1998 Honda Accord Problems and Recalls (1,178 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1998 Honda Accord is Electrical (24% of 1,178 owner reports). There are 19 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Electrical — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-15 1,178 complaints · 19 recalls

What problems show up on the 1998 Honda Accord?

278 of 1,178 filings named Electrical (24% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (263 reports).

There are 19 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical, Lights, Airbags, Seat belts, Transmission / driveline, and Suspension. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1997 has 453 reports on file; this year has 1,178. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1998 Honda Accord

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 19 campaigns on file below.
  2. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Electrical. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Electrical 278 complaints · 23.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 100
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 64
  • Deaths 2
All Honda Accord years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) appears in 278 of 1,178 owner complaints (23.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 278 complaints, 23.6% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 7 crash reports 3 fire reports 278 · 23.6% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 263 complaints, 22.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 12 crash reports 263 · 22.3% Engine (ENGINE): 123 complaints, 10.4% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 123 · 10.4% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 73 complaints, 6.2% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 73 · 6.2% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 68 complaints, 5.8% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 38 crash reports 68 · 5.8% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 57 complaints, 4.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 57 · 4.8% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 52 complaints, 4.4% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 14 crash reports 52 · 4.4% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 47 complaints, 4.0% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 47 · 4.0% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 35 complaints, 3.0% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 crash reports 35 · 3.0% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 877 complaints, 74.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 60 crash reports 3 fire reports 877 · 74.5% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 278 23.6% 7 crashes · 3 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 263 22.3% 12 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 123 10.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 73 6.2% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 68 5.8% 38 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 57 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 52 4.4% 14 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 47 4.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 35 3.0% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 877 74.5% 60 crashes · 3 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 1997; the first recall shown was reported in Dec 1997. 1997-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 1998-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 1998-Q2: 20 owner reports 20 1998-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 1998-Q4: 20 owner reports 20 1999-Q1: 122 owner reports 122 1999-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 1999-Q3: 39 owner reports 39 1999-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2000-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2000-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2000-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2000-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2001-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2001-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2001-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2001-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2002-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2002-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2002-Q3: 56 owner reports 56 2002-Q4: 61 owner reports 61 2003-Q1: 29 owner reports 29 2003-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2003-Q3: 33 owner reports 33 2003-Q4: 39 owner reports 39 2004-Q1: 62 owner reports 62 2004-Q2: 31 owner reports 31 2004-Q3: 16 owner reports 16 2004-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2005-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2005-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2006-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2006-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2007-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2007-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2008-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2008-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2008-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2009-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2009-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2009-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2009-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2010-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2010-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2010-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2011-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2012-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2013-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2013-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2014-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2014-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2015-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2015-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2020-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1997 Apr 2023 Recall campaign 97V220000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V220000 Recall campaign 98V018000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V018000 Recall campaign 99V069000 ◆ Recall campaign 99V069000 Recall campaign 02V120000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V120000 Recall campaign 03V423000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V423000 Recall campaign 06E023000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E023000 Recall campaign 06E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E025000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 06E032000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E032000 Recall campaign 06E038000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E038000 Recall campaign 06E040000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E040000 Recall campaign 06E044000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E044000 Recall campaign 06E049000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E049000 Recall campaign 06E060000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E060000 Recall campaign 06E064000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E064000 Recall campaign 08E050000 ◆ Recall campaign 08E050000 Recall campaign 09E012000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E012000 Recall campaign 09E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E025000 Recall campaign 20V026000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V026000 Investigation PE02072 ● Investigation PE02072 Investigation PE03014 ● Investigation PE03014 Investigation EA03017 ● Investigation EA03017
  • Campaign 98V018000 was reported 70 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99V069000 was reported 566 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 02V120000 was reported 1,532 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 03V423000 was reported 2,061 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E023000 was reported 2,593 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E025000 was reported 2,601 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 08E050000 was reported 3,475 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09E025000 was reported 3,748 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V026000 was reported 7,955 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1997-Q4 Owner reports 5
1998-Q1 Owner reports 11
1998-Q2 Owner reports 20
1998-Q3 Owner reports 22
1998-Q4 Owner reports 20
1999-Q1 Owner reports 122
1999-Q2 Owner reports 10
1999-Q3 Owner reports 39
1999-Q4 Owner reports 15
2000-Q1 Owner reports 15
2000-Q2 Owner reports 12
2000-Q3 Owner reports 15
2000-Q4 Owner reports 12
2001-Q1 Owner reports 12
2001-Q2 Owner reports 18
2001-Q3 Owner reports 12
2001-Q4 Owner reports 19
2002-Q1 Owner reports 15
2002-Q2 Owner reports 15
2002-Q3 Owner reports 56
2002-Q4 Owner reports 61
2003-Q1 Owner reports 29
2003-Q2 Owner reports 23
2003-Q3 Owner reports 33
2003-Q4 Owner reports 39
2004-Q1 Owner reports 62
2004-Q2 Owner reports 31
2004-Q3 Owner reports 16
2004-Q4 Owner reports 15
2005-Q1 Owner reports 13
2005-Q2 Owner reports 8
2005-Q3 Owner reports 7
2005-Q4 Owner reports 11
2006-Q1 Owner reports 8
2006-Q2 Owner reports 14
2006-Q3 Owner reports 8
2006-Q4 Owner reports 4
2007-Q1 Owner reports 4
2007-Q2 Owner reports 11
2007-Q3 Owner reports 5
2007-Q4 Owner reports 5
2008-Q1 Owner reports 9
2008-Q2 Owner reports 9
2008-Q3 Owner reports 9
2008-Q4 Owner reports 11
2009-Q1 Owner reports 7
2009-Q2 Owner reports 9
2009-Q3 Owner reports 12
2009-Q4 Owner reports 4
2010-Q1 Owner reports 9
2010-Q2 Owner reports 9
2010-Q3 Owner reports 11
2010-Q4 Owner reports 4
2011-Q1 Owner reports 8
2011-Q2 Owner reports 6
2011-Q3 Owner reports 6
2011-Q4 Owner reports 6
2012-Q1 Owner reports 5
2012-Q2 Owner reports 8
2012-Q3 Owner reports 6
2012-Q4 Owner reports 3
2013-Q1 Owner reports 2
2013-Q2 Owner reports 8
2013-Q3 Owner reports 6
2013-Q4 Owner reports 3
2014-Q1 Owner reports 4
2014-Q2 Owner reports 7
2014-Q3 Owner reports 17
2014-Q4 Owner reports 5
2015-Q1 Owner reports 6
2015-Q2 Owner reports 8
2015-Q3 Owner reports 10
2015-Q4 Owner reports 7
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2016-Q2 Owner reports 6
2016-Q3 Owner reports 4
2016-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 5
2017-Q2 Owner reports 4
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 3
2018-Q1 Owner reports 4
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q3 Owner reports 5
2018-Q4 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 9
2020-Q3 Owner reports 8
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q1 Owner reports 4
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 2
2023-Q1 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V220000
Recall campaign 1 98V018000
Recall campaign 1 99V069000
Recall campaign 1 02V120000
Recall campaign 1 03V423000
Recall campaign 1 06E023000
Recall campaign 1 06E025000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 06E032000
Recall campaign 1 06E038000
Recall campaign 1 06E040000
Recall campaign 1 06E044000
Recall campaign 1 06E049000
Recall campaign 1 06E060000
Recall campaign 1 06E064000
Recall campaign 1 08E050000
Recall campaign 1 09E012000
Recall campaign 1 09E025000
Recall campaign 1 20V026000
Defect investigation 1 PE02072
Defect investigation 1 PE03014
Defect investigation 1 EA03017
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Safety Recalls (19)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Electrical, Lights, Airbags, Seat belts, Transmission / driveline, and Suspension.

