HONDA INSPIRE · model year

1997 HONDA INSPIRE

10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997HONDAINSPIRE carries 10 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, 0 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 INSPIRE is air bags with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal:sensor/control module (2) and exterior lighting:headlights (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 INSPIRE, 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.

10
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

10 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
AIR BAGS2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS1
TIRES1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1

Recent Complaints

20100301ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

1997 HONDA ACCORD LX DIES UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. IT CAN RESTART, BUT DIES AGAIN IN 2 SECOND. CALLED AAA, A HALF HOUR LATE, WHEN AAA TRUCK CAME, THE CAR CAN START WITHOUT THE PROBLEM. AAA PERSON CHECKED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BOTH ARE GOOD. *TR

Mileage: 123,160

20071019TIRES:TREAD/BELT

I PURCHACED 4 NEW EPIC TOUR (LL600) TIRES AND IN LESS THAN A WEEK ONE HAD THE TREAD PEEL OFF WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. I DID NOT HIT OR RUN OVER ANYTHING PRIOR TO TREAD LOSS. THE TIRE WAS STILL ENFLATED. WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK TOTHE TIRE PEOPLE THEY GAVE ME ANOTHER NEW TIRE TO MATCH THE OTHER 3. IN A WEEK THIS NEW TIRE ALSO LOST ITS TREAD, EXACTLY LIKE THE FIRST. I WISH I STILL HAD THE FIRST TIRE BUT I DO NOT. I HAVE THE CURRENT PROBLEM TIRE AND CAN SEND PHOTOS OR IT IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. THE TREAD JUST PEELED OFF AS IF IT WERE A RETREAD. EVERYONE (INCLUDING PROFESSIONALS) THAT HAVE SEEN THIS TIRE THINKS THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT ON THE LIST, BUT THE COOPERATE OFFICE TOLD ME THEY WERE YANTI TYRE IN CHINA OR COOPER? DOT CODE: 2WUNFTS DATE: 3007.

Mileage: 158,500

20070719ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

AS STATED BELOW, PROBLEMS THAT I ENCOUNTERED SUCH AS BLOWN FUSE (MAIN CONCERN), DEAD BATTERY (FIXED), AND FAN/AIR CONDITIONER MALFUNCTION (PRODUCES IRRITATING SOUND) MIGHT BE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS WIRING PROBLEM. YOUR 1997 HONDA IS INCLUDED IN THE 1995-97 ACCORD A/C WIRE CAMPAIGN. DESCRIPTION 1995-97 ACCORD A/C WIRE DATE9/17/1998 TYPE SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN STATUS OPEN HAVING MORE THAN 10X OF BLOWN FUSE (FAILURES) THAT CRIPPLED MY TAIL AND PARKING LIGHTS AND UPON THE ADVICE OF HONDA (THRU OWNER LINK), I WENT TO ONE OF ITS DEALERS HERE IN BATON ROUGE, RICHARDS HONDA. I PROMPTED THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT I ENCOUNTERED AND THE RECALL THAT WAS STATED IN THE OWNER LINK. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO THE RECALL BUT IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL THEN I HAVE TO PAY A CERTAIN CHARGE. IF THEY ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR ANNOUNCED RECALL, IS THIS A GOOD WAY OF ADMITTING THEIR FAULT? I CERTAINLY DOUBT! TO CONTINUE MY UNFORTUNATE QUEST TO FIX MY CAR'S PROBLEM, THEY TO

Mileage: 171,685

20051020STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE AT THE SPEED OF 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE INNER TIRE MOLD---THE BLACK PLASTIC TIRE MOLD THAT IS OVER THE TIRE, FELL OFF AT THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELING AND HIT THE PERSON'S CAR BEHIND US. IT CAUSE US TO LOSE CONTROL, BUT WE REGAINED IT. BUT IT DID CAUSE ALL OF THE WIRING THAT IS USUALLY CONNECTED TO THE FENDER PULL OUT. SO WHEN IT FELL OFF IT PULLED ALL OF THE WIRING THAT RUNS MY WHOLE CAR IT WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. IT PULLED MY HEAD LIGHT OUT OF THE SOCKET, IT PULL THE WIRING OUT OF MY RADIATOR. NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE MY WHOLE WIRING IN MY CAR. *JB

