1997 Honda Accord Honda Accord 1997

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1997 Honda Accord repairs by problem area

Engine (50%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (5%)

Brakes and Traction Control (1%)

Suspension and Steering (20%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (13%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (3%)

Other (8%)

Chart based on 92 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 1997 Honda Accord.

1997 Honda Accord repair cost distribution

$2500+ (1%)

$1000 - $2499 (8%)

$500 - $999 (14%)

$100 - $499 (40%)

< $100 (36%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 77 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

1997 Honda Accord

Engine not specified

Honda in Minnesota, United States
Sep 2012 - Oct 2012
Oct 2012

112000 mi

US $1000
distributor 
Honda in New Jersey, United States
Jul 2012 - Sep 2012
Sep 2012

238000 mi
Needed new Power Steering Rack w/Fluid and Alignment Distributor O-ring and housing w/Heater Hose. Timing Belt/Water Pump w/Seals. Valve Train Seals, Tube Seals, Valve Cover Gasket and Spark Plug Wires. Oil Pressure Switch. 
Honda in Rhode Island, United States
Nov 2011 - Jan 2012
Dec 2011

243000 mi

US $110
The starter failed, and was replaced with a new starter. 
Honda in Maine, United States
Jun 2014 - Jun 2014
Jun 2014

334000 mi

US $260
Replaced exhaust mid pipe. Flex pipe had worn out, could not find somebody to weld in an aftermarket product, so had to purchase the entire section ( cat-back to muffler). 
Honda in North Carolina, United States
Oct 2007 - Feb 2009
Dec 2007

159000 mi
Replaced radiator. 
Aug 2008

167000 mi

US $550
Starter replacement. 
Sep 2008

170000 mi

US $200
Window regulator driver side. 
Feb 2009

177000 mi
The old war horse died quietly and gracefully. Died in the driveway after safely delivering the family home. Transmission died, completely fried. The cost of the repair is greater than the value of the product. Looking for a new home. 
Honda in Virginia, United States
Jul 2015 - Jul 2015
Jul 2015

175000 mi

US $300
Replaced engine gasket and o-rings 

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1997 Honda Accord 4-door

6-cylinder automatic 2WD

Honda in New York, United States
Jun 2007 - May 2010
Jan 2008

140000 mi

US $404
Loose lower ball joint front passenger wheel. Replaced. 
Feb 2008

141000 mi

US $329
Oil leaking out of engine block due to detoriating valve cover gaskets and side cover gaskets. Repair included diagnosis and gasket replacement. 
Jun 2008

144000 mi

US $517
Car initially refused to start. Bad distributor replaced. Problem solved. 
Dec 2008

151000 mi

US $286
While in for oil change, mechanic (thankfully) discovered right front wheel wobbled. Wheel bearing replaced. 
Jan 2009

151000 mi

US $98
Replaced passenger-side front fender liner. 
Feb 2009

152000 mi

US $295
Front lower ball joints loose. Replaced with new ball joints. 
Apr 2009

155000 mi

US $650
Broken wiper linkage. Replaced. Bad lower ball joints again, both sides. Upper control arm and ball joint assembly replaced (driver side) along with lower ball joints (both sides). 
Jul 2009

159000 mi

US $614
Replaced upper control arm w/ ball joint (passenger side) & wheel bearing (driver side wheel bearing). Solved thumping noise. 4 wheel alignment also. 
Oct 2009

161300 mi

US $105
Check engine light on. Mechanic cleaned resurculation port runners to remove carbon buildup. 
Dec 2009

163000 mi

US $300
Replaced center pipe and muffler. Oil pan gasket was leaking; gasket replaced and engine degreased. Left axle seal was leaking transmission oil. Engine ran unevenly and idled low. Then check engine light came on, and engine ran smoothly. Dealer diagnosed as misfiring cylinder and fouled spark plugs, with arcing across ignition wires. Replaced ignition wires, cap, rotor, and spark plugs. 

