Problems with 1998 Honda Accord POWER TRAIN

I have a 1998 honda accord v6 with 103000 miles on it and suspected problems with the transmission since 93000 miles. the transmission slips at 20, 30, and 40 mph. i called the honda corp in ca and told them my honda accord ex v6 transmission was having problem and they told me to take it to a honda dealer to check it before i can make a claim on it. the honda dealer looked at it said i need a new transmission and there will be a $90 fee. the dealer and i called the honda corp to put in a claim and he explained that i have completed all recommended maintenance schedule and a day later the honda corp called the dealer and denied to assist in any way with my claim. i did not even receive a phone call back from the honda corp. the dealer called me to tell me the news and they gave me a transmission for over $4200. i call the honda corp and spoke with kevin brown and he said can not do anything to help and sorry your case it closed. how is my case closed only after one day of evaluation. kevin brown also said that the honda corp has assisted other people with 98 v6 accords with more miles than i have, but he said those cases were different. how are other cases so different when i have taken good care of my car. after reading other websites and forums, i can see this is a more common problem then i thought and now i have read over 100 complaints with honda accord v6 98 and 99 transmissions on the site. some action needs to be taken now!!!!!!!!!*ak the consumer disputes nhtsa's assessment of the 1998 honda accords transmission failures. the consumer found several issues which were very similar to his vehicle. the consumer requested a replacement transmission. *sc *jb

Vehicle experienced transmission problems. transmission slips, it will go into third gear before it will shift in to second gear. *ak

The automatic transmission in my car started with hesitation during cold starts as described by numerous other honda 98 accords. it would get out of park and into 1st gear just fine, but when getting out of 1st and into 2nd, the rpms would just shoot up and the transmission would catch the 2nd gear 2-5 seconds later. in those 2-5 seconds, there would be no power transferred to the front wheels. the car is so jerky that sometimes i spin out on my front tires. the problem had been looked at by honda, but they wanted $5,000 for the repair; the entire value of the car. we took it to aamco and they did the repair for 2,200. we've been into their shop twice now in their 1 year warranty, but the hesitation has come back. the car has only 82,000 miles on it and i don't drive it hard at all. something is definitely wrong with these units and something has to be done. *nm

Transmission failure. *nm

1998 honda accord 4dr 4 cylinder automatic transmission started slipping at 50000 miles ,very dangerous the first time it slipped from 4th gear into 2nd doing 75 mph almost lost control of the car. honda refused to resolve the issue. estimates form transmission shops $2000-$4000 for the repair. *jb

My 1998 honda accord's maintenance has always been maintained regularly and serviced at honda. i only have 49,000 actual miles on my 98 honda. the vehicle will lunge when going from reverse to drive. also, when at a complete stop and then begin to accelerate, the car will lunge. furthermore, when accelerating at a low speed, the vehicle will seem as though it is in neutral. it will not accelerate. i have to release the gas pedal and keep pressing and releasing the gas pedal until the gear will move. honda has now informed me that i need a new transmission. can you believe this; a new transmission on a vehicle with only 49,000 miles? honda has agreed to replace my transmission for no charge of the transmission, but i have to pay for the labor costs. honda obviously knows there is a huge problem with these transmissions, why should i be responsible for the labor costs?i hope i'm not going to get the same faulty transmission replaced in my honda. this website contains a lot of complaints for a problem that could be very dangerous and should be taken seriously. hopefully, and in the near future, there will be an investigation into this serious problem before there is fatalities. *jb

Transmission failed at 79,000 miles. consumer then purchased a new transmission. currently at 106,000 miles transmission failed again. *ak

At 66,000 miles the transmission began to slip and shift gears roughly. when i put the car in reverse it would "clunk". then as i accelerated i would have to let off the gas so it could shift each gear. i took it to a midas shop for a transmission service - new filter/flush, etc. they would not do anything because it was leaking fluid. another mechanic told me i needed two new axles and axle seals to fix the leak. by that time the check engine indicato was on so i wanted honda to look at it since i had researched the problem and found many instances of transmission failure at low miles. honda cars of columbia, sc said i needed a new transmission. the computer diagnostic code was po740 torque converter failure. a honda accord with only 66,000 miles should not need a new transmission. i am aware that honda recalled 2000 and 2001 transmissions but not 1998,1999 or 2002 even though they are the same transmissions. honda customer relations' good will assistance said they would not replace it since i did not purchase the car from a certified honda dealer or purchase an extended warranty. the fact that they have "good will assistance" shows that they know they have problems with their cars. they have replaced other owners transmissions, why not mine?*ak

Consumer received nhtsa recall 98v018000 concerning transmission failure. took vehicle to gilmand's honda for repairs. dealer told consumer that his vehicle was not covered under the recall due to vin. consumer was still waiting to get vehicle repaired. *ak recall campaign. the consumer stated that there was a defect in the transmission. when starting the vehicle it moves and then jerks and stops. *tc

1998 honda accord had transmission problems with only 67,000 miles. started slipping from first to second. had the transmission serviced several times but the problem just got worst over time. we finally had to have the transmission rebuilt. out of all the cars i've had, new or old, never had a transmission problem.

