1990 Honda Civic Problems
- Complaints
- 91filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 156,931miles, 6 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 3campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 29 mpgcombined, 1.5L 4-cyl FWD · 27 city / 31 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1990 Honda Civic (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Complaints about the 1990 Honda Civic concentrate heavily on the automatic motorized seat belts, which owners describe failing to retract or jamming so the belt cannot be used. Electrical faults, particularly ignition and distributor problems that cause intermittent no-start or sudden stalling, are the next most common theme, and several reports involve headlight or harness fires. This is a high-mileage car, so most reports describe wear-type failures rather than sudden defects.
- Seat belts
Automatic seat belt will not retract or jam
- 23 complaints (25%)
- median 145,000 mi at 22.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
- 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2018
Owners of the motorized front seat belts describe belts that stop retracting along the track, get stuck at one end, or leave the latch in a position where it cannot be fastened. Some report the shoulder belt going slack or not tightening, and others describe the belt warning light staying on constantly. Complaints mention dealers quoting several hundred dollars to replace the retractor mechanism or citing a seat belt control module or power cable to the retractor as the needed part. Reported across a wide mileage range, including cars past 100,000 miles, with many filings coming years after purchase.
What to check: With the door closed and open, cycle the driver and passenger belts through their full travel and confirm both retract and latch normally; ask whether the buckle recall work was ever completed.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Trying to get my sealt belt on my Honda repaired for last 5 months and Honda has not taken any action to repair the broken seat belt after numerous attempts at the dealership and at the corporate level.”
NHTSA complaint #10000344, filed 2002-12“The seat belts on my 1990 Honda Civic do not work. I took them to the Honda dealer in rockville, maryland. They kept the car 24 hours, then told me they would have to order retractor motors. They called in a few days and told me to bring the car back in. They kept it three days, then returned it in the same non-working condition and told me it would cost $962 to replace the seat belt retracting mechanism. The driver's side seat belt latch is in the forward unusable position. The passenger's side does not retract either. …”
NHTSA complaint #10202413, filed 2007-09 - Electrical system
Intermittent no-start and stalling (ignition/distributor)
Mentioned in 6 of 37 sampled complaints
Complaints describe the engine cranking without catching, or the car shutting off without warning and refusing to restart for ten minutes to overnight. Several owners link the behavior to hot weather or to a hot engine, and some mention the igniter or distributor as the diagnosed part, including cases where the distributor rotor came loose and stopped the engine. One report describes repeated alternator replacements leading to loss of power and a dead battery. Often described as happening after the car sits hot or in warm weather, with reports spread from low to well over 100,000 miles.
What to check: Ask whether the distributor, igniter or coil has been replaced and when; on a test drive, shut the car off warm and restart it after a short pause.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The car may start on the first try, or on the fiftieth. This seems to happen most frequently on hot days. It cranks, but does not catch. I believe this problem is covered either in tsb93028, july '93, or atratb132, sept. '92, or both. However, the failure is not listed in the NHTSA site. I bought the car used, from an acquaintance, not from a dealer. Can I get it fixed free of charge? Thanks, c. Cannon.”
NHTSA complaint #731286, filed 2000-09“The car fails to start on occasion, I noticed on Honda's web site there is a recall for the ignition switch, but it doesn't cover the year of my car. I know of 3 other people who are experiencing the same problem. The problem seem to occur as the temperature outside gets hotter. I get in the car try to start it nothing, go back an hour later and it starts right up. I think Honda should be held responsible. Email me with any questions. Thanks, ter.”
NHTSA complaint #763433, filed 2002-06 - Electrical system
Headlight and wiring fires, flickering lights
- 7 complaints (8%)
- typically at 7.9 yrs old
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1996–2006
A number of complaints describe smoke or flames from under the hood or from a headlight assembly, in some cases after the lights had been flickering. Owners report disconnecting the battery to stop the fire, and one mentions a shop attributing the fire to the catalytic converter area. Another describes water collecting in the taillight housings, shorting bulbs and rusting a socket. Filed on cars of varying age; several reports involve the car parked or just shut off rather than while driving.
What to check: Inspect the headlight connectors and under-hood harness for melted or discolored plastic, check the taillight housings for water and rust, and watch for flickering lights.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“After driving my car and it sitting for approximately 1 and a half hours I noticed that their was flames coming from under my hood. I ran out and turned on the water hose and started to squirt it as a neighbor opened the hood for me but we quickly realized that wasn't going to do anything because it was electrical, so we then disconnected the battery. Which stopped the fire.”
