1990 Honda Civic: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 1990 Honda Civic: 3 recalls, 91 owner complaints and up to 30 mpg combined.
Recalls
3 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 7 equipment/tire recalls that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #90V126000 · 1990 · 65 vehicles
What's wrong: Poor adhesion May occur between paint layers in the windshield mounting area due to defective paint batches or overspraying.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Reinstall windshield to insure proper retention.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #90V163000 · 1990 · 18 vehicles
What's wrong: Due to an improperly machined internal shaft in the transmission, the pawl mechanisim May not fully engage when transmission is in the park position.
Why it matters: Vehicle could roll while the transmission is in the parkposition and a crash could result.
The fix: Install an improved parking pawl shaft.
Seat belts Vehicle recall #95V103001 · 1995 · 3,700,000 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash.
The fix: 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…
7 aftermarket equipment / tire recalls replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E026000 · 2006 · 61,944 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix: Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on April 3, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E032000 · 2006 · 845 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain Eagle eyes and sonar headlights and corner lights sold as aftermarket for use on 1988-2005 Honda civic, 1990-2005 Honda accord, and 1990-2001 Acura integra passenger vehicles listed above. Headlights and corner lights that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix: Tom motorsport will notify owners and offer reimbursement for the purchase of noncompliant lights. The recall began April 17, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E040000 · 2006 · 1,648 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain e speed racing combination lamps sold as replacement equipment for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix: E speed racing will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began May 10, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E049000 · 2006 · 27,176 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix: Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #08E050000 · 2008 · 1,921 vehicles
What's wrong: These headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Why it matters: Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility May be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
The fix: K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. The recall began on decemeber 17, 2008.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #09E012000 · 2009 · 16,270 vehicles
What's wrong: These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #09E025000 · 2009 · 42,540 vehicles
What's wrong: Dope, Inc. is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Dope, Inc. will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 3 mention a fire, 17 injuries and 2 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Seat belts (34): the most common themes are warning light on (2).
- Electrical (18): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (5), electrical failure (5), fire / smoke (2).
- Transmission & drivetrain (6): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Brakes (hydraulic) (6): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
The 1990 Honda Civic has 91 owner complaints, ranking #35 of 37 Civic model years for complaints (well below the 432 average). Complaints peaked in 1995 (16 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 7 years old, at a median of 156,931 miles. Neighboring years: 1991 (110 complaints, 1 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 L 4-cyl | Manual 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 | 33 | 30 | Regular |
| 1.5 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 27 | 31 | 29 | Regular |
| 1.5 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 | 30 | 26 | Regular |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 | 29 | 26 | Regular |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 26 | 24 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 1990 Honda Civic.
Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.
Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yrOEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.
From $19.99/mo · $59.99/yrStep-by-step photos written from a real teardown. Great for first-timers.
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FAQ
Does the 1990 Honda Civic have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recalls for the 1990 Honda Civic, plus 7 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 1990 Honda Civic problems?
Owners have filed 91 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are seat belts (34), electrical (18), transmission & drivetrain (6).
What gas mileage does the 1990 Honda Civic get?
EPA ratings run up to 30 mpg combined (1.5 L, Manual 4-spd), across 5 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 1990 Honda Civic repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.