Transmission is slipping and also found that transmission fluid is leaking. *ak

While driving the vehicle stopped. consumer restarted the vehicle , however it would only go 20 miles per hour. dealer stated the transmission gear was defective the manufacturer stated they will look into the problem. *ak

Heard "thumping" type noise in 1998 honda accord with approximately 58,000 miles. took vehicle to honda dealer where all routine maintenance had been performed. originally told that wheel bearing had failed but then informed that bearing in transmission had failed and that transmission would have to be replaced at owner's expense despite the vehicle's impeccable service records, low miles, and excellent condition. remanufactured honda transmission was installed at owner's expense, but the premature transmission failure rate associated with this vehicle needs to be addressed and those owners affected by this failure deserve full reimbursement from honda.

Transmission fluid leak and lurching when shifting gears. diagnosed as a bearing failure due to possible ground strap failure. transmission rebuilt and torque converter rebuilt. ground strap, 1 set of differential carrier bearings replaced. *jb

Transmission is leaking and new replacement is needed at 76000 miles. concerned about the safety while driving in the highway, and apprently i am not alone for the transmission failure at this low mileage.*ak

The transmission on my 1998 accord is slipping between gears. it hesitates when accelerating and sometimes accelerates and decelerates without notice. the car has 90,000 miles on it and has been scrupulously maintained according to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule. the transmission is supposed to last at least 120,000 miles, but i have researched the problem on the internet and found many references to defective transmissions on late model hondas that have failed with even very low mileage. replacement is costing owners upwards of $4,000 and honda is extending the warranty on only a limited number of models and years, although the same transmission is in many of its other cars. my mechanic is recommending a complete replacement. i am afraid to drive the car for fear it wlll fail on the freeway and cause an accident.*ak

Just purchased a 98 honda accord v-6, the transmission shifts really hard from 1st to 2nd gear. dealer tell me that it needs a transmission,at a cost of 3900 dollars car has 110,000 miles but doing some research learned that there is a problem with this transmission. *ak

The transmission is starting to fail, it sometimes takes about 5 seconds to catch into a gear, and often hits the gear hard causing rapid deceleration. hen the car stops, it slams into first gear.*ak

Automatic transmission failure on a 1998 honda accord ex-v6. transmission is dead at 99,000 miles. other cases have been documented (http://www.automotivetalk.net/showmessages.php?id=720). it is an apparent manufacturing defect that needs to be recalled. honda will not pay to have my transmission re-built.*ak

1. vehicle was shifting very hard, clunking in to gear, and not wanting to go into gear. 2. dealer determined failure to be the transmission 3. will require complete replacement of the transmission. *ak

Transmission is slipping. when trying to get out into traffic transmission completely disengages, and the rpms go way up. then, transmission catches, and vehicle is ready to move forward. *ak

Transmission failure. @ 25000 and 1.5yrs of ownership, i realized that my transmission was starting to act up. dealership shaid there were no problems. i returned @ 35000 before my warranty would be void, and still they insist no problems. car would make a thrashing sound when engaged into reverse. @ 77000 the transmission began shifting abruptly and harshly. the car would miss down and up shifts. now 111k000 the dealership told me i need a new transmission at a price of $4700. i strongly feel that honda needs to rectify this problem and handle its customer's complaints about the problem at hand. i found out that this is a common problem for the acords belonging to the 1998-2002 model years. *ak

automatic transmission fluid leak at axle seals. *ak

My 1998 honda accord has 80,000 miles and the transmissions needs to be replaced. *ak

If i put my vehicle in park, i have to fight with the shifter to get it out of park the next time i drive my car so i constantly keep it in neutral with the parking brake on. this has not caused any accidents and i have not had this problem fixed yet. *ak

