1988 Honda Civic vs 1989 Honda Civic
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1988 Honda Civic | 1989 Honda Civic |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 46 | 69 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 4 | 4 |
| Investigations | 3 | 3 |
| Crash reports | 4 | 15 |
| Fire reports | 1 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–32 | 23–31 |
| Median reported incident mileage | — | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Honda Civic | Honda Civic |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 10 | 18 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 9 |
| Electrical System | 7 | 11 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 7 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 8 |
| Seats | 3 | 4 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 4 |
| Structure | 2 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Rust / corrosion | 6 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 5 | 0 |
| Stalling | 0 | 8 |
1988 Honda Civic
1989 Honda Civic
Compare all Honda Civic vs Honda Civic years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.