1998 Honda Civic Complaint Log

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.

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

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

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

SINCE THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL 02V120000 WAS PERFORMED THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT. *JB

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT LATCH MECHANISM FAILS TO LOCK THE SEAT IN POSITION. THE SEAT WILL LOCK FROM GOING FORWARD OR BACKWARDS ALONG THE FLOOR, ALTHOUGH IT WILL NOT LOCK WHEN TILTING TO LEAN BACK OR LEAN FORWARD CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION.*AK

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

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

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 30 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND HIT THE CURB AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ON 2000 + FAILED AGAIN (INTERNAL FAILURE) ON 2002. MR

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS COMPLETED, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION. DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBLILTY FOR THE PROBLEM. *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

1998 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. LAST WEEK, AS HE WAS DRIVING AT A CONSIDERABLE SPEED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT OFF. IT STARTED UP AGAIN, BUT CUT OFF AGAIN, AFTER HE MOVED ABOUT 20 FEET. IT REPEATEDLY STALLED 15 MORE TIMES. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, HE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER EPISODE OF THE VEHICLE STALLING. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND EVEN BEFORE THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS; THE IGNITION SWITCH. THEIR EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE, CONFIRMED THEIR THEORY, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACE AT A COST OF $ 331.34. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE RECALL, BUT THEY COULD NOT WAIVE THE COST, BECAUSE SO MUCH TIME HAD PASSED. *JB

MFR# 02-031 & NHTSA# 02 V 120 000/IGNITION SWITCH: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER, DOBBS HONDA IN MEMPHIS, TN. PHONE# 901/795-5900 WANT TO CHARGE TO RECONNECT THE ALARM AFTER RECALL REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

MFR# 02-031 & NHTSA# 02 V 120 000/IGNITION SWITCH: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER, D&C HONDA IN TENAFLY, NJ. PHONE# 201/569-5515 UNABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL DEC 2002. RECALL NOTICE STATES WITHIN 60 DAYS. NLM

MFR# 02-031 & NHTSA# 02 V 120 000/IGINITION SWITCH: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER, ANDERSON HONDA IN BALTIMORE, MD. PHONE# 410/243--7000 WANT TO CHARGE CONSUMER TO RECONNECT THE ALARM AFTER RECALL REPAIRS. NLM

CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER TO GET A RECALL PART REPLACED. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE IS A WAITING LIST. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A UNSAFE CONDITION TO DRIVE IN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

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***

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS SMASHED INTO FROM THE SIDE WHICH THEN THREW THE VEHICLE INTO A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON. NEITHER DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON EITHER IMPACT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. NLM

CONSUMER RECIEVED RECALL LETTER CALLED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT TILL DECEMBER 5TH 2002. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. DEALER IS REFUSING TO REMOVE REMOTE STARTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

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

AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOYE AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. DT

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A T-BONE COLLISION OF 40-45 MPH IMPACT AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TOP PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

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

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON ANY OF MY VEHICLES. TODAY MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT MINE WAS THE SECOND ONE IN LESS THAN A MONTH THAT HE HAS REPLACED ON A HONDA. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG HERE.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

LEFT FRONT IS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE/HONDA INSPECTION RESULTS UNSAFE TO OPERATE VEHICLE. *AK

DEALER STATED THAT A/C SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED. STATED THAT CAR HAD "BLACK DEATH".. WHEN I CALLED OTHER HONDA DEALER , THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF A NUMBER OF THESE INSTANCES, AND THAT 1998 CIVIC NEEDED THE ENTIRE A/C SYSTEM REPLACED IN MANY CARS THAT THEY HAVE SEEN.. ALSO, MY ROOMMATE , WITH A 1999 CIVIC , HAD TO REPLACE HER A/C UNIT LAST YEAR ALSO.. AND WITH CONSIDERABLY LESS MILES AT THE TIME.. WHEN I DESCRIBED MY SYMTOMS, SHE SAID IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO HER CAR ALSO.. CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER RELATIONS LINE.. WAS TOLD THAT "I NEEDED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR".. IF IT IS HAPPENING TO MY CAR, AND MY ROOMMATES CAR, ISNT IT HAPPENING TO OTHER CIVICS TOO? I ALSO AM A REPEAT HONDA OWNER, AND GOT 200,000 MILES OF WEAR OUT OF MY LAST CIVIC WITH VERY MINIMAL REPAIR....I FEEL THAT HONDA SHOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM.. AND THAT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING AFFECTING THOSE OF US WITH CIVICS IN THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.. MARC LIBBY. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER STATED THERE IS A DEFECT IN TRANSMISSION. *MR

