1996 Honda Civic vs 1998 Honda Civic
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1996 Honda Civic | 1998 Honda Civic |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 305 | 435 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 125 | 140 |
| Investigations | 2 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 67 | 81 |
| Fire reports | 4 | 3 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 27–31 | 27–30 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,500 mi | 98,351 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Honda Civic | Honda Civic |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 70 | 96 |
| Electrical System | 17 | 88 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 27 | 53 |
| Power Train | 25 | 49 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 52 | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 31 | 29 |
| Visibility | 34 | 23 |
| Structure | 19 | 26 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Brake problems | 20 | 0 |
| Stalling | 8 | 45 |
| Airbag warning light | 5 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 6 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 6 |
| Shifting problems | 0 | 5 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 5 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 5 |
1996 Honda Civic
1998 Honda Civic
Compare all Honda Civic vs Honda Civic years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.