapid pace and it hit a building. There was damage to the building and the car. No one was injured. I drove the car 3 years after that. Then I gave the car to my son and in 1999 the same thing happened to him with the same car. In 1997 I bought a Honda Civic (no bells or whistles). Seven and half years later this is what happened. I was parking the car and all of a sudden it surged forward like the last time. I hit the side of a building, turned the wheel to avoid going through the windows of the building, hit another car, then finally the car slowed down, and I put the car in park. Since this has happened to me two times I am petrified to drive my car again. No one was injured, thank goodness. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 33 →
Power windows fail. The incident has occurred at least 7 times in the past five years. Service representatives say that one must lubricate the window runners. The owner's manual either fails to mention this maintenance or the existence of such maintenance. The part is always replaced and always fails.
The power windows have failed at least seven times in the five years I have owned the vehicle. The manufacturer persists to put a defective window motor into the vehicle. Even though the window has failed so many times, Honda nor the service department representatives has corrected this problem.
1997 Honda Civic engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 31 / 39 / 34 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 29 / 35 / 31 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 32 / 28 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Honda Civic a good car?
Based on 373 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Civic rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Civic 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 Civic?
The air bags — 140 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the speed control & acceleration (38) and windows, wipers & sunroof (33).
How many recalls does the 1997 Honda Civic have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1997 Honda Civic, the most recent from January 17, 2020 (inflator module). 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 Civic?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2021 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2017. See the full Honda Civic years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Honda Civic problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 24% 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.