FaultScore

1998 Honda Accord seat problems

25 of the 1,429 complaints about the 1998 Honda Accord are about the seats — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 108,000 miles.

F

25

Complaints

8

Crashes

0

Fires

8

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Seats 13 52.0%
Recliner 10 40.0%
Power Adjust 2 8.0%

Seats across every Honda Accord year

1994 10 1.9%
1998 25 4.8%
1999 42 8.1%
2000 36 7.0%
2001 17 3.3%
2002 20 3.9%
2003 24 4.7%
2004 21 4.1%
2007 13 2.5%
2008 34 6.6%
2009 28 5.4%
2010 41 7.9%
2011 39 7.6%
2012 65 12.6%
2013 49 9.5%
2014 25 4.8%
2015 15 2.9%
2016 12 2.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 87,000 miles BEL Aire, KS

SEATS

DRIVERS SEAT ACTS AS IF THE TWO FRONT SEAT MOUNT BOLTS ARE NOT BOLTED TO THE FLOOR IT ROCKS BACK WHEN YOU ACCELERATE. IT STARTED WITH JUST SLIGHT MOVEMENT BACK AND WITHIN A 30 DAYS IT NOW MOVES SEVERAL INCHES EVERYTIME YOU ACCELERATE. YOU HAVE TO KEEP A TIGHT GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU DRIVE OR YOU COULD MOVE BACK FAR ENOUGH TO HAVE YOUR HANDS SLIP OFF THE WHEEL. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT I HAVE HAD ESTIMATE FOR A $1200 REPAIR AS THEY SAID THE ENTIRE SEAT TRACK AND MOTOR WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10254765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 108,000 miles Selden, NY Crash 2 injured

SEATS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTI CAR COLLISION, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS FAILED. THE REAR AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED. UPON REAR IMPACT, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE SEATS RECLINED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED BACK INJURIES. THE POLICE FILED A REPORT AT THE SCENE AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10148562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 142,000 miles Grand Rapids, MI

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

1998 HONDA ACCORD W/ 8 WAY POWER SEAT. HAVE HAD TWO WELD FAILURES OF FRONT TORQUE TUBE TO LIFT LEVERS. FIRST FAILURE WAS LEFT HAND CORNER TWO YEARS AGO. REPAIRED THIS BREAK MYSELF WITH TIG WELD, THE DEALER WOULD NOT WARRANT THIS REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS BEYOND HONDA'S 36MO/36K WARRANTY. SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED ON CENTER LIFT LEVER THIS PAST NOVEMBER, 2004. MY SEAT FREELY AND LOOSELY ROCKS BACK AND FORTH THE NORMAL FRONT SEAT TILT TRAVEL. I ASKED MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT MENTIONED BY HONDA IN DEFECT SUMMARY NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE02072. I WAS TOLD MY ACCORD HAD TOO MANY MILES (140,000). MY REPLACEMENT COST FOR THIS OVER $300.00 OR DISASSEMBLE THE FRAME AND REDO ALL THE "COLD" WELDS. THE WELDS ON THIS SEAT FRAME ARE DEFECTIVE. NONE OF THEM APPEAR TO HAVE PROPER PENETRATION. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT, SIMILAR TO A DEFECTIVE SAFETY BELT. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY COOPERATION FROM MY HONDA DEALER CONTRARY TO HONDA'S STATEMENT, THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING "...NO-COST REINFORCEMENT FOR THE SEAT...".

NHTSA complaint #10104857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Jordan, UT

SEATS

PROBLEM INVOLVING BROKEN SEAT RAILS ON 1998 HONDA ACCORD.*MR THE CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL THROUGH A HONDA SERVICE UPDATE 03-034 CONCERNING SEAT LINKAGE ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM THAT THE UPDATE INDICATED WAS THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE THAT THE CONSUMER'S CAR EXHIBITED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH HIS VEHICLE WAS BUILT BETWEEN THE DATES GIVEN THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SERVICE UPDATE DUE TO VIN. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THAT MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

NHTSA complaint #10083367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 126,122 miles Milford Center, OH Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

I WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 0 AND 5 MPH WHEN I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. THE VEHICLE THAT HIT ME WAS A 1997 TOYOTA CAMERY. HIS APPX. SPEED WAS BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH. WHEN I EXITED MY VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS COMPLETLY LAYED BACK. I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME BUT IT APPEARS THE METAL IN THE SEAT BROKE, CAUSING THE BACK OF THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE. THE SEAT WAS IN THE TOTAL RECLINED POSITION. WHEN IT WAS DELIVERED TO COMBS COLLISION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE METAL HOLDING THE TOP OF THE SEAT TO THE BOTTOM HAD BROKEN. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PUSH THE SEAT BACK UP ALL THE WAY. THE PASSENGER SEAT ALSO HAD DAMAGE TO IT.

NHTSA complaint #10066099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carrollton, GA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AT 70 MPH TO AVOID A DEER AND DRIVER'S SEAT DETACHED FROM SOME OF THE BOLTS. DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT SEAT LOOKED LIKE A ROCKING CHAIR.

NHTSA complaint #10053970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albuquerque, NM

SEATS

I OWN 1998 HONDA ACCORD UEX, AND I'M TOLD THE RAIL THAT HOLDS THE DRIVERS SEAT IS BROKEN. THIS MAKES SEAT BELTS AND OTHER SAFETY DEVICES USELESS AS THE SEAT IS ESSENTIALLY A ROCKING CHAIR AND UNSECURED. THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #10041469 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Stanton Island, NY

SEATS

THE AUTOMATIC DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BECAME DETACHED. *NLM *SCC

NHTSA complaint #10019340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Staten Island, NY Crash 1 injured

SEATS

THE PASSENGER SEAT OF MY 1998 HONDA ACCORD BROKE UPON REAR-END CRASH(MY HONDA WAS HIT IN THE REAR) AND THE SEAT DID NOT HOLD THE RECOIL IMPACT OF A SEAT-BELTED PASSENGER CAUSING INJURY TO PASSENGER.

