Every recall campaign and owner complaint the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration holds for the 1998 Honda Civic. Nothing on this page is written from memory — it is all imported from NHTSA's public database.
5 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 1998 Civic, newest first.
| Campaign | Component | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|
| 20V026000 2020-01-17 |
Air Bags Frontal Driver Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles.
These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag…
Risk: 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. Fix: 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… |
| 02V120000 2002-05-16 |
Electrical System Ignition Switch |
ON CERTAIN SEDANS, COUPES, HATCHBACKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN DEGRADE DUE TO THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.
Risk: WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. Fix: 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. |
| 07V512000 2007-11-01 |
Fuel System, Other Storage Tank Assembly |
ON CERTAIN COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) VEHICLES, IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE INTERIOR FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE REAR SEAT, THE CNG TANK MAY BE HEATED UNEVENLY, PREVENTING THE PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICE FROM VENTING THE CONTENTS OF THE TANK AS DESIGNED.
Risk: THIS COULD RESULT IN A TANK RUPTURE, EXPLOSION, AND EJECTION OF THE TANK FROM THE VEHICLE. Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEAT INSULATOR MATERIAL TO THE REAR SEAT BACK. AN INTERIM OWNER LETTER WAS MAILED TO OWNERS BEGINNING NOVEMBER 26, 2007. WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, OWNERS WILL BE RENOTIFIED ASKING THEM TO BRING IN THEIR VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009. |
| 97V193000 1997-11-01 |
Air Bags Frontal |
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULES HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED. THE CLOTH FLAPS COVERING THE FOLDED AIR BAG MAY HAVE BEEN TUCKED IN TOO FAR.
Risk: THIS CONDITION COULD PREVENT PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. IN A CRASH, AN IMPROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. Fix: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE FRONT PASSENGER'S AIR BAG MODULE TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING. |
| 99E015000 1999-05-10 |
Unknown Or Other | EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: ACCESSORY DRIVER-SIDE FLOOR MATS USED IN 1996-1998 HONDA CIVIC VEHICLES. DUE TO THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR ON THESE VEHICLES, A MISPOSITIONED FLOOR MAT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Risk: THE FLOOR MAT COULD PREVENT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION. Fix: IF A CUSTOMER HAS A GENUINE HONDA DRIVER-SIDE FLOOR MAT, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A POSITIVE FLOOR MAT RETENTION SYSTEM CONSISTING OF A GROMMET IN THE FLOOR MAT AND A PIN BRACKET IN THE CAR. |
Summaries are quoted verbatim from NHTSA's official campaign records. A single campaign often covers dozens of model years and several nameplates, so a summary may name vehicles other than the 1998 Civic — that is normal. Every record listed here carries this vehicle's own make, model and model year in NHTSA's database. Whether a recall is still open on a particular car can only be determined by VIN.
464 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 1998 Civic, grouped by the component owners reported. Counts reflect how many owners complained, not how often the fault actually occurs.
| Reported component | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags 57 crash, 41 injured, 1 fatal |
86 | |
| Electrical System 2 crash, 2 fire, 1 injured |
80 | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling 2 crash |
50 | |
| Power Train 1 crash, 1 injured |
44 | |
| Structure 1 crash, 4 injured |
25 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control 5 crash, 1 injured |
24 | |
| Visibility | 23 | |
| Tires 1 crash, 3 injured |
20 | |
| Unknown Or Other 2 crash, 2 injured |
13 | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline 1 fire |
10 | |
| Seat Belts 1 crash, 1 injured |
8 | |
| Equipment | 8 |
A complaint is an unverified owner report. It is a signal about where to look, not proof of a defect.
Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaint filings on this model year. These are the owners' own words, not our diagnosis, and each one is a single unverified report.
1998 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO 20V-026. THE CONSUMER STATED HE IS STILL AWAITING PARTS FOR THE RECALL.
filed 01/23/2023 · ODI 11503173
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 HONDA CIVIC COUPE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, WHEN SHE CRASHED INTO A TRUCK. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED COLLARBONE, LEFT KNEE AND RIGHT SHOULDER WAS BRUISED. THE CONTACT DID SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR HER COLLARBONE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE TOWING COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE WAS LOSS. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V026000 (AIR BAGS) AND RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE BACK IN OCTOBER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN I Crash reported
filed 12/18/2020 · ODI 11384123
KEY WON'T COME OUT OF SWITCH WHEN IN PARK. WAS TOLD NHTSA 610316 IS THE FIX, BUT CAN'T FIND ON INTERNET.
filed 05/16/2017 · ODI 10986096
THERE IS A RECALL ON 1998 HONDA CIVICS FOR THE IGNITION. I AM BEING TOLD MY CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL . MY CAR SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL IT IS STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC DUE TO THE IGNITION LOSING IT'S CONNECTION . IT HAS ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE A FEW TIMES . THE CAR HAS BECOME UNUSABLE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HI WAY DOING 67 MILES A HOUR THE CAR JUST STOPPED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE BEFORE I WAS HIT . IT HAS DONE THIS NOW EVERY TIME I TRY TO DRIVE . THE MECHANIC TOLD ME WHAT WAS WRONG AND TOLD ME TO CHECK ABOUT THE RECALL . I WAS TOLD MY
filed 02/14/2016 · ODI 10826038
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS PART HAS CRACKED. I HAD IT REPLACED TWICE ALREADY AT THE DEALERSHIP- THEY DID NOT COVER THE PART UNDER WARRANTY AND I PAID $1000 EACH TIME TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I TRIED TO CONTACT AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY REFUSED TO COMPENSATE ME FOR IT. *TR
filed 05/12/2011 · ODI 10400698
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. *TR
filed 09/15/2010 · ODI 10355765
HONDA, CIVIC DX, 1998, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SMOOTHLY OPERATE. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR OVER TO SECOND TO THIRD, AND TO FOURTH, THE RPMS'S REVS UP/SPEED UP BETWEEN GEARS AND THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR. HAVE 120,000 MILES ON CAR. *TR
filed 09/17/2008 · ODI 10242533
1) TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN A 1998 HONDA CIVIC LX FOR THE SECOND TIME AND WITH ONLY 115,000 MILES. 2) TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED PRIOR WHEN CAR HAD 59,000 MILES. 3) TRANSMISSION (THIRD ONE NOW) REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. *TR
filed 12/01/2007 · ODI 10210456
A recall only matters if it is open on your car. The lists above are for the model year as a whole; the free official lookup below tells you what applies to your specific 17-character VIN.
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Yes. NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 1998 Civic. The most recent is campaign 20V026000, filed 2020-01-17, covering Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module.
Yes. 2 of the 5 campaigns on record for this model year involve the airbag system. The fix is a free inflator replacement at an authorised dealer.
The most-reported component is Air Bags with 86 of the 464 owner complaints on file, including 57 reports involving a crash. Complaint counts show where owners report trouble; they are not proof of a defect.
464 complaints with NHTSA for the 1998 Civic, spread across 55 reported component groups.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's free recall lookup. Recalls are applied per vehicle, so the model-year lists above cannot tell you whether your particular car is covered.