  1. Recall campaign 02V120000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 14, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 03V423000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR DOES NOT SHIFT TO "PARK" BEFORE REMOVING THE KEY AND FAILS TO ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL PERFORM AN INSPECTION PROCEDURE THAT DETERMINES THE AMOUNT OF CYLINDER BODY WEAR. IF SIGNIFICANT WEAR IS INDICATED, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE CYLINDER BODY, COLLAR, AND LATCH PLATE. IF NO SIGNS OF WEAR ARE INDICATED, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LATCH PLATE WITH A REDESIGNED PART. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 8, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 06E023000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 06E025000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    POLI-AUTO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE HEADLAMPS AT ITS ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT POLI-AUTO AT 305-477-1356.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 06E026000

    Safety recall 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 06E032000

    Safety recall 06E032000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    TOM MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF NONCOMPLIANT LIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN APRIL 17, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOM MOTORSPORT AT 626-968-4007.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Recall campaign 06E038000

    Safety recall 06E038000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    ALFAOTTO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ALFAOTTO AT 626-656-2992 OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT WWW.ALFAOTTO.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Recall campaign 06E040000

    Safety recall 06E040000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    E SPEED RACING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT E SPEED RACING 909-923-3636.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Recall campaign 06E044000

    Safety recall 06E044000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    J & A AUTO ACCESSORIES WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE HEADLAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT J & A AUTO ACCESSORIES AT 310-327-4981.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Recall campaign 06E049000

    Safety recall 06E049000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Recall campaign 06E060000

    Safety recall 06E060000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
    Remedy:
    AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Recall campaign 06E064000

    Safety recall 06E064000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Recall campaign 08E050000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  14. Recall campaign 09E012000

    Safety recall 09E012000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  15. Recall campaign 09E025000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  16. Recall campaign 20V026000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  17. Recall campaign 97V220000

