1998 Honda Civic Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 1998 Honda Civic, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 140,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bags deploy” (25% of reports).
- 96air bags complaints
- 140,000median miles at failure
- 64mention a crash
- 34mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bags deploy: mentioned in 24 of 96 complaints (25%)
- Driver passenger: mentioned in 14 of 96 complaints (15%)
- Upon impact: mentioned in 9 of 96 complaints (9%)
- Airbags deployed: mentioned in 9 of 96 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 19 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 96 complaints, 64 mention a crash, 34 an injury.
Honda Civic air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Civic | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2025 Civic | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2024 Civic | 2 | 2% | 21,541 |
| 2023 Civic | 8 | 3% | 3,750 |
| 2022 Civic | 9 | 1% | 46,500 |
| 2021 Civic | 9 | 6% | 78,000 |
| 2020 Civic | 29 | 13% | 21,650 |
| 2019 Civic | 12 | 3% | 10,000 |
| 2018 Civic | 23 | 3% | 16,000 |
| 2017 Civic | 24 | 4% | 4,000 |
| 2016 Civic | 28 | 3% | 30,628 |
| 2015 Civic | 58 | 15% | 43,069 |
| 2014 Civic | 57 | 19% | 65,500 |
| 2013 Civic | 114 | 36% | 60,000 |
| 2012 Civic | 149 | 33% | 41,000 |
| 2011 Civic | 51 | 30% | 64,000 |
| 2010 Civic | 96 | 24% | 72,000 |
| 2009 Civic | 95 | 24% | 75,000 |
| 2008 Civic | 177 | 19% | 81,656 |
| 2007 Civic | 156 | 13% | 80,175 |
| 2006 Civic | 180 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2005 Civic | 129 | 41% | 87,000 |
| 2004 Civic | 133 | 38% | 92,122 |
| 2003 Civic | 140 | 28% | 107,106 |
| 2002 Civic | 241 | 34% | 76,750 |
| 2001 Civic | 310 | 29% | 80,000 |
| 2000 Civic | 82 | 29% | 79,715 |
| 1999 Civic | 58 | 17% | 89,500 |
| 1998 Civic | 96 | 22% | 140,000 |
| 1997 Civic | 140 | 38% | 89,500 |
| 1996 Civic | 70 | 23% | 92,000 |
| 1995 Civic | 76 | 38% | 175,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The front passenger air bag modules have been improperly assembled. The cloth flaps covering the folded air bag may have been tucked in too far.
Risk: This condition could prevent proper deployment of the air bag. In a crash, an improper air bag deployment could increase the risk of injury to a front seat passenger.
Fix: Dealers will repair the front passenger's air bag module to prevent this problem from occurring.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
1998 honda civic. Consumer writes in regard to 20v-026. The consumer stated he is still awaiting parts for the recall.
For recall on a 1998 honda civic dx replace air bag ,fuel tankers, ignition switch,floor mat.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 honda civic coupe. The contact stated while driving at 55 mph, when she crashed into a truck. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a fractured collarbone, left knee and right shoulder was bruised. The contact did seek medical attention for her collarbone…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Honda Civics have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 96 owner complaints about air bags for the 1998 Honda Civic (22% of the 435 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Honda Civic air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 140,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 1998 Honda Civic?
The most frequent phrase is “air bags deploy”, in 24 of 96 complaints, followed by “driver passenger” (14).
Other 1998 Honda Civic problems
See all 1998 Honda Civic problems or air bags problems across all Civic years.