HONDA CIVIC · model year

1989 HONDA CIVIC

88 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1989HONDACIVIC carries 88 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 17 crashes, 3 fires, 20 injuries, and 2 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 1989 CIVIC is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 8 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (8) and electrical system:ignition (7). 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 1989 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.

88
Complaints
17
Crashes
3
Fires
20
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

88 filings

Crashes Reported

17 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY8
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION7
SEAT BELTS6
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY5
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE3
SEATS3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH2
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
STEERING:RACK AND PINION2
TIRES:SIDEWALL2

Recent Complaints

20060503CrashSEAT BELTS

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

20060503CrashEQUIPMENT

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

20060223ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE REVVED WHILE THE VEHICLE IDLED IN PARK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE GEARS WERE HARD TO SHIFT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY LOST POWER AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR THE STALLING ISSUE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. DURING THE SECOND INSPECTION THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.

Mileage: 100,000

20060223ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE REVVED WHILE THE VEHICLE IDLED IN PARK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE GEARS WERE HARD TO SHIFT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY LOST POWER AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR THE STALLING ISSUE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. DURING THE SECOND INSPECTION THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.

Mileage: 100,000

20040611VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ENGINE "REVS" AND SURGES FORWARD. THIS IS ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN IN IDLE OR WHEN RESTARTING AFTER HAVING BEEN DRIVEN. SEVERAL TIMES THIS HIGH REVVING HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD, AND IN A COUPLE OF INSTANCES HAS ALMOST CAUSED CAR TO HIT AUTO IN FRONT OF IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE PURCHASE THREE YEARS AGO AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY NOR BEEN ABLE TO FIX. THIS CONDITION CAUSES HIGH FUEL CONSUMPTION AS WELL AS BEING A SAFETY FACTOR.*AK

20040317ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. A TECHNICIAN SERVICED THE VEHICLE ON 3-15-04, AND DETERMINED THAT IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

20030807SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

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

Mileage: 90,000

20030612CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT

TRAVELING ON I-15 SOUTH AT 75 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED WHICH IMMEDIATELY SENT MY 89 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK INTO A SPIN ENDING WITH US HITTING HEAD FIRST INTO THE CENTER DIVIDE, WRECKING THE CAR AND LUCKILY ONLY GIVING US WHIPLASH AND NOTHING MORE. *JB

Mileage: 192,000

20020514TIRES:SIDEWALL

WHILE DRIVING, LEFT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEWOUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL AND STRIKE A GUARDRAIL, THERE WAS DAMAMGE TO VEHICLE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC

20020506SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WAS BOUGHT FROM LARRY'S AUTO PARTS - NAPA, KAIMUKI ON O'AHU, HAWAII. THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD A LIFETIME-WARRANTY AND WAS MANUFACTURED BY UNITED BRAKE. THE FIRST NAPA MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER (NMBC) WAS PUT ON MY FRIEND'S 1989 HONDA CIVIC BY MYSELF ON AUGUST 29, 2001. THE FIRST (NMBC) WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING FROM AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR. THE SECOND (NMBC) WAS INSTALLED ON DECEMBER 18, 2001 BY MYSELF, AND THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM AT EACH WHEEL WAS BLED OF AIR. RIGHT AFTER THE INSTALLMENT OF THE (NMBC) THE OWNER OF THE CIVIC NOTICED THAT AT TIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL COULD BE PRESSED VERY LOW TO THE FLOORBOARD, WHILE AT OTHER TIMES IT WAS AT ITS NORMAL HEIGHT. THREE MONTHS LATER ON MARCH 12, 2002, THE CAR WAS TAKEN INTO MIDAS, WAIALAE AVE. BRANCH. THE MECHANIC INFORMED US THE BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE BLED. HE LATER INFORMED US THAT HE COULD NOT GET PRESSURE INTO THE LINE AND THE REASON FOR IT WAS THE SECOND (NMBC) WAS "FAULTY" AND HAD TO BE

20020207ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS WHEN CAR WAS PARKED IN SUMMER SUN, CAR WOULD START (MYSTERIOUSLY) ONLY AFTER I LIFTED THE HOOD TO TINKER. RECENTLY A HONDA DEALER'S EMPLOYEE CASUALLY MENTIONED IT WAS A DEFECTIVE RELAY THAT WOULD COST $60 TO REPLACE. IT FAILED AT SUMMER TEMPERATURES. THAT EXPLAINED EVERYTHING, E.G., LIFTING THE HOOD COOLED THE RELAY, AND PRESTO! BUT HOW COME THE DEALER GUY KNEW THIS, WHILE NOTHING SHOWS UP ON NHTSA? SECRET WARRANTY? COULD BE A ROADSIDE SAFETY ISSUE. I.E., HELP...!*AK

20011030TIRES:SIDEWALL

WHILE DRIVING, LEFT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEWOUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL AND STRIKE A GUARDRAIL, THERE WAS DAMAMGE TO VEHICLE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC

20011005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

PREVIOUSY VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH INTERMITTENTLY NOT STARTING AND STALLING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND DEALER NEVER MADE CONSUMER AWARE OF A RECALL. IGNITER WAS REPLACED WITH A UPDATE PIECE. *AK

20010917ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

I SPOKE WITH REPAIR FACILITIES AND OTHER CIVIC OWNERS WHO SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE REPAIR CENTERS SAID THEY ALWAYS REPLACE THE CRACKED PLASTIC RADIATOR WITH A METAL RADIATOR. HONDA SHOULD INSTALL A METAL RADIATOR TO BEGIN WITH AND THIS WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.*AK

20010206FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

GAS TANK LEAKING, OWNER HAD GAS TANK REPLACED. *CJ

20001120VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN A PARKING LOT CAUSING COLLISON, THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT THAT THE OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED A BROKEN SHOULDER BLADE. NLM

20000907CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

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

20000905EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THE FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER SIDE GETS IN THE WAY OF THE BRAKES AND THE GAS PETALS. SOMETIMES IT KEEPS THE GAS PETAL DOWN. SOMETIMES, IT KEEPS THE BRAKE PETAL DOWN. IS THERE A RECALL ON THE FLOOR MATS. THESE MATS WERE PURCHASED NEW WITH THE VEHICLE. THE AIR CONDITIONER BROKE TWICE. I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW COMPRESSOR, NEW EVAP COIL, NEW FAN -- I RELPACED EACH COMPONTENT TWICE.

20000905UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER SIDE GETS IN THE WAY OF THE BRAKES AND THE GAS PETALS. SOMETIMES IT KEEPS THE GAS PETAL DOWN. SOMETIMES, IT KEEPS THE BRAKE PETAL DOWN. IS THERE A RECALL ON THE FLOOR MATS. THESE MATS WERE PURCHASED NEW WITH THE VEHICLE. THE AIR CONDITIONER BROKE TWICE. I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW COMPRESSOR, NEW EVAP COIL, NEW FAN -- I RELPACED EACH COMPONTENT TWICE.

20000426VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN CONSUMER PUT SHIFT LEVER INTO REVERSE CAUSING BROKEN BONES AND SEVERAL OTHER INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS. NLM

Compare 1989HONDACIVIC to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1989 HONDA CIVIC have?
The 1989 HONDA CIVIC has 88 NHTSA complaints, 17 crashes, 3 fires, 20 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 HONDA CIVIC?
The most-complained component for the 1989 HONDA CIVIC is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1989 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.