Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

1997 Ford Contour vs 1997 Honda Accord

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric1997 Ford Contour1997 Honda Accord
NHTSA complaints218460
Recall campaigns21
Service bulletins (TSBs)20375
Investigations40
Crash reports1142
Fire reports1010
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)21–2419–25
Median reported incident mileage97,000 mi107,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord ContourHonda Accord
Electrical System4196
Air Bags9113
Engine and Engine Cooling3548
Power Train3033
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2732
Suspension1728
Vehicle Speed Control238
Visibility1913

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling1132
Electrical failures70
Check engine light68
Vibration / shaking610
Clunking / rattling60
Airbag warning light026
Hesitation / surging08
Loss of power05

Compare all Ford Contour vs Honda Accord years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.