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE BRACKET TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE BODY IN A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPAIR THESE VEHICLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  18. Recall campaign 98V018000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN AN INCLINE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS LOCKED IN "PARK," INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A COLLAR ON THE TRANSMISSION PARKING PAWL TO ENSURE PROPER MOVEMENT OF THE ACTUATION LEVER.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  19. Recall campaign 99V069000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-14
Safety incident filters
Showing 9 of 1,178 complaints · page 1 of 48
2023-05-23Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11523565
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When I was driving my 98 Honda accord lx . I notice it shuts off itself if hitting a hard bump . Then I noticed online they had folks saying that the ignition switch was beginning to be a big issue . I nearly died after picking my 2 kids up from school the car shut off in the middleof the intersection.it’s even a recall on the insurance app about the same part . Do I need to call Honda myself and I shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for this . Everything shuts off no lies no throttle until I shift in nuetral to crank vehicle up
2023-03-08Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11510760
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns an Evenflo Car Seat, Model Number: 36412348, Model Type: Nurture Max, Manufactured Date: 8/17/2022. The car seat was being utilized in a 1998 Honda Accord. The contact stated that she noticed that the latches on the left and right side of the safety seat failed to attach as designed. Additionally, the pull latch snapped from the safety seat. The safety seat was not inspected or replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the car seat was still in use, just without the base. The manufacturer instructed the contact to destroy the defective seat once the replacement arrived.
2022-09-23Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11486061
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord Sedan. The contact stated stopped at a traffic light, a second vehicle crashed full onto the rear bumper of her vehicle. The contact stated that her trunk and side rear panels were crushed. The contact stated that the second vehicle crashed her vehicle twice in the rear due to the second vehicle had still been accelerating. The second impact sent the contact's vehicle forward, a second time, into the street curb. The front bumper and the driver-side front tire suffered damage. The bumper was crushed and the driver-side tire had been deflated. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The contact said she hit the steering wheel with her chest and was rendered unconscious, she had bruises on both feet, shins, and knees. The contact had not been able to move her arms without pain and had pain in her chest, and collar bones. The contact thinks she had hit the side and roof of her vehicle with her head because the top of her head and the left side hurt. The contact stated that her son was bruised on both legs, knees, and shins. She said that he had back pain as well. The contact and son were driven by a friend to the Emergency Room. There were no police on the scene. The second vehicle, which was a light truck, had suffered no damage and drove away. The contact had the vehicle towed to her residence. The vehicle had not been diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000.
2022-08-31Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11482235
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. Additionally, the battery had to be recharged on several occasions in order to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. No repair was performed and the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failures. The failure mileage was 155,000.
2021-06-22Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11421767
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Honda refuses to replace recalled airbags. I've been trying for a year and even when they "order" the part they don't have it when I arrive. This has happened repeatedly. I was in a car accident today and the airbags didn't deploy and they should have. After reading all the online complaints I feel lucky they didn't deploy and extract flying metal pieces. Its inexcusable to have a recall and then refuse to fix the problem. Honda's negligence could have cost me my life today. * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS
2021-02-07Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11395039
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DURING THE NORMAL SPEED ON THE 40 MILE PER HOUR STREET TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY STACK AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 30 MILE PER HOUR .AFTER THAT DATE THIS CONDITION CONTINUES ON AND OFF .ON THE OTHER SIDE THE TRANSMISSION CHANGES THE SPEED ONLY IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. ALL NESESSARY TRANSMISSION ADJUSTMENTS HAS BEEN DONE. ORAL MECHANICAL ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR COSTS $ 2200
2021-01-31STEERING
NHTSA ODI 11390856
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS IN A BAD ACCIDENT I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE ON THE HIGHWAY I'M GOING 55MPH SOMEONE JUMPED IN FRONT OF ME I USED MY BREAKS THEN MY CAR JERKED RIGHT INTO THE OTHER PERSON CAR CAUSING MY CAR TO SPIN AROUND 2 TIME ON A 6 LANE HIGHWAY . THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED THE STARING WHEEL WAS NOT TURNING LOTS OF FLUIDS LEAKING OUT OF IT BUT IT WAS ALWAYS JERKING FOR SOME REASON EVEN WHEN THE MECHANIC SAYS THAT'S NATURAL..
2021-01-30WHEELS
NHTSA ODI 11390823
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I'M IN THE RIGHT LANE ON EXIT 41 HIGHWAY MY CAR KEPT JERKING THEN SOMEONE JUMPED IN FRONT OF ME AS SOON AS I HIT THE BREAKS THE BREAKS SENT OUT AND HIT THE LADY WHO JUMPED IN FRONT OF ME AND THEN THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WHEEL BEFORE THEN MY CAR WAS LEAKING .*DT*JB
2021-01-30WHEELS
NHTSA ODI 11390821
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY CAR KEPT JERKING IT ALSO HAD STOP WHILE MY FEET WAS ON THE METAL WHILE ON EXIT 41 MY CAR SPIN AROUND AND ALMOST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER CAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT

Honda Accord Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1998 Honda Accord?

Owners named Electrical most often — 278 of 1,178 reports (24%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1998 Honda Accord?

NHTSA lists 19 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical, Lights, Airbags, Seat belts, Transmission / driveline, and Suspension. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1998 Honda Accord?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-14. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources