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
1,081 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Apr 25, 2021
AIR CONDITIONING IS BLOWING HOT AIR. I THINK IT MIGHT BE A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 21, 2021
THE AC SYSTEM ON THESE MODELS HAVE A FACTORY DEFECT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE SURFACE STREETS THE WINDSHIELD BECAME FOGGY, I COULD NOT SEE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME AND SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND CLEANED THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE PIECE OF TOWEL. BECAUSE THE CAR'S AC WAS NOT WORKING IT COULD NOT DEFOGG THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE CONTACTED HONDA, BUT HONDA DOESN'T REPAIR IT. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
Steering, Apr 20, 2021
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER DRIVING A LONG DISTANCE (WHEN ENGINE IS HOT), POWER STEERING STICKS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE STRAIGHT AND STAY WITHIN THE LANE. SMOOTH STEERING IS NOT POSSIBLE. MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES ARE HIGH, AND NOT LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS.
Equipment, Apr 20, 2021
2016 HONDA CIVIC TOURING. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED CAUSING THE LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE TO REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. *JS
Steering, Apr 16, 2021
THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE STEERING SYSTEM SEEMS TO HAVE A SLIGHT 'STICKING' POINT THAT REQUIRES A SLIGHT, ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO CORRECT. TYPE OF ROAD SURFACE (ASPHALT, CONCRETE, ETC.) SEEMS TO HAVE SOME AFFECT ON THIS ISSUE. IT IS SOMEWHAT DISCONCERTING TO HAVE THIS OCCUR WHILE DRIVING...NOT A GOOD FEELING!!!
Steering, Apr 15, 2021
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE STEERING STICKS CAUSING DRIVER TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING OVER CORRECTION
Other or unspecified, Apr 12, 2021
MY CAR AC WONT WORK AND HONDA DEALERS WANT ME TO PAY FOR DIAGNOSIS WHEN THEY KNOW THERE IS AN EXISTING ISSUE WITH THE A/C CONDENSER, COMPRESSOR AND EVAPORATOR.
Other or unspecified, Apr 12, 2021
AIR COMPRESSOR WENT BAD.
Steering, Apr 5, 2021
STEERING STICKS. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE STRAIGHT ON THE FREEWAY FORCING YOU TO ZIG ZAG CONTINUOUSLY IN A LANE. PROBLEM IS MOST NOTABLE AT SPEEDS OVER 40MPH. PROBLEM STARTED WAS FIRST NOTED IN SUMMER OF 2017 (WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY) AND CONTINUES TO TODAY.
Service brakes, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 4, 2021
TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 2 MONTHS. VEHICLE MAKES LOUD NOISES. VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE. PARKING BRAKE HAS TECHNICAL ISSUES.
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Mar 31, 2021
AC COMPRESSOR WENT OUT AFTER 37,000 MILES. WITHOUT THE AC, IT HURTS VISIBILITY (COULD NOT DEFOG THE CAR WINDOWS) WHEN RAINING OR LIVING IN A HIGH HUMIDITY AREA. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE IN HOTTER CLIMATES. ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH REAR BACKUP CAMERA NOT WORKING UPON STARTUP INTERMITTENTLY.
Steering, Mar 29, 2021
STEERING WHEEL STICKS OR CATCHES WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH. STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT MOVE WITHOUT EXTRA FORCE FROM DRIVER. DRIVER HAS TO YANK ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. STEERING IS NOT FLUID AS IT SHOULD BE AND CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER TO OVERCORRECT IF ISSUE IS NOT FIXED. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Mar 26, 2021
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES SINCE ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE WITH BRAKE LIGHT BULBS REPEATEDLY BURNING OUT ALONG WITH EVERY SYSTEM ICON ON THE DASH FLASHING OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT WILL NOT START ALWAYS AND AT TIMES IT WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE KEY OR THE REMOTE FOB ALL BEING TAKEN IN TO SHOPS FOR REPAIRS AND WITHIN WEEKS I CAN BE BACK TO THE SHOP WITH YET ANOTHER SO CALLED FIX THIS RECURRING PROBLEM IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE
Steering, Mar 23, 2021
STEERING STICKS WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES CAUSES DRIVER TO OVERCORRECT. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THIS ISSUE IS HAPPENING TO MANY CIVIC OWNERS AND FOR SOME REASON ISN'T BEING RECALLED. HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MONTHS, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE.
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.
