1998 Honda Civic Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Honda Civic, 12% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 84,470 miles. The words owners use most often: “exhaust manifold” (38% of reports).
- 53engine and engine cooling complaints
- 84,470median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,400typical repair cost reported by owners
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Exhaust manifold: mentioned in 20 of 53 complaints (38%)
- Oxygen sensor: mentioned in 6 of 53 complaints (11%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1998 Honda Civic at $1,400, and half of them between $1,250 and $1,500.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2001–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 14 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 53 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Honda Civic engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Civic | 1 | 1% | 108,000 |
| 2019 Civic | 1 | 0% | 93 |
| 2017 Civic | 5 | 1% | 43,000 |
| 2016 Civic | 4 | 0% | 59,000 |
| 2015 Civic | 1 | 0% | 130,000 |
| 2014 Civic | 3 | 1% | — |
| 2013 Civic | 1 | 0% | 39,000 |
| 2012 Civic | 4 | 1% | 3,294 |
| 2011 Civic | 4 | 2% | 16,000 |
| 2010 Civic | 10 | 3% | 10,700 |
| 2009 Civic | 12 | 3% | 13,705 |
| 2008 Civic | 55 | 6% | 46,834 |
| 2007 Civic | 74 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2006 Civic | 151 | 11% | 67,000 |
| 2005 Civic | 19 | 6% | 81,523 |
| 2004 Civic | 16 | 5% | 40,346 |
| 2003 Civic | 37 | 7% | 65,000 |
| 2002 Civic | 31 | 4% | 50,450 |
| 2001 Civic | 64 | 6% | 81,000 |
| 2000 Civic | 47 | 16% | 64,809 |
| 1999 Civic | 30 | 9% | 100,097 |
| 1998 Civic | 53 | 12% | 84,470 |
| 1997 Civic | 25 | 7% | 90,000 |
| 1996 Civic | 27 | 9% | — |
| 1995 Civic | 7 | 4% | 182,600 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1998 Honda Civic. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I took my car in for service and they told me the exhaust manifold was cracked. This is the third time this part has cracked. I had it replaced twice already at the dealership- they did not cover the part under warranty and i paid $1000 each time to have it replaced. I tried to contact american…
When my 1998 honda civic was at 90,891 miles, the honda dealer service department told me the exhaust manifold was cracked and needed to be replaced. The repair was about $1000. Only 2 years later, they told me the new exhaust manifold was cracked and needed to be replaced again. The service…
I have a 98 honda civic lx, it seems the exhaust manifold on these cars are defective they crack and the gas emissions are circulated to the cabin of the automobile. The exhaust manifold should not crack on normal use. Carbon monoxide co could leak to the cabin of the car, and is poisonous to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Honda Civics have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 53 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1998 Honda Civic (12% 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 engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 84,470 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Honda Civic?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,400 (half paid between $1,250 and $1,500), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Honda Civic?
The most frequent phrase is “exhaust manifold”, in 20 of 53 complaints, followed by “oxygen sensor” (6).
Other 1998 Honda Civic problems
See all 1998 Honda Civic problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Civic years.