RecallMyCar

1997 Honda Odyssey Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 1997 Honda Odyssey, and owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
20
owner complaints to NHTSA
2 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
20
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 1997 Honda Odyssey

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Switch (electrical system)

    NHTSA 02V120000 Reported 1,000,000 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began june 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…

  2. Suspension: lower ball joint

    NHTSA 99V069000 Reported 124,875 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.

20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1997 Honda Odyssey have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 90,750 miles. Complaints peaked in 2002 with 9 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Faulty ignition switch causes the engine to spontaneously shut off while the vehicle is in motion. Since the engine cannot be restarted while not in park, this requires coming to a complete stop witho”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 2, 2011 · Electrical system

“When the vehicle was turned off and the key removed from the ignition there was a loud popping noise that sounded like an explosion from the rear right of the vehicle. The noise went away for a while”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 14, 2004 · Suspension

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1997 Honda Odyssey. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined20 mpg
City / Highway18 / 24
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize-Large Station Wagons
Engine4 cyl, 2.2 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Honda Odyssey model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Honda Odyssey model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1990 Honda Odyssey02
1994 Honda Odyssey01
1995 Honda Odyssey096
1996 Honda Odyssey070
1997 Honda Odyssey220
1998 Honda Odyssey373
1999 Honda Odyssey9518
2000 Honda Odyssey6675
2001 Honda Odyssey1619
2002 Honda Odyssey10960
2003 Honda Odyssey15914
2004 Honda Odyssey13585
2005 Honda Odyssey8830
2006 Honda Odyssey3703
2007 Honda Odyssey4830
2008 Honda Odyssey4499
2009 Honda Odyssey3198
2010 Honda Odyssey1255
2011 Honda Odyssey5235
2012 Honda Odyssey5245
2013 Honda Odyssey6210
2014 Honda Odyssey5308
2015 Honda Odyssey6206
2016 Honda Odyssey6270
2017 Honda Odyssey239
2018 Honda Odyssey16995
2019 Honda Odyssey20978
2020 Honda Odyssey14478
2021 Honda Odyssey8143
2022 Honda Odyssey9136
2023 Honda Odyssey5101
2024 Honda Odyssey3114
2025 Honda Odyssey2401
2026 Honda Odyssey242

Checking a specific 1997 Honda Odyssey

How do I know if my 1997 Honda Odyssey has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1997 Honda Odyssey; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Honda dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V120000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Honda models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.