Transmission failure. *ak

I was driving to la for business. along the freeway, i heard what sounded like an increase in wind noise that got louder, and i realized it was a mechanical problem. by the time i reached la, it was a gearing noise that sounded like it was the transmission of my 98 honda accord. i stopped by the gas station and checked the auto transmission fluid, it was full and there were no lights on the dash. later, the car would only go to 1st and 2nd gear. i brought it to the local aamco, where they told me it was a transmission failure. this was unbelievable to me since the car had only 93k miles - my toyota's ran well over150k easy. i contacted honda motors, i describe the situation to darcel (4/19/04) who told me to bring it to their local deale ($100). then, honda motors took one week to assign to a person who neglected to call the dealer, i had to call the dealer to call david. in addition, david humbray, 800-999-1009, ext 118128, neglected to read the intake information that i gave to darcel. two weeks later, still no action. david finally called and asked for all the oil change and other maintenance records. given the fact that i bought the car used and performed the oil changes myself, information i gave to darcel during the intake, i don't have all the records. my argument is that there is a track record of 98 honda accord auto transmission failures which seems to indicate a manufacturer defect - this site, there are 133 complaints compared to about 8 for a 98 toyota camry. honda actually extended the warranty of 2000-2001 honda accords with auto transmissions to 100k. i was just asking for the same. but the run around that honda motors gave me was ridiculous and added insult. i ended up payng $100 just to file a complaint. the final result is that i took the car back and had it repaired. it is now for sale and i am never going to buy another honda product - so much for honda relaibility and quality.

I have a 1998 honda accord v6 coupe with 108,000 miles. upon reaching around 104,000 miles, the transmission shifted abruptly at lower gears. had it flushed and the problem somewhat went away but the problem came back after 2 weeks. the abrupt shifting is more pronounced when i get stuck in a stop and go traffic. it doesn't do that when it's ran cold like in the morning. i'm taking it in to the dealer for computer diagnostics. i'm afraid they will tell me that i need a new or rebuilt transmission.*ak

1. auto transmission skipping and lunging at stop sign 2. according to mechanics and accord website accord transmission should have recall 98-02 3. changed fluids and still occurs. *la

Faulty transmission in 1998 honda accord. *mr the vehicle was losing fluid. the dealer found that the differential bearings were worn out and damaged the axle seals. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc *jb

I have a 1998 honda accord v6. the transmission shifts really hard. had it flushed but the problem still exist. the service manager at the dealer told me they have "a few" car with the same problem. i went online and found that many people have the same problem. it seems like a bad design to me. *ak

I own a 1998 honda accord (automatic transmission, v6, 4dr) with a mileage of 120k miles. i bought it when 110k , prior to which it was a lease car with proper maintainance history. over the last couple of weeks i noticed i was having a problem with delayed and hard shifting of gears especially at lower speeds . honda dealer checked and replaced transmission fluid. this did not help and a week later the engine check light had come on. a private transmission service advisor run computer diagnostics on it and came up with a diagnosis code of p740 and po230. they could not pinpoint the exact fault. at this point the vehicle was lunging forward whenever it came to a stop and it would have a trouble changing gears (especially the second gear). though the vehicle is in drivable condition it seems like a big safety hazard and a disaster waiting to happen. when i took the vehicle to a honda dealer who recommended that i replace the entire transmission at a cost of about $5600+labor. given otherwise extremely good condition of my vehicle i can only attribute this problem to a manufacturing defect. when i did some research i found out that there are hundreds of 98 accord owners who have been facing similar problems with their transmission. i am expecting honda to take responsibility since many hondas experience a similar fate and the honda service who changed the oil the first time could have tried harder before more damage may be done. i am currently not using this vehicle much given the obvious safety issues. *ak

My 1998 accord ex v-6, with 62,000 miles and perfect maintenance, now requires a new "rebuilt" transmission for over $7000, as explained by a sales person for honda. at my last service, the tech mentioned the trans fluid level was fine but it seemed dirty so i brought the car to my honda dealer where i was given the news. sidenote: they wanted to sell me a new 04 accord, said my car was "a wash" and had no value!*ak

1998 honda accord v6 lx sedan with 80,000 miles needs a new transmission at a cost of $3500. vehicle has been well maintained and had transmission fluid changed at proper intervals using honda atf. obviously, with the number of complaints of this problem on honda forums, there is a design flaw. honda should pay for this repair, not me.*ak

I drive a 1998 honda accord ex v6 4 door. i have had problems with my transmission. it is shifting erratically. it slips between 1st to 2nd, then when i am driving, suddenly downshifts. this is a huge safety issue!*ak

Automatic transmission failed on interstate 89. dangerous situation. *ak

Bearings in automatic transmission failed and needed to be replaced. transmission has to be removed and taken apart to replace the bearings. repair cost was $1113. car has only 61,000 miles and is maintained regularly.*ak

Purchased vehicle in new 1998 and have maintained a perfect service and maintenance record with dealership. transmission has failed at 70,000 miles and needs to be replaced. i have discovered over 100 similar cases involving transmission failure on the 1998 honda accord on this site.*ak

While shifting gears vehicle will not move. a loud noise was heard coming from underneath the vehicle. consumer drove the vehicle to dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that transmission needed to be replaced due to worn out parts. *ak

