1998 Honda Civic Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 1998 Honda Civic, and owners have filed 435 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
4 safety recalls for the 1998 Honda Civic
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Inflator module (air bags)
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…
-
Tank assembly (fuel system)
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.
Remedy: 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…
-
Switch (electrical system)
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…
-
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.
Remedy: Dealers will repair the front passenger's air bag module to prevent this problem from occurring.
435 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 Honda Civic have filed 435 complaints with NHTSA; 81 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 55 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 104,156 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 80 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“1998 honda civic. Consumer writes in regard to 20v-026. The consumer stated he is still awaiting parts for the recall.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 23, 2023 · Air bags
“The contact’s daughter owns a 1998 Honda Civic equipped with Continental tires, Tire Line: General Altimax RT43, Tire Size: 185/65/R14, DOT Number: 6Y6LWBLJ1221. The contact stated that while his daug”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 29, 2022 · Tires
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1998 Honda Civic (Civic CNG, Civic HX). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 27–34 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 24–30 / 31–39 |
| Fuel | CNG, Regular |
| EPA class | Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (variable gear ratios); Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Honda Civic model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Honda Civic model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 1998 Honda Civic
How do I know if my 1998 Honda Civic 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 1998 Honda Civic; 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
- Accord24,554 complaints
- CR-V15,994 complaints
- Odyssey12,749 complaints
- Pilot9,325 complaints
- Fit2,196 complaints
- Ridgeline2,186 complaints
- HR-V1,853 complaints
- Passport1,660 complaints
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.