2016 Honda Civic
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 1,081 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 Civic model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 36 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 16 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerMay 21, 2026
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.
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 26V332000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpDec 18, 2023
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.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 23V858000 on NHTSA.gov
Parking brakeOct 11, 2016
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.
If the EPB is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 16V725000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingJul 11, 2016
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."
If a side marker light does not function, vehicle visibility can be decreased to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 16V526000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineFeb 9, 2016
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 16V074000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
445 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Jul 15, 2019
STEERING IS NOTCHY AND WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR THE STEERING IS JITTERY, STICKY AND HARD TO MOVE. IT'S VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE FROM SPEEDS BETWEEN 20-70 MILES PER HOUR. ALSO WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK, WHEN I TRY TO SLOWLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT WILL SHAKE AND STUFFER. IT'S VERYBHARD TO MOVE THE STEERING RACK. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND MIGHT CAUSE A COLLISION.
Steering, Jul 15, 2019
STEERING WHEEL IS NOTCHY, WHEN I DRIVE THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS AND THERE DOESN'T WANT TO TURN MAKING THE CAR WEAVE. ALSO WHEN IT'S IN PARK AND YOU TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SLOWLY IT SHAKES AND JITTERS. CAR FEELS VERY UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING
Steering, Jul 10, 2019
STEERING ISSUE- ONCE WARMED UP AND AT HIGHER SPEEDS (NOTICED ON HIGHWAY) CAR PULL LEFT AND RIGHT. MUST USE FORCE TO CORRECT MERGING OF THE CAR. RESPONSE TIME IS LOW WHEN YOU TRY TO CORRECT THE CAR BACK INTO YOUR LANE. ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE WHEEL IS STICKING. CAR ONLY HAS 34K MILES- NO REPORTED ACCIDENTS. NO DAMAGE TO STEERING THAT I CAN SEE. MANY SITES HAVE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THAT WERE FOUND BY A SEARCH
Steering, Jul 7, 2019
STEERING BECOMES VERY RESISTANT TO INPUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED (60MPH +) REQUIRING CONSIDERABLE FORCE TO OVERCOME OFTEN RESULTING IN OVER CORRECTION. HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITANTLY SINCE PASSING THE 50000 MILE MARKER.
Steering, Jul 6, 2019
I HAVE A 2016 HONDA CIVIC AND ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO, WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED MOSTLY ON THE INTERSTATE, THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD GET "STICKY". I HAD TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND I ADDRESSED MY CONCERN TO THE MECHANIC. WHEN I CAME BACK HE TOLD ME HIM AND ALL OF HIS TECHNICIANS DROVE THE CAR AND NO ONE HAD A CLUE AS TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. OVER TIME IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. IT HAPPENS AFTER DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEED FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. ONLY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS POSITIONED 100% STRAIGHT. WHEN YOU PULL TO ONE SIDE, AND IT NEVER MATTERS LEFT OR RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S BOTH SIDES, IT'S LIKE ITS STUCK OR PULLING AGAINST YOU, LIKE A RESISTANCE. THEN IT SUDDENLY LET'S GO AND IT JERKS. AND THEN IT'S BACK THE OTHER WAY. SO YOU'RE FIGHTING THE STEERING WHEEL THE WHOLE TIME DRIVING WHILE YOU'RE JERKING BACK AND FORTH SIDE TO SIDE ALL OVER THE LANE. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST INTERSTATE. DUE TO BEING A SINGLE MOM AND NOT HAVING THE "TIME OFF WORK" AS WELL AS NO ONE BELIEVING ME, HERE I AM ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER AND IT'S SO MUCH WORSE. IT'S ALSO SUMMER NOW WHICH I NOTICE IT'S ALSO AT ITS WORST WHEN ITS BLAZING TEMPERATURES. IT'S GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I CAN ACTUALLY HEAR A NOISE NOW WHEN IT DOES IT. I'VE LOOKED THIS UP BECAUSE I FELT LIKE PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY AND WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE REPORTING THIS SAFETY ISSUE, I CAN'T FIGURE HOW THIS HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. I UNDERSTAND THINGS ON VEHICLES NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER A WHILE. THEY NEED MAINTENANCE AND THEY COST MONEY. BUT FOR THIS WIDESPREAD ISSUE ON THE SAME CAR AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE?! I BOUGHT A HONDA FOR THE NAME, FOR THE QUALITY, AND FOR THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT AT THIS POINT, THAT IT'S BEING LOOKED OVER, I'M ON THE VERGE OF TRADING IT IN FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN A HONDA.
Steering, Jul 6, 2019
STICKING STERING WHEEL. MY STEERING "STICKS" AFTER I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20-30 MINS AT AROUND 40/45+ MPH WHEN TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 70F. TAKE YOUR HAND OFF THE WHEEL ON A SLIGHT CURVE AND IT STAYS WITH THE CURVE. TRYING TO DO A SLIGHT CORRECTION WHEN IT'S LIKE THIS AND IT LITERALLY STICKING IN PLACE FOR A SEC THEN ALLOWS THE WHEEL TO TURN MORE FREELY.
