CarComplaints.com Notes: The 1998 Honda Accord suffers from widespread transmission failure, peeling paint, & subframe rust. We recommend avoiding this model year like the plague.
The transmission begins slipping & eventually has to be replaced, typically soon after 100,000 miles & with a repair cost of over $2,000.
Peeling paint has also been a huge issue for these Accords. Most of the complaints are with darker paint colors -- especially green & blue.
Subframe rust near the front passenger side wheel has become a problem recently, due to the poorly positioned A/C drain hose directly above that area. Repair cost to the subframe is over $2,000.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
88,284 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My transmission went out (slipped in and out of gear lurching forward) at 81,000 miles even though I had maintained the car just as the manufacturer suggested at the Honda dealership. After seeing many of the exact same problems from other Honda owners of the V6 engine for years 1998-2002 on the internet, I confronted the dealer and asked them to contact american Honda. I got them to give me a new (reconditioned/rebuilt) transmission and it did not cost me anything. Unfortunately if the consumer is not informed and fairly direct, then you could end up paying what they wanted in the beginning which was $4,500 for a new transmission. From what I could tell on the internet, the best deal everyone else got was a transmission but they paid for the labor (around $500). I paid nothing, except being without a car for a week.
I was backing up in a parking lot. My car suddenly started to accelerate. I pressed on the brakes, but they did not work. It was like I had no control over the car. The car finally stopped after I crashed through a fence and hit a tree.
The engine completely blew out one day. I was on the way to work and there was an explosion under my hood. Honda put in a re-built engine and I have had nothing but problems since then. A few months later...the paint gradually started to fade away on the roof. It has only gotten worse and will get much worse. It is a 1998 Honda!! this stuff shouldn't be happening!
There was a noise coming from the vehicle when the consumer released the accelerator, the dealer found the noise was caused by excessive bearing play at the left output shaft.
Speedometer error has been verified by aaa. Also, a coworker with the same car, has similar high readings. This adds additional maintenance costs as well as lowers the resale value.
- Upland, CA, USA
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Speedometer is inaccurate at the 10% level which maufacturer says is within guidelines established by your Agency altho could not provide me with hard copy, later dealer said inaccurate speddometer readings within dot standard and finally said it was a Honda standard. Inaccurate speedometer is dangerous and may lead to a serious accident. Honda replaced it once. Told me replacement might be as bad. And it was. So does Honda have who knows how may Accord out on the roads with 10% inaccurate readings on their speedometers? I believe that accuracy standard shoud exist for sppedometers but am at mercy of manufacturer who says they set the accuracy level only. This is a safety issue in my humble opinion. Could you look into this for me and probabl thousands of other Honda owners who do not have the faintest idea that their speedo are giving them false reasdings.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Austin, TX, USA