IllustrationTHE 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.
1990 Honda Civic
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Honda Civic do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 183.5.
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: 7 of 91 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 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports3 fire reports10 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
34 reportsSEAT 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 T…
Read full complaint
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.
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 CONDI…
Read full complaint
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. *TR
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. *AK
TRYING TO GET MY SEALT BELT ON MY HONDA REPAIRED FOR LAST 5 MONTHS AND HONDA HAS NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION TO REPAIR THE BROKEN SEAT BELT AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL.
THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT WITHIN THE DOOR OF THE CIVIC DOES NOT ENGAGE. *AK
SEAT BELT LIGHT CAME ON AND NEVER TURNED OFF. TO TURN IT OFF TECHNICIAN HAD TO DISCONNECT A PIECE UNDER SEAT, THEN LIGHT WENT OFF. *AK
THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY OF THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE CHEST RESTRAINT TO BE INOPERABLE. YH
THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY OF THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE CHEST RESTRAINT TO BE INOPERABLE. YH
Official recalls
395V103001 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
May 24, 1995
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
90V163000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Sep 4, 1990
DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED INTERNAL SHAFT IN THE TRANSMISSION, THE PAWL MECHANISIM MAY NOT FULLY ENGAGE WHEN TRANSMISSION IS IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLE COULD ROLL WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS IN THE PARKPOSITION AND A CRASH COULD RESULT.
Remedy: INSTALL AN IMPROVED PARKING PAWL SHAFT.
90V126000 · Visibility:windshield
Jul 10, 1990
POOR ADHESION MAY OCCUR BETWEEN PAINT LAYERS IN THE WINDSHIELD MOUNTING AREA DUE TO DEFECTIVE PAINT BATCHES OR OVERSPRAYING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
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
3EA94035 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Oct 27, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available
PE94052 · Seat Belt Buckle Fails
Opened Jul 11, 1994 · Closed Oct 27, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available
PE93082 · Stalling
Opened Sep 23, 1993 · Closed Jan 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available