Honda Civic Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 682 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda Civic across 25 model years. The 2006 model year has the most (151). The words owners use most often: “engine block” (13% of reports).
- 682engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 26mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 47%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 88 of 682 complaints (13%)
- Exhaust manifold: mentioned in 45 of 682 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Honda Civic at $1,300, and half of them between $970 and $3,050.
Based on 66 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2012), 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 and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 451 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 682 complaints, 26 mention a crash, 24 a fire, 9 an injury.
Honda Civic engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Civic | 1 | 1% | 108,000 |
| 2019 Civic | 1 | 0% | 93 |
| 2017 Civic | 5 | 1% | 43,000 |
| 2016 Civic | 4 | 0% | 59,000 |
| 2015 Civic | 1 | 0% | 130,000 |
| 2014 Civic | 3 | 1% | — |
| 2013 Civic | 1 | 0% | 39,000 |
| 2012 Civic | 4 | 1% | 3,294 |
| 2011 Civic | 4 | 2% | 16,000 |
| 2010 Civic | 10 | 3% | 10,700 |
| 2009 Civic | 12 | 3% | 13,705 |
| 2008 Civic | 55 | 6% | 46,834 |
| 2007 Civic | 74 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2006 Civic | 151 | 11% | 67,000 |
| 2005 Civic | 19 | 6% | 81,523 |
| 2004 Civic | 16 | 5% | 40,346 |
| 2003 Civic | 37 | 7% | 65,000 |
| 2002 Civic | 31 | 4% | 50,450 |
| 2001 Civic | 64 | 6% | 81,000 |
| 2000 Civic | 47 | 16% | 64,809 |
| 1999 Civic | 30 | 9% | 100,097 |
| 1998 Civic | 53 | 12% | 84,470 |
| 1997 Civic | 25 | 7% | 90,000 |
| 1996 Civic | 27 | 9% | — |
| 1995 Civic | 7 | 4% | 182,600 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2016
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Civic vehicles manufactured September 22, 2015, to February 3, 2016 and equipped with 2.0L engines. The affected vehicles have engines with piston assemblies that may have been manufactured without a piston wrist pin circlip or with an incorrectly installed piston wrist pin circlip.
Risk: If a circlip is missing or incorrectly installed, the piston wrist pin may not be secure and may drift and damage the engine cylinder causing the engine to seize, and increasing the risk of a crash or a fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the piston assemblies and damaged engine components, as necessary, free of charge. Parts are expected to be available in the Summer of 2016. Owners were mailed an interim notification beginning March 31, 2016, and will be mailed a second notice when parts are available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JX9.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2001, 2002
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. During the assembly process, the air cleaner box cover may have been damaged, and a broken plastic piece could travel into the intake chamber.
Risk: If the plastic piece lodges in the throttle body, the throttle could stick in a partially open position. Although the driver can always stop the car by applying additional brake force, or by taking other actions (i.e., shift into neutral, turn off the ignition key, etc.), if the car continues to maintain speed when the driver is expecting it to slow, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the air cleaner box for damage. If damage is found, the dealer will locate and remove the broken plastic piece, and replace the air cleaner box lid. Owner notification began on october 25, 2001. 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while the vehicle was running with the A/C unit activated, there was an abnormal odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. Additionally, while the A/C unit was activated, only hot air was coming from the vents. The vehicle was taken to a…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving approximately 37 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine, master cylinder, and adaptive cruise control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the…
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly came to a stop. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 35 MPH, and the contact pulled over. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a transmission…
Recently moved in person to an original over 55 community has an after market exhust system that is very load and the person also drives up and down the street like a race driver
Frequently asked questions
Do all Honda Civics have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 682 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Honda Civic. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Honda Civic engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda Civic?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $970 and $3,050), from 66 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda Civic?
The most frequent phrase is “engine block”, in 88 of 682 complaints, followed by “exhaust manifold” (45).
Other Honda Civic problems
- Air Bags problems (2,757)
- Steering problems (2,548)
- Power Train problems (1,732)
- Electrical System problems (1,426)
- Engine problems (1,107)
- Suspension problems (854)
- Visibility problems (792)
- Structure problems (778)
See all Honda Civic problems.