1998 Honda Civic: jerking or lurching

6 of the 434 complaints about the 1998 Honda Civic describe jerking or lurching.

owner complaints: 6
of this car's complaints: 1%
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 21 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Jerking or lurching by model year

2026
1
2025
4
2024
5
2023
23
2022
110
2021
15
2020
6
2019
31
2018
74
2017
39
2016
109
2015
22
2014
20
2013
3
2012
9
2011
2
2010
2
2009
5
2008
8
2007
7
2006
10
2005
4
2004
8
2003
18
2002
13
2001
12
2000
4
1999
4
1998
6
1997
9
1996
5
1991
1

What owners say

Filed Jan 26, 2005 · Acceleration · 52,000 miles · NY · crash

Regarding my 1998 honda passport - stop and go traffic. Put foot on brake and car suddenly accelerated. Put both feet on brake, engine sounded like it had been kicked into passing gear. Brakes were squealing. Rear ended vehicle in front of me. Vehicle I hit jumped forward and my passport continued to rev and lurch forward striking the vehicle again. After the 2nd strike the engine kicked back down. I'm seeing similar reports regarding the passport and it's sister/brother the rodeo. This is dangerous. Thankfully no one was injured this time. This car can't be trusted.

Filed Feb 20, 2004 · Transmission · 48,900 miles · CA

I have a 1998 hondo civic with 50, 000 miles. It has recently developed a jerk when shifting from gear to gear and from gear to gear and also when down shifting. I have conducted all manufacturer's recommended services which include transmission flushes. However, even my preventively measures could not save this obvious manufacturer's defect. The car is no longer under warranty and has not been through any abuse. There are other complaints of this nature involving the same vehicle throughout the internet. Please consider a recall for this is an expansive defect that has coasted this consumer over $1000 to fix.

Filed Nov 4, 2003 · Transmission · FL

One week after having car into dealer for the 52,500 check up it started jerking violently between gears as I accelerated and decelerated. Took car back to dealer to have them look at it and was told that it needed a new transmission.

Filed Dec 24, 2002 · Acceleration, Airbags · 58,000 miles · NY · crash · 1 injury

I was traveling on a wet road at 40mph. When applied brakes, the body of the vehicle jerked forward abruptly and the brakes locked up on me, causing the vehicle to skid off road. The vehicle hit concrete blocks and totaled the front end. The air bags failed to deploy. Ts

Filed Oct 20, 1999 · Acceleration, Transmission · IL

While driving the vehicle at 60mph in march, the vehicle would not decelerate after brakes were applied. Checked cruise control which was not on. Checked gas pedal to see if stuck. Had guided vehicle to off ramp & manged to turn it off. Shifted into neutral & nothing worked. Took vehicle to dealer & mechanic could not duplicate problem. Vehicle is now jerking also, 6 months later.

Filed Jan 26, 1999 · Transmission · MD

Since the day we bought it, the transmission intermittently jerked (sometimes violently) when downshifting, especially around 40 MPH. It also downshifted at odd times, like going down hills. I took the car to the dealer on 12/12 & they reported "no problem found." on dec 27 the engine made lots of noise but had little speed & my family had to drive the handicapped car the short distance home. The dealer said the computer reported that the transmission ration was wrong. They said the more they worked on it, the worse it became. They couldn't fix it even with the help of honda experts, so they intended to replaced the transmission. Unfortunately, the dealer wrecked the car & they have had the car a month. We want a new car because we don't trust the reliability of the car but honda & the dealer aren't cooperating.