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1989 Honda Civic

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1989 Honda Civic do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 183.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 69 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports2 fire reports13 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

18 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 3, 2006
EquipmentSeat BeltsCrashInjury

I HAD AUTO ACCIDENT, I WAS GOING 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. WHEN I HIT SMALL TREE. THE STEERING WHEEL CRUSHED MY CHEST AND I SUFFERED A SPINAL CORD INJURY AT THE T~2 LEVEL AND NOW I'M NOW A QUADRIPLEGIC. MY SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD, THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN RECALLED MINE WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL. IN 1996 RECALL N…

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I HAD AUTO ACCIDENT, I WAS GOING 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. WHEN I HIT SMALL TREE. THE STEERING WHEEL CRUSHED MY CHEST AND I SUFFERED A SPINAL CORD INJURY AT THE T~2 LEVEL AND NOW I'M NOW A QUADRIPLEGIC. MY SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD, THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN RECALLED MINE WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL. IN 1996 RECALL NO.- 95-028 I WAS STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE BELT LATCH NOT STAYING FASTENED CALLED THE HONDA COMPANY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THEY DIDN'T HELP ME AT ALL. A DEALER TOLD ME HONDA HAS A LIFETIME SEAT BELT WARRANTY ON ALL HONDA VEHICLES, IT COVERS ANY SEAT BELT COMPONENTS THAT FAILS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY SAID IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY. NOW I'M PAYING THE PRICE. BUYER BEWARE YOU MIGHT END UP, LIKE ME IN A WHEELCHAIR. THIS RECALL ONLY INFECTED 3,300,000 VEHICLES, ROLL THE DICE? TAKE A CHANGE. I'M SURE THERE ARE MORE VICTIMS OUT THERE, WHILE SOME I'M SURE YOU PLANTED THEM...*JB

NHTSA ODI #10156742

90,000 miles · Aug 7, 2003
Seat Belts

HONDA ISSUED A RECALL OF THE FRONT SEATBELTS IN THE 1989 HONDA. THE BELT CAN SPONTANEOUSLY COME UNLATCHED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN MY FIANCE'S 1989 HONDA. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT OFTEN SPONTANEOUSLY UNLATCHES -- THAT IS WHERE I SIT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO PLANET HONDA IN GOLDEN, COLORADO ON THREE OCCASI…

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HONDA ISSUED A RECALL OF THE FRONT SEATBELTS IN THE 1989 HONDA. THE BELT CAN SPONTANEOUSLY COME UNLATCHED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN MY FIANCE'S 1989 HONDA. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT OFTEN SPONTANEOUSLY UNLATCHES -- THAT IS WHERE I SIT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO PLANET HONDA IN GOLDEN, COLORADO ON THREE OCCASIONS. BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE BELT TO UNLATCH WHEN WE WERE AT THE DEALER, SO THEY HAVE REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. HER CAR OBVIOUSLY HAS THE PROBLEM. BUT HONDA IS REFUSING TO FIX IT. WHAT DO WE DO? *PH

NHTSA ODI #10031036

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2000
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLECROSSED FROM ANOTHER LANE IN FRONT SUDDENLY. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES & REAR ENDED VEHICLEIN FRONT. UPON IMPACT WITH VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK UP TO RESTRAIN DRIVER. SEAT BELT BUCKLE LOCKING MECHANISM BROKE. DRIVER WAS THROWN FORWARD, BUT NOT INJECTED. DRIVER SUFFE…

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WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLECROSSED FROM ANOTHER LANE IN FRONT SUDDENLY. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES & REAR ENDED VEHICLEIN FRONT. UPON IMPACT WITH VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK UP TO RESTRAIN DRIVER. SEAT BELT BUCKLE LOCKING MECHANISM BROKE. DRIVER WAS THROWN FORWARD, BUT NOT INJECTED. DRIVER SUFFERED WHIPLASH & RELEASED FROM EMERGENCY ROOM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #869887

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2000
Seat Belts

CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY ON THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. OWNER CONTACTED PREVIOUS OWNER AND FOUND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELTS AND THAT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #855646

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2000
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

THE 1989 HONDA CIVIC DX USES MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS. MY NIECE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THIS WEEKEND, HIT A FREEWAY RAILING THAT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BECOME DISCONNECTED; UPON ITS DISCONNECT, THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS WERE RELEASED WHICH RESULTED IN MY NIECE BEING EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS KILLED IN SUBJECT ACCIDENT. IS THERE …

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THE 1989 HONDA CIVIC DX USES MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS. MY NIECE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THIS WEEKEND, HIT A FREEWAY RAILING THAT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BECOME DISCONNECTED; UPON ITS DISCONNECT, THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS WERE RELEASED WHICH RESULTED IN MY NIECE BEING EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS KILLED IN SUBJECT ACCIDENT. IS THERE ANY AUTOMOTIVE RECALL OR LITIGATION INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT SIMILAR ACCIDENTS? HAVE THERE BEEN SIMILAR LITIGATIONS? *AK

NHTSA ODI #716861

Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 1999
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

MY CIVIC COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. THE LAP COMPONENT OF MY SEATBELT ENGAGED ALLOWING ONLY MINOR BRUISING/CUTS TO MY KNEES WHICH HIT THE DASH. THE SHOULDER BELT, HOWEVER, DID NOT ENGAGE CAUSING MY CHEST TO SLAM INTO THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING A DEEP CHEST CONTUSION. MY INSURANCE CO'S AP…

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MY CIVIC COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. THE LAP COMPONENT OF MY SEATBELT ENGAGED ALLOWING ONLY MINOR BRUISING/CUTS TO MY KNEES WHICH HIT THE DASH. THE SHOULDER BELT, HOWEVER, DID NOT ENGAGE CAUSING MY CHEST TO SLAM INTO THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING A DEEP CHEST CONTUSION. MY INSURANCE CO'S APPRAISER "TESTED" THE BELT BUT CLAIMS IT CATCHES WHEN TUGGED ON. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP CLAIMS SEATBELTS ARE TO KEEP YOU IN THE CAR, NOT TO PREVENT YOU FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL/DASH/WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #704555

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 1997
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #522201

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 1996
Seat BeltsCrash

SEAT BELT INADVERTENTLY WRAPPED AROUND SEAT POSITION LEVER/DISLODGED WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSS CONTROL AND HAD AN ACCIDENT. *SD

NHTSA ODI #502693

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 1996
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT TWISTED PRIOR TO RECALL. *SD

NHTSA ODI #501861

Mileage unknown · Nov 6, 1995
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

THE OWNERS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE FAULTY SEATBELT UNLATCHED AND CAUSED HER FURTHER INJURIES.TT ON IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT SEAT BELT UNLATCHED, CONSUMER WAS HIT IN THE HEAD AND CAUSD HEAD INJURY.*JB

NHTSA ODI #974579

Official recalls

1

95V103001 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

May 24, 1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUG ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, THEN PRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS ANY SIGN OF BREAKAGE OR CRACKING, OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, PROMPTLY CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED HONDA/ACURA DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

3

EA94035 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure

Opened Oct 27, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

There is no summary currently available

PE94052 · Seat Belt Buckle Fails

Opened Jul 11, 1994 · Closed Oct 27, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

There is no summary currently available

PE93082 · Stalling

Opened Sep 23, 1993 · Closed Jan 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

There is no summary currently available

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