1998 Honda Accord Power Train

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

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

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

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

TRANSMISSION FAILURE 1998 HONDA ACCORD. *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

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 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

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 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

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

MY 1998 HONDA ACCORD HAS 80,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSIONS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

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

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

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

WITH CLUTCH PRESSED DOWN WHILE CAR IN GEAR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD START TO ENGAGE. PROBLEM WAS OCCASIONAL AT THE BEGINNING, THEN WORSENED TO THE POINT VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVABLE. (1 YEAR PERIOD) TOOK TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP TWICE BUT THEY WERE CLUELESS TO ANY CAUSE. VEHICLE WOULD OFTEN STALL IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND AT ANY LIGHTS. IF CLUTCH WAS PRESSED DOWN FOR MORE THAN 5 SECONDS WHILE IN GEAR THE HYDROLICS WOULD FAIL AND KILL THE ENGINE. SLAVE CYLINDER, CLUTCH HYDROLICS EVENTUALLY FAILED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED SLAVE CYLINDER AND LINE FOR OVER $500, CLUTCH NOW OPERATES FINE. DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE WITH MODIFIED HONDA PARTS SINCE ORIGINAL SLAVE AND LINE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA FOR RELIEF DO TO FAULTY DESIGN/PARTS BUT REFUSED DUE TO ULTIMATE FAILURE OCCURRING OUTSIDE WARRANTY PERIOD. *AK

GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT PARK, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO DEPRESS THE MANUAL RELEASE BUTTON IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE GEAR SHIFT PROBLEM ALSO CAUSED BRAKE LIGHTS TO BE INOPERATIVE.*AK *MR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK AT AXLE SEALS. *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

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

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AT ABOUT 80,000 MILES AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION PRODUCED A CLICKING SOUND WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM THE TRANSMISSION MADE NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WOULD RATTLE AS THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *SC *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED ON INTERSTATE 89. DANGEROUS SITUATION. *AK

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