1997 Honda Passport

The 1997 Honda Passport records 64 complaints, zero recalls, and zero federal investigations, with 42 technical service bulletins—figures that sit comfortably below the generation's later peaks and roughly in line with the 1996 (51 complaints, 0 recalls) and 1995 (67 complaints, 1 recall) precedent. The complaint arc across this generation is pronounced: early years (1994–1996) were quiet, but 1998 (270 complaints, 6 recalls, 5 investigations) and 1999 (247 complaints, 3 recalls, 3 investigations) represent a clear surge, and even 2000–2001 remained elevated before the model was retired after 2002. This positioning makes 1997 a pre-surge model year that likely avoided the most heavily-cited issues later owners experienced, though the 42 TSBs indicate Honda was actively publishing guidance on a range of components. Reported problems in 1997 cluster in Structure (10), Engine & Engine Cooling (9), Power Train (7), and Electrical System (4), with only 3 crash-related and 1 fire-related complaint, suggesting no single dominant safety defect. The takeaway: among the 1994–2002 Passport years, 1997 is one of the cleaner choices on the federal record—lower complaint volume than its immediate neighbors, no active recalls or investigations, and it predates the 1998–1999 complaint spike—making it a defensible year to target, provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms condition.