2015 Honda CIVIC

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Honda CIVIC has 485 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: i purchased a 2015 honda civic ex with a cvt. i can reliably reproduce a problem with the continuously variable transmission (cvt) stutters or jerks when gradually accelerating at in-town speeds (e.g., 10-40 mph). it happens most often when going from a slow speed (e.g., 10-20 mph) and gradually acc. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 43 crash reports 27 injuries

485

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

6.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

175 complaints

36%

• I PURCHASED A 2015 HONDA CIVIC EX WITH A CVT. I CAN RELIABLY REPRODUCE A PROBLEM WITH THE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) STUTTERS OR JERKS WHEN GRADUALLY ACCELERATING AT IN-TOWN SPEEDS (E.G., 10-40 MPH). IT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN GOING FROM A SLOW SPEED (E.G., 10-20 MPH) AND GRADUALLY ACC
• NOTICED A SHUDDER WITH VEHICLE DURING 1ST WEEK OF PURCHASE. THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE WEIRD SINCE BEING A NEW CAR. ASSUMED THAT IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH REGARDS TO BREAK IN OF VEHICLE. 2ND WEEK OF OWNERSHIP ON MY WAY TO WORK, NOTICED THE SHUDDER MULTIPLE TIMES DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THIS
• PURCHASED CAR WITH 136 MILES ON IT. NOTICED THE BRAKES MADE A POPPING SOUND WHEN PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, ALSO A NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE CAR WAS PUT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS. TOOK IT IN SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG. MAYBE YOU ARE PRESSING TO HARD ON THE BRAKES.THIRD MONTH IN I WENT BACK AGAI

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

“I PURCHASED A 2015 HONDA CIVIC EX WITH A CVT. I CAN RELIABLY REPRODUCE A PROBLEM WITH THE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) STUTTERS OR JERKS WHEN GRADUALLY ACCELERATING AT IN-TOWN SPEEDS (E.G., 10-40 MPH). IT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN GOING FROM A SLOW SPEED (E.G., 10-20 MPH) AND GRADUALLY ACC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

58 complaints

12%

• WE PURCHASED THIS CAR ON APRIL 11, 2015. DON'T DRIVE THE CAR EVERYDAY. HOWEVER, EVERY TIME I AM IN THE CAR, EVEN FOR SHORT DISTANCES, I GET REALLY SICK--HEADACHE, NAUSEA, TIGHTNESS IN THE HEAD, AND EXTREME TIREDNESS. I AM NOT PRONE TO CAR SICKNESS, AND HAVE DRIVEN A BRAND NEW HONDA ACCORD PREVIOUSLY
• I LEASED A NEW 2015 HONDA CIVIC FROM OURISMAN HONDA IN BETHESDA, MARYLAND IN JUNE 2015. SHORTLY AFTER THIS PURCHASE, I STARTED TO SEE SMALL PALE SPIDERS IN THE CAR. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER SEEN A SPIDER IN ANY CAR THAT I HAVE OWNED. I SEE ABOUT 1 SPIDER A WEEK AND MOST RECENTLY, THIS MO
• MY REAR VIEW CAMERAS IS EXTREMELY DARK AND DANGEROUS TO USE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUN (I BELIEVE THEY ARE ALL THAT WAY) I WENT TO THE DEALER IN PORT CHARLOTTE FLORIDA WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR TWI TIMES AND AFTER 3 EMPLOYEES AGREED YOU CAN NOT SEE WELL ENOUGH OUT OF IT TO BE ABLE TO USE IT THEY HAD ME BRI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“WE PURCHASED THIS CAR ON APRIL 11, 2015. DON'T DRIVE THE CAR EVERYDAY. HOWEVER, EVERY TIME I AM IN THE CAR, EVEN FOR SHORT DISTANCES, I GET REALLY SICK--HEADACHE, NAUSEA, TIGHTNESS IN THE HEAD, AND EXTREME TIREDNESS. I AM NOT PRONE TO CAR SICKNESS, AND HAVE DRIVEN A BRAND NEW HONDA ACCORD PREVIOUSLY”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

