CarComplaints.com Notes: The 1998 Honda Accord suffers from widespread transmission failure, peeling paint, & subframe rust. We recommend avoiding this model year like the plague.
The transmission begins slipping & eventually has to be replaced, typically soon after 100,000 miles & with a repair cost of over $2,000.
Peeling paint has also been a huge issue for these Accords. Most of the complaints are with darker paint colors -- especially green & blue.
Subframe rust near the front passenger side wheel has become a problem recently, due to the poorly positioned A/C drain hose directly above that area. Repair cost to the subframe is over $2,000.
1.5
hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
112,906 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. While driving at various speeds, a clanking noise was present near the front end of the vehicle. While inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the front passenger side of the subframe was rusted and corroded, which caused the frame to separate. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 185,000.
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. While driving various speeds, the front passenger side of the vehicle vibrated and the contact heard an abnormal noise. The contact discovered that the subframe and engine cradle was corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. While driving 60 mph, the rear passenger side tire collapsed into the wheel well. As a result, the rear of the vehicle began swaying uncontrollably. The contact maintained control of the vehicle and merged to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician stated that the rear subframe was severely corroded. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 153,000.
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while having the vehicle inspected, the sub frame on the passenger's side became rusted. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 162,000.
During a recent oil change and vehicle inspection, the Honda dealer found that the right front sub-frame had rusted through. The driver side had no signs of rust damage. The technician judged the car as unsafe to drive since total failure of the frame could occur at anytime. The technician said he had previously seen this failure on the 1998 Accord LX sedans. The estimated repair cost is $2,200.
- Dublin, OH, USA
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The contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord LX. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for routine maintenance when he was informed that the subframe had rusted completely due to water and salt accumulation. The dealer replaced the subframe. The current and failure mileages were 97,648. Updated 3/11/11 updated 1/4/11
The vehicle in question has serious problems and dealership is doubting the safety of it. It has been "clipped" I had it fully inspected by a mechanic that I trusted. We took it back to the dealership and today it will be checked by there mechanic however the man was not professional in dealing with me. The car I was told was unsafe and should not have been sold in the state of California?.
The caller said the front cradle assembly was rusted. She said when she turned the steering wheel to the left it made a popping noise. Part was replaced. Dealer still has the part. Dealer said nothing else was rusted, and they said they could not find the part easy because that part did not go bad that often. Manufacturer has not been contacted yet. The caller wanted to call NHTSA to let them know about the rusted part.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Chagrin Falls, OH, USA