1998 Honda Civic Complaint Log

DRIVER WINDOW PULLEY SYSTEM BROKE, MY DAUGHTER'S REAR LEFT PASSENGER WINDOW SYSTEM BROKE AND WE HAVE THE SAME CAR PURCHASED AT THE SAME DEALER. PULLY. NLM

A LOCAL NEW YORK STATE AND AAA APPROVED AUTO REPAIR SHOP HAS INFORMATION FROM A NATIONAL DATABASE "ALLDATA" , THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS THAT DO NOT PARK OR SHUT OFF IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN MY PARTICULAR HONDA YEAR AND MODEL. DURING A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF RAIN OR SPLASHING OF WATER FROM OTHER VEHICLES THE CONTINUING WIPERS SMUDGES THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING ALMOST ZERO VISIBILITY. FAULTY OPERATING WINDSHIELD WIPERS/MOTOR WILL NOT PASS NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION, THEREFORE NHTSA SHOULD CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND PROCEED WITH A RECALL.*AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT TURN OFF DUE TO A FAULTY SWITCH IN THE WIPER MOTOR. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE WHOLE SPARK-PLUG, DISTRIBUTOR SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. MY MECHANIC IS VERY PUZZLED ABOUT THE FAILURE.*AK

A CRACK IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAKED FUMES INTO VEHICLE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CLUTCH SLIPPED, CAUSING 2ND GEAR TO GRIND. *AK

THE OWNER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HESITATION WITH POSSIBLE CAUSE BEING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE OWNER DID KEEP THE CAR SERVICED/MAINTENANCE WITH THE LAST ITEM BEING A TUNE-UP. LIBERTY HONDA HAS BEEN PERFORMING ANY AND ALL MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT BEING DRIVEN DUE TO THE TRANSMISSIONS' PERFORMANCE. MR CONSUMER FELT DEALERSHIP USED DIRTY TRANSMISSION FLUID WHICH MAY HAVE RUINED THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSED HESITATION AND WANTED TO CHARGE CONSUMER $4000 TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT THE 2 ACCIDENTS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN CAUSED THE HESITATION. VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AT A LOWER COST TO CONSUMER. *TT

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING, CONSUMER APPLIED THE GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FIRST DRUM HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE TRANSMISSION. NLM *TT

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

WHILE STOPPING AT RED LIGHT VEHICLE WAS REARENDED AND PUSHED INTO A VEHICLE IN FRONT. DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER HIT HEAD ON REARVIEW MIRROR. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK

MY A/C UNIT HAS GONE OUT ON MY CAR WITH AN ESTIMATE OF THE REPAIR TO COST $1000. ALTHOUGH MY CAR HAS HIGH MILES, I'VE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF THE CAR AND THE A/C UNIT HAS HARDLY BEEN USED. I'VE CONTACTED HONDA TO NO AVAIL. NUMEROUS OTHER PARTS HAVE FAILED. THOSE REPAIRS WERE DONE EITHER UNDER WARRANTY OR GOODWILL.*AK

A CARBON BUILDUP CAUSES VALVES TO STICK AND MAKES VEHICLE INOPERABLE. VEHICLE WILL NOT START. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED FIRST TIME IN MAY 2000. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO UPDATES OR RECALLS. THEY DO EXPECT RECALL BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT YEAR.*AK

WITHIN THREE TO FOUR MINUTES MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, CAUSING ME TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, NOT REALIZING WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE CAR WAS FULL OF SMOKE FROM THE RELEASE OF THE AIRBAGS. RESULTED IN BURNING OF THE FACE.

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF APPROXIMATELY 40-60 MPH, AND BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I WAS DRIVING 55MPH IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO STUMBLE AND IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER FORCING ME TO CROSS TRAFFIC. CAR WOULD NOT START AND I WAS LEFT ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY DURING RUSH HOUR.*AK

I WAS DRIVING MY HONDA CIVIC FROM FORT WORTH, TEXAS TO NEW MEXICO ON A TRIP WHEN I HEARD A STRANGE NOISE. SOON AFTER I NOTICED MY AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AIR ANYMORE. WHEN MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT, HE SAID THE COMPRESSOR HAD EXPLODED AND HAD A LARGE HOLE IN IT. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WHEN THE COMPRESSOR EXPLODES IT IS SENDING SHRAPNEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. COULD THE REFRIGERANT CATCH FIRE? I FOUND TWO REPORTS OF 1998 HONDA CIVICS WITH EXPLODING COMPRESSORS AT THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND NONE FOR ANY OTHER MAKE. WHEN I CONTACTED HONDA, THEY SAID TOUGH LUCK, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD CUSTOMER AND BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.*AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE

CONSUMER WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET.*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.

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

WHILE DRIVING AIR CONDITIONER STARTED MAKING NOISE, AND THEN STOPPED COOLING COMPLETELY. PROBLEM WAS MAKING VEHICLE RUNS ROUGHLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT COMPRESSOR HAD EXPLODED AND SHOT PIECES OF METAL INTO THE AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM.