Steering, Jun 27, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND SEIZED. THE CONTACT CALLED RICK CASE HONDA (LOCATED AT 15700 RICK CASE HONDA WAY, DAVIE, FL 33331, (954) 388-1035) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
Steering, Jun 21, 2019
SO I JUST BOUGHT A 2016 HONDA CIVIC LX 2.0 USED TODAY WITH 26,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AWAY AND ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE HOME I NOTICED THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT WAS STICKING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 65MPH. IT FELT NOTCHY AND STICKY LIKE I HAD TO USE A LITTLE FORCE TO START BEING ABLE TO STEER AGAIN. WHICH CAUSES YOU TO OVERCORRECT A BIT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN ON THE HIGHWAY. I LOOKED IT UP AND THERE'S LIKE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.. THE SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE A NEW STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY...
Steering, Jun 18, 2019
STEERING WHEEL STICKS (RESISTANCE TO TURNING) WHEN CAR IS WARMED UP. MOST NOTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
Steering, Jun 17, 2019
WHEN DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL STARTS TO GET A STICKING FEELING WHEN TRYING TO MAKE SMALL MOVEMENTS. THIS CAUSES YOU TO OVERCORRECT YOUR STEERING AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU CAN POTENTIALLY RUN INTO ANOTHER PERSON OR OBJECT. YOU FEEL A CLICKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT IS MOST NOTABLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO WORSEN THE MORE YOU DRIVE. MY CAR ONLY HAVE 32000 MILES ON IT.
Steering, May 30, 2019
WHEN TEMPERATURE SPIKES HIT THE AREA I LIVE IN THE STEERING SEEMS TO STICK SLIGHTLY WHEN DRIVING.
Steering, May 1, 2019
I HAVE A 2016 HONDA CIVIC EX, I WAS ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES IN MOTION DRIVING STRAIGHT WHEN THE STEERING BECAME HARD LIKE IT WAS STICKING. I GOT ON THE INTERSTATE AND ACCELERATED THE FASTER I GOT THE WORSE IT GOT.IT'S PULLS ME TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT. I THEN LOWERED MY SPEED TO 50 BUT IT STILL CONTINUED TO DO THIS AND HAS NOW GOTTEN WORSE IT NEVER STOPS AND IS VERY HARD TO KEEP IN ONE LANE.KNOW THERHAS BEEN RECALLS ON THE 2017 HONDA CIVICS FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT WILL EVENTUALLY LOCK UP AND HAS ALREADY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE ANYONE ANY INJURIES OR GOD FORBID SOMEONE LOSE THEIR LIFE. IT'S GETTING ALOT WORSE . WILL NOTIFY HONDA. IMMEDIATELY!
Steering, Apr 17, 2019
THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS CATCHING WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR IN THE LANE. WHEN IT RELEASES, YOU HAVE TO CORRECT THE STEERING QUICKLY IN ORDER TO STAY IN THE LANE. THIS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO TIMES WHEN THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK ESPECIALLY WHEN ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY AND THERE IS AN ONCOMING CAR IN THE OTHER LANE.
Steering, Apr 13, 2019, crash
WAS DRIVING THE CAR TO AN INTERVIEW & I WAS PROBABLY A BLOCK FROM HOME. I WAS AT A STOP & WHEN I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE & TURN LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED MID DRIVE & CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO A CURB.
Steering, Mar 31, 2019
THE STEERING STARTED 'STICKING' IN PLACE AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS. WHEN DRIVING IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A CATCH IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU TRY TO MAINTAIN A LANE AND YOU HAVE TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND THEN LEFT TO STAY IN A LANE. YOU HAVE TO FORCEFULLY OVERCOME THIS STICKING RESISTANCE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO VEER TOWARD THE OTHER LANE AND THIS PROCESS IS CONTINUALLY REPEATED AS YOU DRIVE. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO WANT TO PUSH ME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON 2 LANE ROADS. SURPRISED THERE IS NO RECALL BECAUSE I SEE MANY OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ON NHTSB AND IN ONLINE HONDA FORUMS, THE COMMON RESOLUTION SEEMS TO BE REPLACEMENT OF FACTORY DEFECTIVE EPS HARDWARE.
Steering, Mar 26, 2019
AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, STEERING BECOMES ERRATIC. WHEEL TAKES FORCE TO TURN INITIALLY, CAUSING OVER-CORRECTION WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE STRAIGHT. THIS PROBLEM IS CONSISTENTLY REPRODUCIBLE. CAR IS WITH DEALER NOW TO FIX.
