Problems · by component

1998 Honda Civic power train problems

51 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Honda Civic cite power train, 11% of all 450 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
51
11% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“BOUGHT USED JUNE 2011 WITH ABOUT 169,000ISH, WAS ASSURED THAT EVERYTHING WAS CHECKED OUT. DROVE BACK HOME WITH NO PROBLEMS, AND THEN THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. WITHIN TWO MONTHS THE BATTERY DIED, HAD TO REPLACE. IN JAN OF 2012 CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND I NOTICED A 2" CRACK ON THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR, REPLACED. NOW TRANSMISSION HESITATES AND RPMS GO WAY UP WHEN SHIFTING INTO FOURTH GEAR. I DRAINED AND CHANGED THE FLUID WITH THE RECOMMENDED HONDA FLUID, AND NOW THE HIGH RPMS AND SLIPPING ARE OCCURRING IN ALL FORWARD GEARS. I FEEL LIKE A VOICE IN A FREAKING TORNADO WHEN IT COME TO ANY REASONABLE SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM. THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR BLOW TO HONDA'S REPUTATION FOR ME. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY RECALL NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OUT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 3, 2012Power train, Electrical systemODI 10453894
“HONDA, CIVIC DX, 1998, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SMOOTHLY OPERATE. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR OVER TO SECOND TO THIRD, AND TO FOURTH, THE RPMS'S REVS UP/SPEED UP BETWEEN GEARS AND THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR. HAVE 120,000 MILES ON CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 17, 2008Power trainODI 10242533
“FIRST OF ALL, THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACE. EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED UP, U HAVE TO KEEP TRYING IN ORDER FOR IT TO CRANK UP. IF IT DOES CRANK, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WOULD CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THAT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL & KEEP TURNING THE SWITCH UNTIL IT FINALLY CRANKS BACK UP. NEXT, THERE IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING. THE FUSE BLOWS ABOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK & HAS TO BE REPLACED SO THAT THE HEADLIGHT & BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD WORK. EVERYTIME THE FUSE BLOW & THE LIGHTS STOP WORKING, THE CAR WONT GET INTO GEAR UNLESS U UNLOCK THE GEAR SHIFT EVERYTIME U PUT IT IN PARK. THEN THERE IS THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE PUT 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS CAR IN LESS THAT A YEAR. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS CAR? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2008Power train, Electrical systemODI 10215795
“1) TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN A 1998 HONDA CIVIC LX FOR THE SECOND TIME AND WITH ONLY 115,000 MILES. 2) TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED PRIOR WHEN CAR HAD 59,000 MILES. 3) TRANSMISSION (THIRD ONE NOW) REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2007Power trainODI 10210456
“I HAVE A HONDA CIVIC DX 1998, WITH 60000 MILES NOW PRESENTING WITH A FAILED TRANSMISSION. SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THAT VERY SAME COMPLAINT RESULTED IN NO PROBLEMS DETECTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM BEGAN TWO DAYS AFTER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY EXPIRED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2005Power trainODI 10143503
“98 HONDA CIVIC DX TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE MY CAR HAS BEEN HAVING THIS TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS. IT RECENTLY STARTED DOING IT FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS STRAIGHT SO I TRIED TO GO ONLINE AND FIND OUT IF THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF SOLUTION. I FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IN HONDA ACCORDS/CIVICS/ODYSSEY'S AND EVEN ACURAS. I CALLED HONDA CORP. AND THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS YOU'RE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST SO YOU'LL HAVE TO GO TO THE DEALER AND GET IT REPAIRED. I DID THAT AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO GET A REFURBISHED TRANS AT 5K A POP! THAT'S A RIP OFF. SO I RESEARCHED IT SOME MORE AND FOUND OUT ON ABOUT.COM THAT YOU CAN BASICALLY JUST DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND REPLACE IT WITH HONDA ATP FLUID AND REPLACE A PIECE CALLED THE SOLENOID ASSEMBLY AND A WASHER. IF THIS IS THE CASE WHY ISN'T HONDA DOING A GENERAL RECALL AND HAVE EVERYONE PAY A CERTAIN PRICE OR HAVE EVERYONE WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS COME IN AND HAVE THEIR TRANS CHECKED OUT. THIS IS A RIP OFF THROUGH HONDA CORP. THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY AND SO ARE THE DEALERSHIPS! *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2005Power trainODI 10130596

Showing 6 of 51 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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