RoadVitals

1997 Honda Civic Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
33
Latest Nov 19, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 373 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Honda Civic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 33 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

The 25 most recent of 33, in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Nov 19, 2004

BOTH WINDOWS DO NOT OPEN ALL THE WAY. IN 2000 DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW CAME OFF THE RUBBER TRACK. REPLACED CHANNEL AND REGULATOR IN 2000. 11/18/04 DRIVER SIDE WINDOW CAME OFF THE RUBBER TRACK AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10100233
Incident
Nov 18, 2004
Visibility
Filed Jun 10, 2004

I OWN A 1997 HONDA CIVIC DX COUPE AND FEW WEEKS AGO THE DRIVER WINDOW COLLAPSED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY. THE ONLY WARNING WAS FEW DAYS BEFORE THAT THE HANDLE WAS SLIGHTLY HARDER THEN USUAL. I GOT REALLY SCARED AND ALMOST CRASHED HEARING THIS LOUD NOISE AND NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING.*AK

NHTSA ID
10075157
Incident
May 12, 2004
Visibility
Filed Feb 27, 2004

POWER WINDOW FALLS OFF TRACK .*AK

NHTSA ID
10059930
Incident
Sep 24, 1999
Visibility
Filed Feb 3, 2004

DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW HAS FAILED TWICE IN 3 MONTHS. BINDS AND SLIPS OFF TRACK.*AK

NHTSA ID
10056409
Incident
Feb 1, 2004
Mileage
65,000 mi
BrakesVisibility
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED EARLY UPON, WITHIN WARRANTY. IT WAS REPAIRED BY WARRANTY. MY POWER SUNROOF / MOONROOF HAS QUIT WORKING, I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING, PART BECAUSE OF MY FAULT I WOULD ASSUME AND APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD. DOESN\\'T HELP DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 401 IN TORONTO THOUGH. ALL IN ALL, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR. I HAVE 362,000 KM ON IT NOW AND SHE STILL DRIVES LIKE NEW.

NHTSA ID
10071325
Incident
Jan 15, 2003
Powertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON -- DEFECTIVE THROUGHOUT. MAJOR PROBLEM IS A TRANSMISSION THAT HAS FAILED TWICE -- ONCE BEING REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER ONLY AFTER TWO YEARS OF COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BEING UNABLE TO DRIVE ANY DISTANCES, AND AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES I PAID TO HAVE THE PROBLEM UNRESOLVED. SINCE IT WAS REPLACED IN JULY 2001, I BEGAN COMPLAINING AGAIN ABOUT PROBLEMS IN MAY OF 2002, ONLY TO GET THE SAME RUN AROUND AGAIN. COSTING ME MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE CVT TRANSMISSION FOR WHICH THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR DEFECT. FINALLY GOT IT FIXED AND THE WARRANTY EXTENDED FOR THE SECOND TIME, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, CHECK OUT THE VIN NUMBERS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND YOU'LL MANY OTHER HONDA OWNERS WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND VERY SIMILAR VIN NUMBERS. LATE FALL 2002 TO WINTER 2003 DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT WAS FIXED THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED. I HAD TO DRIVE DOWN THE FREEWAY IN THE RAIN TO GET HOME WITH A WINDOW I COULD ONLY PULL UP HALF WAY. BUT TO TOP THINGS OFF, I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR THIS MONTH. WORSE OF ALL, MY CAR WAS EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS THAT WERE APPARENTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE ALTERNATOR BACK IN MARCH 31, 1999 SERVICE BULLETIN 98-029. HOWEVER, HONDA NEVER NOTIFIED THE VEHICLE OWNERS. THEY JUST PLAYED THE ODDS THAT THE MAJORITY WOULD FAIL OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY A DIME. IT AMAZES ME THAT OUR GOVERNMENT ALLOWS AUTO MANUFACTURERS TO GET AWAY WITH THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS PRACTICE. JUST BECAUSE A PART FAILURE MAY NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT DANGEROUS. IF I'M COMMUTING 100 MILES A DAY, AS I HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, AND MY CAR BROKE DOWN WHO KNOWS WHERE, I COULD VERY WELL BE IN DANGER AS A SINGLE WOMEN TRAVELING A LONE. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO COUNT ON MY VEHICLE, WHICH I HAVE GONE OUT OF MY WAY TO INSURE WAS ALWAYS PROPERLY SERVICED. I CAN NOT TRUST HONDA AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE.

