IllustrationTHIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Civic years →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
What owners actually said
69 reportsWITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART (TEMPORARILY)WHILE MOVING. ONE ONE OCCASION MERELY WAITING AT CURBSIDE ABOUT 25 MINUTES WAS SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW CAR TO RESTART. NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS INDICATED ANY PROBLEM. THE SITUATION REPEATED ITSELF ON AT LEAST TWO OCC…
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WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART (TEMPORARILY)WHILE MOVING. ONE ONE OCCASION MERELY WAITING AT CURBSIDE ABOUT 25 MINUTES WAS SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW CAR TO RESTART. NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS INDICATED ANY PROBLEM. THE SITUATION REPEATED ITSELF ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. ON THE FINAL OCCASION (1990) IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY AN INTENSE ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. NO FUSES BLEW THAT I COULD TELL. THEREAFTER I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANOTHER STALLING EPISODE OF THIS TYPE. HOWEVER, SINCE THAT TIME THE COOLING FAN NEVER OPERATES. I MUST NOT BE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC ON A HOT DAY OR THE ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT. I HAVE NO FUSES WHICH ARE BLOWN. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM HAVE NOT BEEN SUCESSFUL. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THE 'IDIOT LIGHT' INDICATORS/SENSORS HAVE EVER WORKED. I WAS PROMPTED TO WRITE THIS AFTER READING OF SO MANY MANY PROBLEMS INVOLVING ENGINES STALLING WHILE UNDERWAY. HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL TO SOMBODY.
DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING THE SEATBACK TO FALL BACKWARDS WHILE DRIVING WHICH MAY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
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.
SEAT BELT FAILED.
THE DEFECTIVE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM MALFUCTIONS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE BODY/FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM/OXYGEN SENSOR AND THERMOSTAT. PROBLEM REOCCURRING. *AK *NLM
TIMING BELT FAILED.
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORS BROKE. OWNER NOTIFIED THE DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. OWNER HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE. *AK
BOTH FRONT SPRINGS ARE CRACKED AT BOTTOM. *AK *SLC
TRUNK LID WILL NOT STAY IN THE OPEN POSITION. CONSUMER HAS BEEN HIT IN THE HEAD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.*AK
Official recalls
195V103001 · 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
3EA94035 · 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