repaired · 2022 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants.
1998 Honda AccordProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,200 owner complaints about the 1998 Honda Accord, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-026 the manufacturer reports only 4% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 23, 2023. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 Honda Accord has problems
1,200 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
308Electrical system12 crash/fire/injury
276Power train15 crash/fire/injury
134Engine and engine cooling2 crash/fire/injury
79Air bags
76Structure
67Vehicle speed control
62Suspension
43Service brakes, hydraulic
39Fuel system, other
25719 other systems32 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 308 | 12 |
| Power train | 276 | 15 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 134 | 2 |
| Air bags | 79 | 45 |
| Structure | 76 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 67 | 22 |
| Suspension | 62 | 3 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 43 | 8 |
| Fuel system, other | 39 | 0 |
| 19 other systems | 257 | 32 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
1998 Honda Accord recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Ignition: switch
Risk. IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR DOES NOT SHIFT TO "PARK" BEFORE REMOVING THE KEY AND FAILS TO ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
no report yet
Ignition: switch
Risk. WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Control arm: lower ball joint
Risk. THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER.
Show 2 more recalls
no report yet
Automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch
Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN AN INCLINE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS LOCKED IN "PARK," INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY…
no report yet
Front: anchorage
Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE BRACKET TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE BODY IN A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
127kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 156 electrical system complaints. 35% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 41% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
6under 30k miles55under 100k miles101100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
39 owners mentioned a cost$3,200median
Middle half: $1,900 – $4,050
Electrical system
17 owners mentioned a cost$205median
Middle half: $150 – $250
Engine and engine cooling
13 owners mentioned a cost$891median
Middle half: $800 – $1,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other Accord year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Accord median. How we score
00022710722135411188861922122061863695434724601,2001,1351,1839221,0501,9871,0186564335241,5217275812963741,4279826026135421,9027023702482679115710315
'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
1998 Honda Accord safety ratings
1998 Honda Accord 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1998 Honda Accord, and the recalls they led to.
- IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCKLed to recall 03V-423
- SEAT FRAME BRACKET FAILURENo recall
- IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK SYSTEMNo recall
In owners' words
What Accord owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
When I was driving my 98 Honda accord lx. I notice it shuts off itself if hitting a hard bump. Then I noticed online they had folks saying that the ignition switch was beginning to be a big issue. I nearly died after picking my 2 kids up from school the car shut off in the middleof the…
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. Additionally, the battery had to be recharged on several occasions in order to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was…
I WAS IN A BAD ACCIDENT I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE ON THE HIGHWAY I'M GOING 55MPH SOMEONE JUMPED IN FRONT OF ME I USED MY BREAKS THEN MY CAR JERKED RIGHT INTO THE OTHER PERSON CAR CAUSING MY CAR TO SPIN AROUND 2 TIME ON A 6 LANE HIGHWAY. THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED THE STARING WHEEL WAS NOT TURNING…
Own a 1998 Accord?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.