RecallMyCar

1988 Honda Civic Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 1988 Honda Civic, and owners have filed 46 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
46
owner complaints to NHTSA
4 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire
23–44
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 1988 Honda Civic

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Buckle assembly (seat belts)

    NHTSA 95V103001 Reported 3,700,000 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    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.

    Remedy: 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…

  2. Cruise control (vehicle speed control)

    NHTSA 87V173000 Reported 4,514 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    Electronic fuel injection control unit may cause idle speed to increase by about 550 RPM while car is stopped in gear.

    Remedy: Replace electronic fuel injection control unit.

  3. Owners/service/other manual (equipment)

    NHTSA 87V171000 Reported 99,088 vehicles potentially affected AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

    Owners manual information required by FMVSS 210, sections 6a and 6b was omitted from the manual.

    Remedy: Upgrade existing manuals by inserting adhesive backed correction pages.

46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1988 Honda Civic have filed 46 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 9 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 150,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 12 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The speedometer never worked since i bought the car neither does the mileage indicator work. So i couldn't put an answer for that value. *tr”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 13, 2009 · Electrical system

“Car stalled in traffic. All the electrical power was lost. The car would not start. The car only starts when jumped. This happened before the battery, alternator and starter were replaced. It was ok f”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 13, 2006 · Electrical system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1988 Honda Civic (Civic CRX, Civic CRX HF, Civic Wagon, Civic Wagon 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined23–44 mpg
City / Highway22–41 / 24–49
FuelRegular
EPA classSmall Station Wagons, Subcompact Cars, Two Seaters
Engine4 cyl, 1.5/1.6 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Honda Civic model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Honda Civic model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1973 Honda Civic20
1974 Honda Civic20
1975 Honda Civic20
1976 Honda Civic20
1977 Honda Civic30
1978 Honda Civic10
1979 Honda Civic11
1981 Honda Civic01
1982 Honda Civic01
1983 Honda Civic09
1984 Honda Civic35
1985 Honda Civic215
1986 Honda Civic335
1987 Honda Civic339
1988 Honda Civic346
1989 Honda Civic169
1990 Honda Civic391
1991 Honda Civic1110
1992 Honda Civic198
1993 Honda Civic1146
1994 Honda Civic2135
1995 Honda Civic0199
1996 Honda Civic2305
1997 Honda Civic2373
1998 Honda Civic4435
1999 Honda Civic3338
2000 Honda Civic6287
2001 Honda Civic141,079
2002 Honda Civic11702
2003 Honda Civic11499
2004 Honda Civic10350
2005 Honda Civic10315
2006 Honda Civic131,402
2007 Honda Civic91,204
2008 Honda Civic7916
2009 Honda Civic8395
2010 Honda Civic8397
2011 Honda Civic9169
2012 Honda Civic3455
2013 Honda Civic0319
2014 Honda Civic2292
2015 Honda Civic1380
2016 Honda Civic51,081
2017 Honda Civic6599
2018 Honda Civic6745
2019 Honda Civic4435
2020 Honda Civic5226
2021 Honda Civic4145
2022 Honda Civic4883
2023 Honda Civic4255
2024 Honda Civic3124
2025 Honda Civic274
2026 Honda Civic030

Checking a specific 1988 Honda Civic

How do I know if my 1988 Honda Civic has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1988 Honda Civic; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Honda dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 87V171000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Honda models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.