1988 Honda Civic Service and Repair Manual

The 1988 Honda Civic lineup included wagon, hatchback, sedan, and wagovan body styles across eight trims.

Engines covered

• 1.6L inline-four (98 cu in) — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
• 1.5L inline-four — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door wagon
• 2-door hatchback
• 4-door sedan

Trims covered

• Base
• DX
• LX
• RT 4WD
• SE
• Wagovan

Known issues on the 1988 Civic. Eight recalls are on federal record for this model year. Five involve aftermarket combination corner, bumper, and headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lighting for the Civic that were built without the required amber side reflectors, leaving the vehicle poorly illuminated and increasing crash risk in low visibility. A sixth covers the front seat belt buckle release button, which can break and let pieces fall into the buckle assembly, causing it to operate improperly and leaving the belt unable to adequately protect an occupant in a crash. A seventh covers the electronic fuel injection control unit, which can raise idle speed by about 550 RPM while the car is stopped in gear, creating a risk of losing vehicle control. An eighth covers the owner’s manual itself, which omitted information required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 210, sections 6A and 6B. Owners have filed 51 complaints for the year.

From tracing an idle-speed surge to inspecting a seat belt buckle or a corner lamp assembly, this manual keeps you on the correct factory procedure for your specific 1988 Civic.