MYRModel Year Report

1988 Honda Civic

▲ Better than typical
1988 Honda Civic
RENDERED 2026-11-01T11:58:36.357Z

This year had at least 30% fewer complaints than this model's typical year.

This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.

How is this computed?

Complaints
48
Recalls
8

Campaigns on file for 1988

Investigations
3

Opened by NHTSA

Top problem
Vehicle speed control

31% of complaints

Complaints per year

1981: 1 complaint 1981 1982: 1 complaint 1983: 9 complaints 1984: 5 complaints 1985: 15 complaints 1986: 35 complaints 1987: 39 complaints 1988: 48 complaints 1988 48 1989: 69 complaints 1990: 92 complaints 1991: 111 complaints 1992: 100 complaints 1993: 155 complaints 1994: 161 complaints 1995: 199 complaints 1996: 305 complaints 1997: 373 complaints 1998: 435 complaints 1999: 338 complaints 1999 2000: 287 complaints 2001: 1,079 complaints 2002: 702 complaints 2003: 499 complaints 2004: 350 complaints 2005: 316 complaints 2005 2006: 1,404 complaints 2007: 1,204 complaints 2008: 916 complaints 2009: 396 complaints 2010: 397 complaints 2011: 169 complaints 2011 2012: 456 complaints 2013: 318 complaints 2014: 293 complaints 2015: 379 complaints 2016: 1,081 complaints 2017: 602 complaints 2017 2018: 747 complaints 2019: 441 complaints 2020: 232 complaints 2021: 146 complaints 2022: 885 complaints 2023: 259 complaints 2023 2024: 125 complaints 2025: 79 complaints 2026: 32 complaints
1981: 1 complaint 1981 1982: 1 complaint 1983: 9 complaints 1984: 5 complaints 1984 1985: 15 complaints 1986: 35 complaints 1987: 39 complaints 1988: 48 complaints 1988 48 1989: 69 complaints 1990: 92 complaints 1991: 111 complaints 1992: 100 complaints 1993: 155 complaints 1993 1994: 161 complaints 1995: 199 complaints 1996: 305 complaints 1996 1997: 373 complaints 1998: 435 complaints 1999: 338 complaints 1999 2000: 287 complaints 2001: 1,079 complaints 2002: 702 complaints 2002 2003: 499 complaints 2004: 350 complaints 2005: 316 complaints 2005 2006: 1,404 complaints 2007: 1,204 complaints 2008: 916 complaints 2008 2009: 396 complaints 2010: 397 complaints 2011: 169 complaints 2011 2012: 456 complaints 2013: 318 complaints 2014: 293 complaints 2014 2015: 379 complaints 2016: 1,081 complaints 2017: 602 complaints 2017 2018: 747 complaints 2019: 441 complaints 2020: 232 complaints 2020 2021: 146 complaints 2022: 885 complaints 2023: 259 complaints 2023 2024: 125 complaints 2025: 79 complaints 2026: 32 complaints 2026
1981: 1 complaint 1981 1982: 1 complaint 1983: 9 complaints 1983 1984: 5 complaints 1985: 15 complaints 1985 1986: 35 complaints 1987: 39 complaints 1988: 48 complaints 1988 48 1989: 69 complaints 1990: 92 complaints 1991: 111 complaints 1991 1992: 100 complaints 1993: 155 complaints 1993 1994: 161 complaints 1995: 199 complaints 1995 1996: 305 complaints 1997: 373 complaints 1997 1998: 435 complaints 1999: 338 complaints 1999 2000: 287 complaints 2001: 1,079 complaints 2001 2002: 702 complaints 2003: 499 complaints 2003 2004: 350 complaints 2005: 316 complaints 2005 2006: 1,404 complaints 2007: 1,204 complaints 2007 2008: 916 complaints 2009: 396 complaints 2009 2010: 397 complaints 2011: 169 complaints 2011 2012: 456 complaints 2013: 318 complaints 2013 2014: 293 complaints 2015: 379 complaints 2015 2016: 1,081 complaints 2017: 602 complaints 2017 2018: 747 complaints 2019: 441 complaints 2019 2020: 232 complaints 2021: 146 complaints 2021 2022: 885 complaints 2023: 259 complaints 2023 2024: 125 complaints 2025: 79 complaints 2025 2026: 32 complaints

1988: 48 complaints

View as data table
YearComplaints
19800
19811
19821
19839
19845
198515
198635
198739
198848
198969
199092
1991111
1992100
1993155
1994161
1995199
1996305
1997373
1998435
1999338
2000287
20011,079
2002702
2003499
2004350
2005316
20061,404
20071,204
2008916
2009396
2010397
2011169
2012456
2013318
2014293
2015379
20161,081
2017602
2018747
2019441
2020232
2021146
2022885
2023259
2024125
202579
202632

Known problem areas

Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.