20051020TIRES

WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE AT THE SPEED OF 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE INNER TIRE MOLD---THE BLACK PLASTIC TIRE MOLD THAT IS OVER THE TIRE, FELL OFF AT THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELING AND HIT THE PERSON'S CAR BEHIND US. IT CAUSE US TO LOSE CONTROL, BUT WE REGAINED IT. BUT IT DID CAUSE ALL OF THE WIRING THAT IS USUALLY CONNECTED TO THE FENDER PULL OUT. SO WHEN IT FELL OFF IT PULLED ALL OF THE WIRING THAT RUNS MY WHOLE CAR IT WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. IT PULLED MY HEAD LIGHT OUT OF THE SOCKET, IT PULL THE WIRING OUT OF MY RADIATOR. NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE MY WHOLE WIRING IN MY CAR. *JB

20051006AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

SRS LIGHT ON 97 HONDA ACCORD STAYS ON, INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. *NM

20050630EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

WHEN I ATTEMTPED TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS ON MY 1997 HONDA ACCORD, THE DRIVERS SIDE WOULD NOT TURN ON. I WENT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE TO REPLACE THE BULB, BUT THE BULB HAD NOT BURNED OUT. AFTER INVESTIGATING, I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM LIES WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS NOT FROM A BLOWN FUSE. THE PASSENGER SIDE HIGH BEAM WORKS FINE.

Mileage: 83,000

20050611AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH OUR HONDA: THE SRS INDICATOR CAME ON IN OUR 1997 HONDA ACCORD SOON AFTER WE BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1997. WE WERE TOLD IT HAD TO DO WITH A LOW BATTERY AND IT WAS RESET. IT CONTINUED TO COME ON AND IT WAS RESET EACH TIME WE BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICING. WHEN WE REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE SRS INDICATOR CONTINUED TO COME ON, HOWEVER HONDA REFUSED TO REPLACE IT SAYING THAT IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD DETERMINE IF THE PROBLEM EXISTED BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD IT RESET MULTIPLE TIMES. THE COST TO HAVE IT FIXED IS NEARLY $500 AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF AN ACCIDENT DOES OCCUR. THANKFULLY WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN ONE YET. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT HONDA WITH ITS CONSUMER SATISFACTION REPUTATION, WOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE CAR, BUT THEY WERE COMPLETELY UNCOOPERATIVE. I WONDER IF OTHERS ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SRS.

20040315AIR BAGS

I HAVE OWNED TWO 97 HONDA ACCORDS AND HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE SRS LIGHT GOING ON WITH BOTH OF THEM. THE DEALER IS NOW SUGGESTING I REPLACE THE SRS BUT THEY CANNOT TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SAME THING. I EXPECT BETTER FROM HONDA. *AK

Mileage: 101,450

20030924AIR BAGS

I AM EXACTLY IN THE SAME SITUATION AS COMPLAINT NUMBER 566928. SRS LIGHT CAME ON ONE DAY AND STAYED ON. I CALLED TO THE HONDA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE SRS CONTROL UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT COSTS APPROXIMATELY $850 AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. I SIMPLY CAN'T AFFORD TO SPENT THAT MUCH MONEY. IT IS NOTHING THAT I DID WRONG, SIMPLY ONE OF THEIR SAFETY FEATURES WAS DEFECTIVE. SINCE THERE WAS ANOTHER CASE EXIST ON THIS. IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND MAY NEED TO RECALL THIS.

Mileage: 45,000

Compare 1997HONDAINSPIRE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 9 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 HONDA INSPIRE have?
The 1997 HONDA INSPIRE has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 HONDA INSPIRE?
The most-complained component for the 1997 HONDA INSPIRE is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS.
Is the 1997 HONDA INSPIRE 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.