Easist way to tell, look under the battery. If there's a big metal thing with a bunch of metal hard brake lines coming out of it, you've got ABS, if there's just a battery and maybe 1 or 2 lines against the firewall, you've got standard brakes.

 

or if there's an abs light in your cluster

 

If you had drums in the rear, you did not have ABS.

 

o ok thanks guys. guess my pop proved me wrong

 

.....

 

Well according to my Dealer's Civic shop manual, you can tell by your VIN. I was looking at the options and it looks weird. None of the codes state that the EX even came with ABS. All the codes that have ABS available only came on LX and believe it or not DX. That is for the 4 dr codes. The coupe VIN codes did have ABS available on the EX models.

So by the VIN on a 97 4door it follows as this:

1HG = Honda of America/ passenger car
EJ8 = Civic 4dr D16Y8
5 = sedan 5 speed or 4 = sedan automatic
4 = EX model (vehicle grade)
V = model year 97
L = Factory code (I am guessing yours was made in Ohio)
and the last bunch of numbers are your serial #'s

So yours may read 1HGEJ86 4 (this is your EX model) VL then serial #.

Hope that helps somewhat. Kinda weird they wouldn't offer ABS on a 4dr EX.

 

4wheel disc abs is offered on ex's but as an option. 4wheel disc abs was an option. otherwise front disc and rear drum ex's r normal.

 

I got a 97 EX, with ABS

Mark

 

wrong. funny, with the other brake thread....

read the link:

no USDM 6G civic has rear disks from the factory except the SI

 

ill be damn.