RoadVitals

1985 Honda Civic Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Feb 14, 2001
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
8
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1985 Honda Civic, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Seat belts533.3%
  • Engine213.3%
  • Fuel system213.3%
  • Interior & seats213.3%
  • Visibility16.7%
  • Suspension16.7%
  • Tires & wheels16.7%
  • Brakes16.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

5
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAME OPEN UPON IMPACT AND DRIVER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER CHEST. *AK

NHTSA ID 804904 · filed Nov 13, 1996

FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE BELT CAME OUT THE BUCKLE. TT

NHTSA ID 979129 · filed Feb 13, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

ENGINE OVERHEATED TWICE DUE TO DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID 520813 · filed Sep 30, 1997

THE CAM PULLEY BROKE OFF THE CAR PURCHASE CAR USED FROM OWNER . TT

NHTSA ID 977011 · filed Dec 27, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

DUE TO PRESSURE BUILD UP IN FUEL TANK VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, RESULTING MINOR INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID 880554 · filed Feb 14, 2001

FUEL PUMP FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL. (88V-117) *AW

NHTSA ID 481742 · filed May 11, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

DRIVING AT SPEED 65MPH, HOOD FLEW OPEN, CAUSING IMPACT 6:00 POSITION. *AK

NHTSA ID 979988 · filed Mar 1, 1996

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FAILURE. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BOLT FAILED CAUSING THE SEAT TO MOVE BACKWARDS.

NHTSA ID 979923 · filed Feb 29, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE AFFECTED DRIVER VISIBILITY RECALL 88V117000. TT

NHTSA ID 978465 · filed Jan 31, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

LEFT REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM DISCONNECTED FROM THE AXLE HOUSING ATTACHMENT POINT. ALSO SPRING ON SEAT NEARLY ROTTED OUT, AND SHOCK ABSORBER WAS NEARLY ROTTING OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID 815716 · filed Sep 30, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TIRE TRACTION UNACCEPTABLY LOW. TIRES SPIN ON TAKE-OFF AND SKID ON ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THE PROBLEM IS TREMENDOUSLY WORSE ON WET ROAD THAN ON DRY ROAD, BUT STILL POSES DANGER EVEN ON DRY ROAD. THE PROBLEM IS ALSO GETTING WORSE AS THE TIRES GET OLDER. THEY WERE PURCHASED IN OCTOBER OF 1999. WHEN THE TIRES SLIDE OR SPIN, THEY MAKE VERY LITTLE NOISE AND LEAVE NO MARKS. THEY ARE ALSO SHOWING VIRTUALLY NO WEAR. THEY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 14,000 MILES. *AK (TIRESIZE: 175/70R13)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 175/70R13 )

NHTSA ID 740677 · filed Feb 9, 2001

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

SON DRIVING VEHICLE, WENT ACROSS 4 LANES, STOPPED AT SIGN, PULLED ONTO MERIDIAN, BRAKES FAILED, PUMPED BRAKES HARD, NOT WORKING, FOUND BRAKE FLUID ON SEALS. *AK

NHTSA ID 986088 · filed Jun 24, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .