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Vehicle Stats/Honda/Civic Reliability
NHTSA Official DataUpdated Oct 2026Methodology

Honda Civic Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

Poor reliability signalOur verdict from 3,783 complaints and 38 recalls on NHTSA record

Comparing used Honda Civic options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.

3,783
Total Complaints
NHTSA filed
38
Safety Recalls
federal campaigns
205
Crash-Related
crash complaints
19
Fire-Related
fire complaints
144
Injuries Reported
across all years
10
Years Analyzed
2017–2026

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Found a Honda Civic? Check that exact car.

Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.

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Quick Answer

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Honda Civic has 3,783 owner complaints and 38 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is STEERING. 2022 drew the most complaints; 2025 drew the fewest.

Honda Civic — key reliability facts
Make
Honda
Model
Civic
Model years analyzed
2017–2026 (10 years)
Total NHTSA complaints
3,783
Safety recall campaigns
38
Crash-related complaints
205
Fire-related complaints
19
Worst model year (by complaints)
2022 (883 complaints)
Best model year (fewest complaints)
2025 (95 complaints)
Top reported issue area
STEERING
Reliability signal
Poor
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) · Data last refreshed Oct 5, 2026
This Civic has 38 open recall campaigns on record. Check whether yours is affected.Check my VIN free →

By model year

Honda Civic: which years to avoid & which to buy

Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.

Years to avoid
2022883 complaints2017597 complaints2018596 complaints

These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.

Best years to buy
202595 complaints2021145 complaints2020226 complaints

These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.

Looking at a 2022 Honda Civic? It logged the most NHTSA complaints of any model year — averages won't tell you whether this exact car is affected.Check this VIN free →

Crash test ratings

NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings

New Car Assessment Program

NCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.

NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.

What the complaint data suggests

Poor
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology

Data engine & NHTSA methodology by Eduard Batog, Co-founder & Data Engineer. How we calculate this.

The HONDA CIVIC has 3,783 NHTSA complaints and 38 recalls on record. 205 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Key findings
  • 3,783 total complaints filed with NHTSA
  • 38 federal recall campaigns
  • 205 crash-related complaints on record
Top concerns
  • Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
  • Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
  • Verify service records for frequently complained components
Worst years

Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.

Best years

Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.

What to check before buying used
  • Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
  • Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
  • Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
  • Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Data note: NHTSA complaints are consumer-submitted and do not confirm a manufacturing defect Complaint volume is influenced by sales volume — popular models naturally accumulate more complaints

Problems by model year (best vs. worst)

2017
597
2018
596
2019
346
2020
226
2021
145
2022
883
2023
591
2024
275
2025
95

Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Oct 2026

Safety recalls

NHTSA safety recalls

38 recalls found

Safety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.

Safety recall

STEERING

#24V744000STEERINGMarch 10, 2024
Safety recall

STEERING

#24V744000STEERINGMarch 10, 2024
Safety recall

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

#24V064000AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERJanuary 2, 2024
Safety recall

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

#24V064000AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERJanuary 2, 2024
Safety recall

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

#23V458000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
Safety recall

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

#23V858000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety recall

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

#26V332000AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Safety recall

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

#24V763000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety recall

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

#21V215000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety recall

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

#23V458000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
Safety recall

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

#23V858000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety recall

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

#26V332000AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Safety recall

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

#23V704000STEERING:RACK AND PINION
Safety recall

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

#24V859000SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
Safety recall

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

#20V314000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety recall

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

#21V215000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety recall

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

#23V858000FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety recall

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

#26V332000AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Safety recall

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

#23V430000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Safety recall

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

#23V704000STEERING:RACK AND PINION

Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.

Common problems

What goes wrong most often

The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 3,783 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.

01
STEERING1,940 complaints
02
UNKNOWN OR OTHER511 complaints
03
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM341 complaints
04
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE259 complaints
05
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM216 complaints
06
ENGINE204 complaints
07
SERVICE BRAKES199 complaints
08
LANE DEPARTURE177 complaints

Owner complaints

NHTSA complaint reports

3,783 total

These are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCESep 2026

This car brakes at least once a week while using adaptive cruise control despite zero carsz people or anything at all being in front of me. It's extremely common and dangerous. Look on Honda forums on Facebook or I suspect anywhere else and you'll see. I had a 2023 Honda HRV and never had such issues. I don't know what they've changed but it's unsafe. They're going to literally kill someone.

