← New search

1993 Honda Civic

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1993 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

Other model years Selected 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: 17 of 146 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

40 crash reports4 fire reports23 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

25 reports
Clear category filter
142,000 miles · Aug 19, 2007
Electrical System

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT,THEN ROUGH IDLE,THEN TOTAL DEATH OF IGNITION,STALLED. REPAIR STATION DIAGNOSED IT TO BE A DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE. REPLACED WITH NEW ONE,6 MONTHS LATER IT FAILED AND WAS REPLACED WITH REBUILT UNIT. NOW ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGAIN,SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REBUILT DISTRIBUTOR APPARENTLY. HAVEN'T TAKEN IT TO A REPAIR SHOP YET.…

Read full complaint

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT,THEN ROUGH IDLE,THEN TOTAL DEATH OF IGNITION,STALLED. REPAIR STATION DIAGNOSED IT TO BE A DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE. REPLACED WITH NEW ONE,6 MONTHS LATER IT FAILED AND WAS REPLACED WITH REBUILT UNIT. NOW ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGAIN,SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REBUILT DISTRIBUTOR APPARENTLY. HAVEN'T TAKEN IT TO A REPAIR SHOP YET. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10200059

182,000 miles · Nov 24, 2004
Electrical SystemFire

VEHICLE BURNEDD UP. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER HEARD A FAINT POP, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE COMING FROM THE DIMMER. THE CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND GOT OUT. THEY LET THE VEHICLE STAND FOR A FEW SECONDS, WENT INTO THE CHURCH TO CALL 911. BY THE TIME THEY RETURN TO THE VEHICLE ,THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBO…

Read full complaint

VEHICLE BURNEDD UP. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER HEARD A FAINT POP, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE COMING FROM THE DIMMER. THE CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND GOT OUT. THEY LET THE VEHICLE STAND FOR A FEW SECONDS, WENT INTO THE CHURCH TO CALL 911. BY THE TIME THEY RETURN TO THE VEHICLE ,THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD WAS IN FLAMES. THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. *NM......*AK

NHTSA ODI #10101621

111,655 miles · Mar 15, 2004
Electrical System

I HAVE A 1993 HONDA CIVIC LX. COUPLE OF DAYS BACK WHEN I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM WORK, MY CAR SUDDENLY STALLED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT WOULD NOT START. WITH THE HELP OF A PASSER BY I GOT MY CAR PUSHED IN A PARKING LOT. LATER I HAD IT TOWED TO MY GARAGE. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE IGNITER HAD FAILED. HE CHARGED ME $700 TO REPLACE …

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 1993 HONDA CIVIC LX. COUPLE OF DAYS BACK WHEN I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM WORK, MY CAR SUDDENLY STALLED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT WOULD NOT START. WITH THE HELP OF A PASSER BY I GOT MY CAR PUSHED IN A PARKING LOT. LATER I HAD IT TOWED TO MY GARAGE. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE IGNITER HAD FAILED. HE CHARGED ME $700 TO REPLACE THE IGNITER AND DO A TUNE UP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10062183

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2004
Electrical System

DISTRIBUTO AND RELATED PARTS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10058915

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2004
Electrical System

DISTRIBUTOR AND RELATED PARS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10058912

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2004
Electrical System

DISTRIBUTOR AND RELATED PARTS FAILURE. SINCE 2000, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE 3 REPLACEMENTS.THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR CARS IN GENERAL. I WILL REPORT THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT SINCE I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS REPORTING SERVICE TODAY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10058910

168,000 miles · Sep 16, 2003
Electrical SystemFire

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND THE WIRES MELTED. WIRES UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND WIRES NEAR THE DOOR SPEAKERS WERE WARM TO THE TOUCH.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10040110

170,000 miles · Jul 7, 2003
Electrical System

DISTRIBUTOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE STOP ON THE FREEWAY. WHEN I HAD THE CAR FIXED, THE MECHANIC SAID ALL THE HONDAS DURING THIS PERIOD HAVE THE SAME FAILURE. ONE YEAR LATER MY 1990 HONDA CIVIC HAD THE DISTRIBUTOR FAIL ALSO. I AM CONCERNED THAT ACCIDENTS ARE OCCURRING BECAUSE THE DISTRIBUTOR FAILS IN HEAVT TRAFFIC. IT IS A…

Read full complaint

DISTRIBUTOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE STOP ON THE FREEWAY. WHEN I HAD THE CAR FIXED, THE MECHANIC SAID ALL THE HONDAS DURING THIS PERIOD HAVE THE SAME FAILURE. ONE YEAR LATER MY 1990 HONDA CIVIC HAD THE DISTRIBUTOR FAIL ALSO. I AM CONCERNED THAT ACCIDENTS ARE OCCURRING BECAUSE THE DISTRIBUTOR FAILS IN HEAVT TRAFFIC. IT IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I WAS TOLD THE BEARINGS ARE LOW QUALITY AND FREEZE UP.

NHTSA ODI #10025547

100,000 miles · May 13, 2003
Electrical System

1993 HONDA CIVIC LX STALLED WHILE IN MOTION. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE ODOMETER READ ABOUT 100,000 MILES BACK IN 2000. THE PROBLEM WAS PINPOINTED TO A FAULTY IGNITOR WHICH WAS PROMPTLY REPLACED. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED NOR WAS THERE AN ACCIDENT. RECENTLY IN MAY 13, 2003 THE SAME PART FAILED WITH THE ODOMETER …

Read full complaint

1993 HONDA CIVIC LX STALLED WHILE IN MOTION. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE ODOMETER READ ABOUT 100,000 MILES BACK IN 2000. THE PROBLEM WAS PINPOINTED TO A FAULTY IGNITOR WHICH WAS PROMPTLY REPLACED. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED NOR WAS THERE AN ACCIDENT. RECENTLY IN MAY 13, 2003 THE SAME PART FAILED WITH THE ODOMETER READING 165,000 MILES. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THIS PART AND/OR DISTRIBUTOR PREMATURELY CAUSED SUCH FAILURE. ASIDE FROM THIS VEHICLE, A 1993 HONDA ACCORD EX COUPE ALSO HAD THE SIMILAR PART REPLACED BEFORE THE ODOMETER REACHED 100,000 MILES.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10018605

98,000 miles · Apr 29, 2003
Electrical System

DISTRIBUTOR CAP BEARING FAILURE RESULTED IN DISTRIBUTOR CAP / ROTOR WELDED TOGETHER, ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10016721

Official recalls

1

94V063000 · 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

1

PE94055 · Alleged Steering Lockup

Opened Jul 20, 1994 · Closed Dec 30, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

There is no summary currently available

Go deeper into Honda Civic problems