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: structure
48 reports, newest first. Show all
Structure, Jun 25, 2026
The paint on my car has been chipping nonstop and I have called Honda multiple times about the issue and they will not correct nor acknowledge the problem. This issue has been occurring before 2025, it got even worse in 2025
Steering, Structure, Other or unspecified, Apr 8, 2026
The white paint on my 2016 Honda Civic keeps peeling, which looks bad and is leading to structural rust developing in several areas of my car. Fixing it will be costly, and the paint quality on these vehicles isn't very good, causing frustration for owners. Furthermore, my steering wheel has been sticking for some time, and I've consulted several shops for their thoughts. This also comes with a hefty repair price, and I believe it is Honda's duty to address these problems.
Structure, Feb 26, 2026
The paint is flaking all areas surrounding the rear windshield which will cause rust damage and may lead to rear windshield needing to be replaced
Structure, Wheels, Aug 24, 2025
Body: underneath part came unsecured out of nowhere on my collage daughters car. It was scary for her as it scraped bottom and rattled out of no where on highway. She stopped and since nothing on hand, she had to push it up with feet and it bent to hold till she got to shop. They quick fix with zip tie or something. Someone hit her from back and she took to shop. I mentioned it that some noise coming after the fix and was supposed to to bring it to them this week. It just rattled but nothing else. Drivable still. Than middle of no where, that bottom popped again and she panicked. It was Sunday so no one is open. I had to have her park at work and pick her up which is an hour away. This is very dangerous as when we googled, this has happened to soooo many Honda civic owners! Need to do recall and fix this issue for good. It’s underneath the car so hard to tell till it drops to flow. We love the car but this issue is greater. Also, she has tire sensor light always comes up. We got new tires also!
Structure, Other or unspecified, Jul 23, 2025
This report is on the paint defect issue on the 10th generation Honda Civic that can potentially impact the vehicle's structural integrity from the windshield damage. The white paint on my vehicle started peeling around the perimeter of the rear window with the rain groove. I am uncertain of the exact time it started, but the paint defect became noticeable to the naked eye just past the 5 years of ownership. The size of the paint chip has now extended to the rear body of the vehicle. A section of bare steel body around the rear window is exposed to the elements. Based on the inspection and evaluation by the authorized Honda paint and body shop that was recommended by the dealership, I have been informed that the cause is commonly due to improper paint priming during the manufacturing process. According to the paint and body shop owner, such paint peeling is a widely known issue with certain color paint for many auto manufacturers that use the same paint primer. I was warned that paint peeling will likely worsen with the water being captured underneath the paint. I am reporting this incident as a safety concern because the rust on the bare metal chassis of the vehicle can cause corrosion under the windshield adhesive over time and lead to the window breaking. The windshield is critical to the vehicle's structural rigidity as it contributes to both the roof support and the airbag deployment. The Honda dealership service manager submitted goodwill on my vehicle past warranty for a paint defect from the manufacturing process, but American Honda Motor Company has denied the claim as they determined it as cosmetic damage only. There are multiple reports online on paint defects from other Honda Civic owners from various places. There was a lawsuit settlement on older generation Honda Civic vehicles, but it looks like the known issue is still present on the newer generation. Based on the location of the paint defect, it can become a safety concern.
Structure, Jun 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that one of the trunk lid springs had fractured. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 22-013. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered because under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Structure, Oct 20, 2024
These vehicles have major paint issues. I experienced the paint flaking off the side back panel near the window and had to go through a somewhat annoying process to have the dealer look into it. After I had this issue I looked online to see if anyone has this same problem and it came to my attention that it is a nationwide issue that is not being addressed. Here is a link of other people who have experienced this issue, [XXX] . The paint is too thin and loses it's clear coat easily then the color breaks and flakes off. I honestly believe this is a manufacture defect as so many cars are affected with the exact same issue. Now my car paint is peeling near the top of the window and I would like an investigation done. I have taken very good car of the vehicle, hand washes and it only has 15k miles. I paid over 28k for this car and didn't expect the paint to be so thin or poor. Please help myself and the many others that are having this issue by formally opening an investigation. I appreciate your time and your assistance. Take care! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Structure, May 27, 2024
When jacking car to change tire, the lift point crumbled due to corrosion causing the car to fall back to the ground. There was no obvious evidence of extreme corrosion; it rusted from the inside. It is unknown how much more structural rust is inside the unibody but the car may no longer be safe for the road.
Structure, May 26, 2024
Driving the car home at 6pm on a highway, and heard a loud pop sound, but there were no rocks or objects hitting the vehicle. It turn out that the sunroof glass had exploded from the center for no reason. I am only glad the sunroof was not in use/open at the time, otherwise, the shattered glass will definitely lead to some serious consequences.
