HONDA PASSPORT · model year

1998 HONDA PASSPORT

315 NHTSA complaints, 28 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998HONDAPASSPORT carries 315 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 28 crashes, 0 fires, 28 injuries, 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 PASSPORT is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 42 filings, followed by suspension (23) and structure:frame and members (22). 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 4 investigation files overlapping the 1998 PASSPORT, and 1 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.

315
Complaints
28
Crashes
0
Fires
28
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

315 filings

Crashes Reported

28 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP42
SUSPENSION23
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS22
SUSPENSION:REAR17
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY11
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER10
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL8
SUSPENSION:FRONT8
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE7
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY7
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK6
STRUCTURE:BODY6

Recent Complaints

20181213ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GENERAL MOTOR CODE 1870 (TRANSMISSION) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

Mileage: 173,000

20181213POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GENERAL MOTOR CODE 1870 (TRANSMISSION) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

Mileage: 173,000

20170711STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED SEVERE RUST ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V436000 (SUSPENSION) WAS RECEIVED BACK IN 2011 AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT WILLIAMS HONDA IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TREATED WITH AN ANTI-CORROSIVE COMPOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,000.

Mileage: 179,000

20141229STRUCTURE:BODY

I BOUGHT A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT AT THE AUCTION IN SALEM NEWHAMPSHIRE ON DECEMBER 20, 2014, THE VEHICLE HAS AN ESTIMATE OF 87;000 MILES ON IT, WHICH IS WHY I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION, HOWEVER TO MY SURPRISE AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME TO THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY ROTTED AND WOULD MOST LIKELY BE A HAZARD. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON RECALL FOR FRAME ROT ISSUES UNTIL TODAY DECEMBER 29,2014, I TRIED TO RECEIVE CO-OPERATIONS FROM A HONDA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED AND THAT THEIR WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND SIMPLY APOLOGIZED. WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHY WOULD THEY LEAVE A RECALLED VEHICLE ON THE MARKET, WOULDN'T THIS BE A VIOLATION OF THE LEMON LAW? I BELIEVE AS A RECENT HONDA PASSPORT OWNER, TO A VEHICLE THAT HAS HARDLY BEEN USED, JUDGING BY THE MILES, I SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO SERVICES FROM HONDA IN REGARDS TO THE RECALL THAT WAS "CLOSED". BESIDE

Mileage: 87,000

20140829SUSPENSION

DRIVING STARTED TO SWAY SLIGHTLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON, ON THE WAY HOME THERE WAS A SUDDEN GRINDING AND LOSS OF CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE STAYING IN ONE LANE, I PULLED IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND LOOKED AT IT. THE REAR TRAILING ARM RUSTED AND SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS COMPLAINTS THAT CANADA IS REIMBURSED AND IN THE US IT IS HARD TO GET THE PROPER COMPENSATION. HAD THE VEHICLE FOR TWO YEARS, WERE ASSURED THERE WERE NO RECALLS WHEN WE BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALER, WE WERE NEVER INFORMED OF ANY RECALLS WHILE OWNING IT. VEHICLE HAS RECALLS ON RUST AND THE FRAME THAT HONDA SAID EXPIRED, BUT THEY HAD US TOW OUR VEHICLE TO HONDA CENTER THEN OFFERED 100 DOLLARS TO US AFTER THE TOW FEE WAS DEDUCTED OR WE COULD PAY 1800 TO FIX IT. WE HAD IT IN A SAFE PLACE THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN US MUCH MORE MONEY FOR TOTALING IT OUT BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T FIX IT DUE TO THE REPAIR STILL BEING UNSAFE. THIS IS THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE CENTERS WAY OF GETTING UN

Mileage: 186,000

20140224SUSPENSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BOUNCE AND VEER WITHOUT THE CONTACT TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

Mileage: 171,000

20140224STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BOUNCE AND VEER WITHOUT THE CONTACT TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

Mileage: 171,000

20130821SUSPENSION

I TOOK MY HONDA PASSPORT TO FOX HONDA, TO GET THE RECALLS LOOKED AT AND THEY SAID THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, SO THEY SAID THE RECALL FOR THE FRAME HAD ENDED ALREADY SO THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY LET ME DRIVE THE HONDA OFF THERE LOT KNOWING THAT I COULD GET IN A WRECK. THERE'S GOT TO BE A MANDATORY RECALL ON THESE PASSPORTS AND GET THEM OFF THE ROAD. ITS JUST NOT GOING TO KILL YOU BUT OTHER PEOPLE TOO. *TR

Mileage: 163,000

20130821STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

I TOOK MY HONDA PASSPORT TO FOX HONDA, TO GET THE RECALLS LOOKED AT AND THEY SAID THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, SO THEY SAID THE RECALL FOR THE FRAME HAD ENDED ALREADY SO THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY LET ME DRIVE THE HONDA OFF THERE LOT KNOWING THAT I COULD GET IN A WRECK. THERE'S GOT TO BE A MANDATORY RECALL ON THESE PASSPORTS AND GET THEM OFF THE ROAD. ITS JUST NOT GOING TO KILL YOU BUT OTHER PEOPLE TOO. *TR

Mileage: 163,000

20121120SUSPENSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE FRAME AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS RUST AND CORROSION ALL OVER THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO NOTIFIED HIM OF RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V436000 (SUSPENSION: REAR) HOWEVER, THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED FOR HIS VEHICLE AND HE SHOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO VERIFIED THAT THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED AND REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

Mileage: 165,000

20121031SUSPENSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO ANOTHER LANE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE MISSED THE EXPIRATION DATE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V436000 (SUSPENSION:REAR). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 175,000.

Mileage: 175,000

20120810SUSPENSION

I TOOK MY CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR REGULAR SERVICE ON AUGUST 7, 2012. THE MECHANIC CALLED ME AND SAID THAT ELEMENTS OF THE REAR SUSPENSION, PARTICULARLY THE REAR AXLE LOWER LINK BRACKET MENTIONED IN THE 1998 HONDA PASSPORT RECALL - #00V058000, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER PARTS RELATED TO THE REAR SUSPENSION, WERE SO CORRODED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED HONDA DEALER TO ADDRESS THE RECALL MENTIONED ABOVE, AND AT THAT TIME THEY APPLIED AN ANTI-CORROSIVE COATING TO THESE AFFECTED PARTS. THIS SOLUTION DID NOT SEEM TO WORK. AT THE TIME, SOME OWNERS OF THE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE HAD THEIR VEHICLES BOUGHT BACK BY THE MANUFACTURER. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED THAT OPTION. INSTEAD, A VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME THAT WAS UNSAFE TO TRANSPORT MY FAMILY. *TR

Mileage: 160,688

20120810SUSPENSION:REAR

I TOOK MY CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR REGULAR SERVICE ON AUGUST 7, 2012. THE MECHANIC CALLED ME AND SAID THAT ELEMENTS OF THE REAR SUSPENSION, PARTICULARLY THE REAR AXLE LOWER LINK BRACKET MENTIONED IN THE 1998 HONDA PASSPORT RECALL - #00V058000, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER PARTS RELATED TO THE REAR SUSPENSION, WERE SO CORRODED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED HONDA DEALER TO ADDRESS THE RECALL MENTIONED ABOVE, AND AT THAT TIME THEY APPLIED AN ANTI-CORROSIVE COATING TO THESE AFFECTED PARTS. THIS SOLUTION DID NOT SEEM TO WORK. AT THE TIME, SOME OWNERS OF THE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE HAD THEIR VEHICLES BOUGHT BACK BY THE MANUFACTURER. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED THAT OPTION. INSTEAD, A VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME THAT WAS UNSAFE TO TRANSPORT MY FAMILY. *TR

Mileage: 160,688

20120717ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNSURE WHAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 131,000.

Mileage: 131,000

20120624SUSPENSION

I BROUGHT MY 1998 HONDA PASSPORT IN TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE FRAME INCLUDING BRACKETS WERE ENTIRELY RUSTED. IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT RUST. I DEPEND ON MY TRUCK AND MY GRANDCHILDREN HAVE TO RIDE IN IT. PLEASE MAKE THIS A MANDATORY RECALL, SOME ONE IS BOUND TO BE KILLED BY HONDA MISTAKES. (WHO KNOWS HOW MANY ACCIDENTS THERE HAVE BEEN.) I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD ALL UPKEEP DONE . ONCE AGAIN PLEASE MAKE THIS ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL, FOR SAFETY SAKE. *TR

Mileage: 169

20120624STRUCTURE:BODY

I BROUGHT MY 1998 HONDA PASSPORT IN TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE FRAME INCLUDING BRACKETS WERE ENTIRELY RUSTED. IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT RUST. I DEPEND ON MY TRUCK AND MY GRANDCHILDREN HAVE TO RIDE IN IT. PLEASE MAKE THIS A MANDATORY RECALL, SOME ONE IS BOUND TO BE KILLED BY HONDA MISTAKES. (WHO KNOWS HOW MANY ACCIDENTS THERE HAVE BEEN.) I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD ALL UPKEEP DONE . ONCE AGAIN PLEASE MAKE THIS ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL, FOR SAFETY SAKE. *TR

Mileage: 169

20120608SUSPENSION:REAR

THE LEFT REAR SUSPENSION ARM HOLDER RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE AWAY FROM FRAME WHICH LET THE REAR AXLE TO MOVE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWAY. FORTUNIATELY IT HAPPENED IN A 30 MPH ZONE. THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND NOT FIXABLE. HONDA CANCELED THEIR RECALL AND DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JS

Mileage: 112,000

20120608STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

THE LEFT REAR SUSPENSION ARM HOLDER RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE AWAY FROM FRAME WHICH LET THE REAR AXLE TO MOVE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWAY. FORTUNIATELY IT HAPPENED IN A 30 MPH ZONE. THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND NOT FIXABLE. HONDA CANCELED THEIR RECALL AND DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JS

Mileage: 112,000

20120326STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT NO WORK COULD BE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS LATER NOTIFIED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 193,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 193,000

20120103STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER: 10V436000 ( FRAME MOUNTING BRACKET) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FRAME AND NOTICED A SECOND FRACTURE IN THE FRAME NEAR THE SUSPENSION LINK. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE COST OF REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

Mileage: 132,000

Compare 1998HONDAPASSPORT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 HONDA PASSPORT have?
The 1998 HONDA PASSPORT has 315 NHTSA complaints, 28 crashes, 0 fires, 28 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 HONDA PASSPORT?
The most-complained component for the 1998 HONDA PASSPORT is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 42 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION and STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS.
Is the 1998 HONDA PASSPORT safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.