57 complaints

12%

• DEAR LAWYER, MY HONDA CIVIC EXL 2015 WAS REAR ENDED ON THE 9TH DAY. THEN THE CAR COLLIDED WITH THE ELECTRIC POLE. KINDLY FIND THE DETAILS- ?ACCIDENT: 5TH JAN 2015 (HTTP://GOO.GL/BHCPGH) THUS, I WOULD BE OBLIGED IF YOU COULD HELP ME TO MAKE THE CLAIM. LOOKING FORWARD TO TALK TO YOU SOON.
• I PURCHASED THIS CAR LAST MONTH AND IT HAS REMAINED IN MY GARAGE BECAUSE I'M TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I KNOW ABOUT THE AIR BAG ISSUE AND WANT TO KNOW WHEN THIS CAR WILL APPEAR ON THE RECALL LIST SO I CAN GET IT FIXED ASAP AND START DRIVING IT!
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2015 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE STRUCK A BUMP AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CLIFF. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS HEAD AND ARM THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 22 crashes

“DEAR LAWYER, MY HONDA CIVIC EXL 2015 WAS REAR ENDED ON THE 9TH DAY. THEN THE CAR COLLIDED WITH THE ELECTRIC POLE. KINDLY FIND THE DETAILS- ?ACCIDENT: 5TH JAN 2015 (HTTP://GOO.GL/BHCPGH) THUS, I WOULD BE OBLIGED IF YOU COULD HELP ME TO MAKE THE CLAIM. LOOKING FORWARD TO TALK TO YOU SOON. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

32 complaints

• VIBRATION ON THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE (THE CONSOLE)WHEN IN IDLE WITH OR WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON THERE IS VIBRATION. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE AND TURNING A CORNER UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 09/17/15*LJ UPDATED 11/15/2017*CN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA CIVIC. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE LOWER MOTOR MOUNTS AND SIDE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE
• VEHICLE VIBRATES WITH NOISE WHEN IN REVERSE MODE. DEALER AND HONDA CLAIM IT IS NORMAL. IT SEEMS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ALREADY WIDELY KNOWN TO MANY HONDA OWNERS. THE VIBRATION HAPPENS MORE WITH ECON MODE IS SWITCHED ON. THIS CREATES THE FEELING THAT THIS CAR ENGINE IS NOT MOUNTED WELL AND IT COULD LEA

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

“VIBRATION ON THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE (THE CONSOLE)WHEN IN IDLE WITH OR WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON THERE IS VIBRATION. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE AND TURNING A CORNER UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 09/17/15*LJ UPDATED 11/15/2017*CN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

27 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED UPON START UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT RODENTS CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRING HARNESS DUE TO THE MATERIAL BEING MADE OF SOY BASED MATERIAL THAT ATTRACTED RODENTS. THE WIRING
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE IDLING AT A RED LIGHT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY SEVEN TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOS
• TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2015 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS AND THE REAR WINDOWS OBSTRUCTED HER VISION WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500. ...UPDATED 09/12/16 *BF *JS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED UPON START UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT RODENTS CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRING HARNESS DUE TO THE MATERIAL BEING MADE OF SOY BASED MATERIAL THAT ATTRACTED RODENTS. THE WIRING ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 485 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: I PURCHASED A 2015 HONDA CIVIC EX WITH A CVT. I CAN RELIABLY REPRODUCE A PROBLEM WITH THE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) STUTTERS OR JERKS WHEN GRADUALLY ACCELERATING AT IN-TOWN SPEEDS (E.G., 10-40 MPH). IT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN GOING FROM A SLOW SPEED (E.G., 10-20 MPH) AND GRADUALLY ACC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WE PURCHASED THIS CAR ON APRIL 11, 2015. DON'T DRIVE THE CAR EVERYDAY. HOWEVER, EVERY TIME I AM IN THE CAR, EVEN FOR SHORT DISTANCES, I GET REALLY SICK--HEADACHE, NAUSEA, TIGHTNESS IN THE HEAD, AND EXTREME TIREDNESS. I AM NOT PRONE TO CAR SICKNESS, AND HAVE DRIVEN A BRAND NEW HONDA ACCORD PREVIOUSLY
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: DEAR LAWYER, MY HONDA CIVIC EXL 2015 WAS REAR ENDED ON THE 9TH DAY. THEN THE CAR COLLIDED WITH THE ELECTRIC POLE. KINDLY FIND THE DETAILS- ?ACCIDENT: 5TH JAN 2015 (HTTP://GOO.GL/BHCPGH) THUS, I WOULD BE OBLIGED IF YOU COULD HELP ME TO MAKE THE CLAIM. LOOKING FORWARD TO TALK TO YOU SOON.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: VIBRATION ON THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE (THE CONSOLE)WHEN IN IDLE WITH OR WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON THERE IS VIBRATION. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE AND TURNING A CORNER UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 09/17/15*LJ UPDATED 11/15/2017*CN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)