CarComplaints.com Notes: 1997 is the last model year in the 5th generation of Accord. Which means it's also the last model year before problems like widespread transmission failure, subframe rust and peeling paint took over.

Does the 1997 have problems? Sure it does. Any car this old will. Some owners say their engine started to cut out around 147,000 miles. That's still not bad, and getting to 200,000+ miles isn't out of the question.

Does anyone believe a newer Accord will reach 200,000 miles?

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
55,858 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Honda Accord electrical problems

electrical problem

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1997 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #16

Mar 062009

Accord 4-cyl

  • 90,348 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. While the vehicle was at a complete stop, the contact took the key out of the ignition without the vehicle being placed in parked and the vehicle rolled forward. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled into another vehicle but there were no damages. The contact stated the failure has happened 4 or 5 times. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who replaced the ignition lock cylinder. The failure mileage was 90,348 and the current mileage was 97,000. Updated 01/21/11 updated 04/04/11

- Woodridge, IL, USA

problem #15

Aug 032010

Accord

  • 131,000 miles
The contact owns a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated the keys became lodged in the ignition and would not release unless the vehicle was in park. The dealer advised that the vehicle was not under recall and any repairs would be at the expense of the contact. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 131,000.

- Cumming, GA, USA

problem #14

Oct 082008

Accord 4-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns 1997 Honda Accord. While the vehicle was in park gear the contact was able to remove the key from the ignition. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 10V364000 electrical system: Ignition. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 150,000. Updated 10/21/10. Updated 10/26/10

- Chester , VA, USA

problem #13

Jul 052010

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 135,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owned a 1997 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the key should not be removed from the vehicle unless the gear shift selector was in park. He stated that the key came out of the ignition when the vehicle was moving which caused unsafe conditions. Updated 08/24/10. Updated 08/25/10

- Lititz, PA, USA

problem #12

Apr 192007

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 179,180 miles
Honda missed a recall on an ignition switch that could have caused me a fatal accident as the car was stopping on the freeway once at full speed 65+ mph I brought the car in with detail of the problem "the car dying' and they misdiagnosed it and failed to see the recall which they would have had access to once they input the VIN - Honda then refused to reimburse me the money I paid for the unnecessary and unsuccessful work that they did.

- Stockton, CA, USA

problem #11

Nov 272003

Accord

  • miles
1997 Honda Accord ignition recall. (nar)

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #10

Jan 012004

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A couple of months back I read about a recall on various Honda and Acura vehicles with regard to an ignition switch problem in consumer reports. The recall affected some 19'97 models, but 1998 and newer Accord. I own a '97 Accord that is experiencing the same problem. I contacted a local dealer and after almost 3 weeks of aggravating phone calls redirecting me to everyone from the corporate office to the janitor, I was denied inclusion in the recall. Some of the excuses were that my vehicle has too many miles on it to be included, that I don't maintain a service relationship with any particular dealer, and that it may just be my key has worn out (both of them at the same time?). I was wondering if it is customary to make such arbitrary decisions when determining inclusion in a safety recall. All those factors listed do not change the fact that my car can roll away after I remove my key.

- Cookstown, NJ, USA

problem #9

Oct 272003

Accord

  • Automatic transmission
  • 165,000 miles
Recall 02V120000 concerning ignition switch failure. Vehicle was repaired under this recall last year. However, the stalling problem recurred. Dealer informed consumer that the repairs were done, and he was not obligated to repair it again.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #8

Jul 122003

Accord 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 73,206 miles
I drove to a restaurant about one mile from my house and parked nose-in to a curb in a parking lot. I placed the car in first gear, as always, and engaged the emergency brake. As I and my three companions left the car, I clicked the remote keyless lock, as I usually do. After dinner, we came out to return home. My husband was to drive back, so I again used my remote keyless entry clicker and the car unlocked. My husband held open the passenger-side front door for me, and I sat in the front seat, the clicker in my hand, but no button activated. Before my husband could shut the door, the car started (note: No key in the ignition), and climbed the curb in front. It stalled, then started again and continued up and over the bushes in front. I was the only one in the car. There was no key in the ignition. I was on the passenger side of the front seat. The car does not have a remote ignition. The car is a manual transmission. The emergency brake was still on. The front bumper of the car separated as we backed off the bush.

- Clifton, VA, USA

problem #7

Oct 062002

Accord

  • miles
Consumer states that vehicle was taken in for an ignition kit to be replaced for vehicle not cranking. Consumer states after the repair consumer states problem seemed to have gotten worse.

- Newark, NJ, USA

problem #6

Jun 012002

Accord

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving the engine just quits.

- Hooskett, NH, USA

problem #5

Apr 012002

Accord

  • miles
While driving on the highway the car stalled (no power) without warning. This occurred several times between three visits to the dealership before being repaired. I was informed that my ignition was bad on the last visit (the mechanic had trouble starting the car). No problem except that I never had a problem starting the car, even after having to start the car and move it at the dealership on the day of the repair. When I initially declined the repair solution (unbelievable) I asked to talk to the manager. The manager never spoke to me but did adjust the price down better than $50 and made the repair without my consent. I paid reluctantly informing them that if this happened again they have a serious problem on their hands. I thought only to use the internet to find if this was a common problem without having been recalled. Someone may have lost lost their life or will loose their life. My car has not stalled since being repaired. My last three cars were Honda Accord. I don't think future purchases will be.

- Plainfield, NJ, USA

problem #4

Mar 232001

Accord

  • miles
Engine died without any warning lights. Took vehicle to dealer. Dealer looked at it and could not find cause of problem. Consumer had this problem about 3 more times. Took vehicle back to dealer, and they said igniter needed to be changed. Consumer could not afford, and distributor was changed. But, problem still exists. When vehicle dies consumer loses power steering, and brakes get hard.

- Rodchester, NY, USA

problem #3

Jan 032001

(reported on)

Accord

  • miles
The ignition key gets stuck.

- Longview, TX, USA

problem #2

Oct 302000

Accord

  • miles
Heared a loud banging noise under the shift lever while driving 40+ mph accelerating onto the interstate. After several days, car stalled while turning corner. Experienced sluggish and intermittent loss of power (with frequent stalling driving betweeen 10 to 65 mph on residential area or on a highway). Honda service technician removed and replaced the ignition coil & main relay, and advised me to disconnect a non-Honda car theft alarm system for further troubleshooting of the ignition system. Problem got worst after disconnecting car theft alarm system. Car lost power, (sometimes power comes back on when foot was lift off the gas pedal), more than 15 times within 8 miles of driving at 4:30am and had difficulty restarting. Experienced hard start later that day at 3:30pm. Today, christmas day, I disconnected the battery, cleaned the terminals, checked the wires under the dashboard for cut or loose connections, reconnect the battrey, test drived, and car stalled with some weird noise (like a noise made by an electrical component lossing power) by front/lower of the front passenger floor. This problem had already cost me a little over $500 and I just don't have that kind of money to spend just to guess what will correct the problem.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #1

Aug 291999

Accord

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Driver side airbag deployed when a parked vehicle was being started and injured the driver, at the time of the deployment the ignition system was not working.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

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