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, Feb 14, 2024
FRONT BUMPER AND GRILLE O/H bumper assy RT Filler cover w/o fog lamps; Bumper cover; Impact bar; Grille; Molding Lower grille 2.0 liter; Eblem FRONT LAMPS RT HEADLAMP ASSY LT R&I HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AIM, RT MARKER AC Air bag, MISCELLANEOUS OPERATIONS CoolantTIRE 215/55/16, new SRS module and zero point calibrate ABS module
Structure, Jan 10, 2024
The front windshield glue holding it on the car has failed. The windshield can be pushed out completely with only a pinky finger. This should not happen and is very dangerous. This windshield could of came off easily from sudden stopping or collisions and caused serious bodily injury to the driver. Safelite auto glass came out to inspect and replace the window due to this defect. They stated it is a factory installed front windshield and they had never seen anything like it. The windshield started coming off less than a week ago. There were no warnings. We knew there was a problem when we heard wind sound coming in while driving. I have tried to upload a PDF documentation, but the website will not let me upload it.
Structure, Jul 10, 2023
Paint peeling around rear window
Structure, May 26, 2023, crash
Unknown, rear ended another vehicle no damage occurred
Structure, Jan 21, 2023
******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE THE CONSUMER PLACED THE REQUEST.*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******
Structure, Other or unspecified, Oct 10, 2022
Paint is chipping around the back windshield and is starting to cause paint chipping towards the top of the vehicle. Have never been in a collision.
Structure, Sep 27, 2022
My paint is peeling off around the rear windshield of the car. Not sure what is causing this. My honda civic is a cobalt blue color, when brought to the dealer it was stated they have seen this on the color blue my car is as well as white. Car was not in a accident and no one is at risk.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Structure, Jun 9, 2022, crash
no one was hurt. just a finder binder to my car only. the other drivrr had a truck and it didnt do any damage to back bumper.
Structure, Mar 22, 2022
Paint chipping off. According to 2 different body shops, this is a factory issue with improper priming. Honda of North America is refusing to acknowledge and repair the car.
Structure, Aug 9, 2021
The paint is peeling at the corners and rim of where the body meets the rear view glass.
Structure, Aug 8, 2021
Paint falling off body panels
Structure, Apr 29, 2021
IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, THE PAINT ON THE DIVER SIDE IN THE CREVICE BETWEEN THE REAR WINDOW AND THE BODY OF OUR 2016 CIVIC STARTED PEELING IN CHUNKS OF GREATER THAN 1". BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF THE 3/36000 WARRANTY, WE WERE OFFERED TO HAVE THE AREA REPAINTED AND WE CONSUMED HALF THE COST. LESS THAN 8 MONTHS LATER, AND STILL LESS THAN 5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, THE PAINT IS NOW PEELING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE SAME EXACT FASHION. THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE RECALLS ON MANY CARS IN THIS YEAR AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THOSE CARS AS WELL. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO HERE.
Electrical system, Structure, Mar 20, 2021
WHEN THE FUEL DOOR ACTUATOR IS ACTIVATED (LOCKING THE DOORS ON REMOTE CONTROL), THE MOTOR MAKES A LOUD NOISE AS IT LOCKS THE FUEL DOOR. UNLOCKING DOES NOT MAKE A NOISE. ALSO, WHEN GETTING INTO CAR (UNLOCKING DOORS) AND THEN DRIVING AWAY, AS THE DOOR AUTO-LOCK THE ACTUATOR IS ENGAGED AND IT MAKES A LOUD NOISE. SOUND ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE ACTUATOR IS ENGAGED. SOUNDS LIKE THE INTERNAL MOTOR IS STRUGGLING TO CLOSE/LOCK THE FUEL DOOR. IT BEGAN 2 WEEKS AGO, AND THE SOUND IS GETTING WORSE AND ANNOYING.
Structure, Feb 8, 2021
PAINT FLAKING. PAINT NOT ADHERED TO PRIMER.
Electrical system, Structure, Other or unspecified, Jan 26, 2021
PAINT PEELING ALONG UPPER EDGE OF ROOF ADJACENT TO REAR WINDOW. CONSOLE DISPLAY FOR BACKUP/RIGHT TURN CAMERA ONLY DISPLAYS COLORED LINES WHILE STATIONARY OR MOVING. MILEAGE 33,340, OCT. 2020
Air bags, Structure, Jul 30, 2020
SINCE PURCHASING MY 2016 CIVIC NEW, I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE FRONT LOWER UNDER-END OF THE CAR BEING TOO LOW. IT CONSTANTLY SCRAPES WHEN I GO OVER SPEED BUMPS OR SMALL CURBS. ON 7/27/20, I WAS PARKING AT A RESTAURANT AND SLIGHT DROVE UP ON A SMALL CURB, I STOPPED AND BACKED UP AND PARKED. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER AS I WAS ABOUT TO EXIT MY CAR, SUDDENTLY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED HITTING ME IN THE FACE, SHOULDER AND CHEST. I WAS DAZED, FORTUNATELY, TWO CO-WORKERS WHO WERE FOLLOWING ME TO THE RESTAURANT, SAW THAT I NEEDED HELP AND OPENED THE DOOR TO HELP ME GET OUT. I HAVE HAD A HEADACHE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS - MY DOCTOR TOLD ME IT IS PROBABLY A SLIGHT CONCUSSION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF HONDA HAS HAD ANY SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY REPAIRS PAID. IT IS NOT FAIR FOR ME TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE UNDER MY INSURANCE BECAUSE I HAVE A $1,000 DEDUCTIBLE AND THEY ARE LIKELY TO RAISE MY PREMIUMS. THIS WAS NOT MY FAULT. LET ME KNOW