1998 Honda Odyssey Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Odyssey years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 28th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Honda Odyssey. That ranks 28th out of 32 Odyssey model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (34 complaints, 47%), typically at around 164,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 3 fires, 4 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 73owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Honda Odyssey problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 34 | 47% | 164,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 14 | 19% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 8% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 8% | 169,148 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 5% | 169,074 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 4% | 169,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 4% | 140,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 4% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 169,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Honda Odyssey recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
Risk: Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began june 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.
Risk: This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power. Also steering controllability would be reduced.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Odyssey. The contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition switch. The contact was able to turn the key to start the vehicle; however, the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition switch. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent…
The contact's friend owns a 1998 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled down to the floorboard. The contact stated that her son inspected the vehicle and noticed that brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle…
The 1998 Honda Odyssey recall for ignition switch I don't believe included all VIN numbers affected. My van is having the exact issue for what is stated in the recall, yet my VIN does not show as a recall. When the switch is turned to the run position, the dash lights may or may not illuminate…
The contact owns a 1998 Honda Odyssey. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V026000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that…
1998 honda odyssey. Consumer writes in regards to airbag inflator safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time completing the recall repair. The part necessary to complete the recall had not been available. *js
Other Honda Odyssey years
← 1997 Odyssey · 1999 Odyssey →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Odyssey | 49 | 2 |
| 2025 Odyssey | 423 | 2 |
| 2024 Odyssey | 117 | 3 |
| 2023 Odyssey | 103 | 5 |
| 2022 Odyssey | 139 | 9 |
| 2021 Odyssey | 146 | 8 |
| 2020 Odyssey | 484 | 14 |
| 2019 Odyssey | 987 | 20 |
| 2018 Odyssey | 1,004 | 16 |
| 2017 Odyssey | 39 | 2 |
| 2016 Odyssey | 270 | 6 |
| 2015 Odyssey | 206 | 6 |
| 2014 Odyssey | 310 | 5 |
| 2013 Odyssey | 210 | 6 |
| 2012 Odyssey | 245 | 5 |
| 2011 Odyssey | 235 | 5 |
| 2010 Odyssey | 255 | 1 |
| 2009 Odyssey | 198 | 3 |
| 2008 Odyssey | 499 | 4 |
| 2007 Odyssey | 830 | 4 |
| 2006 Odyssey | 703 | 3 |
| 2005 Odyssey | 830 | 8 |
| 2004 Odyssey | 585 | 13 |
| 2003 Odyssey | 914 | 15 |
| 2002 Odyssey | 960 | 10 |
| 2001 Odyssey | 619 | 1 |
| 2000 Odyssey | 675 | 6 |
| 1999 Odyssey | 518 | 9 |
| 1998 | 73 | 3 |
| 1997 Odyssey | 20 | 2 |
| 1996 Odyssey | 70 | 0 |
| 1995 Odyssey | 96 | 0 |
See all Honda Odyssey problems by year, every Honda model, or the Honda VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Honda Odyssey?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 34 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Honda Odyssey?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Honda Odyssey a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Odyssey model years, the 1998 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.