Total Complaints
16 filings
HONDA HONDA · model year
16 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998HONDAHONDA carries 16 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 HONDA is electrical system:ignition:module with 2 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:switch (2) and air bags (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 1998 HONDA, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
16 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
FIRST OF ALL, THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACE. EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED UP, U HAVE TO KEEP TRYING IN ORDER FOR IT TO CRANK UP. IF IT DOES CRANK, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WOULD CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THAT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL & KEEP TURNING THE SWITCH UNTIL IT FINALLY CRANKS BACK UP. NEXT, THERE IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING. THE FUSE BLOWS ABOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK & HAS TO BE REPLACED SO THAT THE HEADLIGHT & BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD WORK. EVERYTIME THE FUSE BLOW & THE LIGHTS STOP WORKING, THE CAR WONT GET INTO GEAR UNLESS U UNLOCK THE GEAR SHIFT EVERYTIME U PUT IT IN PARK. THEN THERE IS THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE PUT 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS CAR IN LESS THAT A YEAR. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS CAR? *TR
Mileage: 199,800
FIRST OF ALL, THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACE. EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED UP, U HAVE TO KEEP TRYING IN ORDER FOR IT TO CRANK UP. IF IT DOES CRANK, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WOULD CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THAT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL & KEEP TURNING THE SWITCH UNTIL IT FINALLY CRANKS BACK UP. NEXT, THERE IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING. THE FUSE BLOWS ABOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK & HAS TO BE REPLACED SO THAT THE HEADLIGHT & BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD WORK. EVERYTIME THE FUSE BLOW & THE LIGHTS STOP WORKING, THE CAR WONT GET INTO GEAR UNLESS U UNLOCK THE GEAR SHIFT EVERYTIME U PUT IT IN PARK. THEN THERE IS THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE PUT 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS CAR IN LESS THAT A YEAR. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS CAR? *TR
Mileage: 199,800
NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. PASSENGER SIDE DOOR ON MY 1998 HONDA CIVIC (2 DOOR), FAILED/FAILS TO OPEN. PASSENGER THOUGHT DOOR HAD BEEN LOCKED BY DRIVER BUT DOOR FAILED TO OPEN EVEN AFTER IT WAS REPEATEDLY LOCKED AND UNLOCKED IN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT PROBLEM. DOOR HAS NOT OPENED SINCE. PASSENGER MUST CLIMB OUT WINDOW OR CRAWL OVER DRIVER SEAT TO EXIT CAR. WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF AUTO ACCIDENT OCCURRED ESPECIALLY IF EXIT FROM DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS IMPOSSIBLE. CHILDREN RIDE IN THIS CAR AND OWNER FEARS FOR THEIR SAFETY. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER TO HAVE PROBLEM FIXED BUT DEALER ASKED FOR OVER $400 TO REPLACE INSIDE DOOR PARTS AND ALSO STATED $400 MORE WOULD BE REQUIRED IF DOOR PANEL WAS BROKEN AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE IT. DOOR PANEL IS VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE WITH DOOR STUCK SHUT. OWNER FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MANUFACTURING OF CAR AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY MANUFACTURER WITHOUT CHARGE. *NM
1998 HONDA ACCORD,VIN:[XXX]. REPLACED STOPLIGHT SWITCH #[XXX], THREE TIMES IN 100,338 MILES. SWITCH ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE CAR OUT OF PARK. WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. WHEN PART FAILS, YOU ARE STRANDED WHERE EVER YOU ARE, WITH CAR STUCK IN PARK. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Mileage: 100,338
I PUT THE SPARE TIRE THAT CAME WITH MY CAR ON THE THE CAR THEOTHER DAY. IT APPEARED TO BE A NEW TIRE. IT WAS A BF GOODRICH TOURING T/A SR4 205/70R15 THAT CAME WITH MY HONDA CRV WHEN I BOUGHT IT TWO YEARS AGO. WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE TREAD CAME LOOSE. IT BEAT UP MY BUMPER AND CAUSED IT TO COME LOOSE AND TORE UP THE LIGHT WIRING BESIDE IT. THE WLAMART FELLOW SAID THAT IT LOOKED LIKE A FAULTY TREAD. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE DAMAGE TO MY BUMPER AND LIGHT AS WELL AS HAVE A NEW TIRE.
THE PAINT AND CLEARCOAT ARE BREAKING DOWN ON MY CAR. IT HAS NEVER BEEN WAXED OR BUFFED. IT STARTED WITH A SMALL SPOT, THEN GREW. NOW, ALL OF THE EDGES, THE TOP, SIDE PANELS AND TRUNK HAVE WHITISH GRAY AREAS WHERE IT USED TO BE THE ORIGINAL BLACK PAINT.
I OWN A HONDA ACCORD 1998, EX 4D SEDAN, VIN: [XXX]. SOMETIMES WHEN I MAKE A TURN, THE ENGINE STALLS AND STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!!! IT USED TO HAPPEN ONCE A FEW MONTHS. BUT NOW IT OCCURS ONCE A DAY! I TALKED TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN NOT DIAGNOSE IT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS IRREPRODUCIBLE BY THEM. HOWEVER, THEY SAID IT?S VERY LIKELY AN IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE IT. I CHECKED HONDA?S WEB SITE AND FOUND THERE?RE TWO RECALLS ABOUT IGNITION SWITCH FOR 98 ACCORDS, WHICH ARE 03-088 AND 02-031. BUT THOSE TWO RECALLS DON?T COVER MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS. THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL CARS REGARDING THE KEY CYLINDER. PROBLEM HAPPENS TO AUTOMATIC CAR?S KEY CYLINDER CAN EQUALLY HAPPEN TO MANUAL CAR?S TOO! I WONDER IF HONDA COULD INCLUDE MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS FOR THE RECALLS TOO, OR AT LEAST REIMBURSE ME FOR REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH?*AK *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREE
Mileage: 60,000
NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN. NLM
HORN INDICATOR FAILED. MGM
ON THREE OCCASIONS THE CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT FAILED. *YC
MAIN COMPUTER UNIT FAILED. *YC
BOTH FRONT BRAKE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY AND INTO THE ROTORS AT 9400 MILES.*AK
CLUTCH PEDAL FAILED. *YC
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT STALLING, UNABLE TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS.
HEATER/AIR CONITIONER FAILED.
DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG, RESULTING IN LACERATION TO HEAD. (POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT).
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
Engine failure
Rear Differential Seizure
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.