1996 Honda Civic Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Civic years
- About as many complaints as other years 22nd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 305 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Honda Civic. That ranks 22nd out of 32 Civic model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (70 complaints, 23%), typically at around 92,000 miles. Complaints mention 67 crashes, 4 fires, 46 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 305owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 67complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Honda Civic problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 70 | 23% | 92,000 | “air bags deploy” (19%) | $900 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 52 | 17% | 48,000 | “brakes failed” (33%) | — |
| Visibility | 34 | 11% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 31 | 10% | 104,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 27 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 25 | 8% | 112,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 19 | 6% | 154,013 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 6% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 17 | 6% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 4% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 11 | 4% | 97,600 | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 3% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 9 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 2% | 156,250 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 2% | 74,300 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | 71,141 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 157,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Honda Civic recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: A soapy lubricant was used to insert the check valve into the vacuum hose which causes the brake booster check valve to stick.
Risk: This condition can cause a loss of the brake's power assist resulting in a reduction in braking performance increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will clean the check valve by washing the vacuum hose with hot water.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Throttle cable sticking (SQ98017) — opened Sep 11, 1998, closed Jun 3, 1999, led to recall 99E015000.
- Condenser fan motor inoperative (SQ98012) — opened Jun 30, 1998, closed Nov 2, 1998.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Gas idle didn't return back and i got into a car accident. *tr
I have 2 recalls and i need the notification for them gone asap so i can ship my car overseas. The issues stated about the "air bag" and "floor mats" have yet to cause a concern to my driving and or handling ability. I don't have the time to go through these recalls as i am military and need my…
This honda was involved in an accident yesterday with both side and front impact while in motion, both impacts being major. But neither the passenger or driver's airbags were deployed at any time. There were no warning lights on about the airbag prior to this.
Accessory driver-side floor mats used in 1996-1998 honda civic vehicles. Due to the shape of the floor on these vehicles, a mispositioned floor mat could interfere with the accelerator pedal. The car is in motion. K60
My 1996 honda civic's engine turns off while driving. There was just a recall for the newer versions(2016 honda civics) for the same problem. I cannot find any recalls online about 1996 honda civics shutting off while driving though. I have had this problem for about a year now.
Other Honda Civic years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Civic | 31 | 0 |
| 2025 Civic | 75 | 2 |
| 2024 Civic | 124 | 3 |
| 2023 Civic | 256 | 4 |
| 2022 Civic | 883 | 4 |
| 2021 Civic | 145 | 4 |
| 2020 Civic | 228 | 5 |
| 2019 Civic | 436 | 4 |
| 2018 Civic | 745 | 6 |
| 2017 Civic | 600 | 6 |
| 2016 Civic | 1,081 | 5 |
| 2015 Civic | 380 | 1 |
| 2014 Civic | 293 | 2 |
| 2013 Civic | 319 | 0 |
| 2012 Civic | 456 | 3 |
| 2011 Civic | 169 | 9 |
| 2010 Civic | 397 | 8 |
| 2009 Civic | 395 | 8 |
| 2008 Civic | 916 | 7 |
| 2007 Civic | 1,204 | 9 |
| 2006 Civic | 1,403 | 13 |
| 2005 Civic | 315 | 10 |
| 2004 Civic | 350 | 10 |
| 2003 Civic | 499 | 11 |
| 2002 Civic | 702 | 11 |
| 2001 Civic | 1,079 | 14 |
| 2000 Civic | 287 | 6 |
| 1999 Civic | 338 | 3 |
| 1998 Civic | 435 | 4 |
| 1997 Civic | 373 | 2 |
| 1996 | 305 | 2 |
| 1995 Civic | 199 | 0 |
See all Honda Civic problems by year, every Honda model, or the Honda VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Honda Civic?
Owners most often report air bags, service brakes, hydraulic, visibility problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 70 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Honda Civic?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Honda Civic a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Civic model years, the 1996 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.