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1992 Honda Civic

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 11 of 98 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. 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.

24 crash reports3 fire reports17 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

28 reports
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205,105 miles · Jun 30, 2011
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING PARKED AND TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAD SINCE RECURRED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EXAMINED THE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING PARKED AND TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAD SINCE RECURRED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR TWICE. THE CONTACT ALSO REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 205,105.

NHTSA ODI #10410003

116,754 miles · Aug 11, 2010
Electrical SystemEquipment

1. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT EVENTS LEAD UP TO THIS FAILURE. 2. IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED APPROX. 90% OF THE TIME. (CAR IS IN PARK.) THIS PROBLEM DEVELOPED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHICH CAN CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY IF THE CAR IS STOLEN. 3. MECHANICS ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE…

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1. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT EVENTS LEAD UP TO THIS FAILURE. 2. IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED APPROX. 90% OF THE TIME. (CAR IS IN PARK.) THIS PROBLEM DEVELOPED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHICH CAN CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY IF THE CAR IS STOLEN. 3. MECHANICS ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10348694

Mileage unknown · Nov 17, 2005
Electrical System

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE WOULD START AND THEN STALL IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. HE FOUND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT MAKING CONTACT. HE REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH HIMSELF. THE VEHICLE IS WORKING CORRECTLY AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10142994

204,430 miles · Apr 1, 2004
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING MY 1992 HONDA CIVIC ON INTERSTATE FREEWAY AND CITY STREETS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED IMMEDIATE ENGINE STALLING WITH NO WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10064366

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2002
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

IN 1998 DISTRIBUTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AT THAT TIME I HAD DISTRIBUTOR REPLACED. SINCE THEN I HAD A SECOND DISTRIBUTOR PUT IN 6/22/2000 AFTER ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. SERVICE LIGHT AND DIAGNOSE POINTED TO BAD DISTRIBUTOR AGAIN. NOW IT 2002 AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON AGAIN. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE THE SAM…

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IN 1998 DISTRIBUTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AT THAT TIME I HAD DISTRIBUTOR REPLACED. SINCE THEN I HAD A SECOND DISTRIBUTOR PUT IN 6/22/2000 AFTER ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. SERVICE LIGHT AND DIAGNOSE POINTED TO BAD DISTRIBUTOR AGAIN. NOW IT 2002 AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON AGAIN. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE THE SAME PROBLEM HOWEVER, I PLAN TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SOON. DIAGNOSE CODE OF 9 FLASHES ON THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT. POINTS MAYBE TO DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE AGAIN. I AM SUBMITTING THIS IN AN EFFORT TO BE REIMBURSTED BY HONDA FOR REPAIRS I PAID FOR. I ALSO WANT HONDA TO KNOW THERE DISTRIBUTORS SHOULD BE RECALLED. I DISCOVERED THAT THE DISTRIBUTORS FOR 1991-1993 ACCORD AND 199201993 CIVICS ALL HAVE COMMON PROBLEMS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #763877

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2002
Electrical System

VEHICLE WAS CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR ON TWO OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8005134

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2001
Electrical System

DISTRIBUTOR HAS FAILED THREE TIMES. PRIVATE MECHANIC HAS REPLACED ALL OF PLUGS AND RECOMMENDED THAT CONSUMER FIND ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE "THE DISTRIBUTOR WANTS TO DIE". *AK THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE EASILY AND STALLS AS WELL. *YH

NHTSA ODI #888509

Mileage unknown · Nov 13, 2000
Electrical System

THE DISTRIBUTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS COMPONENT SHOULD BE RECALLED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #557286

Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2000
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED, THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION PICKUPS AND IGNITOR ASSEMBLY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #555548

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 1999
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE DISTRIBUTOR MALFUNCTIONING. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS, AND DEALER COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM *AK

NHTSA ODI #850205

Official recalls

1

94V063000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Apr 10, 1994

A RETAINING CLIP THAT CONNECTS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE TO THE SHIFT LEVER ACTUATING ROD CAN HAVE INSUFFICIENT RETENTION PRESSURE AND MAY EVENTUALLY COME OFF AFTER REPEATED SHIFT LEVER OPERATION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE POSITION OF THE SHIFT LEVER MAY NOT MATCH THE ACTUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED RETAINING CLIP.

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

1

DP00007 · Ignition Distributor

Opened Nov 13, 2000 · Closed Oct 25, 2001

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

THE PETITION ALLEGES THAT IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE OR A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

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