HondaCivic1977Overview/honda/civic/1977/base/

1977 Honda Civic

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1977 Civic.

The 1977 Honda Civic marks an early point in the model’s lineage, arriving well before the complaint data set that begins in 1990 and therefore predates the documented reliability record. Within the 1990‑2022 window the model’s lowest complaint count occurred in 1990 with just 102 reports, while the highest spike was recorded in 2006 with 1,402 complaints, illustrating that the earliest Civics were generally less prone to the issues that later years would highlight. This placement suggests that the 1977 year is often viewed by researchers as part of the brand’s historically robust foundation, offering a baseline of durability against which later variations are measured.

Model year202620242023202220212020201820171977

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length150 in
Overall width59.4 in
Overall height52.4 in
Wheelbase86.6 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.

12.9–17.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 12.90 sec — 1973 3-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1975CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.5L I-415.60 sec20.10 sec53 hpFWD
1975CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.5L I-417.40 sec21.00 sec53 hpFWD
1979CVCC Wagon 1.5L I-415.50 sec20.10 sec67 hpFWD
19733-door Hatchback 1.2L I-412.90 sec18.70 sec50 hpFWD

Reliability & federal safety record

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

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
0
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

81V136000SuspensionReported 06/11/1981

PROLONGED CONTACT WITH ROAD SALT MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, CAUSE SERIOUS RUSTING. THIS CAN WEAKEN CERTAIN UNDERCARRIAGE COMPONENTS: LATERAL SUSPENSION ARMS, FRONT CROSSBEAM AND STRUT COIL SPRING LOWER SUPPORTS. Remedy: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, TREATED WITH A RUST PREVENTIVE COATING. IN SOME CASES, REPLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS WILL BE PERFORMED, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

77V072000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 11/05/1977

A SHORT CIRCUIT MAY OCCUR IN THE MANUALLY OPERATED CHOKE OVERRIDE MECHANISM. THIS COULD CAUSE THE OVERRIDE MECHANISM HOUSING AND OUTER COVER OF THE CHOKE CABLE TO MELT AND BURN. Remedy: DEALER WILL REPOSITION THE RESISTOR TO PREVENT INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHOKE CABLE HOLDING PLATE AND THE LEAD WIRE OF THE RESISTOR, WITHOUT CHARGE.

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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

Does the 1977 Civic have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.