2016 Honda CIVIC

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Honda CIVIC has 1344 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 16.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (32% of all complaints), specifically: when the adaptive cruise control (acc) and the vehicle lane keeping assist system (lkas) are engaged simultaneously, the vehicle will react unpredictably under certain conditions. the vehicle may brake suddenly, rapidly decelerate, and quickly depart the highway when approaching exit ramps. the sit. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 31 crash reports 9 injuries

1344

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

16.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

425 complaints

32%

• WHEN THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) AND THE VEHICLE LANE KEEPING ASSIST SYSTEM (LKAS) ARE ENGAGED SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE VEHICLE WILL REACT UNPREDICTABLY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE MAY BRAKE SUDDENLY, RAPIDLY DECELERATE, AND QUICKLY DEPART THE HIGHWAY WHEN APPROACHING EXIT RAMPS. THE SIT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AND VOLUNTARILY DRIFTED INTO THE OTHER LANES. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE LANE DEPARTURE AND STEERING REQUIRED WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCA
• UPON STARTUP VSA, TPMS, CMBS, BRAKE WARNING ILLUMINATED AT 4400 MILES. POWER STEERING FAILED. DELIVERED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR.

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

“WHEN THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) AND THE VEHICLE LANE KEEPING ASSIST SYSTEM (LKAS) ARE ENGAGED SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE VEHICLE WILL REACT UNPREDICTABLY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE MAY BRAKE SUDDENLY, RAPIDLY DECELERATE, AND QUICKLY DEPART THE HIGHWAY WHEN APPROACHING EXIT RAMPS. THE SIT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

272 complaints

20%

• THE TRUNK AND GLOVE COMPARTMENT DO NOT LOCK...THEIR IS NO WAY TO SAFELY VALET PARK THE VEHICLE AND LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE TRUNK OR THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THIS MAY NOT BE A DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE BUT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE NON THE LESS. HONDA MUST HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS WHEN THEY REDESIGNED THE VEHICLE
• AUDIO SYSTEM IS NOT PROPERLY INITIALIZING ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME YOU START THE CAR. WHILE MUCH OF THIS IS SIMPLY INCONVENIENT (NO SOUND FOR THE RADIO) IT AFFECTS SAFETY AS THERE IS NO SOUND FOR THE BUILT IN GPS FORCING YOU TO LOOK AT THE GPS FOR NAVIGATIONAL PROMPTS VERSUS AUDIO PROMPTS AND THE BLUE
• LETTER FROM CONSUMER TO CLIFF COLLIER, GENERAL MANAGER OF HOWDY HONDA, REGARDING ISSUES WITH HIS DAUGHTER, HONDA CIVIC PURCHASED ON JANUARY 29, 2016. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BELONGS TO HIS DAUGHTER. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE RADIO, AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM WOULD START AN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“THE TRUNK AND GLOVE COMPARTMENT DO NOT LOCK...THEIR IS NO WAY TO SAFELY VALET PARK THE VEHICLE AND LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE TRUNK OR THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THIS MAY NOT BE A DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE BUT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE NON THE LESS. HONDA MUST HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS WHEN THEY REDESIGNED THE VEHICLE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

117 complaints

• MY MOTHER IN LAW'S NOT EVEN A WEEK OLD CIVIC HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON I-210 EASTBOUND JUST BEFORE THE CAMPUS EXIT, PROBABLY DOING THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE AFTERNOON OF 02/06/2016. AAA AND THE POLICE RESPONDED. THEY COULD NOT RESTART IT. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO ROCK HONDA WHERE THE C
• POSSIBLE ELECTRIC PROBLEM. HAVE MY CIVIC EX FOR A MONTH. WHEN I WAS DRIVING ALONE ON FREEWAY, I CANNOT OPEN MOON-ROOF, LOWER THE FRONT PASSAGE SIDE WINDOW OR ADJUST THE PASSAGE SIDE RARE MIRROR. ALL OTHER STUFF WORKS FINE. AFTER STOP AT A GAS STATION, I TURN OFF THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY AND WAITING F
• EVERY SINCE THE REPAIR OF THE RECALL THE ENGINE PULLS NOT EVEN AN HOUR AFTER THE PICK UP THE CAR HAD TO GO BACK IN THE SHOP FOR BELT REPAIR. IT MAKES NOISES AS IF SOMETHING IS LOOSE . I'VE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES TO SPEAK WITH PATRICK NEVER TO GET A CALL BACK. THE CARE IS IN MOTION. THE SMART CONNECTIO

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

“MY MOTHER IN LAW'S NOT EVEN A WEEK OLD CIVIC HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON I-210 EASTBOUND JUST BEFORE THE CAMPUS EXIT, PROBABLY DOING THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE AFTERNOON OF 02/06/2016. AAA AND THE POLICE RESPONDED. THEY COULD NOT RESTART IT. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO ROCK HONDA WHERE THE C”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

