Engine
1.5L 4-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 114 of 146 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Air bags
29 complaint records28 crash reports
"UPON REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE "HARD", DRIVERS SHOULDER FAILED TO RESTRAIN ALONG W/AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse air bags parts in the directory →
Electrical system
28 complaint records3 fire reports
"DISTRIBUTOR CAP BEARING FAILURE RESULTED IN DISTRIBUTOR CAP / ROTOR WELDED TOGETHER, ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. *NLM..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse electrical system parts in the directory →
Engine & cooling
17 complaint records
"THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE ENGINE WAS WARPED SO CAR KEPT OVERHEATING AND FINALLY THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse engine & cooling parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE94055 opened Jul 1994 | closed Dec 1994 | Steering | ALLEGED STEERING LOCKUP There is no summary currently available |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94V063000 | Power Train | A RETAINING CLIP THAT CONNECTS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE TO THE SHIFT LEVER ACTUATING ROD CAN HAVE INSUFFICIENT RETENTION PRESSURE AND MAY EVENTUALLY COME OFF AFTER REPEATED SHIFT LEVER OPERATION. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997073 1997-04-03 | Structure | 109,534 | On certain 1992-1995 four-door sedans and three-door hatchbacks, and 1993-1995 two-door coupes, located in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces, the engine hood secondary latch may corrode and not operate if the latch is not clean... |
| 1994069 1994-04-07 | Powertrain | 22,014 | On certain vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, the retaining clip that connects the transmission shift cable to the shift lever actuating rod may come off after repeated shift lever operation. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05012004 May 2004 | Equipment | AUDIO UNIT AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM ANTI-THEFT CODES AVAILABLE ON INTERACTIVE NETWORK. *NM | |
| 404 Apr 2004 | Equipment | AUDIO, ANTI-THEFT CODES. HONDA. TECH LINE SUMMARY. *TT | |
| 11012003 Nov 2003 | Engine And Engine Cooling | HEATER BLOWER MOTOR GETS HOT OR BLOWS A FUSE. HONDA. SERVICENEWS. *TT | |
| 010402 Apr 2002 | Engine And Engine Cooling | SUBJECT REGARDING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS THAT THE ENGINE HESITATES BRIEFLY WHEN ACCELERATING. *TT | |
| 302 Mar 2002 | Engine And Engine Cooling | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A BRIEF HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGH ENGINE SPEEDS. *TT |
Show 11 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00006 Dec 2001 | Suspension | CONCERNS WITH A CLUNK OR SQUEAK FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY ROADS. *TT | |
| 010901 Sep 2001 | Structure | INFORMATION REGARDING WATER LEAKAGE DURING A CAR WASH. *YH | |
| 00006 Mar 2000 | Suspension | EXPERIENCING A CLUNK FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY ROADS. *TT | |
| 000101 Jan 2000 | Power Train | INFORMATION ON REPLACING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HOUSING. *TT | |
| 97111097047 Nov 1997 | Engine And Engine Cooling | PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET LEAKS. *YC | |
| 92050R Feb 1997 | Structure | WATER LEAK FROM SEAM UNDER CORNER OF DASH. *TW | |
| HON94016 Apr 1995 | Visibility | TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER HARD TO MOVE. *TW | |
| HON950405A Apr 1995 | Power Train | CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITY REPORT FOR THE 1992-94 CIVIC AND 1993 DEL SOL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE RECALL. *TW | |
| 95011 Feb 1995 | Visibility | BLOWER MOTOR NOISE. *TW | |
| 93014 Apr 1993 | Seats | REAR SEAT-BACK WON'T UNLATCH. *TW | |
| 93002 Jan 1993 | Latches/Locks/Linkages | TRUNK HARD TO OPEN WITH KEY. *TW |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Watch the airbag warning light through a full key cycle.It should light on start and go out within seconds. A light that stays on, or never lights at all, means the system needs attention. Run the VIN for inflator recalls specifically.
- Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
- Cold-start it yourself and listen for the first thirty seconds.Knocking, ticking that fades as it warms, or blue or white smoke on startup are the sounds of this vehicle's engine cluster. Check the oil level and the coolant color, and ask whether the engine or its head gaskets have ever been out.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 1 recall campaign on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Honda Civic →