19 of the
110 complaints about the 1990 Honda Civic are about the
electrical system — 17% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
144,500 miles.
I HAVE A 1990 HONDA CIVIC 4 DR 1.5 LITER AUTO. AND THE DISTRIBUTOR WENT BAD-I KNOW THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH BUT IT IS MY WORK CAR-TO REPLACE THIS PART $800.00 AND TALKING TO SEVERAL JUNK YARDS IT WOULD BE $225.00 BUT THE MAN SAID THAT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT PART WOULD BE GOOD AS THIS YR. MAKE AND MODEL ARE FAMOUS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT I DO NOT FIND ANY RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10237330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ventura, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
AFTER DRIVING MY CAR AND IT SITTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 AND A HALF HOURS I NOTICED THAT THEIR WAS FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I RAN OUT AND TURNED ON THE WATER HOSE AND STARTED TO SQUIRT IT AS A NEIGHBOR OPENED THE HOOD FOR ME BUT WE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT WASN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS ELECTRICAL, SO WE THEN DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. WHICH STOPPED THE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10177248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 119,000 milesWashington, DC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY 1990 HONDA CIVIC WAGON HAS STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING THREE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH AND WILL NOT START AGAIN FOR 10 MINUTES TO OVERNIGHT. I HAVE HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD TO GET IT OUT OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. FROM MEMBERS OF THE CIVIC.WAGON.FORUM@LISTS.UNH.EDU, I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITER HAS FAILED. HONDA HAD AN UPGRADE TO THIS COMPONENT AND ACCORDING TO HONDA MY CAR RECEIVED THE UPGRADE IN 1994, BUT NOW IS APPARENTLY FAILING. WISHING TO BE SAFE, I HAVE ORDERED A WHOLE NEW DISTRIBUTOR TO INSTALL SO I DO NOT HAVE TO STOP SOMEWHERE AT ANY MOMENT.
NHTSA complaint #10176261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stillwater, OK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE CAR FAILS TO START ON OCCASION, I NOTICED ON HONDA'S WEB SITE THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT IT DOESN'T COVER THE YEAR OF MY CAR. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM SEEM TO OCCUR AS THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE GETS HOTTER. I GET IN THE CAR TRY TO START IT NOTHING, GO BACK AN HOUR LATER AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP. I THINK HONDA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. EMAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS. THANKS, TER.*AKI
NHTSA complaint #763433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Davis, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #759393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Largo, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #736772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Forest Hills, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
THE FIRST TIME THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED THE CAR SLOWLY LOST POWER TIL IT JUST STOPPED, THIS ALSO HAPPENED THE SECOND TIME, THEN THE 3RD TIME THE CAR STARTED AND STALLED AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN, THE 4TH TIME THE CAR WAS RUN FOR A SHORT TRIP(5 MILES) AND AFTER TURNED OFF A LEFT FOR A COUPLE HOURS WOULD NOT START AT ALL , HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD NOT LIGHT, EITHER. THE 5TH TIME WAS A FAULTY ALTERNATOR...
NHTSA complaint #734415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Huntington Beach, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DISTIBUTOR ROTOR CAME OFF ON 3 OCCASIONS IN PAST 10 MONTHS, CAUSING INSTANT ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN FAST LANE..
NHTSA complaint #732326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chicago, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE CAR MAY START ON THE FIRST TRY, OR ON THE FIFTIETH. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOST FREQUENTLY ON HOT DAYS. IT CRANKS, BUT DOES NOT CATCH. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS COVERED EITHER IN TSB93028, JULY '93, OR ATRATB132, SEPT. '92, OR BOTH. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE IS NOT LISTED IN THE NHTSA SITE. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED, FROM AN ACQUAINTANCE, NOT FROM A DEALER. CAN I GET IT FIXED FREE OF CHARGE? THANKS, C. CANNON.
NHTSA complaint #731286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BEL AIR, MD
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITOR FAILED TWICE. YH
NHTSA complaint #781615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clinton, IA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #541504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Waggaman, LA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO DISTRIBUTOR/IGNITOR MALFUNCTIONING.
NHTSA complaint #534912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, UN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. DOES RECALL EXIST?
NHTSA complaint #781045 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Napa, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHEN DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL HEADLIGHTS SOMETIMES GO OFF AND VEHICLE WAS REARENDED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT NOT WORKING WHEN RAINIG TRUNK FILLS UP WITH WATER, THERE IS SOME RUST/CORROSION AND SMELL .
NHTSA complaint #808541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Warren, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN COIL AND IGNITOR, CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL.
NHTSA complaint #501123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Guisville, OHFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHILE DRIVING, SMELT BURNING ODOR, PARKED VEHICLE, LEFT LIGHTS ON, LEFT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY CAUGHT FIRE, HEADLIGHTS WERE FLICKERING PRIOR TO FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #986313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Franci, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
STARTER FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #505066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Franci, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #505066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ENGINE WILL STALLS FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.
NHTSA complaint #968033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.