Vehicle speed control

31% · 15 reports

Most commonly citing cruise control and cables.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Auto-tran:shifted from park to reverse, lightly touched gas pedal; engine accelerated; lurched backwards; hit two vehicles in parking lot. Tt

NHTSA ODI report, 1995-12-04

Sudden acceleration, causing loss of control/accident/injury.

NHTSA ODI report, 1994-11-22

Engine "Revs" While stopped at a stop sign or stop light. Car accelerates by itself without applying the accelerator. Car jolts forward unexpectedly for no reason.

NHTSA ODI report, 2003-10-28

Seat belts

21% · 10 reports

Most commonly citing buckle assembly and retractor.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Driver's seat belt did not lock up when driver drove into a concrete base no braking was done. Please describe details. Tt

NHTSA ODI report, 1995-12-13

Seat belts don't lock. Front and back seats. Please describe. The consumer had 2 accidents mar. 92 and May 93. Tt

NHTSA ODI report, 1995-11-20

Fuel system, gasoline

15% · 7 reports

Most commonly citing fuel injection system and filler pipe and cap.

FIRE
Show complaint excerpts

Pipe that is located on outside of the fuel tank has corroded through and fuel leaks when putting fuel into tank. Contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.

NHTSA ODI report, 2002-09-12

Electrical system

15% · 7 reports

Most commonly citing ignition and switch.

Show complaint excerpts

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 for a while, then it happen again.

NHTSA ODI report, 2006-07-13

Engine and engine cooling

8% · 4 reports

Most commonly citing gasoline and engine.

Safety timeline

8 recalls · 3 investigations · oldest first

To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →

  1. R
    1987-11-12Vehicle speed control87V173000 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  2. R
    1987-11-19Equipment87V171000 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  3. I
    1993-09-23Preliminary evaluationClosed 1994-01-31 Stalling
  4. I
    1994-07-11Preliminary evaluationClosed 1994-10-27 Seat belt buckle fails
  5. I
    1994-10-27Engineering analysisClosed 1995-07-31 Seat belt buckle failure
  6. R
    1995-05-19Seat belts95V103001 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…

    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…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  7. R
    2006-04-03Exterior lighting06E026000 Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber…

    Remedy: Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on April 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  8. R
    2006-04-17Exterior lighting06E032000 Certain eagle eyes and sonar headlights and corner lights sold as aftermarket for use on 1988-2005 Honda Civic, 1990-2005 Honda accord, and 1990-2001 Acura integra passenger vehicles listed above.…

    Remedy: Tom motorsport will notify owners and offer reimbursement for the purchase of noncompliant lights. The recall began April 17, 2006. Owners may contact tom motorsport at 626-968-4007.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  9. R
    2006-07-01Exterior lighting06E049000 Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are…

    Remedy: Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2006. Owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  10. R
    2009-05-11Exterior lighting09E012000 Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  11. R
    2009-07-28Exterior lighting09E025000 Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.

    Check if this car was fixed →

Buy-smart checklist

1988 Honda Civic — pre-purchase inspection

Inspect

  • Vehicle speed control: 15 reports on file for this year.
  • Seat belts: 10 reports on file for this year.
  • Fuel system, gasoline: 7 reports on file for this year.

Verify these recalls were completed

  • Recall 87V173000 · Vehicle speed control
  • Recall 87V171000 · Equipment
  • Recall 95V103001 · Seat belts
  • Recall 06E026000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 06E032000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 06E049000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 09E012000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 09E025000 · Exterior lighting
Inspected by ______________ Date ______________

Other years of this model

See all years ranked →

Best years3 years

Worst years3 years

FAQ

Is the 1988 Honda Civic reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 1988 Honda Civic is rated "better than typical".
What are the most common problems with the 1988 Honda Civic?
The most-reported component is vehicle speed control, accounting for 31% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 1988 Honda Civic have?
8 recalls on file for this model year.

Data updated 2026-11-01 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.