1998 honda accord ex-v6 needs new transmission, 108,000 miles - problem since 86,000. seems that quite a few consumers have the same issue with this model; however, american honda has ignored the complaints of 1998-1999 owners with transmission problems. fortunately, for the 2000-2001 owners got a recall. the problem with the transmission is the same in the 1998-1999 models. it's not fair that we have to pay for this ourselves when there is an obvious problem (look at the number of complaints). also, honda never sent me any recall or service notices for other problems such as the fuel float, egr problem, or this transmission problem. this is my second honda - first i owned for 17 years, and now this? i am very upset.*ak

Join the club, i have a 1998 accord with 120,000 and the transmission failed on the freeway. i was almost ran over by a tractor trailer. this car has had a clunky transmission since 80,000 miles and i would get the transmission serviced and it wouldn't help. i am still making payments on this car and the transmission is dead. i thought this was supposed to be a honda? i thought honda's were reliable? american honda will not help, the dealer will not help so basically i'm screwed. used transmission replacement estimates are $1700-2500. this is terrible, why is there not a recall? someone really needs to do something about this before someone gets killed. i almost did. honda knows something is wrong. this is even listed on carpoint.msn.com that this car has a bad transmission. i am going to fix it and sell it and go back to toyota, i will never ever buy another honda again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As reported by many other consumers, my accord is experiencing hard shifting or jerking in the lower gears (slipping). when the car is warmed up, it's not as bad. *ak

I was notified today that i needed to replace the transmission in my 98 honda accord. this seems to be well known by repair people that 98,99 and 00 have tranmission problems. why won't the dealerships replace these when there so many people being affected by the same problem.*ak

My 1998 honda accord with 61000 miles on its automatic transmission has joined the growing population of accords with failed carrier bearings in the final drive (transmission). i have had all of my service work done at the service shop where my son is employed as a mechanic. thus when i discovered the transmission fluid leak i took the car in to my mechanic for what i thought would be a seal replacement, only to be hit with the horrific news that it is going to cost me $2500-$3000 to fix the failed carrier bearings in the final drive! i've called the dealership that i purchased the car from (klein honda in everett wa.) and was told by trevor in the service department that they are experiencing this problem with the v-6 engines, but not the 4 cylinders (mine). when i asked him to help me this the expense he recommended that i contact honda customer care and wished me luck since i hadn't had any of my services conducted with a dealership. all of this took place within the last week, so my call to honda customer care will occur on 2/9/04. if i don't get anywhere with them i do plan on turning this in to the better business bureau and everyplace else i can find to lodge complaints with. with the research i have done over the internet i have found that this a common problem that needs to be recognized by a honda recall action! *ak

1998 honda accord ex- had to replace automatic transmission due to failure of transfer bearing. problem first appeared at approx 85,000 mi. have records listing all suggested maintenance. why did honda offer to reimburse transmission replacements in 2000 - 2002 accords and not earlier models if the same transmissions were used in 1998 & 1999 model years?*ak

We took my 1998 accord ex in for regular service (90,000 miles) and to have the interlock switch recall done. when we picked up the car, the dealer told us the transmission was leaking and needed to be replaced. i've never had a problem with the transmission - no leaks in the garage, no strange shifting problems. we declined the service, but the dealer called and said our re-manufactured trans was in and since i had the extended warranty would be replaced at no charge (incl. rental car). i was suspicious that they would order the part and push the issue so strongly, so i did some research. on www.accordforums.com i found that others had been having transmission problems with this car. this transmission can suddenly fail due to a problem with a bearing (in fact, the service write-up states "trans fluid leak, trans may fail due to differential bearing going out causing fluid to leak"). i thought this was warranty fraud by the dealer, but apparently they know about this potential transmission problem. they aren't clearly explaining the problem to owners, which is what makes the issue seem suspect. in fact, when we picked up our car, the dealer was explaining the exact same problem to the person in line before us (which is why we got suspicious). it seems that honda has a problem that they don't want to tell vehicle owners about, but their dealers are pushing to fix it anyway. of course, they originally quoted us $1,600 to $5,000 for the repairs. after we told them no, we were informed it would be completed at no cost to us. sounds like a stealth recall to me. (they told us it would be free because we have the extended warranty with no deductible through honda care. i don't know how much i believe that either.) we're having the work done today now that i know what the potential problems are. i think others need to be informed of this issue so no one gets killed or injured if their transmission fails because they couldn't pay for this work. *jb

While driving the vehicle's automatic transmission failed. please provide any additional information. *nm.

I got the check engine light on my 1998-accord-lx (97000 miles on this one). took it to the dealer and they told me that the transmission has failed completely and needs to be replaced. i got all the regular sevices done at only honda dealers and there was no indiation about this failure. for no fault, this thing has failed. i would think that the part itself is defective, in the first place. please investigate further.*ak

While the vehicle was parked it rolled backwards and caused an accident. the dealer has been notified. please provide any additional information. *nm

While driving transmission shifted into another gear unexpectedly. this caused a banging noise under the hood. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for analysis, and mechanic could not duplicate the problem.*ak