Tl* the contact owns a 1987 (na) honda civic. The contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the vehicle and smelled a strong fuel odor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing, but the results were unknown. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 168,862.
The worst 1990 Honda Civic problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seat belts34
- Electrical18
- Brakes6
- Engine6
- Transmission6
- Visibility6
- Acceleration5
- Body5
- Lights4
- Fuel system3
- Tires3
- Steering2
- Suspension2
- Airbags1
- Locks1
- Seats1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1990 Honda Civic
Recalls 3
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Owners should promptly check the condition and operation of both front safety belt buckles. Carefully inspect the red release button for any breaks or cracks. Check that both buckles are operating properly by inserting each latch plate into its buckle, tug on the belt to make sure the latch is securely locked, then press the release button. The latch plate should pop out of the buckle when the button is pressed. If either release button shows any sign of breakage or cracking, or if either buckle fails to operate properly, promptly contact your authorized honda/acura dealer to schedule an appointment to have the buckle replaced or repaired, free of charge. The manufacturer is developing a remedy designed to prevent the failure of the buttons that are not currently broken.
Recall number 95V103001 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Due to an improperly machined internal shaft in the transmission, the pawl mechanisim may not fully engage when transmission is in the park position.
- Risk
- Vehicle could roll while the transmission is in the parkposition and a crash could result.
- Remedy
- Install an improved parking pawl shaft.
Recall number 90V163000 · Recall details
Visibility: windshield
- What is wrong
- Poor adhesion may occur between paint layers in the windshield mounting area due to defective paint batches or overspraying.
- Risk
- Paint separation in the windshield areas would leadto non-compliance with fmvss 212 retention requirements. Loss of windshieldretention ability could cause winshield to separate from vehicle without warningand harm vehicle occupants and others in the vicinity.
- Remedy
- Reinstall windshield to insure proper retention.
Recall number 90V126000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 1990 Honda Civic
Defect investigations
Seat belt buckle failure
There is no summary currently available
EA94035
Seat belt buckle fails
There is no summary currently available
PE94052
Stalling
There is no summary currently available
PE93082
Technical service bulletins for the 1990 Honda Civic 7
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Audio unit and navigation system anti-theft codes available on interactive network
- Audio, anti-theft codes
- Concerns with a clunk or squeak from the rear suspension when going over rough or bumpy roads
- Information regarding cam-on fuel fill cap failures during smog check
- Experiencing a clunk from the rear suspension when going over rough or bumpy roads
- Problems with head gasket leaks
- Unknown
1990 Honda Civic fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4‑cyl | FWD | 24-40 | 29-47 | 26-43 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | FWD | 22-24 | 26-30 | 24-27 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 21 | 24 | 22 |
What 1990 Honda Civic owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
Seat belt warning never stops at all times
Tl* the contact owns a 1990 honda civic. While the vehicle was parked the contact noticed the front passenger side automatic seat belt would not retract and could not be retracted manually. The seat belt could not be used to secure a passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician stated the seat belt control module had to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.
I have a 1990 honda civic 4 dr 1.5 liter auto. And the distributor went bad-I know the car is not worth much but it is my work car-to replace this part $800.00 and talking to several junk yards it would be $225.00 but the man said that there's no guarantee that part would be good as this yr. Make and model are famous for this problem but I do not find any recall.
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. The service man said that the seat belts themselves had a lifetime guarantee but that the seat belt retracting mechanism was not part of the seat belt assembly.
Tl* - the contact stated that he purchased pep boys tires approximately 6 months ago. He was traveling at approximately 10-15 MPH on a smooth dry street, when the front driver and passenger tires blew up like a balloon. The tires failed one month apart. The contact stated that there is still tread on the tires. The mileage on the tires at the time of the failure was approximately 7,000 miles. The contact has one of the tires.
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.
My 1990 honda civic wagon has stopped without warning three times in the last month and will not start again for 10 minutes to overnight. I have had to push the car off the road to get it out of rush hour traffic. From members of the [email protected], I have determined that the igniter has failed. Honda had an upgrade to this component and according to honda my car received the upgrade in 1994, but now is apparently failing. Wishing to be safe, I have ordered a whole new distributor to install so I do not have to stop somewhere at any moment.
Driver's seat belt retractor failed.
Compare the 1990 Honda Civic
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Other model years
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 1990 Honda Civic
Is the 1990 Honda Civic reliable?
Owners have filed 91 complaints about the 1990 Honda Civic, fewer than a typical Civic model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1990 Honda Civic?
Seat belts, with 34 complaints. Next is electrical (18).
How many recalls does the 1990 Honda Civic have?
3 recalls, covering seat belts, power train and visibility.
Was there a recall on the 1990 Honda Civic seat belts?
Yes, 1 recall: 95V103001. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Honda Civic have the most seat belts problems?
The Honda Civic model years with the most seat belts complaints are 2002 (51 complaints), 2001 (41 complaints) and 1991 (38 complaints).
Is there a class action lawsuit over the Honda Civic?
Yes. Class action says Honda and Acura keyless entry makes cars easy to steal and asks for theft protection (November 12, 2026).
What gas mileage does the 1990 Honda Civic get?
Official estimates for the 1990 Honda Civic range from 22 to 43 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.5L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 24-40 city and 29-47 highway.
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