The contact owns a 1991 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the front passenger's side and driver's side shoulder belts pretensioners failed to operate as designed and the shoulder belts failed to tighten during aggressive braking. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to an auto body shop. The vehicle was taken to the auto body shop, where the front passenger's side and driver's side shoulder belts and pretensioners were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The worst 1991 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 belts38
- Electrical22
- Body13
- Brakes8
- Lights8
- Fuel system7
- Transmission6
- Engine5
- Visibility4
- Locks3
- Steering3
- Acceleration2
- Airbags1
- Seats1
- Suspension1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1991 Honda Civic
Recalls 1
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
See all 1 recalls for the 1991 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 1991 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
1991 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 | 21-24 | 26-30 | 23-27 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 21-22 | 24-25 | 22-23 |
What 1991 Honda Civic owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tread belt separation
Tl*the contact owns a 1991 honda civic. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the seat belt failed to retract. The seat belt warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 425,000.
Not quite sure but I remember going hard in a straight line passing rides just enjoying the ride me and my ex girlfriend I was in the left driver seat and she was in the right passenger side and I just heard when I got hit in the back right side I just continued home when reaching home it was just a scratch removing the top coat of my red paint I just called it my lesson for going fast.
1991 honda civic. Consumer writes in regards to seat belt problems. *smd the consumer stated the seat belt flashed and an alarm sounded. The seat belt did not pull tight, in an emergency braking situation.
1991 honda civic automatic seat belt system failure. Car seat belt system will not work. There is suppose to be a life time warranty on the system but the honda corporation is not honoring the warranty.
I own a 1991 honda civic 4-door sedan. I was having my car worked on for something completely unrelated when, all of the sudden, the automatic seatbelt (shoulder harness) on the driver's side stopped functioning. It will no longer run along the track when my driver's side door is opened. I am unsure about the implications of this failure on its ability to provide safety in the event of an accident. I knew of honda's "lifetime warranty" on their seatbelts and took it to a dealership to have it fixed. They claimed that the warranty does not actually cover the needed fix due to its likelihood of being an electrical malfunction. After thoroughly reading through the warranty, it was confirmed that the warranty does not clearly distinguish between electrical and non-electrical malfunctions - thus my complaint.
I purchased a 1991 honda civic used from a private owner. Several years later now, the automatic shoulder harness seatbelt has stopped working. I have read several places that honda of america is trying to charge owners for replacement of a system that in my opinion for the safety of car owners, should not fail in the lifetime of the car. And if it does fail I feel that honda should be responsible for replacing or repairing the automatic restraint system on its vehicles.
Tl* the contact owns a 1991 honda civic. While driving 30 MPH she hit an animal, then crashed into a tree. The vehicle was completely destroyed, and none of the air bags deployed. As a consequence she sustained injury to her hips, ankle face, and some bones were broken. A police report was filed. The vehicle was inspected by the insurance adjuster who was unable to determine why the air bags failed to deploy. She is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The vehicle identification number was unavailable. The failure and current mileages were 104,000.
The clutch pedal plate assembly has cracked on my car, rendering the car immobile because the clutch pedal can no longer activate a switch to determine that the clutch pedal is depressed. Because the switch can not be pressed by the depressed clutch pedal any longer, the car can not be turned on. I have not yet fixed this problem because it will cost $400 to do so.
Compare the 1991 Honda Civic
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Other model years
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 1991 Honda Civic
Is the 1991 Honda Civic reliable?
Owners have filed 110 complaints about the 1991 Honda Civic, fewer than a typical Civic model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1991 Honda Civic?
Seat belts, with 38 complaints, typically around 130,000 miles. Next is electrical (22).
How many recalls does the 1991 Honda Civic have?
1 recall, covering seat belts.
Was there a recall on the 1991 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 1991 Honda Civic get?
Official estimates for the 1991 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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