1998 HONDA ACCORD Complaints

THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER ON THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED ,WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED AND THE CAR IS PLACED IN GEAR THE CLUTCH AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGES AND THE CAR MOVES ON ITS OWN . THIS CAN CAUSE DEADLY CONSIQUENSES AT A RED LIGHT ,SCHOOL CROSSING, RAILROAD CROSSING , THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILS WITH USAGE ,ONE OF THE PROBLEM IS HONDA DOESN'T HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX IT! SO HERE WE ARE WITH A 5 YEAR OLD CAR W 70000 MILES IN IT AND THE FACTORY DOESN"T HAVE ANY PARTS.

PROBLEMS BEGAN WHEN I TOOK MY 1998 ACCORD EX IN TO HAVE THE 30,000 MILE SERVICE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THEM REPLACED AND WENT IN FOR ANOTHER MAJOR SERVICE CHECK A YEAR LATER AND WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY 18,000 MILES LATER. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TOLD ME REPLACING THE PADS EVERY 20,000 MILES IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THESE CARS. I, THEN, TOOK THE CAR TO A NON-HONDA REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE PADS AND GUARANTEED THEM FOR 48,000 MILES. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE SECOND MAJOR SERVICE CHECK MY CAR HORN WAS WORKING. AFTER LEAVING HONDA'S SERVICE SHOP THE HORN HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY AGAIN. WHEN I TURN THE ENGINE ON THE HORN TURNS OFF. AS LONG AS THE ENGINE'S OFF THE HORN WORKS WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK TO HONDA WHO TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY RELATED TO A CABLE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND WOULD COST ME OVER $200 TO REPAIR. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT COULD BE THE KEY SWITCH AND THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE SWITCH BUT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. AGAIN THEY ESTIMATE $200 TO REPAIR. THIS CAR HAS NOT HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR, IT IS A 1998 AND HAS LESS THAN 48,000 MILES ON IT TODAY. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN WHAT THEY ARE TELLING ME AND AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH MY HONDA AND THE SERVICE THAT I AM GETTING.

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED BUT WAS UNDER SOME SPECIAL EXTENDED WARRANTY SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY A CENT. BUT, IT FAILED, AND I AM NOT PLEASED. THE SECOND PROBLEM WHICH IS MY MAJOR COMPLAINT IS THAT I AM BEING TOLD THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAS 83K MILES ON IT! HONDA KNOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH 98 - 01 ACCORD MODELS, BUT ONLY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 00-01 MODELS. I BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD BE FORCE TO DO A RECALL! IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA I-5 WITH A CAR THAT DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY. PLEASE HELP ALL US 98-99 HONDA ACCORD OWNERS.

THIS IS MY MOTHERS CAR (1998 HONDA ACCORD EX-VL) WHICH WAS TOTALED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.MY WIFE WAS THE FIRST OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND MY MOTHER HAS HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. SHE HAD STOPPED, PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, GOT OUT TO OPEN A PARKING LOT GATE, GOT BACK IN, STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO GEAR. IT IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO A HIGH REV AND ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY RESULTING IN THE CAR SMASHING INTO A WALL ABOUT 60' AWAY. LUCKILY THE AIR BAGS WORKED AND NEITHER HER OR MY STEP FATHER WERE SERIOUSLY HURT. HER FOOT WAS DEFINITELY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS THERE IS A LOCKOUT MECHANISM THAT PREVENTS THE CAR FROM BEING TAKEN OUT OF PARK IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT PUSHED. THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELATED, BUT SHE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THE HANDLE TO MOVE. THE PROBLEM WITH IT NOT MOVING HAD OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY, USUALLY ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, BUT THE HONDA DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD HER NOTHING WAS WRONG. MY MOTHER IS A RETIRED BUS DRIVER WITH A PERFECT DRIVING RECORD, NO ACCIDENTS, AND ONLY USES ONE FOOT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.

