2013 Honda CIVIC

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Honda CIVIC has 433 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: vehicle rear-ended a stopped vehicle and significant property damage occurred to vehicle's front end. but driver, wearing seat belt, was thrown forward because air bag did not open. *tr. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 32 crash reports 31 injuries

433

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

110 complaints

25%

• VEHICLE REAR-ENDED A STOPPED VEHICLE AND SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED TO VEHICLE'S FRONT END. BUT DRIVER, WEARING SEAT BELT, WAS THROWN FORWARD BECAUSE AIR BAG DID NOT OPEN. *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SU
• I WAS AT A STOP AND WAS REAR-ENDED BY A FORD F350 GOING 50-55 MPH. MY CAR WAS PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS NUMBER 2 IN A 7 CAR PILE UP. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BACK OF MY HEAD HIT THE HEAD REST. *JS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 19 crashes

“VEHICLE REAR-ENDED A STOPPED VEHICLE AND SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED TO VEHICLE'S FRONT END. BUT DRIVER, WEARING SEAT BELT, WAS THROWN FORWARD BECAUSE AIR BAG DID NOT OPEN. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

38 complaints

• MY 2013 HONDA CIVIC EXL THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION .THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DECELERATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER . THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT THEY COULDN T FIND THE FAULT. THE FAILURE STARTED @ 300 MILES. AND BEEN DOIN
• WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 72 MILES AN HOUR MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST POWER. THE DASH WENT COMPLETELY BLACK AND MY ENGINE SHUT OFF. MY STEERING WAS EXTREMELY STIFF WITH LIMITED RANGE OF MOVEMENT, I FEEL THE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT INTO THE OPEN LANE NEXT TO ME AND BRAKE
• THIS IS MY SECOND 2013 CIVIC WITHIN A YEAR. MY FIRST ONE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE IMID SCREEN AND RADIO. BASICALLY, THIS BECOMES AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT AFFECTS THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. I ALSO LEARNED THAT THE HARD RESET THAT WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE COULD'VE DID MORE HARM THAN GOOD. THE IMID WOULD FRE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“MY 2013 HONDA CIVIC EXL THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION .THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DECELERATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER . THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT THEY COULDN T FIND THE FAULT. THE FAILURE STARTED @ 300 MILES. AND BEEN DOIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

37 complaints

• I BOUGHT A NEW CAR AN DRIVING AT 245 MILES I FELT RUBBING FEEL WITH BRAKES TOOK CAR BACK TO HONDA SERVICE! HONDA ROAD TESTED VEHICLE AN CONFIRMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, REMOVED PADS CLEANED AN REINSTALLED. RETURNED CAR SAME DAY, THIS WAS DONE AT 376 MILES. SAME ISSUE ON FEBRUARY 1,2013 2 WEEKS LATE
• PURCHASED A 2013 HONDA CIVIC ON 08/31/13. ON 09/02/13 CAR HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO CULVER CITY DEALERSHIP. WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM CURB WHEEL FELT HEAVY AND THE CONSOLE LIT UP WITH RED, ORGAN AND YELLOW LIGHTS, INDICATING THAT THE POWER STEERING AND BREAKS NEEDED TO BE CHECKED AND LOW OIL PRESSURE.
• THIS IS A COMPLAINT AGAINST HONDA CIVIC 2013 I PURCHASED ON 12/27/2013. THERE IS NO ACCIDENT OCCURS BUT IF THIS ISSUE OCCUR ON THE ROAD, IT WILL LEAD/CAUSE A BIG ACCIDENT TO ME AND TO ANY OTHER NEARBY VEHICLE. TODAY (01/07/2013) AND WITH THE COLD WEATHER I PRACTICED TWO SAFETY ISSUES. 1-CHECK

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I BOUGHT A NEW CAR AN DRIVING AT 245 MILES I FELT RUBBING FEEL WITH BRAKES TOOK CAR BACK TO HONDA SERVICE! HONDA ROAD TESTED VEHICLE AN CONFIRMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, REMOVED PADS CLEANED AN REINSTALLED. RETURNED CAR SAME DAY, THIS WAS DONE AT 376 MILES. SAME ISSUE ON FEBRUARY 1,2013 2 WEEKS LATE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

37 complaints

• I WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND WANTED TO TURN LEFT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF , THE NOTICE ON THE DASH BOARD SAID: "CHECK THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM"AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE WHEEL. I PANICKED AND TRIED HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS ABLE TO TURN LEFT WITH A LOT OF DIFFICULTY AND I STOPPED THE
• PURCHASED 2013 NEW HONDA CIVIC HF TWO DAYS AGO. INITIALLY NOTICED VIBRATION FROM RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE AT 70 MPH. NOW IT SEEMS THAT VIBRATION OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS. APPOINTMENT MADE WITH HONDA TO CHECK PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP INITIALLY GUESSED THAT THERE WAS A FLAT SPOT IN TIRE AND IT NEEDS TO BE RUN
• I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK IN THE MORNING AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AS I WAS DRIVING. I TRIED TO PHYSICALLY GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK AS MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT TO UNLOCK AND AN ACCIDENT HAPPENED AND I ENDED UP IN A DITCH WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND WANTED TO TURN LEFT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF , THE NOTICE ON THE DASH BOARD SAID: "CHECK THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM"AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE WHEEL. I PANICKED AND TRIED HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS ABLE TO TURN LEFT WITH A LOT OF DIFFICULTY AND I STOPPED THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

31 complaints

• MY 2013 HONDA CIVIC EXL THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION .THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DECELERATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER . THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT THEY COULDN T FIND THE FAULT. THE FAILURE STARTED @ 300 MILES. AND BEEN DOIN
• BEING MALE AND CAPABLE OF DRIVING STANDARD SHIFT, I DRIVE 2 FOOTED. THIS VEHICLE IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH DRIVE BY WIRE FEATURE. LEFT ON BRAKE,RIGHT ON ACCELERATOR. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR A SLOW TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE AS EXPECTED, IT SEEMS TO DELAY COMPETIN
• TIRE SENSOR ALWAYS GOING OFF SERVICE CLAIMS NO PROBLEMS WITH TIRES AND NEXT DAY TIRE GOES FLAT HAPPENS OVER AND AGAIN, OWNER GETS TIRED OF GUESSING IF ITS LOW AIR OR A FLAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN DANGEROUS TO DRIVE NOT KNOWING SENSORS ARE NEVER RIGHT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 433 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: VEHICLE REAR-ENDED A STOPPED VEHICLE AND SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED TO VEHICLE'S FRONT END. BUT DRIVER, WEARING SEAT BELT, WAS THROWN FORWARD BECAUSE AIR BAG DID NOT OPEN. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY 2013 HONDA CIVIC EXL THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION .THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DECELERATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER . THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT THEY COULDN T FIND THE FAULT. THE FAILURE STARTED @ 300 MILES. AND BEEN DOIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: I BOUGHT A NEW CAR AN DRIVING AT 245 MILES I FELT RUBBING FEEL WITH BRAKES TOOK CAR BACK TO HONDA SERVICE! HONDA ROAD TESTED VEHICLE AN CONFIRMED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, REMOVED PADS CLEANED AN REINSTALLED. RETURNED CAR SAME DAY, THIS WAS DONE AT 376 MILES. SAME ISSUE ON FEBRUARY 1,2013 2 WEEKS LATE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: I WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND WANTED TO TURN LEFT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF , THE NOTICE ON THE DASH BOARD SAID: "CHECK THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM"AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE WHEEL. I PANICKED AND TRIED HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS ABLE TO TURN LEFT WITH A LOT OF DIFFICULTY AND I STOPPED THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)