Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Honda Civic problems

Owners filed 383 complaints about the 1997 Honda Civic with NHTSA between Jun 1996 and Mar 2022. The most-cited component is air bags (140).

Complaints
383
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
67
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
55
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags140
  2. Vehicle speed control38
  3. Visibility33
  4. Electrical system31
  5. Tires28
  6. Power train25
  7. Engine and engine cooling24
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic22
  9. Structure18
  10. Seat belts13
  11. Equipment7
  12. Exterior lighting6
  13. Steering6
  14. Suspension5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19961
199729
199821
199944
200063
200142
200244
200328
200426
200516
200614
20076
20088
20094
20106
20113
20122
20132
20144
20154
20165
20173
20181
20191
20205
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

140 reports48 crashes1 fire2 related recalls
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2022Air bagsODI 11458979

Vehicle speed control

38 reports6 crashes
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 30, 2006Vehicle speed controlODI 10167106

Visibility

33 reports
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 19, 2004VisibilityODI 10100233

Electrical system

31 reports3 crashes
“"TAKATA RECALL" MY AIRBAGS WENT OFF WHEN I WAS TURNING AND WENT OVER A A BUMP, AND CRACKED MY WINDSHIELD REALLY BAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE SRS RED LIGHT HAD BEEN ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME BEFORE THIS. WHEN THIS OCCURRED IT BLEW A FUSE AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. I DID NOT FILE A POLICE REPORT BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR THE CAR SO INSURANCE DID NOT NEED IT. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK AND WOULD HONK THE HORN WHEN I TRIED TO USE IT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2017Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10944444

Tires

28 reports1 crash
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 25, 2010TiresODI 10351721

Power train

25 reports3 crashes
“DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 40 MPH, THEN THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH CODES PO700 AND PO715, TOOK TO TRANSMISSION BUSINESS, COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. RECENTLY FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM HONDA ABOUT THIS DEFECT ON THE TRANSMISSION. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 7, 2012Power trainODI 10460865
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.