Total Complaints
4 filings
HONDA CRX · model year
1989 HONDA CRX
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989HONDACRX carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1989 CRX is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:windshield:electrical heating element with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (1) and unknown or other (1). 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 77 investigation files overlapping the 1989 CRX, and 9 remain open. 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100217SEAT BELTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 HONDA CRX. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND LOCK SECURELY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE SEAT BELT AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE SEAT BELT APART AND CLEAN THE BELT AND IT SHOULD WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THOSE STEPS DID NOT REPAIR THE SEAT BELT. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DONE. THE CONTACT ADVISED THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,500.
20021018UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PLEASE ADD DETAILS. MR
20000724ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR FAILED. NLM
19961126VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
WHEN TURNING ON THE HEATER SWITCH, THERE IS NO HEAT COMING OUT . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
Compare 1989HONDACRX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 9 Open
PE25017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
PE25016Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Loss of Motive Power
PE25018Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
PE25008Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Engine failure
EA25004Engineering AnalysisOpen
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 HONDA CRX have?▼
The 1989 HONDA CRX has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 HONDA CRX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 HONDA CRX is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 1989 HONDA CRX 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.