NHTSA complaint #10177248, filed 2006-12“Picked car up from repair shop, drove about one block and the car cut off. Noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood an from the side of the car. Got out and raised the hood and flames were coming from under the hood. Firemen managed to put fire out, called repair shop and had it towed back to shop.repair shop gave several reasons for the fire, but the dealer said that the source of the fire was in the catalytic converter.”
NHTSA complaint #817146, filed 1997-10 - Seat belts
Seat belts releasing or failing in a crash
- 9 complaints (10%)
- typically at 6.3 yrs old
- 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2002
Some complaints describe belts that did not hold occupants in a collision, with belts breaking or the retractor failing to lock. Owners also report the lap/shoulder belt giving way on impact and occupants moving forward into the windshield or dashboard. One report describes the front seatbacks collapsing rearward in a rear-end impact. Described in the context of collisions at moderate speed rather than a specific mileage.
What to check: Pull each belt hard to confirm it locks, check the buckle release buttons for cracks or missing pieces, and confirm the buckle recall was performed.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Consumer was stopped at the traffic light, and a drunken driver hit him from behind, and pushed his vehicle into the vehicle in front of him . Consumer was traveling at 40mph. Upon impact, passenger went into the windshield and cracked it. Also, his knee went into the glove deparment, and the seatbelt broke.”
NHTSA complaint #857828, filed 2000-03“While in a stop position vehicle was rearended, exp. Both front driver's/passenger's seatback rest broke then collasped rearward, resulting in driver being killed and passenger sustaining head and neck trauma.”
NHTSA complaint #810459, filed 1997-03
Buying note. Given the age and typical mileage, check the automatic seat belts, ignition and distributor condition, and under-hood wiring carefully, and confirm which safety recalls were completed on the specific car. Records of recent electrical and belt repairs are worth asking for.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 37 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 91 consumer complaints for the 1990 Honda Civic. 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 156,931 miles. Of all complaints, 15 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 17 an injury, 2 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 1 technical service bulletin for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Seat belts34 37%
- Electrical system18 20%
- Brakes6 6.6%
- Engine cooling6 6.6%
- Body and structure5 5.5%
- Vehicle speed control5 5.5%
- Exterior lighting4 4.4%
- Fuel system3 3.3%
Also reported: Tires (3), Other or unknown (2), Steering (2), Suspension (2), Air bags (1), Equipment (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seats (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Seat belts: “The front seat shoulder lap seat belts have not functioned properly for a long time on both the passenger and driver's side. They do not retract along the doors when the doors are opened and closed. Also, the seat belt warning light and beep are now constantly on making it very difficult to focus on driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11093568, filed 2018-05Electrical system: “The first time the alternator was replaced the car slowly lost power til it just stopped, this also happened the second time, then the 3rd time the car started and stalled and wouldn't start again, the 4th time the car was run for a short trip(5 miles) and after turned off a left for a couple hours would not start at all , hazard lights would not light, either. The 5th time was a faulty alternator...”
NHTSA complaint #734415, filed 2000-10Brakes: “A lot of the repairs were done under warranty, but I am still having a problem with some thing that isnt listed,in the time I have owned the car,I have replaced the ignition coil 5 times and they are not cheep at 200 a pop. The steering is a pain but an easy fix for a bushing on the right side, minus the stiff lock up steer that I think comes with the Honda Civic si engine first went at 60.000 km and now it has 170 on the odometer and went today, not sure what im gonna do,try and do warranty on it or fix it my self and have it done right.... The brakes are the pits on these cars? Front. …”
NHTSA complaint #10071311, filed 2004-01Mileage when problems were reported
0% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 138,000 and 170,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1990 Honda Civic version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed manual | 28 | 33 | 30 | $2,250 |
| Civic FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 27 | 31 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Civic FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 24 | 30 | 26 | $2,600 |
| Civic FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 24 | 29 | 26 | $2,600 |
| Civic FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 22 | 26 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Civic CRX FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 27 | 32 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Civic CRX FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 25 | 32 | 28 | $2,400 |
| Civic CRX FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 24 | 30 | 27 | $2,500 |
| Civic CRX HF FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 40 | 47 | 43 | $1,550 |
| Civic CRX HF FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 36 | 44 | 39 | $1,700 |
| Civic Wagon FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 27 | 31 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Civic Wagon FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 24 | 29 | 26 | $2,600 |
| Civic Wagon 4WD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 21 | 24 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Civic Wagon 4WD | 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 21 | 24 | 22 | $3,050 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 95V103001May 24, 1995Seat belts › Front › Buckle assemblyCovers: Honda Civic 1986–1991, Accord 1986–1991, Prelude 1986–1991 +3 more
The front safety belt buckle release buttons can break. These red plastic release buttons are marked "press." if a button breaks, pieces can fall into the buckle assembly causing the buckle to operate improperly.
