CSR

Honda · NHTSA safety record

2016 Honda Civic

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

1,072

Complaints

36

Crashes

4

Fires

16

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2016 Honda Civic have filed 1,072 safety complaints with NHTSA between December 2015 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the steering, named in 437 of them (41%). The typical failure was reported at 30,000 miles, the median across the 493 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (5)

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

26V332000 · May 21, 2026

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
The risk
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 98,892 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

23V858000 · December 18, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 2,490,460 vehicles across all model years covered

PARKING BRAKE

16V725000 · October 11, 2016

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Civic two door and four door 1.5L turbo and 2.0L vehicles. The electric parking brake (EPB) may not engage if it is applied immediately after turning the ignition off.
The risk
If the EPB is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to allow the EPB to engage immediately after the ignition is turned off, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KC6.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 350,083 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

16V526000 · July 11, 2016

The defect
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."
The risk
If a side marker light does not function, vehicle visibility can be decreased to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 11,846 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

16V074000 · February 9, 2016

The defect
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.
The 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.
The remedy
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.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 42,129 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 1,072.

STEERING 437 41%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 253 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 118 11%
ENGINE 94 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 92 9%
STRUCTURE 48 4%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 47 4%
POWER TRAIN 36 3%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 30 3%
AIR BAGS 28 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 28 3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 27 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 144.

2015 2019 2026
2015 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 15,000 miles

ON MAY 09, 2017 I WAS REAR ENDED WHILE SITTING STILL BY A CAR TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AND MY FACE WAS PROJECTED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. DURING THE IMPACT MY SEATBELT DIDN'T SEEM TO ACTIVATE AND NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED YET BUT I WOULD GUESS IT TO BE TOTALED DUE TO THE FRONT AND REAR IMPACT DAMAGE. EVERYONE I'VE SPOKE TO INCLUDING THE POLICE OFFICER AND WRECKER SERVICE WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I FEEL VERY LUCKY BUT DO NOT TRUST THIS VEHICLE AND IT'S SAFETY FEATURES.

NHTSA complaint 10984803. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 17,100 miles

WE WERE AT A COMPLETE STOP AT THE OUTER CITY STREET SIGNALING TO MAKE A LEFT AND A CAR HIT US FROM BEHIND WITHOUT BREAKING AT 60 -70 SPEED AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IS SMASHED IN AND NOT ONE AIRBAG WENT OFF. THERE WERE TWO ADULTS (DRIVER & PASSENGER) AND TWO CHILDREN (BACKSEAT).

NHTSA complaint 11139291. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured

UNKNOWN

NHTSA complaint 11469506. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 13,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE STATIONARY, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE CONTACT AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT WAS UNDERGOING PHYSICAL THERAPY. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. HONDA WOULD NOT REPLACE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.

NHTSA complaint 10919402. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle has experienced repeated A/C refrigerant leaks. In March 2026, a Honda dealer replaced the condenser and compressor shaft seal under warranty. Several months later, the A/C again gradually lost cooling. The dealer diagnosed leaks from the evaporator, expansion valve, and two Schrader valves. The dealer quoted about $2,800 for parts and labor, including dashboard removal to access the evaporator. The repair has not been performed. The repeated loss of A/C may create a safety concern because the system helps defog and defrost the windshield, potentially affecting visibility. The dealer confirmed the leaks. Honda was contacted but denied goodwill assistance based on the vehicle's

NHTSA complaint 11757577, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Steering will feel notchy or sticky while driving, especially on the highway while trying to stay in a lane. This will cause excessive force to "unstick" the steering while will then require another steering correction. This has happening with the car since purchase (used) in 2020.

NHTSA complaint 11755754. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
My 2016 Honda Civic seems to have a 'sticky steering' issue. It is most noticeable when trying to stay straight in a lane, like when trying to make minor adjustments left or right, it would feel like the steering wheel will stick, causing it to jerk more in the direction I’m trying to steer, which causes slight over steering and having to correct back the other direction. It doesn’t happen all the time though. It’s random, but once it starts doing it, it stays that way till I’m done driving.

NHTSA complaint 11754367. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
While driving at highway speeds (55–70 mph), the electronic power steering (EPS) physically binds and sticks when held in a straight line. Making minor lane corrections requires a sudden, deliberate application of extra physical force to 'break' the wheel free from the center position. This causes the vehicle to momentarily overcorrect, posing a severe crash hazard due to unexpected lane drifting. An example is my wife hates riding in my car because she feels as if she is being tossed back and forth in the passenger seat. This is the exact mechanical EPS worm gear/preload spring manufacturing defect covered under NHTSA Recall Campaign 24V-744 for 2022–2025 models, but it is actively

NHTSA complaint 11754293, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Steering wheel sticks and is jerky. Requires constant adjustments to drive straight, especially at highway speeds. Seems like grease is no longer effective and pinion gear sticks in spots. Very dangerous in my opinion. Unsafe. Honda should offer to service this by simply injecting new OEM grease.

NHTSA complaint 11753989. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
At highway speeds (more than 40-50 mph) the steering wheel feels "stiff" when driving straight and requires effort to move to the left or right. This causes a jerky motion to either left or right which then requires effort to correct, which then may cause a jerky motion in the opposite direction. Reading forums and other complaints on this website, it seems like this is a known Honda issue and must be corrected via a safety recall.

NHTSA complaint 11754075. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Honda Civic

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 67 2
2024 116 3
2023 251 4
2022 879 4
2021 139 4
2020 220 5
2019 417 4
2018 729 6 1
2017 579 6
2015 377 1
2014 290 2
2013 316 0
2012 454 3
2011 168 9
2010 396 8 47

Other 2016 Honda models

Every Honda on this site — 187 vehicles, 362 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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