1999 Honda Civic Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 118 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 1999 Honda Civic, 35% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 149,569 miles. The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (63% of reports).
- 118electrical system complaints
- 149,569median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $420typical repair cost reported by owners
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 74 of 118 complaints (63%)
- Stalled without: mentioned in 12 of 118 complaints (10%)
- Included electrical: mentioned in 9 of 118 complaints (8%)
- Consumer states: mentioned in 7 of 118 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 1999 Honda Civic at $420, and half of them between $270 and $840.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 75 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 118 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury.
Honda Civic electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Civic | 5 | 16% | 300 |
| 2025 Civic | 6 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Civic | 7 | 6% | 11,000 |
| 2023 Civic | 17 | 7% | 200 |
| 2022 Civic | 38 | 4% | 37,900 |
| 2021 Civic | 18 | 12% | 251 |
| 2020 Civic | 37 | 16% | 9,000 |
| 2019 Civic | 36 | 8% | 9,638 |
| 2018 Civic | 61 | 8% | 11,775 |
| 2017 Civic | 103 | 17% | 19,000 |
| 2016 Civic | 119 | 11% | 26,575 |
| 2015 Civic | 28 | 7% | 32,000 |
| 2014 Civic | 39 | 13% | 40,780 |
| 2013 Civic | 39 | 12% | 35,000 |
| 2012 Civic | 60 | 13% | 40,000 |
| 2011 Civic | 16 | 9% | 31,000 |
| 2010 Civic | 23 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2009 Civic | 36 | 9% | 13,300 |
| 2008 Civic | 51 | 6% | 33,500 |
| 2007 Civic | 67 | 6% | 40,000 |
| 2006 Civic | 100 | 7% | 53,000 |
| 2005 Civic | 26 | 8% | 78,100 |
| 2004 Civic | 32 | 9% | 91,000 |
| 2003 Civic | 51 | 10% | 101,223 |
| 2002 Civic | 49 | 7% | 110,000 |
| 2001 Civic | 59 | 5% | 91,750 |
| 2000 Civic | 38 | 13% | 122,925 |
| 1999 Civic | 118 | 35% | 149,569 |
| 1998 Civic | 88 | 20% | 128,000 |
| 1997 Civic | 30 | 8% | 85,000 |
| 1996 Civic | 17 | 6% | 170,000 |
| 1995 Civic | 12 | 6% | 115,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
Risk: Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began june 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1999 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost electrical power inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact…
I left work as usual when shortly after near my work I began to smell a strong gasoline smell and I parked to check the vehicle when I turned off the vehicle it made a slight explosion and caught fire
While driving on the highway car engine shut off and completely lost power. After getting on to the shoulder car would not start, electric windows would not operate. Approximately 30 minutes later car started and made it home on city streets. Have not driven it since. Checked and did not find any…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1999 Honda Civics have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 118 owner complaints about electrical system for the 1999 Honda Civic (35% of the 338 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Honda Civic electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 149,569 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 1999 Honda Civic?
Owners report a typical cost of $420 (half paid between $270 and $840), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 1999 Honda Civic?
The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 74 of 118 complaints, followed by “stalled without” (12).
Other 1999 Honda Civic problems
- Air Bags problems (58)
See all 1999 Honda Civic problems or electrical system problems across all Civic years.