Problems · by component

1998 Honda Accord seat belts problems

27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Honda Accord cite seat belts, 2% of all 1,215 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
27
2% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the seat belts

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE PASSENGER FRONT DOESN'T LOCK AND CAN BE PULLED OUT BY HAND AFTER IN BUCKLE. BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS DOESN'T HAVE ANY BUCKLE'S TO ATTACH TO. THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG COULD BE COMPROMISED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2018Air bags, Seat beltsODI 11073421
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION OR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,649.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 9, 2014Seat beltsODI 10559136
“I HAVE A 1998 HONDA ACCORD. THE SRS LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR SOME TIME, AND I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUES OF THEM WITH THE 98-2002 ACCORDS UNTIL JUST NOW. MANY PEOPLE HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE HONDA REFUSES TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. IT MAKES DRIVING HE VEHICLE DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU NO LONGER HAVE YOUR SECONDARY BACKUP SYSTEM TO HELP KEEP YOU SAFE IN A ACCIDENT. AND FROM WHAT I AM UNDERSTANDING IT ALSO MINIMIZES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SEAT BELT AS WELL. IF THE NHTSA GROUP IS AWARE OF THIS AND HAS NOT FORCED HONDA TO DO RECALL WORK ON THIS MATTER THAN SHAME ON YOU. WE ARE PUTTING OUR LIVES IN YOUR HANDS TO MAKE THESE COMPANIES KEEP THEIR SAFETY TRACK RECORD. MY ACCORD HAS NEARLY 139K MILES AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL. I FEEL AS IF I HAVE HAD A INJUSTICE DONE TO ME, AND NOW I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN OR IF I GET IN A ACCIDENT WHETHER OR NOT MY AIR BAG WILL WORK, AND ACCORDING TO OTHERS WITH HE SAME PROBLEM IT DOESN'T. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 22, 2008Air bags, Seat beltsODI 10252595
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE JERKED. WHILE TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE THE DEALER DETERMINED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SEAT BELT WAS SLOW TO RETRACT AND THE REAR BRAKES WERE SERVICE. UPDATED 11/30/06. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2006Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, Seat beltsODI 10172705
“WHITE HOUSE FOLLOW-UP TO PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION OF 12/22/05 DEATH OF MOTHER IN CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVING AIRBAGS AND SAFETY BELTS POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE. *TS THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH A FIRE HYDRANT, TRAINING WALL AND A TELEPHONE POLE. THE DRIVER SUFFERED MASSIVE HEAD INJURIES WHICH RESULTED IN DEATH. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER STRAPS FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER FROM BEING THROWN FORWARDS INTO THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2006Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 10158400
“LTR EMAILED RE DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS AND SAFETY BELT SHOULDER BELT IN A 1998 HONDA ACCORD, REQUEST A DEFECT INVESTIGATION FOR POSSIBLE RECALL BECAUSE MOM WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 10-07-05. *TS THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER DURING THE ACCIDENT WHICH RESULT IN HER HEAD IMPACTING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DURING THE FIRST IMPACT BUT HAD DEFLATED BY THE TIME THE FINAL IMPACT OCCURRED. THESE FAILURES RESULTED IN FATAL HEAD INJURIES. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 30, 2005Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 10144269

Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Seat belts: anchorage

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MOUNTING BRACKET WAS IMPROPERLY WELDED.

Seat beltsReported Dec 16, 1997NHTSA 97V220000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.