1998 Honda Accord problems
Owners have filed 1,429 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Honda Accord. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 22% of complaints. After that come transmission (17%) and engine (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,429 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 22% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 133 and 3
- Injuries and deaths
- 95 and 3
- Typical mileage
- 101,000 miles 588 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 22 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 14 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 49 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 78 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 110 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 67 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 71 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 66 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 42 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 28 |
| 200k+ miles | 41 |
What the data shows
Among the 588 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 100,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 127,000 miles (160 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 133 complaints mention a crash; 3 complaints mention a fire; 95 injuries reported; 3 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1998 ranks 7th most-complained-about out of 36 model years of the Honda Accord with enough data (643 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 6 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Takata recall, my son was turning on north cook street and was in a car wreck another car. The impact was so bad but the airbags didn't even come out to help him as they was put in the car to do!
White house follow-up to previous communication of 12/22/05 death of mother in car accident involving airbags and safety belts possible defective. The driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a fire hydrant, training wall and a telephone pole. The driver suffered massive head injuries which resulted in death. The frontal air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt shoulder straps failed to restrain the driver from being thrown forwards into the vehicle's steering wheel.
Front tires started shaking and didn't know which one. Tread separated from the tire at 73 MPH one the right side front, causing the right front fender to collapse plus other damage in this area. Tires were bridgestoneturanza h revo p205/65r15 92h on a 1998 honda accord sedan. Tires replaced. Tire available at dealer. Front end damage ($1800.00) pending results from firestone/bridgestone office.
Was driving vehicle (1998 accord LX 4 cylinder) when a loud thump was heard from the front passenger side suspension. Put the vehicle up on ramps to inspect and the front subframe on the right side holding the sway bar was completely separated and rotted/rusted out. Prior visual inspection never showed the issue as the rusting was taking place from on top of the subframe.