HondaCivic1989Overview/honda/civic/1989/base/

1989 Honda Civic

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1989 Civic.

The 1989 Honda Civic specifies a 3.5-quart oil capacity with 10W-30 or 5W-30 API viscosity, and its factory-recorded reliability footprint shows 82 total owner complaints led by seat-belt issues alongside six recalls. Compared with the broader model trajectory from 1990 through 2022 — where annual complaints ranged from a low of 102 in 1990 to a peak of 1,402 in 2006 — the 1989 figure sits below the entire documented span, marking it as a comparatively quiet year in the Civic's long-term complaint record. That positioning suggests the 1989 model year benefits from a notably lower owner-reported issue volume than virtually any subsequent generation captured in the data.

Model year202620242023202220212020201820171989

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length161.8 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height57.9 in
Wheelbase98.4 in
Curb weight2262 lb
Track (front / rear)57.1 / 56.7 in

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Civic of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.10 sec — 1989 Si 3-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1989Si 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-49.10 sec16.70 sec108 hpFWD
1988DX 3-door Hatchback 1.5L I-49.60 sec17.30 sec92 hpFWD
1988LX Sedan 1.5L I-410.00 sec17.50 sec92 hpFWD
1988LX Sedan 1.5L I-411.00 sec17.90 sec92 hpFWD
1990Si 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-48.50 sec16.50 sec108 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Transfer Case FluidGL-5

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant at 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 45,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension System (torque) · Tie Rod (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miParking Brake System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (torque)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1989 Civic’s federal record is limited to its top complaint categories — Seat Belts (17), Vehicle Speed Control (9), Electrical System (9), and Fuel System, Gasoline (7) — plus 15 crash and 2 fire complaints, as the year‑by‑year dataset begins with 1990. The subsequent 1990 and 1991 model years show 102 and 130 total complaints with 9 and 8 recalls respectively, marking a moderate start for the generation. Across the full 1990‑2022 span, complaints and TSBs escalate dramatically after 2000, peaking at 1,128 complaints in 2001 and 1,402 in 2006, indicating that later model years accumulated far more reported issues. As the earliest year in this generation, 1989 appears to have a lower overall complaint profile than the decades that follow, though the data does not specify root causes for its leading complaint areas. For a buyer, 1989 represents a relatively clean entry point in the Civic’s long‑term federal record, provided the specific seat‑belt and fuel‑system complaints are inspected.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
4
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
82
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 82 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts17
Vehicle Speed Control9
Electrical System9
Fuel System, Gasoline7
Engine & Engine Cooling6
Tires4
Seats4
Latches/Locks/Linkages4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

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 CONFORM TO THE… 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…

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

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 CONFORM TO THE… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 4 of 4 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
000062001-12-11SuspensionCONCERNS WITH A CLUNK OR SQUEAK FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY…
000062000-03-28SuspensionEXPERIENCING A CLUNK FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY ROADS. *TT
971110970471997-11-10Engine And Engine CoolingPROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET LEAKS. *YC
HON0508951995-05-01Electrical SystemUNKNOWN

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Civic. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1989 Civic take?

3.5 qt of ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 Civic have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.