I PURCHASED A 98 HONDA ACCORD IN OCTOBER OF 2001. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED FOR NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR. THE PAINT HAS FADED ON THE ROOF AND IS NOW FADING ON THE TRUNK LID. THE KEY HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN THE IGNITION TWICE AND WOULD NOT COME OUT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. THE GAS PEDAL HAS GOTTEN STUCK AFTER CRANKING THE CAR AND PEDAL HAD TO BE "PUNCHED" TO GET IT TO ACCELERATE. THE CD PLAYER HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK USING KEYLESS ENTRY OR MANUALLY AND THE DOOR ACCUATOR WAS REPLACED. THE KEYLESS ENTRY HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON. CURRENTLY, THE BACK WINDOW IS VIBRATING AND IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER IT IS LOOSE OR NOT. I DO FEEL THIS IS A LEMON.

THE PROBLEM WITH MY 1998 HONDA ACCORD HAS BEEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES EARLY ON. HONDA SAID THAT I EITHER LEFT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHILE REFUELING OF DIDN'T PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE GAS CAP. THE LIGHT CAME ON AT APPROXIMATELY 95,000 MILES. THE HONDA DEALER IN GAINESVILLE, FL SAID THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD. THEY QUOTED $800 FOR THE PART AND ABOUT $300 FOR LABOR. I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT THE SENSORS ARE BAD, RATHER THAN THE CONVERTER. THE CAR RUNS FINE AND THE GAS MILEAGE IS STILL GOOD. HONDA SAID THA EARLIER MODELS WITH SIMILIAR PROBLEMS HAD THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY EXTENDED TO 120,000 MILES, BUT NOT ON THE 1998. I ALWAYS DRIVE MY CARS AT LEAST 200,000 MILES AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A FAILURE. THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT (SLIPPED IN AND OUT OF GEAR LURCHING FORWARD) AT 81,000 MILES EVEN THOUGH I HAD MAINTAINED THE CAR JUST AS THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED AT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. AFTER SEEING MANY OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS FROM OTHER HONDA OWNERS OF THE V6 ENGINE FOR YEARS 1998-2002 ON THE INTERNET, I CONFRONTED THE DEALER AND ASKED THEM TO CONTACT AMERICAN HONDA. I GOT THEM TO GIVE ME A NEW (RECONDITIONED/REBUILT) TRANSMISSION AND IT DID NOT COST ME ANYTHING. UNFORTUNATELY IF THE CONSUMER IS NOT INFORMED AND FAIRLY DIRECT, THEN YOU COULD END UP PAYING WHAT THEY WANTED IN THE BEGINNING WHICH WAS $4,500 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. FROM WHAT I COULD TELL ON THE INTERNET, THE BEST DEAL EVERYONE ELSE GOT WAS A TRANSMISSION BUT THEY PAID FOR THE LABOR (AROUND $500). I PAID NOTHING, EXCEPT BEING WITHOUT A CAR FOR A WEEK.

ALTERNATOR DIED, WITH ONLY WARNING WAS ABS LIGHT ON, COULD NOT EVEN MAKE IT TO THE SHOP 10 MILES AWAY. CAR DIED COMPLETELY. I WAS TOLD THAT HONDA SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE ALTERNATORS FOR THE 1999 AND 1998 MODELS.

UPON SLOWING DOWN WITH BRAKES ON, ENGINE STARTS TO BUCK AND WANTS TO QUIT, ALSO HAPPENS WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP POSITION. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT HAS CAUSED A FEW SITUATIONS WHEREBY A COLLISON ALMOST OCCURRED. DEALER ADVISED, CHECKED OUT BY DEALER,STATED NOTHING FOUND WOULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER. NOTE-ABOVE DATES APPROX., HAVE DEALER INVOICE IF NEEDED.

I WAS BACKING UP IN A PARKING LOT. MY CAR SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT WORK. IT WAS LIKE I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED AFTER I CRASHED THROUGH A FENCE AND HIT A TREE.