1993 Honda Civic problems & reliability
146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1993 Honda Civic. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
23 complaints report injuries (31 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1993 Honda Civic vehicles were involved in 32 fatal crashes with 29 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 27 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 25 | 17% |
| Steering | 15 | 10% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 8% |
| Seat Belts | 11 | 8% |
| Power Train | 9 | 6% |
| Structure | 7 | 5% |
| Tires | 7 | 5% |
| Seats | 6 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“the automatic transmission shift cable is recalled and the rear window also. I called norm reeves honda in port charlotte florida at 9417438883 and spoke to a woman in service. she took my information and told me she would call me back. Less than 10 minutes later she called me back and told me the parts aren't…”
Visibility/wiper · filed Jun 7, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 1993 honda civic lx with goodyear p-tracker tires, line size p185/60/r15. The contact stated that she purchased and installed two tires for the front of the vehicle. The following morning, both tires had lost air pressure and were completely flat. She then contacted the facility in which she…”
Tires · filed Nov 8, 2010
“I have a 1993 honda civic hatchback. It is well known that in the early 1990`s, the rear wheel wells edges rust and perforate while the front wells do not. I have taken very good care of my car and it is otherwise in very good shape. On inquiry, to dealers and other honda civic owners they all say that in that time…”
Structure · filed Mar 22, 2009
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ALLEGED STEERING LOCKUP
Preliminary Evaluation PE94055 · opened Jul 20, 1994 · closed Dec 30, 1994
Technical service bulletins
16 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1993 Honda Civic. The 10 most recent:
Audio unit and navigation system anti-theft codes available on interactive network. *nm
05012004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2004
Audio, anti-theft codes. Honda. Tech line summary. *tt
404 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2004
Heater blower motor gets hot or blows a fuse. Honda. Servicenews. *tt
11012003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2003
Subject regarding customer complaints that the engine hesitates briefly when accelerating. *tt
010402 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2002
Customers may complain of a brief hesitation when accelerating at high engine speeds. *tt
302 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 16, 2002
Concerns with a clunk or squeak from the rear suspension when going over rough or bumpy roads. *tt
00006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 11, 2001
Information regarding water leakage during a car wash. *yh
010901 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2001
Experiencing a clunk from the rear suspension when going over rough or bumpy roads. *tt
00006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 28, 2000
Information on replacing the automatic transmission housing. *tt
000101 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2000
Problems with head gasket leaks. *yc
97111097047 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 10, 1997
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1993 Honda Civic in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1993 Honda Civic?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.