1998 Honda Civic complaints

WHILE TURNING LEFT AT 15 MPH, RED LIGHT RUNNER MOVING AT 40+ MPH HIT THE LEFT DRIVER SIDE OF CAR, TURNING IT COMPLETELY AROUND CAUSING SUBSTANCIAL FRONT END DAMAGE ($5000+). DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED SLIGHT INJURIES WHILE NO AIRBAG(S) DEPLOYED.*AK

THE VEHICLE STICKS IN FULL THROTTLE AND ACCELERATES AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A PART (PART UNKNOWN), BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. *PH

CAR WAS IN PARK, HAND BRAKE WAS UP-LIMIT, AIR CONDITIONER AND ENGINE ON, IN A DRIVEWAY WITH AN INCLINE. I WAS UNLOADING THREE PET BIRDS FROM CAR IN OVER 90 DEGREE WEATHER, THEREFORE LEFT AIR CONDITIONER ON. WHEN I WAS DONE UNLOADING, I KNELT ON MY KNEES ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND REACHED OVER TO IGNITION, TURNED KEY AND REMOVED IT. CAR JUMPED GEARS TO NEUTRAL AND SLID BACK DOWN HILL, INTO STREET, CAUSING CLOSE TO $2,000 DAMAGE TO MY CAR AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO THE CAR I WAS PARKED NEXT TO IN DRIVEWAY. I COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN SEVERLY HURT OR KILLED HAD A CAR BEEN COMING UP OR DOWN THE STREET. I REPORTED PROBLEM TO AMERICAN HONDA. SENT NUMEROUS LETTERS. WAS INITIALLY JUST LAUGHED AT. EVENTUALLY THEY OPENED A CASE NUMBER BUT CONCLUDED IT WAS "DRIVER ERROR". IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT NEWS RELEASES ABOUT THE PREVELANCE OF THIS DEFECT ON HONDAS AND ACURAS, I AM FURIOUS.*AK

ONE WEEK AFTER HAVING CAR INTO DEALER FOR THE 52,500 CHECK UP IT STARTED JERKING VIOLENTLY BETWEEN GEARS AS I ACCELERATED AND DECELERATED. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT AND WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION.*AK

MULTIPLE CRACKS IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD RADIATING FROM OXYGEN SENSOR. *LA

FRONT LAP SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AFTER RELEASING BUCKETS. BELTS HANG LOOSE ALONG SIDE OUTER SEAT AREA DOOR. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

10 MONTHS AGO I BECAME AWARE OF EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE MY 98 HONDA CIVIC LX VIN-[XXX]. THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE WHEN I IDLED THE CAR FOR A QUICK WARM UP BEFORE DRIVING. *LA THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND I WAS GETTING HEADACHES EACH DAY AFTER MY COMMUTE TO WORK. COMPLAINED OF I REMOVED THE HEAT SHIELD FROM THE ENGINE TO INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE OF THE EXHAUST LEAK. I FOUND THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD SPLIT APPROX. ON EACH SIDE OF THE "Y" FOR A TOTAL CRACK OF 6 INCHES. THIS WAS ALLOWING LARGE AMOUNTS OF EXHAUST GAS TO ENTER THE CABIN WHEN USING THE HEATER OR A/C. I WAS INFORMED BY FOUR HONDA DEALERS LOCALLY THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WELL KNOWN AND ALL 7 LOCAL DEALERS HAD MANY MANIFOLDS IN STOCK IN THEIR PARTS DEPARTMENT. THIS WAS AN INDICATION TO ME THAT MANY OF THESE WERE BREAKING AND I WAS FAR FROM ALONE ON THIS ISSUE. THE REPLACEMENT MANIFOLD PART NUMBER IS- 18160-P2E-A12. AT KEN GARFF HONDA IN OGDEN UTAH, I WAS TOLD THAT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE PROBLEM FOR 8 YEARS OR 80K MILES. (MY CIVIC HAS 93,000 MILES) THEY STATED THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR 96,97 AND 98 HONDA CIVICS TO HAVE. MY CONCERN IS IF I HAD SUFFICIENT EXHAUST GAS IN MY CABIN TO MAKE ME ILL AND THE PROBLEM WAS WIDESPREAD THAT THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY / HEALTH ISSUE. A PERSON SITTING IN THEIR CLOSED, IDLING CAR WITH THE AC/HEATER ON THEY COULD POTENTIALLY SUCCUMB TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. WITH THE ABOVE IN MIND, I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-999-1009 TO RELAY MY INFOR

TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY VEHICLE SLIPS WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE RPMS TO GO UP. DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG WOULD NOT PUT ON COMPUTER WENT TO THEM 3 TIMES SAME COMPLAINT SAME REPLY WENT TO AAMCO TRANSMISSION THEY PUT ON COMPUTER SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM, WENT TO AUTO REPAIR SHOP THEY FOUND A CODE BAD SOLENOID TOOK TO DEALER 4TH VISIT THEY REPLACED A SOLENOID PROBLEM STILL THERE. CANT SELL CAR DRIVER TOO BAD SO IM STUCK. ALL THIS OCCURRED BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT NOW WARRANTY IS OUT. TRANSMISSION DOES THIS EVERY TIME IT GETS DRIVEN. *JB

DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH UNDER RECALL. ALSO THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED . BUT THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM TO START THE VEHICLE CONTINUED. *AK THERE WAS INTERMITTENT GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. SINCE THE NOISE DIDN'T OCCUR WHEN THE CONSUMER BOUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *PH ALSO THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB

I HAVE A CLUTH PROBLEM WITH MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS UNUSUAL AT 70,000 MILES. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. I NOW WONDER IF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ERROR.*AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

1998 HONDA CIVIC LX WIRING HARNESS RUN UNDER INTAKE MANIFOLD SHORTING OUT DUE TO WIRING INSULATION BEING ABRADED BY THE INTAKE MAINIFOLD. ACCORDING TO HONDA SERVICE TECHNICIAN EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS ACCELERATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WOULD CONTACT THE WIRES. HE SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS ON OTHER CARS AS WELL. THIS CONDITION CAUSED THE CAR TO NOT SHIFT, SHIFT ERRATICALLY, OR NOT MOVE AT ALL, AND SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY EITHER.*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD/CATALYTIC CONVERTER ASSY. IS BADLY CRACKED. MANIFOLD/CONVERTER MAKES NOISE AND EXHAUST CAN BE SMELLED IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. MANIFOLD/CONVERTER ASSY. WAS ALREADY REPLACED ONCE AT APPROX. 50,000 MILES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED AGAIN AT APPROX. 100,000 MILES. *JB

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH EXHAUST SYSTEM. *MR. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM MADE A LOUD NOISE. *TS *JB

FAILURE OF IGNITION SWITCH AND COIL. *MR THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL 1997-2000 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR FAULTY IGNITION COILS (RECALL NUMBER 02V-120000). THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL HOWEVER THE VEHICLES IGNITION SWITCH AND COIL FAILED WHICH IN TURN SHORTED OUT THE IGNITER. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP CRACKED AND THE ROTORS FAILED. *SCC *NLM

I NOTICED A LOUD NOISE AND ODOR, TOOK CAR TO HONDA MECHANIC, MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND HAD TO PAY $500+ TO FIX. MY SISTER HAS THE SAME VEHICLE AND SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. INQUIRED WITH HONDA TO SEE ABOUT RECALL...THERE WASN'T ONE?? WE BOTH FIXED THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS OVER 1 YEAR AGO. THE PROBLEM HAS RECENTLY RECURRED...NOW I AM SEEKING ANSWERS?? *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE IT MADE A CLANK NOISE, WHICH WAS DUE TO A PISTON SLAP. *JB

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *NLM

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON IN MY 1998 HONDA CIVIC. THE DEALER HAS ALREADY REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR ONCE UNDER WARRANTY BUT NOW CLAIMS THAT THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER. THE CAR ONLY HAS 34,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED ABOUT 13,000 MILES AGO. I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET BULLETIN BOARDS.*JB

RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM HONDA FOR EXPENSES INCURRED RELATING TO RECONNECTION OF ALARM SYSTEM WHEN DEALERSHIP PERFORMED CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR IGNITION RECALL 02V120000. *AK *JB

AS PART OF A SAFETY RECALL ON IGNITION SWITCHES AMERICAN HONDA MOTORS CO. IMPOSES A FLAT CHARGE OF $75 TO RECONNECT "AFTER MARKET", NON-HONDA, CAR ALARMS. THIS CHARGE IS INVALID BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS INCIDENTAL TO THE RECALL AND EXCESSIVE. BOTH THE SERVICE DEALER AND AMERICAN HONDA MOTORS HAVE REFUSED TO CHANGE THIS POLICY AFTER WE COMPLAINED TO THEM.*JB

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. *JB THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY SHREDDED. (MODEL#VN7JMNH348) SCC

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL TIRE, WHICH HAD 15000 MILES ON IT, SUPPLIED BY HONDA. *JB

A FAULTY IGNITION CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. A RECALL (02V-120000) WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NLM

I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 35MPH AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB

MY 1998 HONDA CIVIC EX (80,000 MILES) IS HAVING TRANMISSION TROUBLES. IT WILL REV UP BUT THE CAR WILL NOT SPEED UP VERY WELL, WHEN IT SHIFTS INTO 2ND GEAR THE CAR SHAKES AND ABRUPTLY SHIFTS INTO 2ND GEAR. I HAD THE FLUID CHANGED AT THE END OF DECEMBER AND IT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT A WEEK LATER IT WAS BACK AND GETTING WORST FAST. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD COST $3600 PLUS LABOR. I TOOK THE CAR BACK WITHOUT THE SERVICE DOWN AND SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE COME ACROSS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE POSTING COMPLAINTS OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS, SOME OF THEM HAVE 2002 WITH 10,000 MILES AND HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT A FACTORY DEFECT.

THE CAST IRON EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD A TENDENCY TO CRACK WHICH CAUSED CARBON MONOXIDE TO MIGRATE INTO THE VEHICLE'S PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *SCC *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FOR IGNITION. DEALER WAS CHARGING TO PUT ALARM BACK ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER FELT SHE SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH. *AK

MY CAR WAS REPAIRED ON 8/16/2001 FOR A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND COIL WHICH CAUSED THE IGNITER TO SHORT OUT AND MY CAR TO SUDDENLY STALL ON THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR IS NOT LISTED AS A RECALLED VECHILE, BUT OTHER HONDA CIVICS AND MODEL ARE. I WOULD LIKE A REPRESENTATIVE TO REVIEW MY CASE FOR A RECALL ON 1998 HONDA CIVIC EX MODELS FOR THIS RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED HONDA WITH THE SAME INFORMATION.

ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS THE SMELL OF THE EXHAUST IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO WAS MAKING A NOISE ACCOMPANIED WITH A RATTLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING OUR FOR A PERIOD OF OVER TWO MONTHS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. I RECENTLY TOOK IT INTO HONDA AND THEY SAID IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY O2 SENSOR. WHY DIDN'T THEY NOTIFY ME WHEN I WAS IN THE OFFICE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FOR MY FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM? THEY TOLD ME NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR, NEVER OFFERING THE INFORMATION ABOUT MY IGNITION SWITCH. I EVEN WENT OVER WITH THE HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT MY CAR KEPT STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I WOULD SIT A STOP SIGH IT WOULD CUT OFF AS SOON AS I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT. I FEEL THESE PEOPLE WERE RUDE TO ME BECAUSE I AM A GIRL AND DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THE TRUTH NO MATTER WHAT GENDER. DOES HONDA NOT KNOW ABOUT THEIR RECALL NOTICES? *PH **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**770818

CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THAT VEHICLE ALARM BE DISCONNECTED FREE OF CHARGE IN ORDER TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE/RECALLED IGNITION SWITCH. *TT

