1998 Honda CIVIC problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
320 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
95,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 113 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 43 of 320 complaints (13.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 41 | 12.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 34 | 10.6% |
| Braking behavior | 21 | 6.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 5.0% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 43 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 38 |
| Air Bags | 30 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 26 |
| Electrical System | 21 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 13 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 43; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 38; Air Bags: 30; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 26; Electrical System: 21; Electrical System:Ignition: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 22 |
| 150,000 and above | 33 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 22; 150,000 and above: 33
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 207 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 33 |
| 2001 | 36 |
| 2002 | 69 |
| 2003 | 32 |
| 2004 | 34 |
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2000: 33; 2001: 36; 2002: 69; 2003: 32; 2004: 34; 2005: 18; 2006: 5; 2007: 16; 2008: 8; 2009: 6; 2010: 8; 2011: 9; 2012: 7; 2013: 4; 2014: 5; 2015: 7; 2016: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2020: 14; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 41 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 34 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10005167 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)
MY CAR WAS REPAIRED ON 8/16/2001 FOR A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND COIL WHICH CAUSED THE IGNITER TO SHORT OUT AND MY CAR TO SUDDENLY STALL ON THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR IS NOT LISTED AS A RECALLED VECHILE, BUT OTHER HONDA CIVICS AND MODEL ARE. I WOULD LIKE A REPRESENTATIVE TO REVIEW MY CASE FOR A RECALL ON 1998 HONDA CIVIC EX MODELS FOR THIS RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED HONDA WITH THE SAME INFORMATION.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005167 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006805 · 2003-01-05 (January 5, 2003)
MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING OUR FOR A PERIOD OF OVER TWO MONTHS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. I RECENTLY TOOK IT INTO HONDA AND THEY SAID IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY O2 SENSOR. WHY DIDN'T THEY NOTIFY ME WHEN I WAS IN THE OFFICE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FOR MY FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM? THEY TOLD ME NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR, NEVER OFFERING THE INFORMATION ABOUT MY IGNITION SWITCH. I EVEN WENT OVER WITH THE HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT MY CAR KEPT STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I WOULD SIT A STOP SIGH…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006805 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007813 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)
MY 1998 HONDA CIVIC EX (80,000 MILES) IS HAVING TRANMISSION TROUBLES. IT WILL REV UP BUT THE CAR WILL NOT SPEED UP VERY WELL, WHEN IT SHIFTS INTO 2ND GEAR THE CAR SHAKES AND ABRUPTLY SHIFTS INTO 2ND GEAR. I HAD THE FLUID CHANGED AT THE END OF DECEMBER AND IT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT A WEEK LATER IT WAS BACK AND GETTING WORST FAST. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD COST $3600 PLUS LABOR. I TOOK THE CAR BACK WITHOUT THE SERVICE DOWN AND SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE COME ACROSS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE POSTING …
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007813 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032644 · 2003-08-12 (August 12, 2003)
I HAVE A CLUTH PROBLEM WITH MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS UNUSUAL AT 70,000 MILES. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. I NOW WONDER IF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ERROR.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032644 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000354 · 2002-12-24 (December 24, 2002)
I WAS TRAVELING ON A WET ROAD AT 40MPH. WHEN APPLIED BRAKES, THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD ABRUPTLY AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID OFF ROAD. THE VEHICLE HIT CONCRETE BLOCKS AND TOTALED THE FRONT END. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000354 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045839 · 2003-11-10 (November 10, 2003)
CAR WAS IN PARK, HAND BRAKE WAS UP-LIMIT, AIR CONDITIONER AND ENGINE ON, IN A DRIVEWAY WITH AN INCLINE. I WAS UNLOADING THREE PET BIRDS FROM CAR IN OVER 90 DEGREE WEATHER, THEREFORE LEFT AIR CONDITIONER ON. WHEN I WAS DONE UNLOADING, I KNELT ON MY KNEES ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND REACHED OVER TO IGNITION, TURNED KEY AND REMOVED IT. CAR JUMPED GEARS TO NEUTRAL AND SLID BACK DOWN HILL, INTO STREET, CAUSING CLOSE TO $2,000 DAMAGE TO MY CAR AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO THE CAR I WAS PARKED NEXT TO IN DRIVEWAY. I COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN SEVERLY HURT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10045839 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028653 · 2003-07-20 (July 20, 2003)
1998 HONDA CIVIC LX WIRING HARNESS RUN UNDER INTAKE MANIFOLD SHORTING OUT DUE TO WIRING INSULATION BEING ABRADED BY THE INTAKE MAINIFOLD. ACCORDING TO HONDA SERVICE TECHNICIAN EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS ACCELERATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WOULD CONTACT THE WIRES. HE SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS ON OTHER CARS AS WELL. THIS CONDITION CAUSED THE CAR TO NOT SHIFT, SHIFT ERRATICALLY, OR NOT MOVE AT ALL, AND SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY EITHER.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 40,137 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028653 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064524 · 2004-04-04 (April 4, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC CAR WOULD CUT OFF WITH NO WARNING. IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT CATCH RIGHT AWAY AND CARS RPM WAS DOWN TO THREE NOTCHES FROM ZERO WHEN IDLING. TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC 3/22/04 AND THEN AGAIN 3/24/04 FOR CAR TO GO ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING SHOWED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM COMING FROM DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY. MECHANIC CONTACTED HONDA AND THIS WAS NOT A RECALL. I CONTACTED GEICO FOR CAR TO BE FIXED UNDER MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN THAT IS INCLUDED IN MY POLICY. GEICO CONTACTED MECHANIC CONCERNING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064524 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10087907 · 2004-08-13 (August 13, 2004)
CONSUMER STATED THAT GRANDDAUGHTER BOUGHT A CERTIFIED HONDA CIVIC AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ONE MONTH AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS DONE BY THE DEALER THAT SOLD HER THE VEHICLE. THEN, POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED, AND IT WAS REPAIRED 2 MONTHS LATER. IN MAY OF THIS YEAR THE SAME THING HAPPENED POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED AGAIN. *AK THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT 89440 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO SHIFTING PROBLEMS AT 90…
Owner-reported narrative. 89,940 miles reported. Look up ODI 10087907 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10648308 · 2014-10-17 (October 17, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,702.
Owner-reported narrative. 96,702 miles reported. Look up ODI 10648308 at NHTSA ↗