1997 Honda CIVIC problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
285 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
88,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 93 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 64 of 285 complaints (22.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 25 | 8.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 21 | 7.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 15 | 5.3% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 2.8% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 0.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 64 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 39 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 20 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 19 |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 16 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 15 |
| Tires | 13 |
| Electrical System | 9 |
Air Bags: 64; Air Bags:Frontal: 39; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 20; Vehicle Speed Control: 19; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 16; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 15; Tires: 13; Electrical System: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 8 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 14 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 14 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 18 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 24 |
| 150,000 and above | 15 |
Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 14; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 24; 150,000 and above: 15
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 192 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 63 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2002 | 44 |
| 2003 | 28 |
| 2004 | 26 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 13 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2000: 63; 2001: 42; 2002: 44; 2003: 28; 2004: 26; 2005: 15; 2006: 13; 2007: 5; 2008: 8; 2009: 4; 2010: 6; 2011: 3; 2012: 2; 2013: 2; 2014: 4; 2015: 4; 2016: 5; 2017: 3; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 5; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 21 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10071325 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED EARLY UPON, WITHIN WARRANTY. IT WAS REPAIRED BY WARRANTY. MY POWER SUNROOF / MOONROOF HAS QUIT WORKING, I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING, PART BECAUSE OF MY FAULT I WOULD ASSUME AND APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD. DOESN\\'T HELP DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 401 IN TORONTO THOUGH. ALL IN ALL, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR. I HAVE 362,000 KM ON IT NOW AND SHE STILL DRIVES LIKE NEW.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071325 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10073031 · 2004-05-23 (May 23, 2004)
ON SATURDAY, MAY 8TH 2004, WHEN I WAS COMING HOME FROM MY COLLEGE GRADUATION, I SLIGHTLY ACCELERATED IN MY 1997 HONDA CIVIC EX FROM 25 TO 35 MPH ON 26TH STREET IN MINNEAPOLIS, MN AROUND 5:30 MPH. FOR SOME UNSEEN, ODD AND POSSESSIVE REASON, MY GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE TO 65 MPH ON A 30 MPH ROAD. NORMALLY IVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF HONDA AUTOMOBILES AND PRODUCTS. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAVE A CLEAN DRIVING RECORD. THANK GOD THERE WASN'T ANY TRAFFIC, BECAUSE FO…
Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073031 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005400 · 2003-02-06 (February 6, 2003)
I PURCHASED AN AUTOMATIC 1997 HONDA CIVIC EX FROM COSTA MESA HONDA IN COSTA MESA, CA ON MARCH 11, 2000. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 27,000 MILES ON IT. TODAY (2/6/03) THE CAR HAS A TOTAL OF 50,734 MILES ON IT. I HAVE PERSONALLY ONLY DRIVEN 24,000 MILES IN A TOTAL OF 3 YEARS. THE TRANSMISSION IS TOAST AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE HAVE BEEN TRANSMISSION RECALLS/ WARRANTY EXTENSIONS ON OTHER HONDA MAKES AND MODELS. THE '97 CIVIC UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT ONE OF THEM. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO A MECHANIC NOT AFFILIATED WITH HONDA FOR A "SECOND…
Owner-reported narrative. 50,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005400 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10013566 · 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)
WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PETAL, IT FEELS ROUGH AND NOTCHY. IT'S HARD TO ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY. STARTED TO NOTICE THE PROBLEM AT ABOUT 85,000 MILES. THEN, WHEN I WAS ON THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO SCOTT ROBINSON HONDA IN TORRANCE AND THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY MY DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IS WAS COVERED BY HONDA EXTENDED WARRANTY. AFTER MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP ALL DAY, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT IT WASN'T MY DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM, BUT MY TRANSMISSION. HE SAID THAT THE COMPUTER'S DIAGNOSED CODE WAS(PO…
Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013566 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047601 · 2003-11-26 (November 26, 2003)
SRS INDICATOR LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. DEALER (HONDA OF NEW ROCHELLE) HAS SEEN CAR ON ISSUE THREE TIMES. FIRST TIME SIMPLY RESET IT. ISSUE RECURRED WITHIN 10 MONTHS. SECOND TIME DEALER REPLACED THE SRS CONTROL UNIT AND CHARGED ME APPROXIMATELY $550. ONE WEEK LATER THE ISSUE RECURRED. DEALER NOW SAYS THE BATTERY HAS A LOW CHARGE AND THAT IS THE CAUSE. THEY WANT TO REPLACE THE BATTERY FOR OVER $150. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047601 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10092582 · 2004-10-15 (October 15, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A POT HOLE, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, AND PASSENGER STRUCK HIS FACE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DID NOT OPEN AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ON. *SC
Owner-reported narrative. 68,069 miles reported. Look up ODI 10092582 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10863014 · 2016-05-04 (May 4, 2016)
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 ATTORN…
Owner-reported narrative. 181,040 miles reported. Look up ODI 10863014 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007726 · 2003-02-18 (February 18, 2003)
SINCE OCT '02, I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO THE RECALL FOR EMISSIONS. EACH TIME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED. THE FIRST TIME, THE COMPUTER WENT BAD AND WAS REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME, THE O2 SENSOR WENT BAD AND THE CAR STALLED OUT ON A BUSY INTERSTATE IN NC WHERE CONSTRUCTION IS BEING DONE AND THERE ARE NO SHOULDERS TO PULL OFF ON. I BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD REPLACE THE ENTIRE EMISSIONS SYSTEM COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY INSTEAD OF COSTING THEIR CONSUMERS TI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007726 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10262118 · 2009-03-17 (March 17, 2009)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE JUST QUITS. THERE IS NO STUTTERING, STALLING, OR ENGINE MISFIRES, IT QUIETLY JUST QUITS. THE RADIO, HEATER FAN, BRAKE LIGHTS STILL WORK BUT NOT THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM STARTED 1-2X A MONTH AND OVER A PERIOD OF 7 MONTHS HAS NOW BECOME AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10262118 at NHTSA ↗