CarComplaints.com Notes: 1997 is the last model year in the 5th generation of Accord. Which means it's also the last model year before problems like widespread transmission failure, subframe rust and peeling paint took over.
Does the 1997 have problems? Sure it does. Any car this old will. Some owners say their engine started to cut out around 147,000 miles. That's still not bad, and getting to 200,000+ miles isn't out of the question.
Does anyone believe a newer Accord will reach 200,000 miles?
I bought the car new, and since then I had the following major problems:
Muffler replaced twice.
B pipe replaced once.
Radiator replaced once.
Power steering pump replaced once.
Front engine mount replaced once.
Outer CV joint boots replaced twice.
Engine cam oil seals replaced once.
A/C has refrigerant leak.
Timing belts and water pump replaced three times!!!
Behold, a fifty-two step preventive maintenance nightmare:
http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=1908944
Honda recommends replacing the 1997 Accord timing belt every 7 years/105,000 miles. At 7 years and 35,000 miles, I had the dealer replace the timing belt, the balancer belt, the working water pump, and the accessory belts. Just over 5 years and 39,000 miles later, the replacement water pump failed. So, I had the dealer replace all of the above parts once again. The new replacement pump failed as soon as it was installed! The dealer had to tear down the engine again (since the timing belt
drives the water pump, and they are both hidden behind a protective cover along with the balancer belt), cleanup the spilled coolant, and then install yet another new water pump. According to the URL link above, it is a fifty-two step, labor intensive procedure!
Only time will tell if it was put together properly the second time around, since the mechanic was probably fatigued by now. What really impressed me was the apathy of the Honda customer service. I wrote the two letters to them, stating the premature water pump failure problem, and asking for an explanation. To date, I have not received a reply from them. As far as I am concerned, I have bought my last Honda, and have owned three of them since 1980.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I bought the car new, and since then I had the following major problems:
Muffler replaced twice. B pipe replaced once. Radiator replaced once. Power steering pump replaced once. Front engine mount replaced once. Outer CV joint boots replaced twice. Engine cam oil seals replaced once. A/C has refrigerant leak. Timing belts and water pump replaced three times!!!
Behold, a fifty-two step preventive maintenance nightmare: http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=1908944
Honda recommends replacing the 1997 Accord timing belt every 7 years/105,000 miles. At 7 years and 35,000 miles, I had the dealer replace the timing belt, the balancer belt, the working water pump, and the accessory belts. Just over 5 years and 39,000 miles later, the replacement water pump failed. So, I had the dealer replace all of the above parts once again. The new replacement pump failed as soon as it was installed! The dealer had to tear down the engine again (since the timing belt drives the water pump, and they are both hidden behind a protective cover along with the balancer belt), cleanup the spilled coolant, and then install yet another new water pump. According to the URL link above, it is a fifty-two step, labor intensive procedure!
Only time will tell if it was put together properly the second time around, since the mechanic was probably fatigued by now. What really impressed me was the apathy of the Honda customer service. I wrote the two letters to them, stating the premature water pump failure problem, and asking for an explanation. To date, I have not received a reply from them. As far as I am concerned, I have bought my last Honda, and have owned three of them since 1980.
- discord, Bethesda, MD, US