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHILE SITTING AT LIGHT. ALSO, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION THAT PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION ALONG WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. WE WERE BOTH STOPPED TURNING LEFT. UPON INPACT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I HAD SERVE BRUSING FROM THE SEATBELT. MY FRONT SELT (DRIVER SIDE) WAS BROKEN BECOUSE THE IMPACT WAS SO HARSH.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JUST STALLED, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 06/02, AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY OIL SIGNIFYING A MAJOR OIL LEAK.*AK

IN A FRONTAL COLLISION NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT.*AK

WHILE DRIVNG VEHCILE STALLED OUT/ LOST ALL POWER, WAS UNABLE TO STEER, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

VEHICLE WAS GOING 35MPH WHEN FRONTAL AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. HONDA WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

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

WHILE DRIVING ON AND APPROACHING ONE OF IF NOT THE LARGEST SOCAL FREEWAY INTERCHANGES, DRIVING AT ABOUT 70MPH OR SO, BACK TO LA FROM SAN DIEGO; OUR 1998 CIVIC LX TOOK CONTROL OF ITSELF AND THE SPEED INCREASED TO OVER 105MPH, SHAKING AND THUMPING. AFTER WEAVING AROUND POCKETS OF TRAFFIC, INCLUDING USING THE SMALL SHOULDERS, AND ALL 5 OR SO LANES, AS WE APPROACHED THE MASSIVE MERGING OF FREEWAYS, PANICKED, WE STOMPED AND BANGED THE FLOOR, DASH, EVERYTHING. AS SHOCK WORE OFF WE THOUGHT WE WERE DEAD, SOMEHOW PUT CAR (AUTO TRANS) INTO NEUTRAL, I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE TURNED OFF THE CAR AT SOME POINT, THE BRAKES FINALLY STARTED TO WORK. GAS PEDAL WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT STUCK (THIS MODEL WAS ALREADY REPAIRED DUE TO A FLOOR MATT RECALL), FEET WERE NOT EVEN ON THE GAS AS IT STARTED TO HAPPEN (NOT IN CRUISE, JUST SHOCK). THE CAR SIMPLY TOOK OFF. WE ARE FOREVER TRAUMATIZED BY THIS EXPERIENCE AND NEVER THOUGHT TO REPORT UNTIL RECENT NEWS REPORTS. APPROX DATE IS REALLY UNKNOWN BUT THE YEAR WAS 2002 AS I SOON AFTER BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR.*CW

CONSUME RINVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 50 MPH, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS A CRACK IN IT WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ENGINE IF NOT NOTICED IN TIME.*AK

VEHICLE WAS GOING 70MPH ON INTERSTATE AND STALLED IN TRAFFIC. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY OTHER TIMES OVER A 6 MONTH PERIOD. THERE IWASNO PRIOR WARNING GIVEN BEFORE VEHICLE SHUTDOWN. ALSO, HESISTANT BEFORE STARTING. VEHICLE WILL RESTART, AND POSSIBLY STALL OUT AGAIN. DEALER AWARE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

LUGS: NUTS ON TWO FRONT TIRES ARE NOT THREADED WHICH CAN CAUSE TIRES TO COME OFF AT ANY TIME.*AK

TRANSMISSION WILL GRIND WHEN PUTTING IT INTO REVERSE AND AT TIMES WILL SLIP. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FACE OF THE RADIO CAN GET EXTREMELY HOT WHILE THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER. MR

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

I WAS DRIVING AND I HAD ON THE A.C. ON LOW. I HEARD A LOUD POOF SOUND THEN I SAW A CLOUD OF SMOKE COME FROM BEHIND MY CAR. I STOPPED AND FOUND LITTLE PIECES LAYING ON THE GROUND AT THE POINT I HEARD THE NOISE. UNTIL THEN I HAD NO WARNING NOICES, JUST THE POOF. THEN MY CAR STARTED BLOWING HOT AIR. I WENT AND HAD MY A.C. CHECKED, AND I WAS TOLD MY COMPRESSOR COMPLETELY BLEW OFF. NOW I NEED TO REPLACE MY WHOLE A.C. IN A CAR THATS JUST BARELY OVER FOUR YEARS OLD. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA CIVIC. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE CONTACT HAD TO HOLD THE IGNITION KEY IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RUN. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V120000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 190,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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