STEERINGSep 2026

On 9/9/2026 and one other occasion within the past few months, the vehicle was started normally using the keyless ignition. The driver then disengaged the parking brake and shifted into Reverse. The vehicle began backing out a driveway when it was discovered that the steering remained locked despite the vehicle being in motion. The steering wheel could not be turned, indicating that the steering column lock mechanism failed to release after startup. It is believed that one or more dashboard indicators may have illuminated but no details are available. The driver immediately stopped the vehicle, shifted to Park, and powered the vehicle OFF. After restarting, the steering lock disengaged normally and the vehicle operated as expected.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINEAug 2026

A stick that fell off of a truck pierced the grill then radiator and pcu radiator. Now both need to be replaced on a 2026 Honda Civic Hybrid that was purchased in May. There was a service bulletin posted for them to be fixed and it isn’t one of the vin numbers for it but it’s obviously unsafe and not protected enough. A stick should not go through a grill and pierce a radiator and cause $4,000 in damage. Honda has already admitted the problem and has not sufficiently fixed it. The cars are unsafe and clearly not made well. This is my third Honda and I have liked them all, until this, I am 49 years old and have never complained about a vehicle. But these are lemons and unsafe, grills should not be paper thin to the point a wooden stick can do this kind of damage.

STEERINGAug 2026

Steering wheel: Cable reel failure, loud clicking noise when turning at 20k miles, replaced factory cable reel, within 10k miles replacement had failed as well. Current cable reel is also defective, dealership advises ignore the noise. Dealership has reproduced noise and has replaced 2 cable reels. No warning lights, just randomly starts clicking when turning left at first then over time very loud when turning either left or right. Unsure on if it could cause a steering failure.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINEAug 2026

The person driving this car was driving aggressively and was following me.

AIR BAGSAug 2026

The drivers side airbags deployed while the car was parked. No impacts occurred.

Read 14 more owner reports
STEERING,SUSPENSION,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLJul 2026

The one I put down are affected items the water pump could be bad the alternator the computer I’m not a mechanic so of the thing in the car on display don’t always work the cruise control is effected the front left tire wheel and axle feel bad and a times I think the steering wheel could fail and leave me going in that direction..!! The web says it may need an asymmetric rebuild I wasn’t being careless . At some point if the car has faulty water pump it could burn or fire.. I could be go 70 or 25mph and it would happen

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEJun 2026

This vehicles forward collision system uses a camera mounted in the upper windshield area instead of a radar based system. On 2 occasions during rain events the vehicle slammed on the brakes without warning. Also on 1 occasion it started to happen when the windshield suddenly became shadowed.

LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEJun 2026

These systems of the car have almost caused collisions, being forced off the road or emergency braking that almost caused additional accidents. These systems are supposed to prevent accidents and are more likely to cause traffic accidents then prevent them. All of the systems have to be disabled to safely operate the vehicle.

STEERINGJun 2026

Steering feels catchy or like it is hesitating

VISIBILITY/WIPERJun 2026

The windshield wiper design and wiper fluid nozzle make visibility worse. The nozzle doesn’t spray until the wiper is at the top of the windshield amd sprays the fluid off the side of the car instead of onto the windshield for the wipers to clear. The little bit that does hit the windshield is enough to smear any smudge or bug right in front of drivers face making them extremely dangerous.

POWER TRAIN,ENGINEJun 2026

I bought a 2026 honda civic. About two days after receiving the car while driving the car I felt a shaking while driving mostly around 30-40 MPH. ALSO when I put my foot on the gas sometimes there is a hesitation before I start to move and when I do start moving it’s like getting launched on a rocket. Many times while driving I get a shutter, the whole car would lerch forward even while driving it felt like the car was lerching forward. I brought the car to the dealer and had them look at the car, I explained everything I was feeling. They had the car for HOURS and when I got the car back they said they had two different mechanics look at the car and they said they test drove it and couldn’t replicate the problem. But when I got in the car just after the test drove it, I ABSOLUTELY STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. I brought the car back to the dealer a couple of weeks later and talked to the assistant service manager and he said that could be that the transmission is learning how I drive. I feel honda is covering up a problem with the cvt transmission. There is so much information online about problems with the CVT transmission and honda just tells me it’s normal for the car to act that way. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. I was hoping that your department could please investigate this situation.

VISIBILITY/WIPERMay 2026

The windshield wiper fluid is built into the wipers. The fluid sprays at the edge of my windshield, thus not spraying the windshield at all, and all fluid is lost. My windshield gets smeared worse than it was prior to tuening the fluid on and not cleaned at all. This presents a huge safety issue during the winter months when the windshield gets heavily soiled from sand on the road. Finding somewhere safe enough to pull over, and having Windex on hand will be necessary to keep visibility possible due to the unsafe design of the wiper fluid wipers. It also creates a safety issue when the sun is shining through the front windshield and visibility due to the smeared, dirty windshield. Honda said they ate not defective, it is how they were designed. This design is defective amd causes a large safety hazard.