NHTSA complaint #10002876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hauppauge, NY 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

I HAVE A 1998 HONDA ACCORD 4-DOOR. SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT RECOIL WHEN I REMOVE IT. I GETS HUNG UP IN THE SWITCH THAT MOVES THE SEAT BACK. ON THE DATE BELOW, I HAD MY SON IN A FORWARD FACING CAR SEAT IN THE MIDDLE REAR SEAR. I PARKED AND UNCLIPPED MY SEAT BELT AND OPENED THE TRUNK. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SHUT THE DOOR BUT DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS PUSHING AGAINST THE SEAT BACK SWITCH AND LOWERED THE SEAT BACK ALL THE WAY DOWN. IT CAUGHT MY SON'S FOOT BETWEEN HIS CAR SEAT AND THE SEAT BACK. HE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. IT ONLY TOOK THE TIME FROM ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND GO TO THE TRUNK TO RETRIEVE HIS STROLLER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.

NHTSA complaint #10000653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 99,000 miles Marshall, TX

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

UPON ACCELERATION DRIVER SEAT FELL BACK INTO BACK SEAT AREA. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *MR IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WELD USED TO TILT THE SEAT BROKE, IN TURN, CAUSED THE SEAT TO DETACH FROM THE BASE.

NHTSA complaint #8020453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Iberia, LA Crash 1 injured

SEATS

A PICK UP TRUCK TRAVELING AT 45 MPH SLAMMED IN THE BACK OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WHILE WAS SITTING. DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK COLLAPSED AND CONSUMER SUFFERED A RUPTURED DISC IN NECK. *AK VEHICLE WAS STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED.

NHTSA complaint #8018150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mullica Hill, NJ

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP, WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THE DRIVER SEAT COLLASPED, DEALER DETERMINED THAT BRACKET OF SEAT BOTTOM HAD BROKEN.*AK

NHTSA complaint #8002132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Northport, NY

SEATS

THE SEAT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MOVES BACK AND FOURTH ON THE TRACK.

NHTSA complaint #9002630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reston, VA 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

AFTER TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND REMOVING THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT, WHEN EXITING THE CAR THE SEATBELT HAS BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE MOTORIZED SEATBACK CONTROL. WHILE I WALKED AROUND TO THE REAR SEAT TO TAKE MY INFANT OUT OF HER CAR SEAT, THE SEATBACK MOTOR SMASHED THE SEATBACK INTO MY CHILD'S LEGS AND PINNED THEM BETWEEN THE SEATBACK AND HER CARSEAT. THIS CAUSED HER TREMENDOUS PAIN AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #745028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sunnyvale, CA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

THE DRIVER SEAT GOT LOOSE AND WHILE DOING THE 22,500 MILES MAINTAINANCE, I REQUESTED THE SERVICE PERSON TO LOOK IF SOME BOLTS HAD GONE LOOSE. HE LATER TOLD ME THAT THE SEAT WAS BROKEN. I HENCE CALLED UP THE DEALER TO FIND OUT THE ISSUE. I GOT AN APPOINTMENT ON 01/30/2001 AND ON THE APPOINTMENT DAY THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE FOLLOWING: THE SEAT'S SLIDE ADJUSTER WAS BROKEN AND REPLACED IT AS NEEDED.

NHTSA complaint #740255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fullington, CA Crash

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE AT A STAND STILL VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM REAR, ESTIMATED SPEED WAS NOT DETERMINED. BUT, IT FORCED VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. ALSO, CAUSED SEATBACK TO COLLAPSE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #876482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntsville, AL Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

MY VEHICLE WAS HIT DIRECTLY FROM BEHIND AT HIGH IMPACT. AT IMPACT, MY DRIVER'S SEAT WENT TO THE RECLINING POSITION. AFTER THE IMPACT, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE MANUAL SEAT BACK ADJUSTMENT LEVER HAD BEEN PULLED COMPLETELY OFF OF THE SEAT, APPARENTLY DUE TO ENTANGLEMENT WITH THE SEAT BELT DURING THE IMPACT.

NHTSA complaint #734031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Irvine, CA

SEATS

DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK DOESN'T FUNCTION CORRECTLY

NHTSA complaint #609519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Torrance, CA

SEATS

SEAT WOULD NOT LOCK, KEPT SLIDING.

NHTSA complaint #607469 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hattieburg, MS Crash 2 injured

SEATS

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

NHTSA complaint #700473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Henrietta, NY

SEATS

INTERIOR OF VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED WHEN DELIVERED FROM FACTORY (TWO DOOR PANELS AND BACK SEAT COVERS).

NHTSA complaint #541103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mission VI, CA

SEATS

SEAT BELT TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE SEAT-BACK LEVER CAUSING SEAT TO RECLINE FULLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY, DUE TO DESIGN FLAW OF LEVER.

NHTSA complaint #539459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Trinity, AL Crash

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BROKE WHILE IN A REAREND COLLISION, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO BE THROWN BACK INTO THE BACK SEAT. PASSENGER ALSO FELT AS THOUGH THE SEAT RELEASED SLIGHTLY, BUT CAUGHT ITSELF.

NHTSA complaint #822757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lancaster, PA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK ROCKS.

NHTSA complaint #524196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Honda Accord problems

← Full 1998 Honda Accord report