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#BS-1998-HONODY-28561998 Honda Odyssey
Based on reports from 89 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Think Twice
Based on 89 complaints, 4 crashes, 4 fires, and 4 recalls.
Top reported problems
water leaking inside
3 complaints • Severity 6.7/10
transmission slipping and jerking
2 complaints • Severity 6/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
13 owners reported electrical system:ignition:switch issues — failures commonly reported around 163K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (17 reports) • Median: 163K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Electrical System:ignition:switch (13 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
1998 Honda Odyssey: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Electrical System:ignition:switch Issues
Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 1998 Honda Odyssey, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 163,111 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 163K-mile mark.
Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1998 Honda Odyssey, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1998 Honda Odyssey, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical System:ignition Issues
Electrical System:ignition complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1998 Honda Odyssey, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Honda Odyssey. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (4 recalls)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
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.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
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.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Honda Odyssey is the 2002 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
1998 Honda Odyssey vs. Class Average (Midsize Station Wagons)
This vehicle
89
Class avg
114
Complaint volume is roughly in line with other midsize station wagons vehicles from 1998.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 89 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Honda Odyssey Model Years
1998 Honda Odyssey: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 1998 Honda Odyssey Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 89 owner reports. Know before you buy.