FaultScore

1989 Honda Civic seat belt problems

19 of the 88 complaints about the 1989 Honda Civic are about the seat belts — 22% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 90,000 miles.

F

19

Complaints

10

Crashes

0

Fires

9

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Buckle Assembly 8 42.1%
Seat Belts 6 31.6%
Anchorage 3 15.8%
Webbing 2 10.5%

Seat Belts across every Honda Civic year

1986 14 3.4%
1987 21 5.1%
1988 10 2.4%
1989 19 4.6%
1990 34 8.3%
1991 42 10.2%
1993 12 2.9%
1994 10 2.4%
1995 16 3.9%
1997 13 3.2%
1998 10 2.4%
2000 14 3.4%
2001 41 10.0%
2002 51 12.4%
2003 20 4.9%
2004 20 4.9%
2005 19 4.6%
2006 16 3.9%
2007 16 3.9%
2012 14 3.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Butler, PA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

I HAD AUTO ACCIDENT, I WAS GOING 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. WHEN I HIT SMALL TREE. THE STEERING WHEEL CRUSHED MY CHEST AND I SUFFERED A SPINAL CORD INJURY AT THE T~2 LEVEL AND NOW I'M NOW A QUADRIPLEGIC. MY SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD, THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN RECALLED MINE WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL. IN 1996 RECALL NO.- 95-028 I WAS STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE BELT LATCH NOT STAYING FASTENED CALLED THE HONDA COMPANY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THEY DIDN'T HELP ME AT ALL. A DEALER TOLD ME HONDA HAS A LIFETIME SEAT BELT WARRANTY ON ALL HONDA VEHICLES, IT COVERS ANY SEAT BELT COMPONENTS THAT FAILS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY SAID IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY. NOW I'M PAYING THE PRICE. BUYER BEWARE YOU MIGHT END UP, LIKE ME IN A WHEELCHAIR. THIS RECALL ONLY INFECTED 3,300,000 VEHICLES, ROLL THE DICE? TAKE A CHANGE. I'M SURE THERE ARE MORE VICTIMS OUT THERE, WHILE SOME I'M SURE YOU PLANTED THEM...

NHTSA complaint #10156742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,000 miles Golden, CO

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

HONDA ISSUED A RECALL OF THE FRONT SEATBELTS IN THE 1989 HONDA. THE BELT CAN SPONTANEOUSLY COME UNLATCHED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN MY FIANCE'S 1989 HONDA. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT OFTEN SPONTANEOUSLY UNLATCHES -- THAT IS WHERE I SIT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO PLANET HONDA IN GOLDEN, COLORADO ON THREE OCCASIONS. BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE BELT TO UNLATCH WHEN WE WERE AT THE DEALER, SO THEY HAVE REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. HER CAR OBVIOUSLY HAS THE PROBLEM. BUT HONDA IS REFUSING TO FIX IT. WHAT DO WE DO?

NHTSA complaint #10031036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Canoga Park, CA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLECROSSED FROM ANOTHER LANE IN FRONT SUDDENLY. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES & REAR ENDED VEHICLEIN FRONT. UPON IMPACT WITH VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK UP TO RESTRAIN DRIVER. SEAT BELT BUCKLE LOCKING MECHANISM BROKE. DRIVER WAS THROWN FORWARD, BUT NOT INJECTED. DRIVER SUFFERED WHIPLASH & RELEASED FROM EMERGENCY ROOM.

NHTSA complaint #869887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tallahassee, FL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY ON THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. OWNER CONTACTED PREVIOUS OWNER AND FOUND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELTS AND THAT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED. *AK

NHTSA complaint #855646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LA Puente, CA Crash 1 injured 1 killed

SEAT BELTS

THE 1989 HONDA CIVIC DX USES MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS. MY NIECE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THIS WEEKEND, HIT A FREEWAY RAILING THAT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BECOME DISCONNECTED; UPON ITS DISCONNECT, THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS WERE RELEASED WHICH RESULTED IN MY NIECE BEING EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS KILLED IN SUBJECT ACCIDENT. IS THERE ANY AUTOMOTIVE RECALL OR LITIGATION INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT SIMILAR ACCIDENTS? HAVE THERE BEEN SIMILAR LITIGATIONS?

NHTSA complaint #716861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Knoxville, TN Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

MY CIVIC COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. THE LAP COMPONENT OF MY SEATBELT ENGAGED ALLOWING ONLY MINOR BRUISING/CUTS TO MY KNEES WHICH HIT THE DASH. THE SHOULDER BELT, HOWEVER, DID NOT ENGAGE CAUSING MY CHEST TO SLAM INTO THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING A DEEP CHEST CONTUSION. MY INSURANCE CO'S APPRAISER "TESTED" THE BELT BUT CLAIMS IT CATCHES WHEN TUGGED ON. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP CLAIMS SEATBELTS ARE TO KEEP YOU IN THE CAR, NOT TO PREVENT YOU FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL/DASH/WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA complaint #704555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Friendswoo, TX

SEAT BELTS

SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #522201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Merchantvi, NJ

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELT TWISTED PRIOR TO RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #501861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Cruz, CA Crash

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELT INADVERTENTLY WRAPPED AROUND SEAT POSITION LEVER/DISLODGED WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSS CONTROL AND HAD AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #502693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Shreveport, LA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE JAMMED/WILLNOT LOCK IN PLACE.

NHTSA complaint #485681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake Oswil, OR Crash 1 injured 1 killed

SEAT BELTS

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT BROKE AWAY FROM ATTACHMENT DURING ACCIDENT, THROWING PASSENGER INTO TREE, RESULTING IN DEATH. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #486689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Bruno, CA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

THE OWNERS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE FAULTY SEATBELT UNLATCHED AND CAUSED HER FURTHER INJURIES.TT ON IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT SEAT BELT UNLATCHED, CONSUMER WAS HIT IN THE HEAD AND CAUSD HEAD INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #974579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Bruno, CA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE OWNERS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE FAULTY SEATBELT UNLATCHED AND CAUSED HER FURTHER INJURIES.TT ON IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT SEAT BELT UNLATCHED, CONSUMER WAS HIT IN THE HEAD AND CAUSD HEAD INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #974579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Morristown, NJ Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

VEHICLE WAS IMPACT 8:00 POSITION SPEED 30MPH, DRIVER BUCKLE DID NOT HOLD, RECALL RELATED 95V103001. TT

NHTSA complaint #974091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Moraga, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK . TT

NHTSA complaint #971313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aurora, 00

SEAT BELTS

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT ALL THE WAY BACK INTO THE DOOR. TT

NHTSA complaint #966354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Henderson, NV

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

TAKATA SEAT BELT FAILURE, DIFFICULTY UNLATCHING BELT BUCKLE. TT

NHTSA complaint #964409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Clarit, CA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

CAR WAS IN ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DIDN'T HOLD THE PERSON IN THE CAR . TT

NHTSA complaint #964238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ANN Arbor, MI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS FAILED TO HOLD SECURELY DURING ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #481643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1989 Honda Civic problems

← Full 1989 Honda Civic report