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1997 Honda Accord 4-door

4-cylinder manual 2WD

Honda in California, United States
Mar 2011 - Nov 2011
Oct 2011

265000 mi

US $200
Alternator internal voltage regulator failed. Caused damage to starter. Starter replaced under AutoZone warranty. Alternator replaced at owner's expense. Belts replaced at owner's expense. 
Honda in Maryland, United States
Jun 2007 - Mar 2010
Honda in Virginia, United States
Dec 2010 - Aug 2012
Jan 2011

148000 mi

US $650
Oil pan is leaking and will cost $249 to replace. Amazing how Honda can make such reliable vehicles w/ such lousy oilpans. 
Aug 2011

164000 mi
Oil pan replaced due to leaking BP-magnitude levels onto driveway. Will never understand how Honda can produce such outstanding engines & transmissions, & fail so miserably at making an oil pan. 
Sep 2011

164000 mi

US $44
Heater hose was leaking coolant. Replaced, no longer leaks coolant. Check engine light due to EGR valve needing replacement, EGR port needing to be cleaned. Symptoms include an immediate 25% reduction in gas mileage, sluggish throttle response. Power lock- driver door thinks it isn't locked, and keeps attempting to "relock" doors for several hours. Power window for both front doors come up very slowly even after channel runs were greased. Hurricane Irene came in immediately after greased was applied, and may have washed it away. Rear windows function normally. 
Dec 2011

169000 mi
Slow front power windows fixed by numerous applications of silicone grease to the surrounding seals. 
Jan 2012

169500 mi

US $148
VTEC solenoid gaskets were leaking, and were the likely cause of the earlier heater hose needing replacement. Thermostat replaced. 
Aug 2012

176000 mi
Power locks never fixed aside from having a mechanic disconnect the power door lock. 
Honda in North Carolina, United States
Jun 2007 - Dec 2007
Dec 2007

120000 mi

US $540
It received a 120,000 mile service in which they replaced a bunch of gaskets, etc.; but no repairs per se. 
Honda in Ontario, Canada
Aug 2009 - Mar 2010
Sep 2009

154380 mi

C $1170
Actuator assembly for passenger front door lock replaced. Replaced radiator and coolant. Replaced intermediate pipe. 

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1997 Honda Accord 4-door

4-cylinder automatic 2WD

Honda in California, United States
Oct 2010 - Jun 2011
Nov 2010

154000 mi

US $400
driverside axle and bearing replaced due to noises and wear. 
Honda in Ontario, Canada
Jun 2011 - Jun 2012
Jun 2012

193440 mi

C $395
Replacement of upper control arm (driver side). Repair was not done to my satisfaction. Passenger side control arm was replaced in 2010 and is in need of replacement as well. My 1997 Accord has had 4 control arm replacements since 2004. 
Honda in New York, United States
Jul 2010 - Jun 2011
Sep 2010

150000 mi

US $370
right lower ball joint failure 
Honda in Ontario, Canada
Apr 2011 - Dec 2011
May 2011

120280 mi

C $70
Small problem in old cars, the rust tail pipe. Cut and weld, done. 
Sep 2011

124620 mi

C $210
One window regulator died. Also replace a pair of link bolts. This is old car already. 
Honda in Washington, United States
Jul 2017 - Jul 2017
Jul 2017 Car over heated, head gasket failed. Head warped(discovered later). Warped head lead to future oil leak which damaged electrical components (sensors). 
Honda in California, United States
Jan 2011 - Apr 2011
Apr 2011

132000 mi
Suspension is worn and needs replacement, including strut and control arms. living with squeals for now. 
Honda in Pennsylvania, United States
Oct 2009 - Aug 2012
May 2010

173000 mi

US $90
The drivers door handle assembly broke(interior). Replaced to fix. 
Jul 2010

174000 mi
A slight rattle from the exhaust heat shields; all of the shield are shot and will be replaced when the exhaust finally goes south. 
Honda in Rhode Island, United States
Jul 2007 - Jun 2010
Aug 2007

182000 mi

US $250
Radiator was leaking due to corroded core. 
Sep 2008

204000 mi

US $10
Replaced leaky oil pressure switch. 
Honda in Idaho, United States
Nov 2007 - Feb 2008
Feb 2008

157000 mi
Speed sensor replaced, in the shop for one day. Outcome was unsuccessful. 
Honda in California, United States
Jul 2007 - Sep 2011
Mar 2008

71000 mi

US $150
The driver's side front window regulator had worn out. It needed to be replaced OEM. 
Dec 2009

86000 mi

US $2300
From leaving my car parked overnight-to-morning, when I'd start it up, my engine would race while idling in park. After it warmed up, the fast idling stops. During the past few weeks, I would notice a puddle of some liquid towards the front right side underneath the block. The techs. said I have a crack in the radiator. 
Aug 2010

93000 mi

US $550
I had an emissions warranty extension TSB. Plus a problem code P1457 (EVAP canister shut valve). CEL.  CV boots cracked and repaired the inners and outers. 
Honda in Vermont, United States
Jul 2007 - Oct 2009
Dec 2007

