IllustrationDUE TO PRESSURE BUILD UP IN FUEL TANK VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, RESULTING MINOR INJURIES. *AK
1985 Honda Civic
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Civic years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 15 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
15 reportsTIRE TRACTION UNACCEPTABLY LOW. TIRES SPIN ON TAKE-OFF AND SKID ON ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THE PROBLEM IS TREMENDOUSLY WORSE ON WET ROAD THAN ON DRY ROAD, BUT STILL POSES DANGER EVEN ON DRY ROAD. THE PROBLEM IS ALSO GETTING WORSE AS THE TIRES GET OLDER. THEY WERE PURCHASED IN OCTOBER OF 1999. WHEN THE TIRES SLIDE OR SPIN, THEY MAKE …
Read full complaint
TIRE TRACTION UNACCEPTABLY LOW. TIRES SPIN ON TAKE-OFF AND SKID ON ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THE PROBLEM IS TREMENDOUSLY WORSE ON WET ROAD THAN ON DRY ROAD, BUT STILL POSES DANGER EVEN ON DRY ROAD. THE PROBLEM IS ALSO GETTING WORSE AS THE TIRES GET OLDER. THEY WERE PURCHASED IN OCTOBER OF 1999. WHEN THE TIRES SLIDE OR SPIN, THEY MAKE VERY LITTLE NOISE AND LEAVE NO MARKS. THEY ARE ALSO SHOWING VIRTUALLY NO WEAR. THEY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 14,000 MILES. *AK (TIRESIZE: 175/70R13)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 175/70R13 )
LEFT REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM DISCONNECTED FROM THE AXLE HOUSING ATTACHMENT POINT. ALSO SPRING ON SEAT NEARLY ROTTED OUT, AND SHOCK ABSORBER WAS NEARLY ROTTING OUT. *AK
ENGINE OVERHEATED TWICE DUE TO DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAME OPEN UPON IMPACT AND DRIVER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER CHEST. *AK
SON DRIVING VEHICLE, WENT ACROSS 4 LANES, STOPPED AT SIGN, PULLED ONTO MERIDIAN, BRAKES FAILED, PUMPED BRAKES HARD, NOT WORKING, FOUND BRAKE FLUID ON SEALS. *AK
DRIVING AT SPEED 65MPH, HOOD FLEW OPEN, CAUSING IMPACT 6:00 POSITION. *AK
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FAILURE. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BOLT FAILED CAUSING THE SEAT TO MOVE BACKWARDS.
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE BELT CAME OUT THE BUCKLE. TT
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE AFFECTED DRIVER VISIBILITY RECALL 88V117000. TT
Official recalls
288V180000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Nov 18, 1988
UNDER HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTACT UNIT COULD LOOSEN AND BECOME DISLODGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE AND WOULDAFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY.
Remedy: INSTALL A CONTACT UNIT HOLDER THAT WOULD PREVENT LOOSENING.
88V117000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Jul 22, 1988
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, MECHANICAL FUEL PUMPS MAY DEVELOP FUEL LEAKAGE AT CRIMPED SEAM BETWEEN THE TWO FUEL PUMP HALVES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CREATES APOSSIBILITY OF A FIRE.
Remedy: INSTALL AN IMPROVED FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.