98 complaints

• PISTON CLIP RING RECALL FROM HONDA WITH NO FIX UNTIL MID-MARCH AS TOLD BY HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE. RECALL NOT PUBLICLY RELEASED BY HONDA AT THIS TIME. THE RESULT OF THIS PART FAILURE IS ENGINE FAILURE, AND/OR STALLING. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOOMING AND UNRESOLVED ISSUES.
• I WAS SOLD A BRAND NEW 2016 HONDA CIVIC THE DAY AFTER A RECALL AND STOP OF SALE WAS ISSUED. NOW 5 DAYS LATER I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH THE CAR. I CONTACTED AMERICA OF HONDA AND THEY CONFIRMED MY CAR DOES HAVE A RECALL AND I PROVIDED ME WITH A CASE NUMBER. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHO INDEED TO TAL
• THE 2016 CIVICS WITH 2.0 LITER MOTORS HAVE AND BEEN PUT ON A "STOP SALE" ARE GOING TO BE RECALLED DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE FAILURE, DAMAGE, AND EVEN POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES DUE TO POSSIBLY HAVING FAULTY PISTON SNAP RINGS. I BOUGHT ONE A WEEK BEFORE THIS "STOP SALE" AND I AM

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“PISTON CLIP RING RECALL FROM HONDA WITH NO FIX UNTIL MID-MARCH AS TOLD BY HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE. RECALL NOT PUBLICLY RELEASED BY HONDA AT THIS TIME. THE RESULT OF THIS PART FAILURE IS ENGINE FAILURE, AND/OR STALLING. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOOMING AND UNRESOLVED ISSUES.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

95 complaints

• HI, I PURCHASED 2016 CIVIC IN DEC, 2015. I I HAVE EXPERIENCE 3 ISSUES TILL NOW 1. ELECTRONIC BRAKE - I HAVE HAD 2 INCIDENTS WHERE MY ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED AUTOMATICALLY WHILE DRIVING, LUCKILY WAS DRIVING IN CITY AT LOWER SPEEDS. BUT LAST WEEK, WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, STOPPED TO FILL
• CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH A "BRAKE HOLD" FEATURE THAT CAN BE ACTIVATED TO HOLD BRAKES ON WHILE THE CAR IS IN DRIVE WITHOUT KEEPING YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THEN PRESS GAS TO START MOVING. FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, I CAN HEAR THE BRAKE HOLD CLICK ON
• I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2016 HONDA CIVIC EX, FOUR DOOR. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK YESTERDAY MORNING AT 5 AM. I HAD APPROACHED APX 56 MPH AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING, ACROSS THE DASHBOARD SCREEN WAS A BLINKING RED STATING, BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. ! KEEP IN MIND, THIS VEHICLE IS BRAND NEW I HAVE LES

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 10 crashes

“HI, I PURCHASED 2016 CIVIC IN DEC, 2015. I I HAVE EXPERIENCE 3 ISSUES TILL NOW 1. ELECTRONIC BRAKE - I HAVE HAD 2 INCIDENTS WHERE MY ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED AUTOMATICALLY WHILE DRIVING, LUCKILY WAS DRIVING IN CITY AT LOWER SPEEDS. BUT LAST WEEK, WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, STOPPED TO FILL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1344 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: WHEN THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) AND THE VEHICLE LANE KEEPING ASSIST SYSTEM (LKAS) ARE ENGAGED SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE VEHICLE WILL REACT UNPREDICTABLY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE MAY BRAKE SUDDENLY, RAPIDLY DECELERATE, AND QUICKLY DEPART THE HIGHWAY WHEN APPROACHING EXIT RAMPS. THE SIT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE TRUNK AND GLOVE COMPARTMENT DO NOT LOCK...THEIR IS NO WAY TO SAFELY VALET PARK THE VEHICLE AND LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE TRUNK OR THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THIS MAY NOT BE A DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE BUT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE NON THE LESS. HONDA MUST HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS WHEN THEY REDESIGNED THE VEHICLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY MOTHER IN LAW'S NOT EVEN A WEEK OLD CIVIC HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON I-210 EASTBOUND JUST BEFORE THE CAMPUS EXIT, PROBABLY DOING THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE AFTERNOON OF 02/06/2016. AAA AND THE POLICE RESPONDED. THEY COULD NOT RESTART IT. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO ROCK HONDA WHERE THE C
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: PISTON CLIP RING RECALL FROM HONDA WITH NO FIX UNTIL MID-MARCH AS TOLD BY HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE. RECALL NOT PUBLICLY RELEASED BY HONDA AT THIS TIME. THE RESULT OF THIS PART FAILURE IS ENGINE FAILURE, AND/OR STALLING. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOOMING AND UNRESOLVED ISSUES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)