2008 Honda Civic Engine Problems
Owners have filed 156 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2008 Honda Civic, 17% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 107,740 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine block” (60% of reports).
- 156engine complaints
- 107,740median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%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.
- Engine block: mentioned in 93 of 156 complaints (60%)
- Service bulletin: mentioned in 14 of 156 complaints (9%)
- Leaking coolant: mentioned in 11 of 156 complaints (7%)
- Water pump: mentioned in 9 of 156 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2008 Honda Civic at $5,000, and half of them between $3,350 and $7,550.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2020), 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 engine problems happen?
Based on 118 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 156 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Honda Civic engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Civic | 5 | 16% | — |
| 2025 Civic | 5 | 7% | — |
| 2024 Civic | 3 | 2% | 26,000 |
| 2023 Civic | 8 | 3% | — |
| 2022 Civic | 11 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Civic | 5 | 3% | — |
| 2020 Civic | 12 | 5% | 40,776 |
| 2019 Civic | 32 | 7% | 10,600 |
| 2018 Civic | 57 | 8% | 11,750 |
| 2017 Civic | 66 | 11% | 20,000 |
| 2016 Civic | 95 | 9% | 26,754 |
| 2015 Civic | 31 | 8% | 14,000 |
| 2014 Civic | 23 | 8% | 39,000 |
| 2013 Civic | 22 | 7% | 11,000 |
| 2012 Civic | 32 | 7% | 25,000 |
| 2011 Civic | 7 | 4% | 39,000 |
| 2010 Civic | 19 | 5% | 64,443 |
| 2009 Civic | 27 | 7% | 90,500 |
| 2008 Civic | 156 | 17% | 107,740 |
| 2007 Civic | 170 | 14% | 105,500 |
| 2006 Civic | 227 | 16% | 117,000 |
| 2005 Civic | 14 | 4% | 99,873 |
| 2004 Civic | 10 | 3% | 95,000 |
| 2003 Civic | 8 | 2% | 175,000 |
| 2002 Civic | 17 | 2% | 92,000 |
| 2001 Civic | 19 | 2% | 118,500 |
| 2000 Civic | 4 | 1% | 124,500 |
| 1999 Civic | 14 | 4% | 144,000 |
| 1998 Civic | 3 | 1% | 160,000 |
| 1997 Civic | 3 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 1996 Civic | 2 | 1% | 157,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2008 Honda Civic. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine, steering. Purchased the car from a certified dealership in January 2026. After 3 months of driving, the car began exhibiting performance issues. During a normal acceleration pattern, the car…
Engine temperature suddenly rose high, pulled over. Discovered what appeared to be coolant on front of block. Had diagnosed and found to have a cracked block. Contacted Honda, the refused to do anything as it wasnât a recall only a warranty bulletin. This needs to be recalled so people who are…
Engine block cracked. Leaking coolant and rendering vehicle useless.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Honda Civics have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 156 owner complaints about engine for the 2008 Honda Civic (17% of the 916 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 2008 Honda Civic engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 107,740 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2008 Honda Civic?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,000 (half paid between $3,350 and $7,550), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2008 Honda Civic?
The most frequent phrase is “engine block”, in 93 of 156 complaints, followed by “service bulletin” (14).
Other 2008 Honda Civic problems
See all 2008 Honda Civic problems or engine problems across all Civic years.