Frame Rust problems of the 1998 Honda Passport

The left rear suspension arm holder rusted through and broke away from frame which let the rear axle to move causing the vehicle to sway. Fortuniately it happened in a 30 mph zone. The frame is completely rusted and not fixable. Honda canceled their recall and doesn't want to know anything about it.

The contact owns a 1998 Honda Passport. While having the vehicle serviced by an independent mechanic for unrelated issues, the contact was informed that the fuel tank was leaking abnormally. The vehicle was then taken to an authorized dealer where the failure was confirmed and the contact was advised that the failure could not be repaired. In addition, the dealer also advised that the under frame was severely rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 141,709.

The contact owns a 1998 Honda Passport. The contact was driving 30 mph when the vehicle exhibited an unusually loud bang and the contact immediately noticed that the suspension did not feel normal. The contact discovered excessive frame rust and the shocks were being held up by the body of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic and mechanic stated the vehicle was beyond repair. The contact then took the vehicle to an authorized dealer where the dealer informed the contact that the frame was damaged beyond repair and should not be driven. The manufacturer was contacted and advised that they would not assist with repairs due to the rust issue. The contact stated that he noticed several complaints via the internet regarding excessive frame rust for his year, make and model. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 98,000. Updated 01/19/11 updated 01/31/11.

Frame rust from front to back rear is really bad.

Our family owns a 1998 Honda Passport with serious frame rusting and frame rot. We have maintained and serviced the vehicle regularly and have had it serviced numerous times. Our incident occurred when we noticed that the vehicle started to drive like a tank. In other words it became hard to turn and you could feel every bump in the road. Upon inspection of the car I found that the rear suspension of the car had completely rusted through. Allowing the rear axle springs to ride directly onto the car body. Also the frame stabilizer bar mount was rusted through and breaking off. The rear frame support bar that connects the rear end of the frame together was completely rusted through. This frame is so rusted thought that you can poke holes in it with your fingers!!!!! the entire frame is completely rotted through.

I have a 1998 Honda Passport and the bottom frame is all rusted and the rear axle or rear suspension trailing arm rusted till it fell off. Luckily it happened while my son was leaving our driveway and he was not on a highway driving at highway speed. So it is no longer driveable and we tied up the falling part and it was parked in our yard for almost a year because we could not afford to get it repaired. We now have to move to a townhouse and there is no place to park this vehicle so we had it towed to an autobody shop for an estimate. The initial estimate for cost of repair is about $2,000 which is more than what we can afford and it could possibly get higher once the repairs get started. So this is where we stand. We bought a Honda, used it for 2. 5 years and due to the poor quality of parts used to make this vehicle, it rotted out on us and fell apart and we have been unable to use it since the summer of 2009 and we can't afford to get it repaired. We feel that Honda should be reponsible for our loss of use of this vehicle. We were hoping to keep this vehicle and use for a long time but now is unable to.

1988 Honda Passport - vehicle's driver's side rear wheel stabilizer bar rusted off, causing a near accident. Lost control of vehicle, but was only going 5 mph in a parking lot, so was able to stop vehicle immediately. Entire frame is riddled with rust. Area in rear of vehicle where coil springs are attached to frame is completely rusted through. Rust is extensive, from to rear of frame, pretty much swiss-cheesed with rust. Vehicle is unsafe to drive. No area of frame is unaffected. Able to push finger through the frame in many areas. Body of vehicle is in pristine condition with no body rust. Looks new, except for the face that the frame is basically rusting off of the body of the Honda Passport. Honda America states they are not responsible for this. I personally feel his is a safety issue, these vehicles are not safe or trustworthy to drive. No warning there was a problem while I was driving the vehicle, sudden "boom" at which time I stopped the vehicle at the curb of the driveway to the parking lot. Vehicle is unusable. Area where stabilizer bar fell off is not repairable because there is no good metal on the frame to weld a repair to. Passport was well taken care of, excellently maintained, body, interior and engine in excellent condition. Just have no frame to put the body on. Honda America told me "we are aware there is a problem, but when thousands are affected and millions of these were made, we don't consider it to be an issue". Isuzu rodeo are affected identically, the same area of rust is the first indication there is an issue, the rear driver's side stabilizer bar falls/rusts off while driving. We are the sole owners of this Passport, not a flood car, not near the ocean and not in an area where salt is used extensively on the roads. Again, there is no part of the frame unaffected by rust. A 50 year old vehicle has a better frame on it than my 1998.

Frame rusted on 1998 Honda Passport, causing near accident for 2 occupants. Area of frame is driver's side holding rear wheel stabilizer bar. Rusted through and fell off while driving at 5 mph. Caused lack of control and swaying of vehicle, occurred very suddenly and without warning. Entire area/portion of frame was rusted through on one component. Several other Passport owners are/have experienced the same issue with the exact same component of Passport vehicles. I was able to avoid a crash and injury only due to the fact that I was traveling at 5 mph in a driveway leading to a business. Otherwise a crash would have occurred with injury to 2 occupants.

I own a 1998 Honda Passport, I bought it in 2008, and was unaware of the rusting problem. I was told that it will not pass inspection at all because of the rust on the frame, and the axles. That the truck is not at all safe to drive because of the rust of the frame. I was also told that the gas tank is also rotting out, because there is so much rust underneath the truck on the frame. I did pay a mechanic to fix some of the frame,and axle to weld some new metal onto the frame, but that didn't help in the inspection process, the truck still failed to pas inspection. This truck has been sitting in my driveway for over a year now and I have no way to fix it, or drive it.

Underbody of 1998 Honda Passport is rusted out beyond repair. I have had it taken to several mechanics and they all say the same thing. The frame can not be repair as it is too rusted out. Everything behind the drive side door is swiss cheese and most of the other parts that would connect to the frame are also rusted out. Everyone tell me that the car is not only unsafe to drive they have never seen this type of rust on such a new car. The vehicle has not been in a accident and looks completely new body wise.

1998 Honda Passport broke right lower control arm. Consumer states that the right control arm mount had detached because the frame had rusted in that area. The left mount was still attached, but had a large hole in it. The spring mounts also had large amounts of rust.