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.
OWNERS MANUAL INFORMATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, SECTIONS 6A AND 6B WAS OMITTED FROM THE MANUAL.
VEHICLES MANUAL INFORMATION DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS210.
UPGRADE EXISTING MANUALS BY INSERTING ADHESIVE BACKED CORRECTION PAGES.
ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION CONTROL UNIT MAY CAUSE IDLE SPEED TO INCREASE BY ABOUT 550 RPM WHILE CAR IS STOPPED IN GEAR.
HIGHER THAN NORMAL IDLE COULD CREATE POTENTIAL FOR LOSSOF VEHICLE CONTROL.
REPLACE ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION CONTROL UNIT.
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 CONF
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE S
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 CONF
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE S
CONCERNS WITH A CLUNK OR SQUEAK FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY ROADS. *TT
EXPERIENCING A CLUNK FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH OR BUMPY ROADS. *TT
PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET LEAKS. *YC
UNKNOWN
SEAT BELTS DON'T LOCK. FRONT AND BACK SEATS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. THE CONSUMER HAD 2 ACCIDENTS MAR. 92 AND MAY 93. TT
CONSUMER WAS IN TWO DIFFERENT ACCIDENTS AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR LOCKED UP AND SNAPPED HER CHEST . *AK VEHICLE WAS HIT ON RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, WHILE COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, ALSO
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP WHEN DRIVER DROVE INTO A CONCRETE BASE NO BRAKING WAS DONE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
AUTO-TRAN:SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE, LIGHTLY TOUCHED GAS PEDAL; ENGINE ACCELERATED; LURCHED BACKWARDS; HIT TWO VEHICLES IN PARKING LOT. TT
WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE, OPENED HOOD; FIRE WAS IN AREA OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER; CAUSED BY FAULTY IGNITER, DUMPED FUEL DOWN EXHAUST SYSTEM. . TT
Showing the 5 most serious of 51 complaints filed with NHTSA.