UNKNOWN OR OTHERApr 2026

I am reporting a critical security and safety defect regarding the 2026 Honda Civic Sport Hybrid. The vehicle was stolen only 10 days after purchase. Despite being equipped with factory-installed anti-theft systems and immobilizers, the security was easily bypassed without any physical keys. ​As a professional engineer, I believe this indicates a significant vulnerability in the vehicle's electronic security infrastructure or 'smart key' encryption. A security breach of this nature on a brand-new 2026 model, occurring within such a short timeframe, suggests a systemic manufacturing defect that puts other consumers at risk of vehicle theft and unauthorized operation.

Crash 1 InjurySTEERING,SEAT BELTS,LANE DEPARTUREApr 2026

My car turned me into a light pole and was totaled and I was injured!

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEApr 2026

The auto safety braking system has braked for no reason twice now. Both going 70 mph and going under a bridge. The car senses a car in front and slams on its brakes but there is nothing in front of the car. And all sensors were clean and free of obstructions. Pretty scary going 70 mph and the car just slams on the brakes.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINEApr 2026

The air conditioning in the is not blowing enough air to cool the car down. It would take long to cooling.

TIRESApr 2026

while operating my 2026 Honda Civic, I experienced a sudden and catastrophic tire blowout with absolutely no prior warning. At no point before or during the incident did my Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) alert me via the dashboard that my tire pressure was low or compromised in any way. Three critical failures occurred in this incident: 1. TPMS System Failure — My federally mandated TPMS system, required under FMVSS 138, failed to detect and alert me of dangerously low tire pressure prior to the blowout. I had zero dashboard warning at any point. 2. Tire Integrity Failure — The tire experienced a catastrophic sidewall blowout on a brand new vehicle. No road hazard, debris, or obstacle was struck prior to the failure. The structural integrity of the tire failed without cause. 3. Vehicle Safety System Communication Failure — The vehicle’s onboard diagnostics failed to detect and communicate a critical safety condition to me as the driver. On a 2026 model year vehicle, multiple redundant systems should have caught and communicated this danger, giving me the opportunity to respond and prevent the incident. These three failures created a dangerous chain of events that left me with no ability to take preventive action. The incident caused significant emotional distress. I have retained the damaged tire as physical evidence and have documented the incident with photographs. I am requesting a full investigation into whether this represents a pattern of TPMS and tire failures in the 2026 Honda Civic, and whether a safety recall is warranted. Evidence retained: Damaged tire, photographs of damage, vehicle in current condition for TPMS inspection.

POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMApr 2026

Vehicle: 2026 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback VIN: [XXX] Mileage at time of complaint: 1,500 miles Description of Problem: The vehicle jerks/shudders when turning at low RPM. This occurs consistently during low-speed maneuvers such as parking lot turns and slow cornering. The issue is repeatable and has been present since purchase. Multiple passengers have independently noticed and remarked on the issue. The vehicle has not yet been seen by a dealer. When it occurs: Low-speed turns, low RPM Frequency: Consistent/repeatable Injuries or accidents: None to date I am reporting this issue as it may represent a safety concern and to ensure it is documented for investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMMar 2026

When car is turned off, the fuel pump continues to run. This has happened twice in the past two weeks.

Showing 20 of 3,783 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database

Check the exact car

Before you buy, check the exact Honda Civic

These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.

The basics

How to read this data

Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Honda Civic, in plain English.

01

What is an NHTSA Complaint?

An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Honda Civic has 3,783 complaints on record across 10 model years.

02

What is a Safety Recall?

A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Honda Civic has 38 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.

03

What Are Crash Complaints?

Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 205 of the Honda Civic's 3,783 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.

04

How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?

The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.

05

Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?

Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.

06

Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN

Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Honda Civic vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Honda Civic vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.

07

What Are NHTSA Investigations?

When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Honda Civic has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.

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By state

Check a Honda Civic by state

Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Honda Civic.

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Research more

Keep researching before you buy

Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.

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Honda Civic reliability — frequently asked questions

Is the Honda Civic reliable?

Poor. The Honda Civic has 3,783 NHTSA owner complaints and 38 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is STEERING. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.

Which Honda Civic years to avoid?

Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2022 (883 complaints), 2017 (597 complaints), 2018 (596 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.

What are the most common Honda Civic problems?

Top reported issues: STEERING (1,940 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (511 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (341 complaints).

Does the Honda Civic have recalls?

Yes — 38 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Honda Civic. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.

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