Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Honda Accord, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags113
- Electrical system96
- Engine and engine cooling48
- Vehicle speed control38
- Power train33
- Service brakes, hydraulic32
- Suspension28
- Seat belts23
- Tires16
- Equipment15
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 31 injuries and 9 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 62 1997 Accord vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 53 people died inside them, and 6 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Honda Accord failed the safety check 1.90% of the time — 19% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 151,882 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
32 first registered in 1997 are on Dutch roads; 31% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde16
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld11
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af8
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af8
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast7
- Richtingaanwijzers kleur wijkt af/niet toegestaan7
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen7
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect7
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
49 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 200 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
95 of these cars first registered in 1997 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 291,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
378 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 36% arrived as used imports, 61% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 9.5–12.4 L/100 km (about 19–25 mpg US), CO₂ 219–285 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accord · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.6 | 8.0 | 9.5 |
| Accord EX-R · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.9 | 8.3 | 9.7 |
| Accord · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.7 | 8.5 | 10.2 |
| Accord EX-R · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.8 | 8.9 | 10.5 |
| Accord V6 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 14.0 | 10.4 | 12.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Honda Accord.
| 2002096 24 May 2002 | Electrical On certain vehicles electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is sta… |
| 1998181 17 Sept 1998 | Electrical On certain 1995-1997 sedans (except LX and V6 engines), 1995-1996 Coupes (Except LX) and all 1997 Coupes and 1995 Wagons (Except LX). The air conditioner wire … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Honda told its dealers about the 1997 Honda Accord: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637651 | SUBJECT REGARDING OBDII ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS ON ISIS. *TT |
| 636738 | SUBJECT REGARDING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS THAT THE ENGINE HESITATES BRIEFLY WHEN ACCELERATING. *TT |
| 635787 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT GROWLING OR WHINING FROM ONE OR BOTH OF THE REAR WHEELS WHEN DRIVING. *TT |
| 631027 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A BRIEF HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGH ENGINE SPEEDS. *TT |
| 631000 | CONCERNS WITH FRONT SUSPENSION SQUEAKING IN COLD WEATHER. *TT |
| 630994 | INFORMATION ON TROUBLESHOOTING MULTIPLE MISIRE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0301, P0306). *TT |
| 629541 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A TWANG NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SPRING CONTACT. *SLC |
| 629289 | EXPERIENCING A SQUEAL NOISE AT FRONT SUSPENSION AT LOW TEMPERATURES. *TT |
| 626808 | INFORMATION REGARDING WATER LEAKAGE DURING A CAR WASH. *YH |
| 624549 | SUBJECT ON REGARDING TACH FLUCTUATION AND/OR A/T DTC P0725. *ET |
| 624159 | INFORMATION ON REGARDING: BRAKES ABS DTC. *ET |
| 624040 | INFORMATION REGARDING: DTC P0133. *ET |
| 623341 | SUBJECT REGARDING PARTS TO CORRECT 5TH GEAR GRINDING. *ET |
| 623292 | SUBJECT REGARDING FIFTH GEAR GRINDS DURING UPSHIFT. *ET |
| 622540 | PARTS INFORMATION BULLETIN REGARDING PRODUCT UPDATE FOR THE FRONT BALANCER OIL SEAL RETAINER KIT. *TT |
| 619943 | INFORMATION USED WHEN THE ABS CONTROL UNIT SETS A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 1-8 (ACCUMULATOR VOLUME PROBLEM). *TT |
| 619921 | PRODUCT UPDATE REGARDING FRONT BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL. *TT |
| 618987 | INFORMATION ON PREVENTING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 1-3 AFTER ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MODULATOR WORK. *TT |
| 618967 | INFORMATION PERTAINING TO HONDA CELLULAR TELEPHONE OWNERS MANUAL. *TT |
| 618908 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL MAY BACK OUT OF THE OIL PUMP HOUSING OVER TIME. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE OIL CAN BE RAPIDLY PUMPED OUT OF THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE IF CONTINUED TO DRIVE. *TT |
| 618907 | LETTER TO SERVICE MANAGER REGARDING PRODUCT UPDATE CAMPAIGN - BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL. *TT |
| 618903 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS WHEN SHIFTED INTO 5TH GEAR. *TT |
| 615806 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 1-8, ACCUMULATOR VOLUME. *TT |
| 615783 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE FRONT BALANCE SHAFT RETAINER PRODUCT UPDATE. *TT |
| 615765 | SUBJECT REGARDING CAMPAIGN PARTS AVAILABLE FOR OPEN ORDERING FOR FRONT BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL RETAINER KIT. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)