1998 Honda Passport Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Passport years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 229 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Honda Passport. That ranks 2nd out of 16 Passport model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (57 complaints, 25%), typically at around 49,000 miles. Complaints mention 24 crashes, 18 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.

- 229owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 24complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Honda Passport 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 57 | 25% | 49,000 | “stopping distance” (14%) | — |
| Suspension | 48 | 21% | 155,344 | — | — |
| Structure | 35 | 15% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 24 | 10% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 19 | 8% | 59,038 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 17 | 7% | 60,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 17 | 7% | 25,015 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 | 7% | 116,192 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 13 | 6% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 8 | 3% | 97,438 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 7 | 3% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 3% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 2% | 106,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 152,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Honda Passport recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Isuzu is recalling certain model year 1998-2002 isuzu rodeo and model year 2002 isuzu axiom vehicles, and honda is recalling certain 1998-2002 honda passport vehicles, that were originally sold, or are currently registered, in the states of maine, new hampshire, vermont, massachusetts, rhode island, connecticut, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware, maryland, the district of columbia, west virginia, ohio, indiana, michigan, illinois, wisconsin, minnesota, iowa, missouri, and kentucky. Vehicles that have experienced sustained exposure to highly corrosive materials used in some jurisdictions for road deicing purposes may experience excessive corrosion in the vicinity of the forward mounting point bracket for the left or right rear suspension lower link prior to the time that such corrosion would normally be expected.
Risk: Excessive corrosion may result in the left or right rear suspension lower link bracket becoming detached from the frame, which can affect vehicle handling and potentially cause a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear suspension lower link bracket area. For vehicles in which little or no corrosion is found, the area will be treated with an anti-corrosive compound. For vehicles in which corrosion has damaged the rear suspension lower link bracket and affected its connection to the vehicle frame, a reinforcement bracket will be installed. In the rare event the corrosion is so severe that the reinforcement bracket remedy would not be appropriate, a repurchase offer will be extended to the vehicle's owner. All inspections and remedies will be provided free of charge for vehicles that are 10 years old or less. For vehicles older than 10 years, isuzu will offer a free remedy, but only if the vehicle is presented to an isuzu service facility, or honda dealer (as applicable), dealer within 12 months of when owner notifications were issued. The safety recall began on december 10, 2010. Isuzu owners may contact isuzu at 1-800-255-6727. Honda owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Paint was applied unevenly on the rear axles, resulting in insufficient paint hardness. Should this occur on the surface that contacts the rear axle lower link bracket bolt head and/or nut, the nut may loosen.
Risk: The bolt could detach fully, causing separation of the lower link from the rear axle, increasing the risk of loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear axle lower link joint nut and bolt.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. A ground connection terminal was not properly crimped in the supplier's engine wiring harness manufacturing line. This improper crimping process can leave an impression on the terminal that will eventually cause a stress fracture. S
Risk: If a terminal is fractured, the powertrain control module (pcm) can receive an erroneous signal indicating a high vehicle speed, thereby causing the pcm to cut the fuel, causing a 'no-start' condition, or a possible engine stall.
Fix: Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these vehicles.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. A ground connection terminal was not properly crimped in the supplier's engine wiring harness manufacturing line. This improper crimping process can leave an impression on the terminal that will eventually cause a stress fracture. S
Risk: If a terminal is fractured, the powertrain control module (pcm) can receive an erroneous signal indicating a high vehicle speed, thereby causing the pcm to cut the fuel, causing a 'no-start' condition, or a possible engine stall.
Fix: Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these vehicles.
Unknown or other
Problem: Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles equipped with a driver's side optional equipment rubber floor mat. Repeated movement of the driver's feet and actuation of the accelerator pedal can result in a shifting of the mat's position. This shifting can cause an interference with the accelerator pedal.
Risk: This could cause a restriction of the pedal's return to the idle position, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Honda is asking for the return of the floor mat set and will reimburse owners for the cost of the rubber floor mat set along with any return shipping costs.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear Suspension Lower Link Detachment (EA09018) — opened Dec 7, 2009, closed Oct 15, 2010, led to recall 10V436000.
- Rear suspension lower link failure (PE09030) — opened Jun 16, 2009, closed Dec 8, 2009, led to recall 10V436000.
- Braking system/abs (EA99008) — opened Mar 31, 1999, closed Jul 31, 2002, led to recall 02I002000.
- Broken accelerator pedal (PE98053) — opened Oct 9, 1998, closed Feb 18, 1999.
- Braking system/abs (PE98051) — opened Sep 23, 1998, closed Mar 31, 1999.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 honda passport. While driving 55 mph, the engine and transmission warning indicators illuminated. In addition, while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle jerked. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the general motor code 1870…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 honda passport. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited severe rust on the rear passenger side frame. The contact received a recall notice in nhtsa campaign number: 10v436000 (suspension) was received back in 2011 and the vehicle was repaired at williams honda in…
I bought a 1998 honda passport at the auction in salem newhampshire on december 20, 2014, the vehicle has an estimate of 87;000 miles on it, which is why i bought the car in the first place on top of the fact that the vehicle appeared to be in good condition, however to my surprise after taking my…
Driving started to sway slightly for no apparent reason, on the way home there was a sudden grinding and loss of control over the vehicle staying in one lane, i pulled it over to the side of the road and looked at it. The rear trailing arm rusted and separated from the frame. Hundreds of complaints…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 honda passport. The contact was driving 55 mph when the vehicle began to bounce and veer without the contact turning the steering wheel. The contact immediately took the vehicle for inspection. The contact was awaiting the diagnosis of the failure. The manufacturer was…
Other Honda Passport years
← 1997 Passport · 1999 Passport →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Passport | 68 | 1 |
| 2025 Passport | 46 | 0 |
| 2024 Passport | 19 | 1 |
| 2023 Passport | 40 | 5 |
| 2022 Passport | 63 | 4 |
| 2021 Passport | 144 | 7 |
| 2020 Passport | 103 | 10 |
| 2019 Passport | 281 | 10 |
| 2002 Passport | 23 | 2 |
| 2001 Passport | 134 | 3 |
| 2000 Passport | 102 | 1 |
| 1999 Passport | 228 | 2 |
| 1998 | 229 | 5 |
| 1997 Passport | 56 | 0 |
| 1996 Passport | 41 | 0 |
| 1995 Passport | 60 | 1 |
See all Honda Passport 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 Passport?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, suspension, structure problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 57 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Honda Passport?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Honda Passport a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Passport model years, the 1998 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.