Every recall campaign and owner complaint the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration holds for the 1997 Honda Civic. Nothing on this page is written from memory — it is all imported from NHTSA's public database.
3 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 1997 Civic, newest first.
| Campaign | Component | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|
| 20V026000 2020-01-17 |
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 Isuzu Oasis vehicles.
These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag…
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death. Fix: 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. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138… |
| 97V193000 1997-11-01 |
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.
Risk: THIS CONDITION COULD PREVENT PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. IN A CRASH, AN IMPROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. Fix: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE FRONT PASSENGER'S AIR BAG MODULE TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING. |
| 99E015000 1999-05-10 |
Unknown Or Other | EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: ACCESSORY DRIVER-SIDE FLOOR MATS USED IN 1996-1998 HONDA CIVIC VEHICLES. DUE TO THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR ON THESE VEHICLES, A MISPOSITIONED FLOOR MAT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Risk: THE FLOOR MAT COULD PREVENT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION. Fix: IF A CUSTOMER HAS A GENUINE HONDA DRIVER-SIDE FLOOR MAT, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A POSITIVE FLOOR MAT RETENTION SYSTEM CONSISTING OF A GROMMET IN THE FLOOR MAT AND A PIN BRACKET IN THE CAR. |
Summaries are quoted verbatim from NHTSA's official campaign records. A single campaign often covers dozens of model years and several nameplates, so a summary may name vehicles other than the 1997 Civic — that is normal. Every record listed here carries this vehicle's own make, model and model year in NHTSA's database. Whether a recall is still open on a particular car can only be determined by VIN.
401 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Civic, grouped by the component owners reported. Counts reflect how many owners complained, not how often the fault actually occurs.
| Reported component | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags 43 crash, 1 fire, 38 injured |
127 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control 6 crash |
37 | |
| Visibility | 28 | |
| Tires | 27 | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 21 | |
| Power Train | 20 | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic 4 crash, 2 injured |
20 | |
| Electrical System 1 crash |
18 | |
| Structure 1 injured |
14 | |
| Unknown Or Other 3 crash, 1 injured |
9 | |
| Seat Belts 1 crash, 2 injured |
8 | |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 |
A complaint is an unverified owner report. It is a signal about where to look, not proof of a defect.
Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaint filings on this model year. These are the owners' own words, not our diagnosis, and each one is a single unverified report.
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 th
filed 03/30/2022 · ODI 11458979
GOOD DAY: ON 17 MARCH 2020, HONDA ADVISED ME THAT MY 1997 CIVIC IS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL 20V-026, WHICH AFFECTS THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG MODULE. IN THE RECALL NOTICE, HONDA SAID THE REPAIR PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE, AND PROMISED TO NOTIFY ME WHEN THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS BECOME AVAILABLE. MORE THAN SIX MONTHS LATER, I AM STILL AWAITING WORD FROM HONDA ABOUT WHEN MY CAR CAN BE REPAIRED. MY HONDA DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. I THEREFORE WISH TO ISSUE A FORMAL COMPLAINT THAT HONDA HAS FAILED TO REMEDY THIS DEFECT WITHIN THE 60-DAY REASONABLE TIME PERIOD SPECI
filed 09/28/2020 · ODI 11361620
THROTTLE CABLE STICKS AT LOW SPEEDS - WHEN PRESSED, IT "SNAPS LOSE" GOING TO 1/2 THROTTLE, JERKING CAR FORWARD, SNAPPING NECKS OF DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. IS A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM - COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BY SLAMMING VEHICLE INTO BACK OF LEAD VEHICLE. REF: CAMPAIGN ID 99I002000. HONDA DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY OR PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN ITEM. *NM
filed 08/30/2006 · ODI 10167106
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WITH THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE INTERFERENCE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR MAT WITH THE ACCELERATOR. THERE IS A RECALL #99E015000 PERTAINING TO THE ACCESSORY DRIVER-SIDE FLOOR MATS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED WHO REFUSES TO HONOR THE RECALL. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE RECALL.*AK Crash reported
filed 07/24/2006 · ODI 10163348
BOTH WINDOWS DO NOT OPEN ALL THE WAY. IN 2000 DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW CAME OFF THE RUBBER TRACK. REPLACED CHANNEL AND REGULATOR IN 2000. 11/18/04 DRIVER SIDE WINDOW CAME OFF THE RUBBER TRACK AGAIN. *AK
filed 11/19/2004 · ODI 10100233
I OWN A 1997 HONDA CIVIC DX COUPE AND FEW WEEKS AGO THE DRIVER WINDOW COLLAPSED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY. THE ONLY WARNING WAS FEW DAYS BEFORE THAT THE HANDLE WAS SLIGHTLY HARDER THEN USUAL. I GOT REALLY SCARED AND ALMOST CRASHED HEARING THIS LOUD NOISE AND NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING.*AK
filed 06/10/2004 · ODI 10075157
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 HONDA CIVIC WITH A SET OF BF GOODRICH TOURING T/A TIRES, LINE SIZE P185/65/R14. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS FLAT AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE FOUND THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL FRACTURES ALONG THE INNER SIDEWALL. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE VIN AND DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRES WAS 49,000. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,000.
filed 08/25/2010 · ODI 10351721
I HAD A BLOWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO A FAILED VALVE STEM IN MY REAR LEFT TIRE. THE TIRE WAS RUINED BY RIDING ON THE RIM TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. *TR
filed 12/29/2009 · ODI 10297336
A recall only matters if it is open on your car. The lists above are for the model year as a whole; the free official lookup below tells you what applies to your specific 17-character VIN.
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Yes. NHTSA records 3 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 1997 Civic. The most recent is campaign 20V026000, filed 2020-01-17, covering Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module.
Yes. 2 of the 3 campaigns on record for this model year involve the airbag system. The fix is a free inflator replacement at an authorised dealer.
The most-reported component is Air Bags with 127 of the 401 owner complaints on file, including 43 reports involving a crash. Complaint counts show where owners report trouble; they are not proof of a defect.
401 complaints with NHTSA for the 1997 Civic, spread across 54 reported component groups.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's free recall lookup. Recalls are applied per vehicle, so the model-year lists above cannot tell you whether your particular car is covered.