Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was able to coast to the side of the road. The contact powered off the engine. The vehicle was restarted and was able to operate normally; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to autonation Honda west knoxville (10117 parkside dr, knoxville, tn 37922, [phone]) where the technician replaced the key interlock. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired due to the diagnostic and repair fees. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
My car's engine was shut off while I was driving 65 m/h in the freeway and regular road. Also I couldn't re start my car right a way. It is happening more when is hot days than cold days. When I turn to ignition side nothing happened and it's so hard to see regular lights including airbag and engine light etc. I almost got get into accident couple time during at night cause I was trying to get my engine turn on middle of street. If this were one or two time incident I wouldn't report but as summer is getting closer it is getting worst. Now I am getting afraid of when I could get hit and I can't get into freeways. Please check on it. I will try to make some kind of recording.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V026000 (air bags) however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact contacted Honda of salem (1101 van ness ave ne, salem, or 97301, [phone]) who confirmed that the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the front suspension collapsed. As a result, the vehicle crashed into the ground. A police report was not filed, but the contact suffered injuries from the crash. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop where the body damage and lower ball joints were repaired. The failure was not diagnosed. The failure mileage was 250,876.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Honda Accord. While driving 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 259,000.
My engine switch. Does not want to turn. My key on and off. I been having lots of problems with the key. It started a while ago. My wheel locks on me not letting it. Turn no were causing. An accident.
This car hasn't been a major problem but this is the second time I am dealing with this EGR valve on this Honda. First, one year ago my check engine light came on and the car was cutting off when it came to a stop or was idling and the Honda dealer said that there was a warranty repair on the car. They replace the EGR valve and said everything was fine. 7 months later my check engine light is back on but the car's performance had not changed. However, I took my car to get an emissions test and my car failed emissions with the trouble code reporting EGR insufficient flow. I took it to the Honda dealer and they are telling me that because my car has 97,000 miles on it that they cannot help with this repair. Also the EGR cleaning kit is on backorder for 2 weeks, which tells me that there are other hondas all over the country that are having this problem. …
The "check engine" light lit up on a Sunday, but the service dealer who looked at the car on Monday could not determine why. A diagnostic device indicated a problem around the carburetor so the technician turned off the "check engine" light and I was told to drive around for awhile and see what happened. The vehicle suddenly started to overheat while driving within the city. There had been no problems before this incident and all regular maintenance was done on the vehicle. When the car overheated, it could not even be driven for a mile without stopping to let it cool down. This would've been a serious problem if it had occurred on the highway because there was no warning and the vehicle was immediately incapacitated. The service dealer determined that the engine block had cracked and the only remedy was to replace the engine. …
My 1998 Honda Accord has been having the same problem for the past three years. In hot weather, during the summer months, my car will either not start at all, start and then immediately shut off, or shut off while driving. This problem has continued to worsen over the past three years to the point I am afraid to drive my Honda. I have taken it to numerous mechanics, including an authorized Honda dealer, and no one has been able to fix this issue. The Honda dealer replaced the battery and the starter, which has not fixed the problem. I do not have any of the old parts that were replaced. This problem occurs in hot or warm weather. It will happen a couple of times a week, and then won't again for a couple of weeks. I am fearful of the consequences enough that I am not driving my car because I have no way of knowing when or where my car will random shut off. …
Engine complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1998 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 152 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1998 Honda Accord, 13% of the model year's 1,200 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (33 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Honda Accord engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1998 Honda Accord, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Honda Accord engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 112,000 miles, and 1% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.