- 90V163000Sep 4, 1990Power train › Automatic transmissionCovers: Honda Civic 1990
Due to an improperly machined internal shaft in the transmission, the pawl mechanisim may not fully engage when transmission is in the park position.
- 90V126000Jul 10, 1990Visibility › WindshieldCovers: Honda Civic 1990
Poor adhesion may occur between paint layers in the windshield mounting area due to defective paint batches or overspraying.
Recall details for the 1990 Honda Civic → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1 on record; the latest 1 are shown.
- 10013953May 1, 2004Equipment. Audio unit and navigation system anti-theft codes available on interactive network.
Other model years of the Honda Civic
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 32 | 300 | 0 | 5 | 34 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2025 | 77 | 7,278 | 2 | 5 | 34 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 125 | 11,000 | 3 | 5 | 33 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 258 | 10,000 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 64 · Typical | Too new |
| 2022 | 885 | 26,264 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 100 · More | Rising |
| 2021 | 147 | 30,000 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 10 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2020 | 233 | 15,400 | 5 | 5 | 32 | 49 · Typical | Rising |
| 2019 | 443 | 16,200 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 48 · Typical | Rising |
| 2018 | 747 | 32,508 | 6 | 5 | 33 | 61 · Typical | Rising |
| 2017 | 602 | 23,066 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 66 · More | Rising |
| 2016 | 1,082 | 30,000 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 84 · More | Stable |
| 2015 | 381 | 50,000 | 1 | 4–5 | 32 | 5 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2014 | 293 | 32,570 | 2 | 4–5 | 32 | 15 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2013 | 319 | 24,000 | 0 | 4–5 | 32 | 1 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2012 | 456 | 30,150 | 3 | 4–5 | 31 | 51 · Typical | Stable |
| 2011 | 169 | 31,500 | 9 | 3 | 29 | 30 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2010 | 397 | 39,960 | 8 | — | 29 | 48 · Typical | Falling |
| 2009 | 396 | 31,000 | 8 | — | 29 | 74 · More | Falling |
| 2008 | 916 | 50,000 | 7 | — | 29 | 78 · More | Falling |
| 2007 | 1,204 | 45,000 | 9 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 1,404 | 60,000 | 13 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 316 | 65,000 | 10 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 350 | 82,000 | 10 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 499 | 76,000 | 11 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 702 | 90,000 | 11 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 1,079 | 89,320 | 14 | — | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 287 | 74,000 | 6 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 338 | 120,000 | 3 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 435 | 95,000 | 4 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 373 | 88,000 | 2 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1996 | 305 | 100,500 | 2 | — | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1995 | 199 | 131,000 | 0 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1994 | 135 | 133,050 | 2 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 146 | 139,500 | 1 | — | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1992 | 98 | 116,754 | 1 | — | 37 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 110 | 150,000 | 1 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1990 | 91 | 156,931 | 3 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 69 | 100,000 | 1 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 46 | 150,000 | 3 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 39 | 157,000 | 3 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 35 | 107,684 | 3 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1985 | 15 | — | 2 | — | 29 | — | Stable |
| 1984 | 5 | — | 3 | — | 29 | — | Not enough data |
| 1983 | 9 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Honda Civic model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Honda Civic?
Complaints about the 1990 Honda Civic concentrate heavily on the automatic motorized seat belts, which owners describe failing to retract or jamming so the belt cannot be used. The issues reported most often: Automatic seat belt will not retract or jam; Intermittent no-start and stalling (ignition/distributor); Headlight and wiring fires, flickering lights.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1990 Honda Civic have?
NHTSA recorded 91 consumer complaints for the 1990 Honda Civic as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1990 Honda Civic is reported most often?
Seat belts is named most often, in 34 complaints (37% of the total), followed by electrical system with 18.
Has the 1990 Honda Civic been recalled?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1990 Honda Civic get?
The EPA rates the 1990 Honda Civic (Civic, 1.5L 4-cyl) at 29 mpg combined, 27 city and 31 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1990 Honda Civic reported?
Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 156,931 miles and the middle half falls between 138,000 and 170,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.