U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Honda PASSPORT problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

156 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

114,550 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 70 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 156 complaints (16.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	43	27.6%
Electrical and battery issues	9	5.8%
Engine operation	6	3.8%
Transmission and shifting	5	3.2%
Fuel system concerns	4	2.6%
Steering behavior	3	1.9%

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.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Structure:Frame And Members

Suspension

Suspension:Rear

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Power Train:Axle Assembly

Service Brakes, Air:Antilock

Structure:Body

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	25
Structure:Frame And Members	22
Suspension	15
Suspension:Rear	14
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	7
Power Train:Axle Assembly	7
Service Brakes, Air:Antilock	6
Structure:Body	6

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 25; Structure:Frame And Members: 22; Suspension: 15; Suspension:Rear: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 7; Power Train:Axle Assembly: 7; Service Brakes, Air:Antilock: 6; Structure:Body: 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 20

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 86 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.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2017

2018

2000: 32; 2001: 10; 2002: 14; 2003: 27; 2004: 17; 2005: 4; 2006: 2; 2008: 3; 2009: 7; 2010: 18; 2011: 8; 2012: 8; 2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2017: 1; 2018: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 43 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 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 10004118 · 2003-01-17 (January 17, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS THE ABS SYSTEM IS INOPERABLE. DEALER STATED HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED CONSUMER ADD BRAKE FLUID TO VEHICLE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004118 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009796 · 2003-03-04 (March 4, 2003)

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE THE ACCELERATOR DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009796 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039844 · 2003-09-10 (September 10, 2003)

NAR 9-10-03. CONSUMER COMPLAINT ON A DEFECTIVE 1998 HONDA PASSPORT PURSUANT TO MARYLAND'S LEMON LAW. BATTERY CABLES REPLACED, BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, REAR SUSPENSION DEFECTIVE, AND BRAKES PEDAL INOPERABLE. *CB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,417 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039844 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10052368 · 2004-01-04 (January 4, 2004)

IDLING FOR A LONG TIME, OR DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS FOR A LONG TIME (STOP-AND-GO IN A SEVERE TRAFFIC JAM) ALSO HAVING MOST OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT TURNED WILL CAUSE THE BATTERY TO GO DEAD BECAUSE THE ALTERNATOR DOES NOT ADEQUATELY CHARGE. THIS MAY BE A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS DURING SEVERE TRAFFIC MAY CAUSE THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE AND THE ENGINE TO STALL; NOT ALLOWING THE ABILITY TO MOVE TO SAFE POSITION. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 101,960 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052368 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071590 · 2004-04-26 (April 26, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. CONSUMER TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND TECHNICIAN FIXED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071590 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10029828 · 2003-07-22 (July 22, 2003)

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE RPM RAVES UP LIKE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS BEING DEPRESSED, BUT VEHICLE IS IN PARK GEAR. THEN WHEN GEAR IS SHIFTED, THERE IS A BANGING NOISE. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JERKS BACKWARD THEN IT DIES OUT. PER DEALERSHIP THIS IS CAUSED BY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029828 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10093124 · 2004-09-23 (September 23, 2004)

TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING, IT SHIFTS IN A DRAMATIC LOUD MANNER. A LARGE JOLT OCCURS WHEN CHANGING GEARS. THIS OCCURS COMPLETELY SPORADICALLY, IT WILL FUNCTION NORMALLY FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN MALFUNCTION SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. WHEN TAKEN TO TRANSMISSION SHOP I WAS TOLD IT WAS FINE, THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WITHOUT DROPPING THE PAN. THIS PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FOR A FEW MONTHS AND STILL CONTINUES TODAY. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 68,075 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093124 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009912 · 2003-03-05 (March 5, 2003)

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL IN 1998 REGARDING ABS LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE TO DEALER, HOWEVER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON, BUT THE DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. CONSUMER VISITED DEALER REGARDING BRAKES NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL IN ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SITUATIONS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ABS MODULE. WHILE DRIVING HOME THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. CONSUMER WAS CHARGED OVER $1800 FOR ABS REPAIRS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMEDIED UNDER THE ORIGINAL ABS LIGHT RECAL…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009912 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031321 · 2003-08-22 (August 22, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THAT REAR CUP HOLDER KEEPS OPENING UP, CAUSING THE KIDS IN THE BACK SEAT TO TRIP OVER THE CUP HOLDER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON SINCE PURCHASE. THE CUP HOLDER OPENED UP ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER'S CHILD HAD TRIPPED OVER IT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND RESULTED IN SCRAPES AND SCRATCHES. TSB# 98-027. HONDA REFUSED SERVICE. *SCC THE FUEL GAUGE WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, IT WAS NOT READING WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS FULL AND FINALLY IT DID NOT MOVE FROM EMPTY AT ALL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031321 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10565571 · 2014-02-24 (February 24, 2014)

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 171,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10565571 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 711319 · 2000-04-07 (April 7, 2000)

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55-75 STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES SHARPLY AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT, DEALER HAS REPLACED AND BALANCED FRONT TIRES AND ALIGNED FRONT END, AS WELL AS INSTALLED NEW GEAR RETURN SPRING. DEALERS EXPLANATION FOR THE PROBLEMS RANGE FROM UNEVEN PAVEMENT TO AGGRESSIVE TREAD PATTERN ON TIRES. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO MEET WITH THE MANUFACTURE'S AREA REPRESENATIVE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 711319 at NHTSA ↗