RoadVitals

1989 Honda Civic Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
8
Latest Feb 23, 2006
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 69 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Honda Civic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 23, 2006

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.

NHTSA ID
10151024
Incident
Feb 22, 2006
Mileage
100,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 16, 2001

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

NHTSA ID
752252
Incident
Sep 14, 2001
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 7, 2000
Fire reported

CAR STALLED AT SPEED ON HIGHWAY. SMOKE OBSERVED UNDER HOOD WHICH WAS JAMMED SHUT. FIRE STARTED WHICH ENGULFED THE CAR. TOTAL LOSS. *AK

NHTSA ID
711169
Incident
Sep 3, 1999
Engine
Filed May 24, 1999

WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART (TEMPORARILY)WHILE MOVING. ONE ONE OCCASION MERELY WAITING AT CURBSIDE ABOUT 25 MINUTES WAS SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW CAR TO RESTART. NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS INDICATED ANY PROBLEM. THE SITUATION REPEATED ITSELF ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. ON THE FINAL OCCASION (1990) IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY AN INTENSE ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. NO FUSES BLEW THAT I COULD TELL. THEREAFTER I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANOTHER STALLING EPISODE OF THIS TYPE. HOWEVER, SINCE THAT TIME THE COOLING FAN NEVER OPERATES. I MUST NOT BE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC ON A HOT DAY OR THE ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT. I HAVE NO FUSES WHICH ARE BLOWN. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM HAVE NOT BEEN SUCESSFUL. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THE 'IDIOT LIGHT' INDICATORS/SENSORS HAVE EVER WORKED. I WAS PROMPTED TO WRITE THIS AFTER READING OF SO MANY MANY PROBLEMS INVOLVING ENGINES STALLING WHILE UNDERWAY. HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL TO SOMBODY.

NHTSA ID
706821
ElectricalEngineSteering+2 more
Filed Oct 14, 1997

TIMING BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID
605401
Engine
Filed Apr 9, 1996
Fire reported

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. *DSH

NHTSA ID
503579
Incident
Apr 5, 1996
EngineFuel system
Filed Dec 11, 1995

VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK WAS CORRODED DAMAGING OXYGEN SENSOR AND FUEL PUMP. TT

NHTSA ID
976384
Incident
Jun 12, 1995
BrakesEngine
Filed Aug 28, 1995

THE MASTER CYLINDER , THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE HEAD GAKSET BLEW . TT

NHTSA ID
971270

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Seat belts18Electrical11Driver assistance9Interior & seats8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .