Illustration1991 CIVIC THAT IS HAVING THE SAME IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM THAT HONDA ISSUED RECALLS FOR IN MID TO LATE 90'S VEHICLES. (INTERMITTENT CURRENT IN RUN POSITION) FROM A BRIEF WEB SEARCH, I FIND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON HONDA PROBLEM. POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS. CAR WILL STALL UNEXPECTEDLY AT IT'S OWN DISCRETION. *JB
1991 Honda Civic
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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: 12 of 110 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 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports4 fire reports13 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
22 reportsIGNITION FAILURE. *AK
INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE STALLING OR NOT STARTING AT ALL. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS ALMOST HIT BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO REPLACED FUEL PUMP. HOWEVER, STALLING STILL OCCURRING.*AK
NOT SURE WHICH COMPONENT CAUSED FIRE. *AK
ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AUTO COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER. THREE OF THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON MAIN ROAD STREETS, TWO OCCURRED AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD IT TOWED IN EACH OCCASION, TO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS SINCE I BROKE DOWN IN 5 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. AFTER DESCRIBING THIS INCIDENT TO A REPAIR SHOP, THE OWNER SAI…
Read full complaint
ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AUTO COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER. THREE OF THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON MAIN ROAD STREETS, TWO OCCURRED AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD IT TOWED IN EACH OCCASION, TO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS SINCE I BROKE DOWN IN 5 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. AFTER DESCRIBING THIS INCIDENT TO A REPAIR SHOP, THE OWNER SAID THAT HONDA HAS A RECALL OUT ON IGNITION WIRE WHICH IS THE CONTINUOUS CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. HOW DO I GO ABOUT HAVING HONDA FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR THE RECALL. IT HAS ALREADY COST ME 5 TOWS, 5 MIS-REPAIRS, AND ALMOST A FREEWAY CRASH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
REPLACED THE CAP+ROTOR AFTER 1ST STALL, AND AUTOSHOP RECOMMENTS REPLACING DISTRIBUTOR AFTER MY 2ND STALL(NOISE).
THE ENGINE FAILED/STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON TWO OCCASIONS DUE TO THE IGNITOR ROTER FAILURE.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WATER LEAKS INTO THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT, CAUSING THE TAIL LIGHTS TO SHORT CIRCUIT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ENGINE FIRE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INJECTION SYSTEM. MJS
Official recalls
195V103001 · 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.
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