CONSUMER STATED AFTER HAVING THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED DONE ON THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE REMOTE STARTER WAS NO LONGER WORKING, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED THE RECALL, THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE IF IT DID NOT WORK AFTER FIXING THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS LEFT WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 4 HOURS TO HAVE THE REMOTE STARTER RECONNECTED FOR AT A COST OF 60 DOLLARS, BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP HAD DESTROYED ALL OF THE WIRES.*JB

I WAS TRAVELING ON A WET ROAD AT 40MPH. WHEN APPLIED BRAKES, THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD ABRUPTLY AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID OFF ROAD. THE VEHICLE HIT CONCRETE BLOCKS AND TOTALED THE FRONT END. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. TS

PROBLEMS ARE THE RESULT OF DEALER REPAIR, NHTSA RECALL 02VRO (IGNITION SWITCH). *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****770756***

CONSUMER STATES THAT IT WILL BE HARD TO START THE VEHICLE AND THEY WILL HAVE TO TRY NUMEROUS OF TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL START. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE HONDA DEALER THAT WILL CHARGE $45.00 FOR THE NON-FACTORY ALARM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND STALLED. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC I SPENT $300.00 IN PARTS BAD IGNITER AND COIL A MONTH LATER SAME PROBLEM. BUT ONLY THIS TIME THE CAR DID NOT START IN THE MORNING WAS TOLD MAYBE BAD IGNITION SWITCH OR DISTRIBUTOR. DT

THE CONSUMER RECIEVED AN INGNITION SWITCH RECALL; NHTSA# 02V120000. THERE WAS NO CHARGE IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE INGITION SWITCH, BUT DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE IGNITION REPLACEMENT THE VEHICLES BURGLAR ALARM HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED AND WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE ALARM COMPANY TO HAVE THE ALARM RE-CONNECTED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY 35.00 DOLLARS TO HAVE THE ALARM RECONNECTED AND FEELS THAT HONDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AMOUNT, BECAUSE THE ALARM WAS WORKING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN. THE CONSUMER SEEKS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS AMOUNT. *SCC *NLM

CONSUMER COLLIDED IN THE REAR OF ANOTHER CAR TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 30-35MPH. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TS

NO PARTS AVAILABLE:::::: THE CONSUMER RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE FOR A IGNITION SWITCH PACIFIC HONDA 4697 CONVOY STREET SAN DIEGO 858 694 1020 DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN CAR HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROX. 35 M.P.H. FRONT END OF HONDA CIVIC WAS DEMOLISHED AND NOTHING PROTECTED DRIVER FROM HITTING WINDSHIELD EVEN WITH SEAT BELT ON HER. THIS CAR WAS FOR TEENAGER AND DEALER WAS ASKED SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE INCLUDING THE AIR BAGS. WE WERE TOLD THAT CAR WAS VERY SAFE AND EVERYTHING WAS IN WORKING ORDER. NOW WE KNOW THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT WORKING. DT

DEALER WILL NOT DO IGNITION SWITCH RECALL ID: 02V120000 WITHOUT CHARGING $98 FOR RECONNECTION OF SECURITY SYSTEM. WHY SHOULD I BE LIABLE FOR THE RECALL? DT

ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. FUSE HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL REOCURRING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND THE MANAFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. TS

AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOYE AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. DT

CONSUMER STATES OF RECEVING A RECALL ON THE IGNITON SWITCH. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THERE IS NO PARTS AVAILIBLE. TS

THE CONSUMER RECIEVE A RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR HER VEHICLE. THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE: LYNCH HONDA I82 YAKIMA AVE YAKIMA WAHINGTON 98901 THE SERVICE MANAGER IS DENNIS 509 575 1090 TS

CONSUMER STATES RECIEVE RECALL LETTER 02 V 120 000 FOR IGNITION PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TILL DECEMBER 20, 2002. MR

DEALER IS CHARGING THE CONSUMER TO DISCONNECT THE WIRING IN THE SUNROOF IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE RECALL. RECALL#02V120000 IGNITION SWITCH. LIA HONDA 4891 TRANSIT RD WILLIAMSVILLE, NY 716-632-3323 MR