Complaints
88
Crashes
17
Fires
3
Injuries
20
Fatalities
2
Recalls
0
Worst 1989 Honda Civic Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#18 complaints
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
Avg mileage:90,000 mi
Crash-related:3
#28 complaints
Unintended Acceleration
Crash-related:2
#37 complaints
Electrical System:Ignition
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1989 Honda Civic.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 8 | 3 | — | 90,000 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 8 | 2 | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 6 | 4 | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 2 | — | 2 | — | |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| Brake Master Cylinder | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Steering:Rack And Pinion | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Structure:Body:Door | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Sidewall | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Starter Assembly | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel Pump | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hatchback/Liftgate:Lock | 1 | — | — | — |
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
8
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
—
Avg Miles
90,000
Unintended Acceleration
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belt Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat-Related Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
2
Avg Miles
—
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing
2
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Brake Master Cylinder
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Steering:Rack And Pinion
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Structure:Body:Door
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tires:Sidewall
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition:Module
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Starter Assembly
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Other Equipment
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel Pump
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hatchback/Liftgate:Lock
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1989 Honda Civic. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Other Honda Civic Years
1989 Honda Civic — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1989 Honda Civic reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 1989 Honda Civic has 88 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly with 8 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1989 Honda Civic?
Top reported problems: Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly (8 complaints, avg 90,000 mi); Unintended Acceleration (8 complaints); Electrical System:Ignition (7 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 1989 Honda Civic?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 90,000 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 1989 Honda Civic?
NHTSA complaints for the 1989 Honda Civic include 17 crash-related reports, 3 fire reports, 20 injuries, and 2 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 1989 Honda Civic have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 1989 Honda Civic as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 1989 Honda Civic?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Honda Civic reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1989 Honda Civic
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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