AI Damage1997 Honda Inspire: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Honda Inspire filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and tires. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 44% of all complaints
- 2 Tires 22% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 11% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 11% of all complaints
- Air bags: 4 complaints (44% of all).
- Tires: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Srs light on 97 honda accord stays on, indicating that the airbags are not functioning.
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.
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.
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.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Inspire has 6 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Honda Inspire?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, tires, electrical system. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (33%), battery drain (11%), A/C or heater (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Honda Inspire?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Honda Inspire from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.