1998 Honda Civic Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster around two long-running themes: engines that cut out while driving, which owners and their mechanics often trace to the ignition switch or ignition-related wiring, and automatic transmissions that shift harshly or slip. Airbag non-deployment in crashes is the other frequently reported theme, alongside older-vehicle wear items such as cracked exhaust manifolds, window regulators and aging brake and fuel lines. Reports arrive across a wide mileage range, from cars under 20,000 miles to ones well past 200,000.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls while driving (ignition switch / ignition

   • 90 complaints (21%)
   • median 126,000 mi at 10.8 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $364 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 1998–2021

   Complaints describe the engine quitting without warning at speed, at stops or during acceleration, sometimes with the car restarting after a wait of a few minutes or on the first turn of the key. Several owners and their mechanics point to the ignition switch or to ignition and distributor components; some note that the car was not included in the ignition switch recall and that the manufacturer declined assistance for that reason. Others report repeat stalling after ignition coils, distributors or sensors were replaced. Reported from very low mileage up to roughly 220,000 miles, with many complaints filed on vehicles above 100,000 miles.

   Recall 02V1200002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch has been replaced and whether the car's VIN was covered by the ignition switch recall; check for a record of ignition coil or distributor work. During a test drive, note any hesitation or cut-out at idle and at speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My Honda Civic 1998 engine stalled and I almost got into an accident. I took my car to the mechanic, after inspection he told me that the ignition switch has a flaw and Honda had a recall. I checked with Honda and they said my car was not included in the recall. The recall # is 97v193000. I believe my car has the problem and should be included in the recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10127666, filed 2005-07, 85,900 miles

   “My !998 Honda Civic ex stalled on freeway while going at 50mph. It was due to failure of ignition switch. Honda had a recall on certain van models only and my vehicle is not on the list. My safety is at stake here so are others who drives a Honda. Although I have 162,000 miles on the vehicle, the switch as far as I know is not an item called out for replacement as part of the vehicle maintenance. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10260021, filed 2009-02, 162,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission harsh shifting or slipping

   • 59 complaints (14%)
   • median 68,600 mi at 6.7 yrs old (20 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $3,050 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 1998–2012

   Complaints describe the automatic transmission revving between gears and then engaging abruptly, slipping out of gear, or hesitating when accelerating from a stop or onto a highway. Several owners report being quoted a full transmission replacement, that earlier repairs did not last, and that dealers initially found no problem; one owner cites a service bulletin recommending a fluid flush and solenoid replacement. Often reported between about 40,000 and 120,000 miles, and some vehicles had a second transmission by 115,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for transmission service records, including fluid changes and any prior replacement, and test drive from a cold start paying attention to the 1-2 shift and to slip when accelerating onto a highway.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10032644, filed 2003-08, 70,000 miles

   “Honda, Civic lx, 1998, transmission problems. Transmission refuses to smoothly operate sometimes when you are shifting from first gear over to second to third, and to fourth, the rpms's speed up between gears. Sometimes it will go completely out of gear. If I drive very cautiously and carefully this most of the time will not happen. It started happening a few days after buying the car. I'm a senior citizen, that checked consumer reports and thought this was a reliable car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10067619, filed 2004-04, 59,010 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbags not deploying in a crash

   • 85 complaints (20%)
   • median 164,000 mi at 10.9 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 67 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2020

   Owners describe frontal impacts at moderate speeds, including ones that totaled the car, where neither the driver nor passenger airbag deployed, and in a couple of cases bags deployed over a road dip with no crash damage. Some complaints mention that the vehicle was outside the scope of an airbag-related recall, while a few report injuries or a cracked windshield associated with deployment. Filed on vehicles from about 56,000 to 230,000 miles, generally in front-end collisions at roughly 15-55 mph.

   Recall 20V026000Recall 97V193000

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag inflators have been replaced under any open recall by checking the VIN with a dealer, and confirm the airbag warning lamp behaves normally (comes on briefly at startup, then goes out).

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were on a city street, approached an unknown dip in the road. The airbags deployed, the headliner is shredded. There is no structural damage to the bumper, fenders or hood. The srs system light is on. The door locks won't work from the fob. The seatbelts do appear to be functioning correctly. I have waited for the recall to include 98's knowing that they would have to be included because of what happened to mine. I don't have pictures at this time but will provide.”

   NHTSA complaint #11354740, filed 2020-09, 150,000 miles

   “Driving at 55 MPH a ford focus pulled straight out in front of me and came to a stop. I was approximately 1 car length away when they did this so I did not have time to stop and could not pull out around them because I would have been in oncoming traffic. I t-boned this vehicle doing 55 MPH and they were stopped. My front end hit directly on their front drivers side. Their front left fender and tire were bent in and both of their front air bags deployed. My whole front end was crushed in and the center of my hood looked like I hit a tree. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10458149, filed 2012-05, 230,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Cracked exhaust manifold / exhaust leak

   • 23 complaints (5%)
   • median 79,000 mi at 7.9 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2000–2011

   Owners report a loud noise like a failed muffler and find a cracked exhaust manifold, sometimes with exhaust smell inside the cabin. Some complaints describe the part being replaced and cracking again within a couple of years, and some note the dealer said it was a known issue on certain cars but that their VIN was not covered. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 155,000 miles, often discovered during inspections or after an engine light came on.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Listen for a ticking or roaring exhaust note at cold start and look for soot tracks or cracks around the manifold; ask whether the manifold has been replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When my 1998 Honda Civic was at 90,891 miles, the Honda dealer service department told me the exhaust manifold was cracked and needed to be replaced. The repair was about $1000. Only 2 years later, they told me the new exhaust manifold was cracked and needed to be replaced again. The service manager told me that this replacement part should last much longer but he was unwilling to stand behind this repair and charged me another $1000 to repair it again.”

   NHTSA complaint #10355765, filed 2010-09, 90,891 miles

   “While driving there was a loud noise like the muffler had gone bad. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the consumer noticed a large crack in the exhaust manifold. The dealership indicated this was a common problem on earlier model years, and the manufacturer extended the warranty on this part. The dealer replaced the manifold with a reinforced part.”

   NHTSA complaint #10053746, filed 2004-02, 75,000 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Power windows binding or falling off track

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe door windows that bind, stick, or drop out of their sliding bracket, sometimes leaving the glass stuck inside the door. Owners report having to remove the door panel to reseat the glass, and that replacing the regulator did not always end the problem. Reported between roughly 100,000 and 166,000 miles, and described as an ongoing, recurring problem on older cars.

   What to check: Operate every window through its full travel from both the driver master switch and the individual doors, and listen for grinding or popping that suggests a worn regulator.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1998 Honda Civic ex coupe- great car except for the power windows. I have not been able to have them professionally fixed because of the cost. They have been stuck in the up position for a few years now. They come off track if I try to roll them down and the glass literally falls into the door.”

   NHTSA complaint #10110470, filed 2005-02, 90,000 miles

   “The passenger side door and window mechanism is not working properly. The door can not be unlocked with a key, with keyless entry remote or from unlock handle on the inside of the car. The door will not stay unlocked even after turning key in key slot. The only way to open passenger side door is to insert key in key slot, turn key and pull door handle at the same time. The passenger can not open door from the inside. When opening or closing window, the window would get stuck. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10174840, filed 2006-11, 150,000 miles

Buying note. Check the VIN with a dealer for open recalls, especially airbag inflator and ignition switch campaigns, before buying. Beyond paperwork, a test drive focused on stalling, transmission shifting and window operation, plus a look underneath at brake and fuel lines on a car this age, will tell you more than miles alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.