RecallMyCar

1998 Honda Accord Recalls, Complaints & Specs

6 safety recalls list the 1998 Honda Accord, and owners have filed 1,200 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

6
safety recalls
1,200
owner complaints to NHTSA
100 / 3
complaints citing a crash / fire
21–24
MPG combined (EPA)

6 safety recalls for the 1998 Honda Accord

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 20V026000 Reported 1,439,841 vehicles potentially affected Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

    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…

    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…

  2. Switch (electrical system)

    NHTSA 03V423000 Reported 563,861 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    On certain passenger vehicles and MINI vans, the ignition switch may wear excessively and prevent proper interlock operation, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to "park."

    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…

  3. Switch (electrical system)

    NHTSA 02V120000 Reported 1,000,000 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    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.

    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…

  4. Suspension: lower ball joint

    NHTSA 99V069000 Reported 124,875 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.

  5. Park/neutral start interlock switch (power train)

    NHTSA 98V018000 Reported 33,966 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles (honda accord sedans manufactured from september 18, 1997 to january 10, 1998; coupes manufactured december 11, december 15, 1997, and january 5, 1998; acura 2.3cl manufactured october 22, 1997 through january 7, 1998). During manufacturing, the casting die caused an irregularity in the right-side…

    Remedy: Dealers will install a collar on the transmission parking pawl to ensure proper movement of the actuation lever.

  6. Anchorage (seat belts)

    NHTSA 97V220000 Reported 83 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The front passenger seat belt retractor mounting bracket was improperly welded.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair these vehicles.

1,200 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1998 Honda Accord have filed 1,200 complaints with NHTSA; 100 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 65 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 111,688 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 187 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“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 .”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 23, 2023 · Electrical system

“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”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 8, 2023 · Child seat

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1998 Honda Accord. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined21–24 mpg
City / Highway18–22 / 26–28
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize Cars
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.3/3 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Honda Accord model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Honda Accord model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1976 Honda Accord10
1977 Honda Accord10
1978 Honda Accord10
1979 Honda Accord12
1980 Honda Accord02
1981 Honda Accord07
1982 Honda Accord210
1983 Honda Accord17
1984 Honda Accord222
1985 Honda Accord113
1986 Honda Accord254
1987 Honda Accord3111
1988 Honda Accord288
1989 Honda Accord186
1990 Honda Accord2192
1991 Honda Accord3212
1992 Honda Accord2206
1993 Honda Accord1186
1994 Honda Accord1369
1995 Honda Accord2543
1996 Honda Accord1472
1997 Honda Accord3460
1998 Honda Accord61,200
1999 Honda Accord41,135
2000 Honda Accord81,183
2001 Honda Accord7922
2002 Honda Accord51,050
2003 Honda Accord131,987
2004 Honda Accord131,017
2005 Honda Accord15656
2006 Honda Accord12430
2007 Honda Accord9524
2008 Honda Accord81,520
2009 Honda Accord10725
2010 Honda Accord12580
2011 Honda Accord9296
2012 Honda Accord8373
2013 Honda Accord51,422
2014 Honda Accord4981
2015 Honda Accord5601
2016 Honda Accord4608
2017 Honda Accord3538
2018 Honda Accord61,888
2019 Honda Accord6691
2020 Honda Accord5363
2021 Honda Accord4239
2022 Honda Accord4253
2023 Honda Accord587
2024 Honda Accord3146
2025 Honda Accord087
2026 Honda Accord010

Checking a specific 1998 Honda Accord

How do I know if my 1998 Honda Accord has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 1998 Honda Accord; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Honda dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V120000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Honda models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.