Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Honda Passport problems

Owners filed 63 complaints about the 1997 Honda Passport with NHTSA between Jun 1996 and Apr 2016. The most-cited component is structure (14).

Complaints
63
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure14
  2. Engine and engine cooling12
  3. Power train8
  4. Suspension5
  5. Electrical system5
  6. Visibility5
  7. Fuel system, gasoline4
  8. Tires4
  9. Air bags4
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  11. Latches/locks/linkages2
  12. Seats2
  13. Wheels1
  14. Vehicle speed control1

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 Oct 30, 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
19973
19988
19997
20009
20015
20023
20032
20044
20053
20062
20073
20080
20091
20102
20116
20121
20130
20141
20151
20161

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

Structure

14 reports
“FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH IN LEFT REAR AREA NEAR LEAF SPRING HANGER. SHOULD THE FRAME FAIL IN THIS AREA, THE AXLE WILL NO LONGER BE SECURED TO THE VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE FOR YEARS STARTING 1998 OF THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2015Suspension, StructureODI 10706565

Engine and engine cooling

12 reports
“LEFT HOUSE AND PROCEEDED DOWNHILL ON GRAVEL DRIVEWAY AND THEN TURNED LEFT ONTO MAIN ROAD WHICH IS A HILL RISING APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET OVER .5 MILES. AT TOP OF HILL LET OFF ACCELERATOR BUT THE SPEED WAS STILL INCREASING. TAPPED ACCELERATOR, PULLED FLOOR MAT AWAY FROM GAS/BREAK PEDDLE AREA, TAPPED ACCELERATOR, WHOLE TIME DEPRESSING BREAK WITH BOTH FEET. FINALLY CUT OFF IGNITION AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR. I COASTED THE CAR BACKWARDS WITH ENGINE OFF AND TURNED IT AROUND. WHEN I RESTARTED CAR THE ENGINE WAS AT IDLE AND I DROVE IT HOME WITHOUT DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR. WHEN I CHECKED CAR AT HOME I OBSERVED THAT THE RUBBER THIMBLE COVERING THROTTLE CABLE AT THROTTLE WAS DETERIORATED. I PULLED THE RUBBER THIMBLE OFF AND OBSERVED THAT THE RUBBER HAD ENTERED THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING AND WAS THE CAUSE, JAMMING THE CABLE AT THE ACCELERATED SPEED. I CLEARED THE CABLE AND HOUSING OF THE EMBEDDED RUBBER AND CAR ACCELERATED/DECELERATED NORMALLY. A PRECURSOR TO THIS WAS THAT MY GAS MILEAGE HAD DECREASED DRAMATICALLY ON THE LAST FILL UP, SATURDAY, FROM 19MPG TO LESS THAN 12MPG. I WAS LOOKING FOR A LEAK AND HAD INTENTIONS OF BRINGING IT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP ON MONDAY (TOMORROW). *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10424671

Power train

8 reports
“CHECK ENGINE OFF AND ON, NORM REEVES HONDA CHECK AND ADVISE PULLED CODE:P0304 CYLINDER 4 MISFIRE. TECH CHECK THE COILS THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE FUEL PRESSURE. EVERYTHING IS GOOD.PERFORMED COMPRESSION TEST. PULLED UP SERVICE BULLETIN TO UP DATE THE PCM BROAD CAST CODES. PCM HAS TO BE REPLACE IF LIGHTS BACK ON AGAIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2007Power trainODI 10197740

Suspension

5 reports
“THE FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE LEAF SPRING IN THE BACK TO FALL DOWN. MY REAR END IS NO LONGER HELD IN PLACE AND CAN FALL OUT FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. MY CAR IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. IT'S A 97 HONDA PASSPORT. OTHER WISE MY VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT WHICH MAKES ME SICK TO KNOW THAT THE FRAME IS GONE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 8, 2012Suspension, StructureODI 10442830

Electrical system

5 reports1 fire
“VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OVER 2-3 MONTHS IN 2007. IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED IN 03/07 PER RECALL ON 1997 HONDA CRV. IN 06/07, VEHICLE STALLED TWICE WHILE DRIVING ALONG WITH ERRATIC TACHOMETER MOVEMENT AND VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND STARTED. CURRENTLY AT DEALER, DIAGNOSED WITH FAILURE OF IGNITION COIL . NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2007Electrical systemODI 10194940

Visibility

5 reports
“POWER WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP WHEN TURNING ON SWITCH. CAN HEAR MOTOR RUNNING, BUT GLASS WILL NOT OPERATE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2002VisibilityODI 8016400
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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