Steering, Mar 19, 2021
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING STICKS WHEN MAKING MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO STAY IN LANE, IN OTHER WORDS, THE STEERING STICKS HARD AND THE VEHICLE STAYS IN THE TURN. BECAUSE THE STEERING CAN'T RETURN TO CENTER WITHOUT ADDITIONAL OPPOSITE FORCE, BREAKING THE STEERING FREE OFTEN CAUSES AN OVERCORRECT. BOTH SCENARIOS (STUCK IN THE TURN, AND OVERCORRECTING) REPRESENT A SERIOUS HAZARD TO DRIVERS AND ROAD USERS. THESE ARE NOT ROAD CROWN OR ALIGNMENT ISSUES: THESE ARE PHYSICALLY STUCK STEERING ISSUES RELATED TO HONDA EPS RACK 53650-TBC-A01/02. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. THERE ARE OVER 115 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE ON THE NHTSA DATABASE FOR THE 2016 CIVIC ALONE, THAT'S WITHOUT THE THOUSANDS THAT ALMOST CERTAINLY GO UNREPORTED.
Steering, Mar 19, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN BOTH DIRECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO RETURN TO CENTER, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NORM REEVES HONDA SUPERSTORE PORT CHARLOTTE (1252 TAMIAMI TRAIL, PORT CHARLOTTE, FL 33953) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A STICKY STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
Other or unspecified, Mar 18, 2021
I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND MY WINDSHIELD BECAME FOGGY TO THE POINT I COULDN'T SEE THE ROAD AHEAD OF ME. TRIED TO DEFOG IT, IT DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE AC SYSTEM ON THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE LETTER ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THE LOCAL DEALER DENIED MY REQUEST TO FIX THE ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MUST BE FIXED.
Steering, Mar 2, 2021
AFTER BEING ON THE ROAD FOR 30-40 MINUTES THE STEERING BECOMES JERKY AND STICKY. FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS TRYING TO OVER CORRECT WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. I HAVE MY CAR IN THE DEALER SINCE LAST WEEK WHERE THE SERVICE GUYS DROVE MY CAR AND AND FELT THE PROBLEM, THEY SUBMITTED A CLAIM UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY AND NOW THE WARRANTY GUY CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AND DENIED MY CLAIM. THIS IS REALLY UNPROFESSIONAL ON HONDA'S PART FOR NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE THAT WE ARE ALL HAVING. I SWEAR I USED TO LOVE DRIVING MY CAR, NOW I'M SO SCARED TO DRIVE IT THAT I CAN'T ENJOY IT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BECAUSE IT IS REALLY UNSAFE. I THINK THEY WANT US TO CRASH OUR CARS RATHER FIXING A SIMPLE ISSUE AND CHANGE THE EPS RACK AND PINION.
Steering, Feb 23, 2021
STEERING STICKS AFTER DRIVING FOR 20-30MINS. USUALLY WHEELS FORWARD/STRAIGHT. TENDS TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN ON HIGHWAYS, LESS OFTEN ON CURVY ROADS. WHEN MAKING SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS TO MAINTAIN LANE POSITION, IT TAKES AN UNUSUAL AND UNCOMFORTABLE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO GET IT OUT OF ITS STUCK POSITION. ONCE IT BREAKS FREE, IT IS A SLIGHT OVER ADJUSTMENT. DOES NOT SEEM TO STICK WHILE IN TURNS. I HAVE REPLACED FACTORY TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND AND PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT, STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. VEHICLE HAS NO AFTERMARKET PARTS. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO COME AND GO, AND I HAVE NOT NOTICED A SPECIFIC PATTERN.
Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 17, 2021
2016 HONDA CIVIC FUEL DOOR ACTUATOR MAKES A LOUD BUZZING NOISE WHEN LOCKING. I AM TOLD BY THE HONDA DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM IS COMMON ON CIVICS 2016 THRU 2019 AND ON ACCORDS OF THE SAME YEARS. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR STARTS TO MOVE FORWARD AND HITS 10 MPH AND WHEN THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE KEYFOB IS PUSHED.
Steering, Feb 9, 2021
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY STEERING WHEEL STICKS WHEN CHANGING LANES VERY DANGEROUS ALSO BECAUSE I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THE COST WAS NOT $3,000 OR MORE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL
Structure, Feb 8, 2021
PAINT FLAKING. PAINT NOT ADHERED TO PRIMER.
Steering, Feb 1, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND JERKY AND DID NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER RUSSELL HONDA LOCATED AT 6100 LANDERS RD, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 72117 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
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