Steering, Mar 24, 2019
WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TODAY AROUND 60 MPH IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING WAS STICKING ON ME. WHEN I WOULD TRY TO CORRECT MY STEERING LEFT OR RIGHT IT WOULD FEEL STUCK FOR A SECOND THEN IT WOULD GO. SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS.
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Mar 12, 2019
WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY LAST NIGHT AFTER WORK, MY CAR DASH LIT UP WITH ALERTS, ONE AFTER ANOTHER. I TRIED TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON, AND THE LIGHTS DID NOT GO AWAY. THEY ARE STILL ON TODAY. THEY WERE EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM, BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM, BRAKE HOLD SYSTEM PROBLEM, POWER STEERING SYSTEM (EPS) PROBLEM, VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA) PROBLEM, AND HILL START ASSIST PROBLEM. I TOOK A VIDEO OF THE ALERTS. I WILL TRY TO UPLOAD A PICTURE.
Steering, Feb 28, 2019
AFTER DRIVING FOR 30+ MINUTES, I NOTICE MY STEERING WHEEL STICKING IN PLACE, WHEN I NEED TO SLIGHTLY MOVE OR TURN THE WHEEL I HAVE TO APPLY FORCE AND IT ALMOST CAUSES ME TO OVER CORRECT AND VEER INTO ANOTHER LANE. IF GETS WORSE TO LONGER I DRIVE AND WITH THE WEIGHT OF PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE READ THE SAME ISSUE FROM OTHERS AND THEY HAVE SAID THIS IS POSSIBLY A POWER STEERING ISSUE.
Steering, Feb 27, 2019
STEERING IS STICKY AND HARD TO MAINTAIN LANE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS
Steering, Feb 17, 2019
I'M GLAD I FOUND THIS THREAD I HAVE A 2016 HONDA CIVIC EX-T. AFTER I'VE BEEN DRIVING 10 OR 15 MINUTES, MOSTLY ON A HIGHWAY, SUDDENLY THE CAR BEGINS TO VEER SLIGHTLY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. WHEN I GO TO CORRECT, THE STEERING WHEEL RESISTS. IT "STICKS" UNTIL I APPLY A BIT MORE PRESSURE, AFTER WHICH IT SUDDENLY RELEASES, CORRECTS, AND ACTS NORMAL. MOMENTS LATER HOWEVER, IT VEERS THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND I AM FORCED TO REPEAT THE SAME PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN. END RESULT IS I BEGIN DRIFTING SLIGHTLY BACK AND FORTH DOWN THE HIGHWAY REPEATEDLY, WHILE FIGHTING WITH A STEERING WHEEL. I FEEL IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE GOING DOWN A 3-LANE INTERSTATE, AND I'M IN THE MIDDLE LANE WITH 2 SEMI TRUCKS ON EITHER SIDE OF ME, THE CAR STARTS VEERING, I GO TO CORRECT AND THE STEERING "STICKS", CAUSING ME TO OVER CORRECT, THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE AN ACCIDENT. I'VE BEEN READING A HONDA CIVIC FORUM, THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY REPLACE THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY (PART NUMBER: 53650-TBC-A21 OR 53650-TBA-A22).
Steering, Feb 15, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO USE FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH PENSACOLA HONDA (6675 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,510.
Steering, Feb 7, 2019
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OVER 65MPH, THE STEERING GETS "STICKY" THE DRIVER HAS TO APPLY EXTRA FORCE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DIVING STRAIGHT. THE MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS THAT WE USE TO KEEP A CAR CENTERED IN A LANE NOW BECOME SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES TWO HANDS BECAUSE ONCE YOU "BREAK" THE STEERING WHEEL FREE, THE CAR OVER-CORRECTS AND YOU NEED BOTH HANDS TO KEEP THE CAR IN THE LANE YOU ARE DRIVING IN. THE FORCE REQUIRED ISN'T A LOT, BUT ENOUGH TO MAKE A LONG ROAD TRIP UNDOABLE.
Steering, Jan 13, 2019
WHEN DRIVING MY CAR AT 60 OR 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES THE STEERING WHEEL STAYS STUCK AND MAKES DRIVING DIFFICULT CAUSING STRONG PULLS TO THE SIDES AND CAUSES INSECURITY AND DIFFICULTY WHEN DRIVING LONG DISTANCES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN JUNE OF 2018 EXPLAINING THE SITUATION AND A HONDA TECHNICIAN MADE THE TEST WITH ME NEXT AND IT HAPPENED THE SAME. HE REPORTED IT AND THEY ONLY MADE ONE BATTERY CHANGE. TODAY JANUARY 13 OF 2019 THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND IS GETTING WORSE. THE CAR HAS 26,114 MILES TODAY.
Steering, Nov 16, 2018
STEERING WHEEL STICKS WHEN TRYING TO MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS. MUST APPLY ADDED PRESSURE TO GET PAST THE STICK. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVEN FOR LONGER TIMES AND WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT TOLD THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.