HONDA DEL SOL · model year

1997 HONDA DEL SOL

3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997HONDADEL SOL carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 DEL SOL is wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs with 2 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 77 investigation files overlapping the 1997 DEL SOL, and 9 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS2
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS1

Recent Complaints

19990921WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

LOOSE LUGS CAUSED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE TO FLY OFF AND CAUSED SLIGHT INJURIES, DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. YH

19990302WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

LUG NUT WERE LOOSE AND FELL OFF RESULTING IN WHEEL COMING OFF OF AXLE CAUSING DAMAGE.

19980323STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO CONTAMINATED FLUID.

Compare 1997HONDADEL SOL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 9 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 HONDA DEL SOL have?
The 1997 HONDA DEL SOL has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 HONDA DEL SOL?
The most-complained component for the 1997 HONDA DEL SOL is WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS.
Is the 1997 HONDA DEL SOL safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.