Your vehicle report
1986 Honda Civic
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 35
- Received Jan 1995 to Mar 2025
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract12 complaints · 34% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Headlights dim or fail at night4 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline3 complaints · 8.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #95V103001The 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.
- Recall #88V180000Under high ambient temperatures front windshield wiper contact unit could loosen and become dislodged.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 2 fires, 2 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 3 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 11 |
| 1996 | 8 |
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 35 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 12 | 34% | – | NHTSA recall #95V103001 |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 11% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 8.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #95V103001May 24, 19953,700,000 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: buckle assembly
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.
The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash.
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 each latch plate into its buckle, tug on the belt to make sure the latch is securely locked, then press the release button. The latch plate should pop out of the buckle when the button is pressed. If either release button shows any sign of breakage or cracking, or if either buckle fails to operate properly, promptly contact your authorized Honda/Acura dealer to schedule an appointment to have the buckle replaced or repaired, free of charge. The manufacturer is developing a remedy designed to prevent the failure of the buttons that are not currently broken.
NHTSA recall #88V180000November 18, 1988360,198 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield wiper/washer
Under high ambient temperatures front windshield wiper contact unit could loosen and become dislodged.
This could result in windshield wiper failure and wouldaffect driver visibility.
Remedy
Install a contact unit holder that would prevent loosening.
NHTSA recall #86V045000March 20, 198617,338 vehicles affected
power train: driveline: driveshaft
Left side drive shaft could develop cracks near the outer joint.
Consequence of defect: during high stress situations, such as rapid acceleration or deceleration, the drive shaft could break without warning and cause a sudden loss of power and a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Replace left drive shaft with a properly manufactured part.
Other model years
- 1986
- 1987 39
- 1988 46
- 1989 69
- 1990 91
- 1991 110
- 1992 98
- 1993 146
- 1994 135
- 1995 199
- 1996 305
- 1997 373
- 1998 435
- 1999 338
- 2000 287
- 2001 1,079
- 2002 702
- 2003 499
- 2004 350
- 2005 316
- 2006 1,404
- 2007 1,204
- 2008 916
- 2009 396
- 2010 397
- 2011 169
- 2012 456
- 2013 319
- 2014 293
- 2015 381
- 2016 1,082
- 2017 602
- 2018 747
- 2019 443
- 2020 233
- 2021 147
- 2022 885
- 2023 258
- 2024 125
- 2025 77
- 2026 32
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1986 Honda Civic.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN