IllustrationDISTRIBUTOR BEARING FAILURE
1992 Honda Civic
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 11 of 98 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports3 fire reports17 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
28 reportsFACTORY DISTRIBUTOR ASSY. REPLACED 04/1997. REPLACED AGAIN 02/1999. CONTACTED HONDA EACH TIME. SELECTIVE CAMPAIGN BY MFGR. MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY CAMPAIGN. RESEARCHED RELIABILITY AT WWW.CARPOINT.COM, DISCOVERED: 1991-1993 ACCORD AND 1992-1993 CIVIC ALL HAVE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH DISTRIBUTOR!!!
DISTRIBUTOR BEARINGS WERE GROUND UP. DISTRIBUTOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I HEARD ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL/REIMBURSEMENT ON THE PAT GOSS AUTOMOTIVE RADIO SHOW. PAT TOLD ME THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF RECALL ON HONDA DISTRIBUTORS, AND THAT HONDA DISTRIBUTORS ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD. I AM SUBMITTING THIS IN AN EFF…
Read full complaint
DISTRIBUTOR BEARINGS WERE GROUND UP. DISTRIBUTOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I HEARD ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL/REIMBURSEMENT ON THE PAT GOSS AUTOMOTIVE RADIO SHOW. PAT TOLD ME THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF RECALL ON HONDA DISTRIBUTORS, AND THAT HONDA DISTRIBUTORS ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD. I AM SUBMITTING THIS IN AN EFFORT TO BE REIMBURSED BY HONDA FOR THE REPAIRS THAT I PAID FOR. I ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF HONDA HAS REDESIGNED THEIR DISTRIBUTORS SO THAT FAILURES WILL NOT OCCOUR IN THE FUTURE. THE PAT GOSS AUTOMOTIVE IS ON FROM 11AM TO 2PM EST ON SUNDAYS. HIS PHONE NUMBER AT THAT TIME IS 1-800-636-1067 IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HE KNOWS CONCERNING THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH HONDA DISTRIBUTORS. PAT TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO MILEAGE LIMIT TO THE RECALL. I PLAN ON KEEPING THIS CAR AS LONG AS IT WILL RUN, AN WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ASSURED THAT ANY FUTURE REPAIRS TO THE DISTRIBUTOR WILL BE PAID FOR BY HONDA. MY CAR WAS DISABLED, SO I HAVE A TOWING BILL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REPAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!! PLEASE CONTACT ME AFTER YOU GET THIS, SO I KNOW IT WENT THRU. THANKS! -- MIKE YOUNG
CONSUMER TRIED TO START VEHICLE, BUT VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. DEALER HAD TOLD HER THE PROBLEM WAS DISTRIBUTOR. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY FAILED.
BEARING IN THE DISTRIBUTOR HOUSING GENERATES EXCESSIVE HEAT THROUGH THE STEEL DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT AND FAILS WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OFENGINE POWER AND DIMINSHING BRAKING AND STEERING.
WIRING FAILS DURING WET WEATHER.
DISTRIBUTOR FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT BEARINGS WERE WEARING OUT AND WERE MAKING NOISE ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHERE THE WATER PUMP AND DISTRIBUTOR WERE REPLACED. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER'S MECHANIC. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR, IGNITION COIL AND TIMING BELT FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP RUNNING.
Official recalls
194V063000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Apr 10, 1994
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. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE POSITION OF THE SHIFT LEVER MAY NOT MATCH THE ACTUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED RETAINING CLIP.
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
1DP00007 · Ignition Distributor
Opened Nov 13, 2000 · Closed Oct 25, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
THE PETITION ALLEGES THAT IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE OR A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT