Total Complaints
41 filings
HONDA CIVIC · model year
1987 HONDA CIVIC
41 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987HONDACIVIC carries 41 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 crashes, 0 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 CIVIC is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 13 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (4) and seat belts:front:retractor (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 1987 CIVIC. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
41
Complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
7
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
6 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 13 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080213TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 HONDA CIVIC CRX. THE VEHICLE HAS HANKOOK RADIAL MAX A/S (NA) TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BOUNCED UP AND DOWN AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARINGS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS DELAMINATING. THE TIRE SHOP OFFERED THE CONTACT A TIRE UPGRADE AT HIS EXPENSE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE TIRE SIZE AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 267,358 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 267,427.
Mileage: 267,358
20060607FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FUEL SYSTEM LINES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE FIRST TIME BY A DEALER, THE SECOND TIME BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE FUEL SYSTEM LINES HAD FAILED AGAIN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
Mileage: 157,000
20030820FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE FUEL LINE LEAKED WHICH CAUSED A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. *AK THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. LIQUID GASOLINE DRIPPED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE NEAR THE DRIVER'S DOOR. REPLACED OLD PIPES AND FUEL LINES AND OLD PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *PH *JB
Mileage: 93,645
20020920CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20020320POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO SWERVE. CONSUMER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED SUPPORT ROD ARM FOR REAR AXLE WAS TORN FROM FRAME ON LEFT SIDE.*AK
20020102VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER VEHICLE WILL SURGE AT SPEEDS OF AROUND 30 MPH. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET.*AK
20000426SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
REAR WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKING CAUSING REAR BRAKE CONTAMINATION. *MJS
20000426SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. *MJS
20000426VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE THE DRIVER WAS PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AND COLLIDED WITH TWO OTHER PARKED VEHICLES. YH
19990830TIRES
TIRES FAILED TWICE 8-1-95 & 6-1-98 (MICHELIN 165X13). *YC
19990304SUSPENSION:REAR
THE RIGHT SWINGARM ON THE REAR SUSPENSION BROKE DUE TO BEING ROTTED COMPLEATELY THROUGH, THE SWING ARM ON THE LEFR SIDE IS ALSO IN VERY BAD SHAPE AND ALSO WOULD LIKELY FAIL SOON.
19990304CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE METAL TONGUE OF THE BUCKLE SNAPPED IN HALF. MY CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN STRANGLED BY THE T-TYPE HARNESS THAT GOES OVER HIS HEAD, IF WE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FORCE.
19980805VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT WINDOWS ARE NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY AND REQUIRE TWO HANDS TO ROLL UP.
19980421SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL # 95V103001, SEAT BELT BUCKLES; DEALER NOT ABLE TO CORRECT RECALL BECAUSE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. OWNER IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE BELT BUCKLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. DEALER NOT SURE WHEN PART WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. *AK
19971021SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#95V103001) IN THE MAIL. CALLED DEALER & SET UP APPOINTMENT. ON THE DAY OF THE APPOINTMENT, TOOK VEHICLE IN. AFTER WAITING FOR AWHILE, WAS INFORMED DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS FOR REPAIR & DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AK
19970811ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS, LESS THAN 10 MPH, COULD CAUSE CRASH, DEALER REPLACED AIR SHOT VALVE, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
19970627SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK ANCHOR BOLT CAME OUT, LEAVING DRIVER'S SEAT UNSTABLE.
19960930POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
19960923SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY.
19960909UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CLOCK ON THE DASH IS MELTING , PURCHASED CAR USED . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK
Compare 1987HONDACIVIC to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 HONDA CIVIC have?▼
The 1987 HONDA CIVIC has 41 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 0 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 HONDA CIVIC?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 HONDA CIVIC is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1987 HONDA CIVIC safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.