A del Sol that no longer runs: what to do with it
A del Sol with a seized engine, a rusted body or a roof that no longer seals can still be sold as a whole car. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- US model years
- 1993-1997
- Body
- Two-seat targa top on fifth-generation Civic parts
- Built in
- Suzuka, Japan
- Strongest engine
- 1.6-liter DOHC VTEC, 160 hp
- Complaints to NHTSA
- 57
- Recalls
- 1 (1994 passenger air bag)
Honda sold this two-seater in the US for five model years, 1993 through 1997. It was built in Suzuka, Japan, on fifth-generation Civic parts, and replaced the CR-X. It was the first open-air Honda sold in the US. It went by Civic del Sol until 1995, when the Civic name was dropped.
Which del Sol do you have?
| Trim | Years | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 1993-1995 | 1.5-liter SOHC four | 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic |
| S | 1996-1997 | 1.6-liter SOHC, 106 hp | 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic |
| Si | 1993-1997 | SOHC four; from 1996 a 1.6-liter SOHC VTEC, 127 hp | 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic |
| VTEC | 1994-1997 | 1.6-liter DOHC VTEC, 160 hp | 5-speed manual only |
The VTEC also got a stiffer suspension and bigger front disc brakes. The EPA rated the 1994 VTEC at 23 mpg city and 28 highway on premium fuel, against 30 and 37 for a 1994 with the 1.5-liter and a manual.
What NHTSA has on file
Not much: 57 complaints across all its model years, and a single recall.
The recall. Recall 95V203 covers 6,476 cars from the 1994 model year. NHTSA's summary reads that "the retainer tabs used to secure the lower module to the upper housing were drilled incorrectly," so the passenger air bag module could come apart from its housing and not inflate properly. Dealers fixed it by adding reinforcement brackets.
The complaints. Air bags are named in 24 of the 57, all of them on 1993-1995 cars, with 12 on the 1994 alone. Structure comes next with 11. Our review didn't cover the owners' written accounts, so it's unclear whether they meant the targa roof, the body or crash damage.
What Honda said about the air bag. The 1993 owner's manual says the system needs "an inspection by your Honda dealer ten years after manufacture." The newest del Sol is now nearly three decades old, so any car whose air bag system was never checked is long past that point.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Named most |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 21 | 0 | Structure (7) |
| 1994 | 18 | 1 | Air bags (12) |
| 1995 | 12 | 0 | Air bags (8) |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | Structure and service brakes (1 each) |
| 1997 | 3 | 0 | Wheels (2) |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | Tires (1) |
Data: NHTSA, retrieved October 10, 2026. One complaint is filed under 1998, although 1997 was the last North American model year.
Repair it or let it go?
On a car this old, the question is rarely one repair. Add up everything it needs, not just the part that stopped it, and compare that total with what a running del Sol of the same trim brings. If it has been parked for years, our car sitting for years guide explains what to sort out first.
Selling your del Sol
- Write down the trim (S, Si or VTEC), mileage, transmission and what's wrong.
- Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
- Tell us where it's parked and whether the roof panel is with the car. The truck comes to the car, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- Sell the whole car as it sits. If parts are gone, our missing parts page explains how that's handled.
- At pickup, have the title and your ID. Lost the title on a car this old? Start with the no-title guide.
Related Hondas: the Civic it was built from, the Prelude and the S2000.
Questions people ask
- Was the Honda del Sol ever recalled?
- Once, in NHTSA's file. Recall 95V203, from October 1995, covers 6,476 1994 del Sols whose passenger air bag was installed with retainer tabs drilled wrong. Dealers added reinforcement brackets to the module.
- How do I tell a del Sol VTEC from an Si?
- The VTEC trim, added for 1994, has the 1.6-liter DOHC VTEC engine rated at 160 hp and came only with a 5-speed manual. The Si used a single-cam engine and could have a 4-speed automatic.
- Will you buy a del Sol without its roof panel?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars. Tell us the roof panel is missing when you ask for an offer, since missing parts change it. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 10, 2026.
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 static.nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recalls flat file, recalls before 2010 (FLAT_RCL_PRE_2010.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 static.nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 95V203: passenger air bag module, 1994 del Sol nhtsa.gov
- Honda: 1993 del Sol owner's manual, SRS section techinfo.honda.com
- Honda News: 50 years of the Civic (1993 Civic del Sol Si as fifth generation) hondanews.com
- fueleconomy.gov: 1994 del Sol VTEC fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 1994 del Sol 1.5-liter manual fueleconomy.gov
- Wikipedia: Honda Civic del Sol (trims, engines, transmissions, plant) en.wikipedia.org