10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
37 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
31 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,461 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1997 Honda Civic:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #53

Mar 222010

Civic

  • miles
SRS light on.

- Rosamond, CA, USA

problem #52

Aug 152009

Civic

  • 77,400 miles
The SRS light came on my 1997 Honda Civic (about 78,000 miles) while driving and stays lit. The dealership (mathews Honda 8-19-09) says the SRS unit has an internal failure. $762 plus tax to repair. After review it appears there are many experiencing this same failure so I felt it necessary to report the issue to you. Thank you for your time!

- Marion, OH, USA

problem #51

Jan 011997

Civic

  • 125,000 miles
1997 Honda Civic air bag light on. Determined air bag module is bad. Searched the web and it seems thousands of Accord, Civic and Prelude owners are having the same problem. NHTSA does have recall campaign id number: 97V193000 for passenger side airbag not put in right, how about one for a junk module??

- Shelton, WA, USA

problem #50

Jun 122006

Civic

  • 45,000 miles
SRS light stays on; airbags not working. Has been reset twice (yearly to pass inspection) ; comes on within ten minutes of reset. Dealer says there is no solution. Exactly what is an owner supposed to do?

- Pulaski, VA, USA

problem #49

Nov 132007

Civic 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 90,000 miles
1997 Honda Civic - SRS light remaining on a lot of what could cause this light to come on is not covered under the safety warranty. Just resetting it can cost $100 and there is not a guarantee it will stay off to allow the airbag to function. Reading others problems with this there seem to be wide spread issues with the SRS system. Some of these repairs have cost in excess of $1000. After reading so many questions and complaints about it (for example www.carcomplaints.com), I wonder why it is not a safety recall item. The SRS light and problems with the system seem to be in Civics, Accord, and Prelude.

- Bel Air, MD, USA

problem #48

Oct 202004

Civic 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 48,000 miles
(1) normal driving of my 1997 Honda Civic 4 door dx (2) the SRS light is now illuminated and has stayed illuminated for the last year - this means my airbags don't work. - dealer checked it out ($90 charge) and said that my SRS unit is completely dead and can't tell me why - car has never been wrecked - no problems with it other than this defect (pretty huge defect). (3) I've lodged a couple of complaints and never heard anything back on them. Several people post to message boards with same problem - this is an issue that needs to be addressed - I can't afford to buy a new car and am currently riding in a dangerous one because of defective equipment. Cost to fix this is > $1000... please help.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #47

Aug 252005

Civic 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 89,000 miles
Contact owns a 1997 Honda Civic. While driving approximately 20 mph applied the brakes and the driver and passenger airbags deployed prior to an impact. The deployment of the airbags caused an accident because the driver could not see the vehicle in front of her. This vehicle had not been in any previous accidents. She purchased the vehicle from an individual owner, so she did not contact a local service dealer. The manufacturer stated that this type of occurrence could not have happened. The consumer no longer owned the vehicle.

- Newton, MA, USA

problem #46

Oct 022005

Civic 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 76,489 miles
The contact stated that both frontal airbags deployed without cause on October 2, 2005. The driver of the vehicle sustained minor injuries. There were no accidents. The airbag warning light came on after both airbags deployed. The vehicle had previously been in an accident before he purchased it. And the airbags did not deploy when the accident occurred. When the contact took the vehicle to dealer for inspection they could not find the cause ofr the deployment.

- San Bernardino, CA, USA

problem #45

Apr 252002

Civic

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles
The SRS light came on and took to dealer, they performed diagnostic test pulled code 22 high resistance in passenger airbag. Tech suggested to replace passenger air bag at cost $837. The consumer went NHTSA wed site and there was a recall on 1997 Honda Civic. Spoke to manufacturer, they said recall did not apply to the VIN.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #44

Feb 272005

Civic 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The left and right air bags went off inadvertently while driving. Driver applied the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. This caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crashed into a sewer drainage hole. Driver sustained minor injuries, and went to the hospital on her own. The vehicle was towed.