WHEN AT IDLE ENGINE REVS FROM 500RPM UP TO 1500 -2000RPM ALSO WHEN ON A HILL AT A STOP THE CAR WILL ROLL BACKWARDS BEFORE ENGAGING AND GOING FORWARD. ON ABOVE DATE THE CAR REVVED UP TO 4000 RPM BEFORE FINALLY ENGAGING AND I WAS ABLE TO PROCEED FROM THE STOP. WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICING I DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A "SERVICE BULLETIN" MAILED TO DEALERS ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM. HONDA KNEW ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND NOT MADE IT PUBLIC. IF I HAD KNOWN THAT THIS WAS A SYMPTOM OF A FAULTY TRANSMISSION I WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY BROUGHT THE CAR IN. MY WARANTY HAS EXPIRED 6 MOS AGO AND THE REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED. I HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF FAULTY MAINTENANCE BECAUSE I DID NOT BRING IN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR OIL CHANGES. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS WELL AS COSTLY AND THAT SINCE HONDA KNOWS THAT IT EXISTS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR AT LEAST INFORMATION MADE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.*AK

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS A HOLE IN IT. MANY 1998 CIVICS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT IS NOT ON A RECALL LIST YET.*AK

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

ELECTICAL PROBLEM NOT FIXED YET, ENGINE TIMING PROB CAUSED VALVE DAMAGE, HEAD WORK REQUIRED...PAID BY OWNER, HONDA NOTIFIED. *AK

ONCOMING VEHICLE MADE U-TURN RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO THEM @ 30MPH. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DESPITE HEAVY DAMAGE TO FRONT OF CAR.*AK

THERE WAS A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER PULLED OFF EXHAUST MANIFOLD COVER AND NOTICED TWO CRACKS. *SLC

WHEN ACCELERATING, PEDAL LEFT DRIVERS' FOOT AND WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR INTO A FULL OPEN POSITION. VEHICLE CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE, EVEN AFTER BRAKES WERE APPLIED. AFTER VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO PARK, THE ACCELERATOR WENT TO A CLOSE POSITION.

CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY FOR TWO HOURS IN HOT SUN, REAR WINDOW BLEWOUT. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CONTINUED OPERATING EVEN WHEN SWITCH WERE IN OFF MODE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER . *AK

DURING FRONTAL COLLISION THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. NLM

WHILE SHIFTING GEAR SHIFT SPRING POPPED OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING FLAMES SHOT UP FROM RIGHT FLOORBOARD, FIRE QUICKLY SPREAD TO LEFT FLOORBOARD, VEHICLE BURNED TOTALLY. *AK

REAR MAIN OIL SEAL FAILED CAUSING OIL LEAK. PROBLEM WAS IMMEDIATELY REPAIRED AT A COST OF $650.00 BY THE DEALER. DEALER ALSO CLAIMED THE OIL PAN GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN ADDITIONAL COST OF $250.00 THIS REPAIR WAS DECLINED. OIL PAN GASKET DOES NOT LEAK.

FOR RECALL ON A 1998 HONDA CIVIC DX REPLACE AIR BAG ,FUEL TANKERS, IGNITION SWITCH,FLOOR MAT.

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER NOTICED PIECES OF METAL COMING FROM CAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT.*AK BLOWER MOTOR FOR VENTILATION FAN HAS FAILED TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR . CONSUMER REPLACED TWO BLOWER UNITS AT HIS COST. *YH

DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY AFTER HITTING HEAD-ON ANOTHER VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. CONSUMER IS CONTACTING DEALER TO HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR LOOK AT REASON.*AK

THIS CAR STRUCK A TREE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS SUBSTANTIAL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH CONSUMER HAD A FRONT IMPACT ACCIDENT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK

FRONT IMPACT CRASH, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK

GAS CAP IS BAD. VEHICLE IS LOSING GAS BECAUSE SOME OF CAPS DO NOT FIT CORRECTLY, THEREFORE FUMES AND GAS LEAK OUT.*AK

CLUTCH IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BURNT OUT AND TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. *AK

REAR TRUNK LID WILL NOT STAY OPEN IF VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE, ON ONE OCCASION CONSUMER OPENED THE TRUNK LID, BENT OVER AND REACHED INSIDE THE TRUNK, THE LID CAME DOWN ON HIS HEAD INJURYING HIM. *SLC

THERE IS A CRACK INSIDE OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD. CONSUMER SMELLED EXHAUST FUMES COMING INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE I WAS DRIVING TREAD OF THE TIRE PEELED OFF, CAUSING BODY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE (THE SIDE PANEL AND BUMPER).*AK( DOT NUMBER: W27J TIRE SIZE: P185/65R14 )

TIRE DEVELOPED BUBBLE ON INSIDE-REPLACED BEFORE BLEW OUT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W27J487MNB TIRESIZE: 185/65R14)

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND THERE WAS A STALLED CAR IN FRONT OF HER. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS OR ANYYTHING SHOWING. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT OTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, AND DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

I HAD THE BUMPER REPLACED BY HONDA OF HOLLYWOOD THROUGH THE OTHER PARTYS INSURANCE, HOWEVER IT TOOK ALMOST 2MONTHS TO HAVE DONE BECAUSE THEY WERE GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. I HAD THE BUMPER REPLACED 9/11/00 AND RICHARD IN THE HOLLYWOOD HONDA AUTOBODY SHOP TELLS ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN OPENING WHERE THE BUMPER AND BODY OF THE CAR MEET. I TOLD HIM WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT WAS LIKE THAT THE TWO MET CLOSELY AND NOW HE IS TRYING TO CONVINCE ME THAT ITS WAS NEVER LIKE THAT AND TO LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER HONDAS THEY ARE NOT CLOSE TOGETHER. AT THIS POINT 2 MONTHS OF BEING DUMPED ON, THE FARMERS INSURANCE ADJUSTER FROM THE GUILTY PARTY MADE A DEAL WITH RICHARD FROM MY INITIAL PRECISE ESTIMATE OF $895.00 TO HONDA'S $413.00 AND THE BUMPER IS WORSE OFF. I NEED A LAWYER CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT? *AK