112000 mi

US $75
Replace gasket in engine 
Aug 2009

122000 mi

US $200
The automatic transmission is not working correctly and may have to be replaced! 
Oct 2009

122000 mi
Cooling system overheated. There was combustion within the cooling system. Car is dead! 
Honda in Massachusetts, United States
Jun 2007 - Sep 2007
Sep 2007

94000 mi

US $450
Oil pan crack. We surmise that it was the overfilling of oil by another shop that caused the problem. 
Honda in Pennsylvania, United States
Jun 2007 - Mar 2014
Jul 2007

83000 mi

US $400
needed two new CV axles. 
Oct 2007

94000 mi

US $50
Check engine light on. needed sensor 
Aug 2008

117000 mi

US $120
drivers window regulator and window motor replaced. 
Dec 2008

124000 mi

US $80
Temp gauge not working, bad low temp sensor. 
Jan 2009

128000 mi
Bad temp sensor,temp gauge was eratic, went half way up then all the way back to cold. Dealer sent wrong part to garage. 
Feb 2009

130000 mi

US $40
Window channel worn on driver front window. Window didn't always close right. 
Jan 2010

159000 mi

US $76
Car was making a low "droning" sound. Replaced cheap muffler shop muffler with a new muffler, problem solved. 
Feb 2012

173000 mi

US $70
replaced ball joint. noticed during yearly inspection. 
Aug 2012

173300 mi

US $7000
leak in gas line 
Honda in Florida, United States
Aug 2010 - Jun 2011
Sep 2010

126000 mi

US $400
Replaced the right and left axle. Knocking sound when turning the car. Started happening on both sides, although more often when turning left. Replaced the right axle first and it fixed most of the problem. Went back next day to do left. 
Honda in Pennsylvania, United States
Apr 2008 - Jul 2008
May 2008

139000 mi

US $594
Exhaust pipe rusted through, final piece of completely replacing exhaust system which was begun at 137,000 miles (also had to do this at 110,000 miles...) 
Honda in Virginia, United States
Nov 2009 - Mar 2010
Feb 2010

128000 mi

US $1000
Transmission died, had to get a new one 
Honda in Texas, United States
Apr 2010 - May 2013
Jun 2010

148000 mi

US $160
Water pump leaking. This was an AC Delco water pump with about 40,000 miles. Replaced with Honda OEM Water pump 
Nov 2010

152000 mi

US $80
VSS (speed sensor) replaced. Speedometer no longer jumping and the check engine light is off. 
Jun 2011

160000 mi

US $300
Steering rack was replaced with rebuilt rack 
Honda in Vermont, United States
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
Feb 2009

115000 mi
needed a new muffler to pass inspection, but I bought another car instead 
Honda in West Virginia, United States
May 2009 - Dec 2014
Jun 2009

215000 mi

US $850
oil sending unit replaced 
Mar 2010

225000 mi

US $75
hole in exhaust pipe 
Sep 2011

236000 mi

US $400
replaced distributor 
Feb 2012

237300 mi

US $100
new wheel and wheel bearings 
Jul 2012

239000 mi

US $330
bad window switch 
Honda in Arkansas, United States
Mar 2009 - May 2012
Apr 2009

157000 mi

US $425
Radiator cracked 
May 2010

168000 mi

US $700
Left and right and upper and lower ball joints. 
Sep 2010

172000 mi

US $1000
Hand crank window regulator (driver's side front) failed with the window in the down position.  

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1997 Honda Accord 2-door

4-cylinder manual 2WD

Honda in Virginia, United States
Nov 2011 - Sep 2018
Dec 2011

151000 mi
Brought in the car to get front tires replaced and tires could not be aligned because the front upper left wheel bearing had worn and needed to be replaced. Quoted price of $275. 
Jun 2018

237000 mi

US $80
Replaced headlights due to hazing and damage. 
Jul 2018

238000 mi

US $100
Replaced outer tie-rod ends on both sides. Replaced all rotors on vehicle. 
Aug 2018

239000 mi

US $150
Had hole patched in exhaust. 

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1997 Honda Accord 2-door

4-cylinder automatic 2WD

Honda in Georgia, United States
Oct 2010 - Sep 2011
Feb 2011

232000 mi

US $150
also replaced water pump 
Apr 2011

234000 mi
upper radiator hose bulged and swelled to about twice normal size replaced hose, burped through rad cap 

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1997 Honda Accord Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 1997 Honda Accord problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.