Honda Civic Problems by Year

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · 15,418 owner complaints analyzed

Years with far more complaints than usual:

NHTSA has 15,418 owner complaints and 62 safety recalls on file for the Honda Civic, across 32 model years (1995–2026). The 2006 model year has the most complaints (1,403). The most reported problem area overall is air bags.

Honda Civic
Honda Civic Sedan (FE) Washington DC, USA. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: OWS Photography, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Peak: 2006, with 1,403 complaints
1995: 19919951996: 3051997: 3731998: 43519981999: 3382000: 2872001: 1,07920012002: 7022003: 4992004: 35020042005: 3152006: 1,4031,4032007: 1,20420072008: 9162009: 3952010: 39720102011: 1692012: 4562013: 31920132014: 2932015: 3802016: 1,08120162017: 6002018: 7452019: 43620192020: 2282021: 1452022: 88320222023: 2562024: 1242025: 7520252026: 31

n = 15,418 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Honda Civic years to avoid? What the complaint data shows

These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Civic year: 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2022. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.

Model years with the most complaints

  1. 2006 Civic: 1,403 complaints, 13 recalls
  2. 2007 Civic: 1,204 complaints, 9 recalls
  3. 2016 Civic: 1,081 complaints, 5 recalls

Model years with the fewest complaints

  1. 2026 Civic: 31 complaints, 0 recalls
  2. 2025 Civic: 75 complaints, 2 recalls
  3. 2024 Civic: 124 complaints, 3 recalls

Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.

Most common Honda Civic problems (all years)

Problem areaComplaintsModel yearsCrashes
Air Bags problems2,75632963
Steering problems2,54232135
Power Train problems1,7303260
Electrical System problems1,4233254
Engine problems1,1073126
Suspension problems8543237
Visibility problems7922711
Structure problems7773081
Engine and Engine Cooling problems6822526
Vehicle Speed Control problems60432143
Service Brakes problems5542897
Tires problems4443225
Fuel/propulsion System problems398296
Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems37824104
Seat Belts problems3393290
Exterior Lighting problems3273117
Wheels problems3122833
Visibility/wiper problems294253
Fuel System, Gasoline problems290277
Forward Collision Avoidance problems2461516
Seats problems1913024
Equipment problems1832210
Lane Departure problems1551422
Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems1052210
Latches/locks/linkages69212
Parking Brake351412
Fuel System, Other32123
Equipment Adaptive/mobility1592
Service Brakes, Air1493
Service Brakes, Electric1473
Interior Lighting1250
Hybrid Propulsion System840
Back Over Prevention760
Child Seat540
Other/i Am Not Sure330
Traction Control System320
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness110
Communication110
Electronic Stability Control110
I Suspect the Car Seat Is Counterfeit110

Honda Civic problems by model year

Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.

All Honda Civic model years

Model yearComplaintsRecallsCrash ratingTop problemCompared with other years
2026 Civic310—Forward Collision AvoidanceFar fewer complaints than other years
2025 Civic752—SteeringFar fewer complaints than other years
2024 Civic1243—SteeringFar fewer complaints than other years
2023 Civic2564—SteeringFewer complaints than other years
2022 Civic88345★SteeringFar more complaints than other years
2021 Civic14545★SteeringFar fewer complaints than other years
2020 Civic22855★Electrical SystemFewer complaints than other years
2019 Civic43645★SteeringAbout as many complaints as other years
2018 Civic74565★SteeringMore complaints than other years
2017 Civic60065★SteeringMore complaints than other years
2016 Civic1,08155★SteeringFar more complaints than other years
2015 Civic38015★Power TrainAbout as many complaints as other years
2014 Civic29325★Power TrainFewer complaints than other years
2013 Civic31905★Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
2012 Civic45635★Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
2011 Civic16993★Air BagsFar fewer complaints than other years
2010 Civic3978—Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
2009 Civic3958—Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
2008 Civic9167—Air BagsFar more complaints than other years
2007 Civic1,2049—SuspensionFar more complaints than other years
2006 Civic1,40313—EngineFar more complaints than other years
2005 Civic31510—Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
2004 Civic35010—Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
2003 Civic49911—Air BagsMore complaints than other years
2002 Civic70211—Air BagsMore complaints than other years
2001 Civic1,07914—Power TrainFar more complaints than other years
2000 Civic2876—Air BagsFewer complaints than other years
1999 Civic3383—Electrical SystemAbout as many complaints as other years
1998 Civic4354—Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
1997 Civic3732—Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
1996 Civic3052—Air BagsAbout as many complaints as other years
1995 Civic1990—Air BagsFewer complaints than other years

More from Honda: all Honda models · Honda VIN decoder

Frequently asked questions

Which Honda Civic years should you stay away from?

By NHTSA complaints, 2001 (1,079), 2006 (1,403), 2007 (1,204), 2008 (916), 2016 (1,081), 2022 (883) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Civic year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.

What is the biggest problem with the Honda Civic?

Air Bags, with 2,756 complaints across 32 model years.

How many recalls does the Honda Civic have?

62 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.