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: other or unspecified
253 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 6, 2024
Alarm sounded, went outside with fob to shut off . Still alarm on . Tried to get in car with fob . Had to use key in door to get in . Stepped on brake and pushed start/stop button . Alarm now silent. Push start/stop button to shut off engine and message on dash read Keyless Start System Error. Engine still running. Pushed button again and AC shuts off , engine still running and dash still reading error. Put in driver, then reverse to park and pushed button again and engine shut off finally. Disconnect negative from battery and let sit overnight. Tried to start, but just kept cranking. Disconnect battery again, tried starting again and it started. This time it took me 10 minutes before I could shut off engine. Disconnect battery again and haven’t tried again. I’ve read about other people having the same issues. Most say start/stop switch. Mine is on order, will install asap and see what happens. Fingers crossed.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 23, 2024
The air conditioner does not blow cold air. The heating and fan work just fine, but no cool air. I was told by Honda that if it’s not because of the recall, that I would have to pay, and that just wasn’t feasible at the time.
Other or unspecified, Aug 18, 2024
AC on these models is a complete failure. It is well know that 2016 Honda Civics have had issues with the AC system and the source of the malfunction lies in the refrigerant, specifically the R-1234f, which appears to be incompatible with the AC system components. As a result, leaks have developed, contaminating other vital AC components and causing unnecessary strain on the system. Refrigerant leaks have a cascading effect, leading to cross-contamination of other AC components and increased strain on the entire system. The fact that the condenser, air compressor, and evaporator have to be replaced due to the refrigerant leak is a clear indication of the severity of the problem. Other main problem is that whenever you take these vehicles into Honda dealerships with or without warranty they clearly do not go through all the issues. They find the first issue, they patch and send you on your way. You can feel they are have been trained to be money hungry and upsell wherever possible
Other or unspecified, Jun 21, 2024
There was white padding between my speakers and trunk that had a malodorous smell.
Other or unspecified, Jun 19, 2024
My 2016 Honda Civic recently started having a problem with the air conditioner. The air blowing through is not cold and also smells strange. After taking it to an official Honda dealer, they've confirmed it's a problem with the evaporator and it needs to be replaced. An extended warranty exists for the compressor and condenser but not the evaporator. I believe the three are related and the evaporator should also be covered under warranty. This problem affects the air being pushed through the AC unit and could harm the passenger's well being.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jun 17, 2024
- HONDA CVT TRANSMISSION: 4356 - Went out. Is available for inspection within the week. - My daughter was driving on the freeway in the fast lane when vehicle started making loud hum noise then, came to a stop. She had to coast to the side of the road, where she was almost hit by multiple vehicles. - Yes Vehicle has been inspected by a independent service center - towed by USAA insurance. - Has been inspected by other: Davis Auto Clinic, Davis, CA 95616 - No warning lights came on, or symptoms of the problem. Only hum noise which began 5 minutes before car stalled in middle of freeway. First appeared at time of stall, no warning at all.
Other or unspecified, May 18, 2024
Rear view mirror is peeling and discoloration is occurring. Causes impaired view while driving.
Other or unspecified, Apr 29, 2024
Few years ago I fix (pay about $1300 no body give this money back ) air Conditioning Problem in LAMACCHIA HONDA , Syracuse , NY. and [XXX] again fix air Conditioning Problem( Cover warranty from HONDA Corp.) in LAMACCHIA HONDA Syracuse, NY...now I have same Problem NO WORKING AIR CONDITIONER ..WHAT NOW ? ONE TIMES I PAY ... bellow pictures from my car Hot air coming INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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
Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Jan 17, 2024
UNKNOWN
Engine and engine cooling, Other or unspecified, Nov 28, 2023, fire
The contact owned a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked unattended, it caught fire. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. There were no reported injuries. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number 16V074000 (Engine and Engine Cooling).
Other or unspecified, Nov 8, 2023
My infotainment system has been malfunctioning for roughly 4 year now. I bought my 2016 Honda Civic Touring in 2019 from Hagerstown Kia in Hagerstown Maryland. Several months after I purchased the car, my infotainment randomly does things on its own like back out of navigation apps and return to Home Screen or randomly turn on the blind spot camera. This is a major safety concern for me and other drivers because I have to fool with the infotainment system for several minutes so that I can go back to my navigation screen and know where to go and also be able to control the car’s temperature. This malfunction is very distracting therefore causing potential harm to me or other drivers. I see that there is an ongoing class lawsuit for this exact issue “Constance Chiulli v. American Honda Motor Co. Inc., et al., Case No. [XXX] in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.” Next time this malfunction occurs, I will take a video and I can provide that as proof to validate my case. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Oct 16, 2023
After numerous statements regarding issues with the A/C units, it appears there’s an additional item that should be added to the list of recall/extended warranty issues for Honda. The evaporator is now an additional item that is an issue amongst numerous consumers. I’ve had an issue with the evaporator and have been charged a hefty amount for labor by the dealership stating this was the issue. I was not allowed to replace my compressor/condenser, which is strange that those work just fine even with a recall, but suddenly an entirely different part was not working that’s not under warranty. I left the dealership extremely frustrated to be sold a car with faulty equipment that is being called out online and Honda does not show any proactive measures.
Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2023
My 2016 Honda civic has been having air conditioning issues and this should be repaired by the manufacturer. The issue is with Evaporator Core and the condenser. The Honda dealership inspected the car and made the determination; however, he says that there have not been any recalls issued by Honda for the Evaporator Core. We live in Arizona and it is dangerous to drive a car without a working air conditioner. Please help fix this as I am sure there are a lot more other owners who are having similar A/C issues!
Exterior lighting, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Aug 3, 2023
Air conditioner in my 2016 Honda Civic has never worked. Condenser or compressor needs to be replaced continues to leak throughout system and is defective. Emergency Brake malfunction does not work and poses as a safety issue. Left head lamp doesn’t work due to excessive heat exposure in Nevada.
Other or unspecified, Jul 27, 2023
Air conditioning compressor and condenser leaking which caused the evaporator to fail. Honda refuses to fix evaporator due to faulty A/C system leaking.
Other or unspecified, Jul 26, 2023
The inside door handle on my car has become unusable two times in the past 2 years. This is a danger because, in case of an emergency, the door would not be able to be opened by the passenger.
Other or unspecified, Jul 23, 2023
Purchased this vehicle new in 2016. The AC system has never worked properly. A few years ago parts were given the extended warranty. I had it fixed at an authorized Honda dealer, it blew cold air for about 2 weeks and then died agin. I had it fixed again, was told parts were defective in the first repair and it worked for 1 summer. Now this summer it is not blowing cold air once again and again I got another warranty extension in the mail. This time at Honda it’s a different part in the AC and of course it isn’t covered. So for a quick $3000 it can be fixed. This is my 9th Honda/Acura vehicle and I have never had such a unreliable car. Very disappointed with the “new” Honda.
Other or unspecified, Jul 17, 2023
2016 Honda Civic AC system is not working and has not been working for awhile. There are 2 warranty extensions issued for this vehicle's AC system, one for the condenser and one for the compressor. Honda has diagnosed the problem as being the evaporator, which I have been quoted everywhere from $1800 - $3000 to have fixed. The general consensus from mechanics that have dealt with these models (I have seen many different mechanics, 3rd party and dealership), is that the entire AC system is riddled with manufacturing defects, the condenser and compressor issues likely caused the evaporator malfunction, and will likely have to be recalled at some point. That is obviously slowly happening with the existing warranty extensions, however I am still being forced to pay nearly $2k for working AC despite public knowledge of a manufacturing error dealing with these AC systems. Honda refuses to acknowledge the evaporator issue was caused by the other failing components by not extending the warranty to the whole AC system. When I refused service for the evaporator since it was not covered, I was told the compressor shaft seal leak that IS covered under the warranty extension could not be fixed either. The reasoning was that the compressor could not be fixed alone without fixing the evaporator due to "safety concerns". Essentially admitting that the whole system fails if one of those 3 parts is faulty. So even though that is the case, I still have to pay out of pocket for the manufacturers mistake. Unbelievable and clearly an extremely common occurrence as there was an active class action lawsuit for the AC systems of this model (Andre Wong v. American Honda Motor Co. Inc., et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-10537) and Lemon Law documentation of the issue as well. Please hold Honda responsible and force them to issue an all encompassing AC Recall/warranty extension so that myself and many others do not have to choose between a very expensive repair or passing out on the road from the heat
Other or unspecified, Jul 17, 2023
The inside of the car smells like coolant and the air is making the front dashboard foggy. One area of the Central ac is blowing cooler than the other.
Other or unspecified, Jul 7, 2023
The air conditioning system is a failure. First my condenser went out and they replaced it with the extended warranty they provided. Now my evaporator is leaking and they do not have an extended warranty on it. Cost to replace is $2,100.00. This is a safety concern in California because of the smog. I could no longer keep my windows up when driving because of the heat and a/c not working.
Other or unspecified, Jul 3, 2023
Air conditioner leaking Freon at 40k miles and it’s a known problem $2000 repair. Known problem with Honda civics
Other or unspecified, Jun 24, 2023
The rearview camera image may not appear. This does not happen constantly, but it will happen from time to time when reversing. Sometimes the problem will not correct itself until the vehicle is restarted. I did not know that a safety recall might be needed until I just saw the recall for the same issue in the Honda Pilots
Seat belts, Other or unspecified, Jun 24, 2023
When a phone is placed in the designated spot on the center console under the radio, it will fly backward upon acceleration. It has caused my phone to fly backward and unstrap my seatbelt while pulling onto a busy highway. I am not the only person this has happened to. This is a design flaw. The area beneath the radio where you are supposed to place your phone is not secure enough to hold an average size phone and poses a serious risk as the center console is taller than the driver's seat. It has undone my seatbelt on more than one occasion. I would likely have been ejected from the car if someone would havce hit me while this this occurred. Please recall these vehicles to fix this design flaw. It is extremely dangerous.
Other or unspecified, Jun 19, 2023
The A/C hasn't fully worked since car was purchased in 2016. Driver side blows hot air and passenger side cool (not cold) air in summer and in winter/cold months it stays warm on driver side and cool (doesn't get warm enough) on passenger side. Car has been taken to dealership and issue has still not been fixed. No recall by Honda regarding this issue, but lots of forums and complaints online about the same issue. Car was not used for more than 3 months of summer heat last year after being "fixed" and once the hot weather started this year it is back to 100+ degrees inside the car with no A/C cooling the car. Even set to Lo, fan at full speed, parked inside garage for a day, and started in the morning, the air blows hot. Having to drive in a hot car is a heat stroke/exhaustion waiting to happen and a hazard to be on the road.