There are 7 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 1998 Honda CR-Vin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF AND NO GEARS WORK AT ALL UNTIL YOU TURN IT OFF AND RESTART IT THEN IT WILL MOVE A SHORT DISTANCE AND DO IT AGAIN IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AND I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT.
TRANSMISSION SLIPS VIOLENTLY OUT OF GEAR ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARM UP, AND THE RPM'S GO OVER 2700 OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION ( FROM A STOP OR WHEN MERGING/PASSING ON THE HIGHWAY) AND WHEN TRYING TO MAINTAIN SPEED UP INCLINE. THE RAPID ACCELERATION WHEN THE CAR SLIP OUT OF GEAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND ESPECIALLY ON INCLINE ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOCAL STREET SEND ALL THE SURROUNDING DRIVERS INTO EVASIVE MANEUVERS TO AVOID COLLISION. THIS EVENT OCCURS WHEN THE CAR GET WARMED UP (AFTER ABOUT 35-40 MINUTES OF DRIVING. CAR IS BEING SEND TO A AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIR AWAITING THE FINAL VERDICT TO CHARGE ME ABOUT $ 6000 FOR A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. AS FAR AS A SAFETY CONCERNED MY CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR ON MY WAY TO WORK ON FWY 101 NORTHBOUND (WOOLAND HILL / TOPANGA)GOING UP AN INCLINE IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR MORNING TRAFFIC MOVING AT APPROX 60-70 MPH. SEVERAL CARS HAD TO DRIVE ONTO THE SHOULDER AND I HAD TO GO INTO THE MEDIAN GRASS TO AVOID A MASSIVE REAR END COLLISION DURING MORNING RUSH HOUR. IT IS DISTURBING THOUGH TO KNOW THAT IS SUCH A RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION FOR HONDA'S PASSENGER CAR. IT WILL OCCUR RAPIDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. MY CAR IS HONDA CR-V EX AND HAD 210,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE TRANSMISSION WOULD START TO SLIP, AND CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TROUBLE MOVING THE VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH HONDA'S. SCC
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS WAS DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER INDICATED THAT WATER GOT INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THEN, TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK *MR
THE CRUISE CONTROL / AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM OF THE 1998 HONDA CR-V HAVE A POTENTIALLY DANDEROUS PROBLEMS. WHEN THE SYSTEM IS ON CRUISE CONTROL @ 60-75 MPH AND ENCOUNTERS RESISTANCE, SUCH AS CLIMBING A STEADY SLOPE, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, CAUSING VERY HIGH ENGINE RPMS. THE RPMS HOLD AT 5 TO 6.5 THOUSAND FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BACK TO FOURTH GEAR, RETURNING THE RPMS TO A SAFE LEVEL. THIS HIGH RPM LEVEL MUST DO DAMAGE TO ENGINE AT TIMES EXCEEDING THE RED LINE. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026