Honda Civic Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 327 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the Honda Civic across 31 model years. The 2001 model year has the most (62). The words owners use most often: “low beam” (20% of reports).
- 327exterior lighting complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 17mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- 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.
- Low beam: mentioned in 65 of 327 complaints (20%)
- Lighting headlights: mentioned in 24 of 327 complaints (7%)
- High beams: mentioned in 24 of 327 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 209 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 327 complaints, 17 mention a crash, 14 a fire, 5 an injury.
Honda Civic exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Civic | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2024 Civic | 1 | 1% | 11,000 |
| 2023 Civic | 4 | 2% | — |
| 2022 Civic | 2 | 0% | — |
| 2021 Civic | 2 | 1% | 101 |
| 2020 Civic | 2 | 1% | 76,000 |
| 2019 Civic | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2018 Civic | 3 | 0% | 30,000 |
| 2017 Civic | 4 | 1% | 52,600 |
| 2016 Civic | 30 | 3% | 500 |
| 2015 Civic | 1 | 0% | 50,000 |
| 2014 Civic | 7 | 2% | 16,000 |
| 2013 Civic | 5 | 2% | 15,000 |
| 2012 Civic | 10 | 2% | 36,866 |
| 2011 Civic | 3 | 2% | 40,000 |
| 2010 Civic | 5 | 1% | 41,000 |
| 2009 Civic | 10 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2008 Civic | 6 | 1% | 65,000 |
| 2007 Civic | 14 | 1% | 80,000 |
| 2006 Civic | 23 | 2% | 43,000 |
| 2005 Civic | 6 | 2% | 131,885 |
| 2004 Civic | 12 | 3% | 78,210 |
| 2003 Civic | 23 | 5% | 129,300 |
| 2002 Civic | 53 | 8% | 131,448 |
| 2001 Civic | 62 | 6% | 104,073 |
| 2000 Civic | 9 | 3% | 129,000 |
| 1999 Civic | 2 | 1% | — |
| 1998 Civic | 5 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 1997 Civic | 6 | 2% | 23,750 |
| 1996 Civic | 13 | 4% | 125,000 |
| 1995 Civic | 2 | 1% | 224,889 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Exterior lighting
Model years: 2016
Problem: American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 Civic 2-Door vehicles manufactured February 23, 2016, through May 20, 2016. The affected vehicles may have a damaged LED side marker light circuit board inside the taillight assembly, making the marker light inoperable. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."
Risk: If a side marker light does not function, vehicle visibility can be decreased to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect both the taillight assemblies, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 31, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KB8.
Exterior lighting:headlights:switch
Model years: 2002, 2003
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v; model year 2003 through 2005 pilot; and model year 2002 and 2003 civic vehicles. In march 2012, honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v and certain model year 2003 pilot vehicles. In august 2012, honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 820,789 vehicles including certain model year 2004 and 2005 pilots and model year 2002 and 2003 civics. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,375,217. Due to tension from the combination switch wiring harness, wear on the surface of the electrical terminal can occur, yielding copper oxide, which increases electrical resistance. Increased electrical resistance may cause the terminal ends to melt within the wiring harness connector.
Risk: If the terminal ends melt within the wiring harness connector, the low beam headlights may become inoperative, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the low beam terminal harness or replace the lighting switch as necessary, free of charge. The original recall began in april 2012. Owners of vehicles involved in the september 2012 expansion will be notified in september 2012. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Model years: 2006, 2007
Problem: On certain sedan and hybrid (cng) vehicles, during assembly, the telescopic steering column mechanism may have been over-lubricated with silicone grease. Over time, some of this extra grease may drip on the brake light switch causing the switch to fail.
Risk: Failure may result in a loss of brake lights and an increased risk that the vehicle could be struck in the rear. In addition, a failed brake light switch could prevent shifting the transmission from the park position (vehicles with an automatic transmission).
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective cover overthe switch free of charge. The recall began on october 2, 2007. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Model years: 2001, 2002
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the low-beam terminal on the head light wire harness can overheat and could cause the low beams to fail without warning.
Risk: An unexpected loss of low beams could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the head light switch and coupler for signs of heat damage. If heat damage is present, the dealer will replace the switch and coupler. If no heat damage is present, the dealer will replace the head light switch and one mating pin in the coupler. Owner notification began on april 5, 2004. Owners 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.
The Body Control Module (BCM) on my 2017 Honda Civic suffered an internal failure, creating immediate safety hazards. The defect caused persistent parasitic battery drain, sudden vehicle power loss, and erratic electrical behavior. A faulty BCM can cause critical safety componentsâsuch as…
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the headlights failed to operate properly and failed to provide adequate illumination while driving. The dealer was contacted, and headlight failure was repaired; however…
Following a drivetrain repair at Gary Yeomans Honda, the vehicle was returned to me in an unsafe driving condition. Specifically, the technician left unsecured heavy metal tools (a pry bar and screwdriver) loose in the engine bay, failed to torque a structural fastener, and rendered the rear brake…
I was driving my car home from work and many warning lights lit up on my car dashboard (brake problem, engine problem, uphill start, steering problem) etc.. I got off the freeway and my car dashboard lit up and notified me âto pull over to a safe location because my car needle (temperature) was…
Vehicle: 2026 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback VIN: [XXX] Mileage at time of complaint: 1,500 miles Description of Problem: The vehicle jerks/shudders when turning at low RPM. This occurs consistently during low-speed maneuvers such as parking lot turns and slow cornering. The issue is repeatable and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Honda Civics have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 327 owner complaints about exterior lighting 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 exterior lighting?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the Honda Civic?
The most frequent phrase is “low beam”, in 65 of 327 complaints, followed by “lighting headlights” (24).
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.