2021 HONDA CIVIC

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    steering electric assist

    39 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    40
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "My car has about 24k miles on it and at about 20-22k I started to notice something wrong with the steering. I was on an off ramp at about 45 mph and encountered a steering overcorrection that I didn't feel I caused on my own without another factor related to t…"complaint #1877803
    • "Steering wheel tries to stick in place randomly. Does not happen daily but has happened multiple times. The only way to make it stop is to stop driving the car for a few hours."complaint #1881952
    • "I'm experiencing “sticky steering.” I feel momentary increases in steering effort while driving the vehicle at highway speeds. I fear that I may over correct one day and cause an accident. "complaint #1891771
    • "Steering wheel gets “stuck” and have to jerk steering wheel either left or right to unstick it before it just gets stuck again. Doesn’t matter if I’m turning or going straight, it gets stuck. "complaint #1972309
    • "While driving up to about 50-60 miles I will begin to experience a sticky sensation in the steering wheel. The best way to explain it is essentially when taking a slight turn to merge into another lane there is resistance and or the feeling that might feel "st…"complaint #1974781
  2. #2

    adas collision warning

    22 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    23
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving on several occasions at approximately 70 MPH, and changing lanes, the Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking system inadvertently activated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…"~24,000 mi, complaint #2010841
  3. #3

    steering rack mechanical

    13 unsafe

    13
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Lane Keep Steering Assist failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel was sticking. No warning lights were illum…"~36,200 mi, complaint #2172982
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel to the left or the right, excessive effort was needed to maneuver the vehicle. The failure became persistent and made it extremely difficult for the contact to operat…"~54,000 mi, complaint #1986447
    • "The contact owned a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the failure only occurred while making a right turn. No warning light was il…"~88,000 mi, complaint #2077073
  4. #4

    other

    1 unsafe, 1 broken, 6 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "If your new car needs an expensive repair, which your bumper-to-bumper warranty should cover, the service staff tells you statements such as, "We cannot duplicate your complaint." These statements free them from the need to repair your brand-new car. Then, the…"complaint #1826339
    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…"complaint #1992807
    • "There’s been a safety recall and I took my car like more than a year ago to repairs and then the check the car but told me the piece it’s not ready yet. I have to wait almost a whole year for it and I receive the notification that the piece was ready. When I c…"complaint #2050260
    • "both fog lights have cracked due to placement and cheap plastic covers on the outta fog light. "complaint #2054394
    • "Dealer can not complete recall as they have no parts - I tried 2 times in the last 6 months"complaint #2081796
  5. #5

    airbag system

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owned a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that his wife was driving at 30-35 MPH, when another vehicle suddenly merged in front of the vehicle causing a T-bone collision. The vehicle was pushed into the middle of the road from the impact where i…"~78,000 mi, complaint #2073636
  6. #6

    glass and windshield

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The windshield of my 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring CVT has prematurely cracked in two places, inhibiting the frontward-facing view (and ultimate safety!) of both the driver's and passenger's sides of the vehicle. Neither crack was due to a chip or n…"complaint #1889340
    • "Sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving on the highway. If the sunroof visor was open the occupants would have been sprayed with glass. It has the potential to cause injuries or an accident given the right circumstances."complaint #1891916
    • "Driving [XXX] just south of [XXX] ~10 am on a Monday. No large trucks near by, and pretty minimal traffic otherwise. Heard loud thud and shattering. Slightly retracted sunshade and saw shattered glass where my sunroof used to be. Closed sunshade and exited fre…"complaint #1990005
    • "Spontaneous rear window shattering while parked. Problem not confirmed or reproduced Insurance claim filed for repair No warning lamps, messages or symptoms of impending problem. "complaint #2220098
  7. #7

    control module

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My car has multiple electric problems and it has been trying to die on me since I bought the car and they dealership doesn’t want to look at it unless I mention Apple CarPlay. "complaint #1771882
    • "While accelerating on a multi-lane freeway, the dashboard speed suddenly indicated 0 MPH and flashed warnings for power steering, emergency braking, suspension, and many other systems. Steering became almost impossible to control, with no resistance felt throu…"complaint #1842915
    • "Rodents chewed thru the main computer cable while car was parked in our car port. When I went to start car it started but immediatley the warning lights on dash began flashing that the road assist features, brakes and steering were not operating.Called road s…"complaint #1848059
  8. #8

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. Th…"complaint #1792143
    • "MANY times I've pressed the gas after a full stop and had the engine roar in response while the car only moved forward a few feet rather than at full speed. My life is in danger if I'm trying to make a turn across traffic when I have a space to do so and I CAN…"complaint #1798140
  9. #9

    adas lane keeping

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving, the Apple's car play screen went blank. While merging into the left lane, the Automatic Emergency Braking feature engaged. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who reset the batte…"~18,480 mi, complaint #1902685
  10. #10

    brake hydraulics

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I have had dozens of incidents where I will be driving down the road and my car will just break for no apparent reason. It is totally random and at times terrifying. It happens with no other vehicles in front of my vehicle as well as while I am just driving in…"complaint #2042545
    • "On multiple occasions my car has applied the brake while driving on the highway as well as my caliper has become frozen and I have replaced brakes 3 times in less than one calendar year. I have all old brakes that have needed to be replaced and there is uneve…"complaint #2050683
  11. #11

    fuel injector

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The 2021 Honda Civic experienced an emission system failure at 70,000 MPH and detected fault code p0340, possibly an injector failure"complaint #1993050
    • "Our battery died in April 2025. We've had this car since October 2021 with only 8 miles on it. We've replaced: The PCV valve The PCV valve tube The MAF sensor The sparks plugs 3 times which was $90 each time Replaced our battery 2 times since April 2025 3 oi…"complaint #2105155
  12. #12