- Maryland Heights, MO, USA

problem #43

Jul 152004

Civic 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
While driving at 50 mph, the consumer hit a guard rail. Upon impact, the air bags did not deployed. The driver sustained bruises to his chest.

- La Plata, MD, USA

problem #42

Oct 292003

Civic 4-cyl

  • 62,532 miles
The check engine light illuminated and would not go off. The vehicle was taken tot he dealer who determined that the driver's side air bag had apparently deployed prior to the consumer owning the vehicle. The technician told the consumer to contact NHTSA to obtain permission to have the air bags turned off.

- Nashville, TN, USA

problem #41

Mar 042004

Civic

  • miles
While driving hit a deer, ran off a six foot embankment, and hit two brick walls. Upon impact, front air bags did not deploy until the end of the crash. Driver sustained bruises to the chest and knee, and was transported to the emergency room. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss.

- Shelbyville, KY, USA

problem #40

Jan 091999

Civic 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 25,000 miles
I own a 97 Honda Civic LX 4dr and have been in 3 accidents w/O air bag deployment. In 9/98 I was rear-ended at 40 mph which bent the frame of my car and cost several thousand to repair. Honda service said that the airbags would not deploy unless there was a sudden decel and/or frontal impact. A few mos later in 01/99, I was in an accident and the police rpt states that I broadsided a 81 Cadillac on the front driver's side at approx 35 mph. The front end of the Cadillac was detroyed. I injured my neck, back, and shoulder as the seat belt did not lock when I flew forward. After the accident, I went to Honda cars of mesa for body repair. It cost several thousand $, w/ significant front end damage and a bent frame. My air bags did not deploy in this accident. I requested an air bag fcheck and my friend and I were told by the mgr of service that the air bags were ok and the SRS knows when to deploy the airbags. He said that the collision was not enough to cause the airbags to deploy; however, I had direct frontal impact at 35 mph. My car was also backed over by a garbage truck IN5/99 w/O air bag deployment. In 04/03, I began to have probs with the SRS light coming on and staying on. The light was staying on until the car was restarted. Within 2 wks, my SRS light stayed on. I took my car to a Honda certified mechanic. He said the SRS unit was bad and the code given was 7-2, 7-3 which indicates a bad unit and requires replacement. The part cost was $370. And the labor was $75. The day after the repair, the SRS light came on and stayed on. Within 2 mos the part went bad and the unit gave the code 7-2, which indicates replacement w/O diagnostics. He felt the initial part may have been bad and replaced it w/ Honda's parts warranty, but if it happened again, there was another cause for the malfunction.the prob happened the day after I left the shop and the light is on again during most trips. My mechanic stated that the dealer will need to contact their tac.

- Chandler, AZ, USA

problem #39

Sep 272002

Civic

  • miles
Consumer states that while driving at 50 mph the consumer was involved in a head on collision with another vehicle and none of the front air bags deployed. Contacted dealer.

- Elmont, NY, USA

problem #38

Jul 282002

Civic

  • miles
Vehicle was involved in a rear end collision, it forced vehicle into a 360 degree turn, and head on collision into a concrete barricade. Vehicle swung around again, and neither air bag deployed. Feel free to provide any further information.

- Raytown, MO, USA

problem #37

Jun 012002

Civic

  • miles
While traveling on the highway another car made a sudden stop, and consumer ran into the back of another motorist and the airbags did not go off.

- Hollladay, UT, USA

problem #36

Jun 172002

(reported on)

Civic

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
While consumer was making a left hand turn at approximately 5 mph when the driver and passenger side airbags deployed with out any impact, front and driver side windows blewout. Consumer sustained minor injuries.

- Santa Fe, NM, USA

problem #35

Apr 252002

Civic

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
While traveling on a residential street, both airbags went off without prior warning, one person was injured.

- Santa Fe, NM, USA

problem #34

Feb 152002

Civic

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 55 mph, neither air bag deployed, one person was injured. Dealer was not notified at this time.

- Monroe, NY, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »