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1986 Honda CivicProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 35 owner complaints about the 1986 Honda Civic, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

92
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years91% below the Civic median · #39 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints356 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage135kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 20, 2025. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1986 Honda Civic has problems

35 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts132
Structure50
Power train51
Electrical system40
Exterior lighting40
Fuel system, gasoline31
Engine and engine cooling30
Service brakes, hydraulic21
Seats10
2 other systems20

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1986 Honda Civic recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 95V-103 · May 24, 1995 · 3,700,000 vehicles

Risk. THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Visibility: windshield wiper/washer

Recall 88V-180 · Nov 18, 1988 · 360,198 vehicles

Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE AND WOULDAFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Driveline: driveshaft

Recall 86V-045 · Mar 20, 1986 · 17,338 vehicles

Risk. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: DURING HIGH STRESS SITUATIONS, SUCH AS RAPID ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION, THE DRIVE SHAFT COULD BREAK WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSE A…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.

Best & worst years

1986 vs. every other Civic year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Civic median. How we score

'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1986 Honda Civic, and the recalls they led to.

  1. FUEL SYSTEM VENTINGEA89005 · closed Nov 30, 1989
    No recall
  2. SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILUREEA94035 · closed Jul 31, 1995
    Led to recall 95V-103
  3. SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILSPE94052 · closed Oct 27, 1994
    No recall
In owners' words

What Civic owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 1986 Honda Civic. The contact stated that whether the vehicle was parked, stationary, or driven, the seat belt was difficult to retract. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the seat belts became difficult to retract even more frequently over time.…
Complaint 11649594 · Mar 20, 2025 · 135,368 miles
CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK CORRECTED. PARTS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE LISTED RECALL 95V103001, SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *AK
Complaint 814283 · Jul 16, 1997
RECALL #95V1030.01, ORDERED PARTS IN NOVEMBER OF 96. RECEIVED CALL FROM DEALER ON APRIL 25, 1997 STATING THAT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. WAITED MORE THAN (60) DAYS. *AK
Complaint 811799 · Apr 29, 1997

Own a 1986 Civic?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.