    fuel pump

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was notified of a Safety Recall by American Honda regarding the fuel pump module. I contacted to dealership and they are stating they will not have a remedy within a reasonable time period (60 days), rather they will have the parts available for a remedy in…"complaint #1968117
    • "High pressure fuel pump issue diagnosed by mechanic. The models prior to mine up to and some 2021 vehicles were included in the recall but my VIN is not considered within the recall. My vehicle is a very early 2021 bought in 202 that likely has the same fuel f…"complaint #2214380
  13. #13

    wiring harness

    1 stranded, 1 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Honda uses a soy-based insulation on the wires in its new cars. We have a brand new, less than 4,000 miles, Honda Civic. I recently went out to start it in the morning and received warning lights on virtually ALL of the systems you list. Why? Apparently ra…"complaint #1822803
    • "The coating on the wiring harness is soy based and rodents chew the wires causing multiple electronic failures. Power steering failed, Adaptive Cruise Control failed, Automatic Emergency Braking failed, Lane Keeping Assistance failed. Vehicle is extremely uns…"complaint #1855981
  14. #14

    abs module

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "the vehicle has brakes with out cause. Two times I was on the street no cars in sight and the car just brakes without notice or cause. Then it happened again yesterday on the freeway. It was raining no cars close and it just brakes again in the middle of the f…"complaint #1879886
  15. #15

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 broken

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "A/C System completely failed. During a diagnostic they found three components with refrigerant leaks. 1) Compressor Shaft Seal 2) A/C Condenser 3) Evaporator Core A certified Honda Service center completed the diagnostic. The issue first appeared in late 2…"complaint #2215685
  16. #16

    alignment and pull

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Car is constantly wandering and completely impossible to keep straight at highway speeds."complaint #1889878
  17. #17

    backup camera

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated while making a left turn, they noticed the rearview camera in the center console does not show an image or no notification alert for blind sport warning when making a turn. The contact took the vehicle t…"complaint #1753284
  18. #18

    brake booster

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My Important Safety Recall is not showing up on my dealer's system or the following sites: Check for Recalls: Vehicle, Car Seat, Tire, Equipment | NHTSA Recall Information for Safety & Defects | Honda Owners Site Honda Campaign Number: AEV, VEW Service Bullet…"complaint #1919832
  19. #19

    cruise control conventional

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Cruise control does not disengage upon electronic parking brake being engaged while moving, causing the car to accelerate aggressively after the brake is released. While it does disengage after enough speed is lost, it should disengage immediately as it does w…"complaint #2217940
  20. #20

    engine internal

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While driving the car began to smoke from under hood and engine stopped. Interior and under hood flooded with smoke and fire under hood. This was a major fire, fire company put it out. No repairs were made or needed on car since purchase October 2024. "complaint #2199550
  21. #21

    engine stall or no start

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving approximately 37 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine, master cylinder, and adaptive cruise control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it wa…"~108,000 mi, complaint #2164754
  22. #22

    infotainment head unit

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The infotainment system in these vehicles is poor when using the navigation. Having the phone connected via wire will cause the phone and infotainment system to malfunction constantly causing restarts and making the mobile device extremely hot too the touch. T…"complaint #2127764
  23. #23

    instrument cluster

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Three issues I been having every since I got my car. 1. Car navigation displays not working properly, screen completely freezes or black-out. 2. Brake warning sign appears randomly in dashboard even if theres no vehicle in front, probably an issue with the ca…"complaint #1808832
  24. #24

    lighting exterior

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM, WITH POOR VISIBILITY AT NIGHT, EVEN WHEN THE FOG LIGHTS ARE ON. H ROAD NEEDS TO BE ILLUMINATED A LITTLE BIT MORE, OR EVEN HAVE A FURTHER BEAM. THE LED VERSION OF THE CIVIC HAS A EXCELLENT HEADLIGHT PATTERN/BRIGHTNESS. HOWEVER, LX, SPORT…"complaint #1732492
  25. #25

    mirror

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the rear-view mirror casing detached from the vehicle without warning or impact. The contact detected an abnormally loud explosion. The contact stated that…"~15,071 mi, complaint #1857660
  26. #26

    power windows and locks

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "In first month of ownership, all four windows automatically opened after I parked the car and walked away. After some online investigation, I made an appointment with Honda Service Dept. and asked them to disable the remote window open feature. They said it c…"complaint #1750689
  27. #27

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Seatbelt does not latch properly. Reported to dealership at last oil change appointment. "complaint #1880758
  28. #28

    sunroof

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "While driving, the sunroof exploded, sounding like an explosion inside the car. The glass shattered while the inside cover was closed. Therefore, the cover contained the shattered glass. There was no traffic around, therefore no debris was thrown into the vehi…"complaint #1922803
  29. #29

    suspension arms and bushings

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "2125 miles on this Type R, fresh off the show room floor. At low speed turning into the slight dip in my driveway, the suspension in Sports Mode flexed enough for the driver side tin rotor back plate at the driver front wheel to get caught on the lower control…"complaint #1778353
  30. #30

    suspension struts shocks

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "rear suspension making cluncking noise over bumps off brakes at any speed"complaint #1823461
  31. #31

    throttle and pedal

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "was in reverse backing into parking spot. my foot was on the break; however, the car accelerated rapidly resulting in hitting a post. there were no warnings that registered took it to Honda and reported, they indicated they were not aware of this issue and…"complaint #1812123
  32. #32

    tire failure

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "23540 r Tire sidewall separated and burned up while traveling on the highway. "complaint #2109999
  33. #33

    transmission manual clutch

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The clutch began slipping while driving vehicle. Lost power and could not accelerate while on highway. "complaint #2202230

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for HONDA CIVIC directly.