1992 Honda Civic Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING PARKED AND TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAD SINCE RECURRED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR TWICE. THE CONTACT ALSO REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 205,105.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE WOULD START AND THEN STALL IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. HE FOUND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT MAKING CONTACT. HE REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH HIMSELF. THE VEHICLE IS WORKING CORRECTLY AT THIS TIME. *AK
WHILE DRIVING MY 1992 HONDA CIVIC ON INTERSTATE FREEWAY AND CITY STREETS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED IMMEDIATE ENGINE STALLING WITH NO WARNING. *AK
VEHICLE WAS CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR ON TWO OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR HAS FAILED THREE TIMES. PRIVATE MECHANIC HAS REPLACED ALL OF PLUGS AND RECOMMENDED THAT CONSUMER FIND ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE "THE DISTRIBUTOR WANTS TO DIE". *AK THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE EASILY AND STALLS AS WELL. *YH
THE DISTRIBUTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS COMPONENT SHOULD BE RECALLED. NLM
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED, THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION PICKUPS AND IGNITOR ASSEMBLY. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE DISTRIBUTOR MALFUNCTIONING. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS, AND DEALER COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM *AK
DISTRIBUTOR BEARING FAILURE
FACTORY DISTRIBUTOR ASSY. REPLACED 04/1997. REPLACED AGAIN 02/1999. CONTACTED HONDA EACH TIME. SELECTIVE CAMPAIGN BY MFGR. MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY CAMPAIGN. RESEARCHED RELIABILITY AT WWW.CARPOINT.COM, DISCOVERED: 1991-1993 ACCORD AND 1992-1993 CIVIC ALL HAVE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH DISTRIBUTOR!!!
DISTRIBUTOR BEARINGS WERE GROUND UP. DISTRIBUTOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I HEARD ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL/REIMBURSEMENT ON THE PAT GOSS AUTOMOTIVE RADIO SHOW. PAT TOLD ME THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF RECALL ON HONDA DISTRIBUTORS, AND THAT HONDA DISTRIBUTORS ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD. I AM SUBMITTING THIS IN AN EFFORT TO BE REIMBURSED BY HONDA FOR THE REPAIRS THAT I PAID FOR. I ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF HONDA HAS REDESIGNED THEIR DISTRIBUTORS SO THAT FAILURES WILL NOT OCCOUR IN THE FUTURE. THE PAT GOSS AUTOMOTIVE IS ON FROM 11AM TO 2PM EST ON SUNDAYS. HIS PHONE NUMBER AT THAT TIME IS 1-800-636-1067 IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HE KNOWS CONCERNING THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH HONDA DISTRIBUTORS. PAT TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO MILEAGE LIMIT TO THE RECALL. I PLAN ON KEEPING THIS CAR AS LONG AS IT WILL RUN, AN WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ASSURED THAT ANY FUTURE REPAIRS TO THE DISTRIBUTOR WILL BE PAID FOR BY HONDA. MY CAR WAS DISABLED, SO I HAVE A TOWING BILL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS REPAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!! PLEASE CONTACT ME AFTER YOU GET THIS, SO I KNOW IT WENT THRU. THANKS! -- MIKE YOUNG
CONSUMER TRIED TO START VEHICLE, BUT VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. DEALER HAD TOLD HER THE PROBLEM WAS DISTRIBUTOR. *AK
BEARING IN THE DISTRIBUTOR HOUSING GENERATES EXCESSIVE HEAT THROUGH THE STEEL DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT AND FAILS WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OFENGINE POWER AND DIMINSHING BRAKING AND STEERING.
DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY FAILED.
WIRING FAILS DURING WET WEATHER.
DISTRIBUTOR FAILED.
DISTRIBUTOR FAILED.
UPON PULLING WAY FROM A STOP SIGN VEHICLE CONVULSED VIOLENTLY DUE TO DISTRIBUTOR/ROTOR/CAP FAILURE. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT BEARINGS WERE DISINTEGRATING DUE TO ENTIRE DISTRIBUTOR AND INSIDE OF CAP BEING COVERED IN RUST DUST.
THE BUSHING IN THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS MAKING A CHIRPING NOISE . *AK
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING THE AIR CONDITION ON THE VEHICLE STALLS/HESITATES AND ALSO CUTS OFF. *AK
THE DISTRIBUTOR FROZE AND THEN THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
THE ENGINE HESITATES DUE TO HUMIDITY, OWNER BELIEVES THE COMPUTER IN VEHICLE CAUSE MORE PORBLEM. TT
DISTRIBUTOR IS FAULTY; ENGINE SHUTS OFF FREQUENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. TT
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1992 Honda Civic has 24 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.