HondaCivic1991Overview/honda/civic/1991/base/

1991 Honda Civic

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1991 Civic.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1991 Honda Civic is a passenger car that continues the platform and engineering tradition of Honda's compact car lineup, requiring 3.5 quarts of oil with a viscosity rating of 10W-30 or 5W-30 meeting API standards. This model year recorded 130 total owner complaints, with seat belts representing the most frequently reported issue among the eight recalls issued for the vehicle. Positioned as the second model year within a complaint tracking span running from 1990 to 2022, the 1991 Civic falls between the lowest complaint year on record (1990 at 102 complaints) and far later years that would see dramatically higher complaint volumes, suggesting this generation maintained the reliability that early Civics were known for.

Model year202620242023202220212020201820171991

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 length148 in
Overall width65.7 in
Overall height50 in
Wheelbase90.6 in
Curb weight2048 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

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.

8.5–11.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.50 sec — 1990 Si 3-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1990Si 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-48.50 sec16.50 sec108 hpFWD
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

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, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
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

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) · Antilock Brake System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
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)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (replace) · Water Pump (inspect)

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 1991 Honda Civic sits near the low end of the early-1990s federal-record arc, with 130 complaints, 8 recalls, 3 investigations, and 10 TSBs. It represents a modest rise from 1990 (102 complaints, 9 recalls, 2 investigations, 5 TSBs) and carries fewer recalls than 1992 (13 recalls), even though complaints that year dipped to 106. Across the 1990–1995 span, complaints and TSBs trended upward from 102 to 244 and from 5 to 19, respectively, while recalls fluctuated between 8 and 16, so 1991 falls just before the steeper climb that began in 1993. The leading 1991 complaint categories were Seat Belts (39), Electrical System (20), Structure (11), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (10), plus 12 crash-related and 7 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Because it has a relatively low recall count and precedes the generation’s rising complaint curve, a well-maintained 1991 Civic is a comparatively favorable used-car choice within this era.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
10
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
130
Owner complaints
12 involved a crash · 7 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 130 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts39
Electrical System20
Structure11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic10
Exterior Lighting6
Fuel System, Gasoline6
Power Train5
Visibility5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

08E050000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/08/2008

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.

06E040000Exterior LightingReported 15/05/2006

CERTAIN E SPEED RACING COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO… Remedy: E SPEED RACING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT E SPEED RACING 909-923-3636.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
050120042004-05-01EquipmentAUDIO UNIT AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM ANTI-THEFT CODES AVAILABLE ON INTERACTIVE NETWORK. *NM
4042004-04-16EquipmentAUDIO, ANTI-THEFT CODES. HONDA. TECH LINE SUMMARY. *TT
000062001-12-11SuspensionCONCERNS WITH A CLUNK OR SQUEAK FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY…
0109012001-09-01Fuel System, GasolineINFORMATION REGARDING CAM-ON FUEL FILL CAP FAILURES DURING SMOG CHECK. *YH
1608012001-08-16Fuel System, GasolineSUBJECT ON REGARDING GAS CAP. *ET

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 1991 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 1991 Civic have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.