NHTSA ID
10070716
Incident
Feb 15, 2003
Mileage
50,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES IN THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER PERSISTS TO PUT A DEFECTIVE WINDOW MOTOR INTO THE VEHICLE. EVEN THOUGH THE WINDOW HAS FAILED SO MANY TIMES, HONDA NOR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES HAS CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10069095
Incident
Feb 15, 2003
Mileage
105,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 2, 2003

DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS POP OFF TRACK, BIND.*AK

NHTSA ID
10049077
Incident
Aug 17, 2003
Mileage
103,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 3, 2003

POWER WINDOWS FAIL. THE INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 7 TIMES IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES SAY THAT ONE MUST LUBRICATE THE WINDOW RUNNERS. THE OWNER'S MANUAL EITHER FAILS TO MENTION THIS MAINTENANCE OR THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH MAINTENANCE. THE PART IS ALWAYS REPLACED AND ALWAYS FAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10008350
Incident
Feb 27, 2003
Mileage
107,587 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 28, 2002

CONSUMER STATES, CAN'T OPEN THE BACK DOOR FROM OUT SIDE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID
8021754
Incident
Oct 28, 2002
Visibility
Filed Mar 17, 2002

I RECEIVED A NEW MOTOR FOR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE CAUSING ME PROBLEMS AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
759459
Visibility
Filed Jul 9, 2001

DRIVER'S SIDEAND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS WERE GETTING STUCK DOWN DUE TO WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED BOTH WINDOWS. *AK

NHTSA ID
892183
Visibility
Filed Jul 8, 2001

FIRST THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP ALL THE WAY AND IT SEEMED TO OFF OF IT'S TRACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURED. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM AND WAS CHARGED ALMOST THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. TWO MONTHS LATER THE SAME THIG HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND I HAVE HAD A CAR MECHANIC ROLL THE WINDOW UP FOR ME BUT IT IS NOT FIXED.I ALSO KNOW OF ANOTHER PERSON WHO PURCHASED A 1997 HONDA CIVIC FROMA DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND HIS DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAS DONE THE SAME THING. I COULD NOT FIND A RECALL ON THIS MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
748110
Visibility
Filed Jul 2, 2001

DRIVER WINDOW KEEPS JUMPING OFF TRACK. *AK

NHTSA ID
747680
Incident
Jun 30, 2001
ElectricalInterior & seatsVisibility
Filed Apr 17, 2001

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. DEALERSHIP TESTED BATTERY TO SEE IF THIS WAS CAUSE. MECHANIC REPLACED BATTERY, AND VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START. MECHANICS THEN REPLACED ENTIRE ALTERNATOR, AND THIS CORRECTED DEFECT. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000 MILES ON ALTERNATOR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. *AK RUN CHANNEL AND REGULATOR FOR THE POWER WINDOW WAS REPLACED. HOOD RELEASE SNAPPED OFF WHEN CONSUMER PULLED IT. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR. *SLC

NHTSA ID
886087
Incident
Nov 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Dec 25, 2000

WINDOWS ON BOTH SIDES CONTINUE TO GET OFF TRACK AND WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
738241
Incident
Nov 2, 2000
Visibility
Filed Dec 13, 2000

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW KEPT JUMPING OFF THE TRACK INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER'S SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. CURRENTLY INFORMED THAT TRACK NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO WEAR. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
876484
Incident
Nov 1, 1999
Visibility
Filed Dec 13, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
737769
Incident
Dec 1, 2000
BrakesTransmissionVisibility
Filed Sep 10, 2000

1) FRONT BRAKE DISCS WARPED AFTER ONLY 34,000 MILES. SHUDDERING FELT UPON BRAKING. CAREFUL DRIVER DID NOT ABUSE BRAKES, AND THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH ALLOY WHEELS ALLOWING PLENTY OF COOLING AIRFLOW TO BRAKE DISCS. BRAKE DISCS ARE OF POOR QUALITY AND WARP T

NHTSA ID
730910
Incident
Aug 10, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jul 18, 2000

POWER WINDOW BROKE

NHTSA ID
9005369
Incident
Jan 19, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jun 6, 2000

BAD POWER WINDOW REGULATOR AND RUN CHANNEL PREVENTED WINDOWS FROM OPERATING CORRECTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW AS WELL AS THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW.*AK

NHTSA ID
723650
Incident
Jun 3, 2000
Visibility
Filed Feb 23, 2000

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW COMES OFF TRACK AND DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ROLLED UP. *AK

NHTSA ID
719108
Visibility
Filed Feb 16, 2000

A DESIGN FLAW IN REAR WINDOW MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE OVER THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE. YH

NHTSA ID
550964
Visibility
Filed Feb 8, 2000

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FAILED, NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN BY CONSUMER. *MJS

NHTSA ID
9000423
Incident
Jan 19, 2000
Visibility
Filed Oct 20, 1999

EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH REARVIEW MIRROR; WHENEVER MIRROR IS ADJUSTED FROM DAY TO NIGHT AND RETURNED BACK TO DAY, THE WHOLE MIRROR HAS TO BE READJUSTED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED MIRROR ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THIS CAN LEAD TO A VEHICLE ACCIDENT DUE TO ADJUSTING MIRROR. ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
851296
Incident
Oct 20, 1999

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .