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.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Apr 24, 2026
I was driving my car home from work and many warning lights lit up on my car dashboard (brake problem, engine problem, uphill start, steering problem) etc.. I got off the freeway and my car dashboard lit up and notified me “to pull over to a safe location because my car needle (temperature) was on high. I pulled over to a safe location and opened the hood and noticed that the antifreeze coolant compartment was empty) my car could have caught on fire because there was no coolant inside the compartment. After I got home and filled the car with coolant I placed cardboard under the car engine to see if the coolant would leak. There are no signs of leakage. I took my car to my mechanic and he told me that he couldn’t fix the problem and suggested I call Honda USA customer service. The mechanic told me that the problem is with the “head gasket” and that the coolant does leak into other parts of the engine. He didn’t charge me anything for the inspection and added coolant to my car. I called Honda USA customer service and they told me that there are “no recalls” regarding coolant leaks and head gasket problems. I googled problems with “Honda 2016 civics and learned that there is a problem that exists and it’s very costly to fix. I also learned that Honda was sued in Canada and Honda settled with customers regarding this problem. Honda USA simply told me to take my car to a Honda dealer and ask for an “inspection” I asked if they would cover the cost and they didn’t not say they would pay for the inspection. This is a manufacture problem that occurs after a Honda Civic has gone past 70,0000 miles. People still complain about this issue and wonder where the coolant in the car is leaking and where is the coolant going into since the coolant is not visibly leaking. The coolant is making its way within the engine and causing more problems in my car. I have never had a problem like this one. This is the second time that the coolant inside my car leaks into the engine.
Steering, Apr 24, 2026
While driving, my wheel often “sticks” and I have to over correct throughout the entire drive. I’m afraid it is going to get me in an accident. It becomes more noticeable at high speeds. I have to travel often for my job and recently have not felt safe while driving my car on the highway. It seems to be a common issue with the 2016 Civic and I’m not sure why there hasn’t been a recall. I am the sole owner of this car and bought it new off the lot in 2016. I looked into getting this fixed and it looks to cost $4000-$5000. On a problem that several people have , it really should be fixed by Honda.
Electrical system, Apr 21, 2026
My infotainment system about killed me 3 or 4 times
Steering, Apr 17, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Power steering / steering wheel responsiveness steering wheel "stuck" in position. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? On curved roads or roads at highway speeds, small steering corrections are not always possible. Excessive force must be used to "snap" the steering wheel out of being stuck, which can cause the vehicle to swerve slightly. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, they do not spend enough time with the vehicle or do the proper preparation to recreate the issue. Or they charge high fees just to try to determine the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No, not to my knowledge. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, none. Other notes: This has happened since the vehicle was under warranty, circa 2018/2019. It happens most often on very hot days, or when the car has been driven for a while, and mostly happens at speeds around 70 mph, though can happen as low as 40 mph. *When researching it does appear that the 2016 Honda Civic EX 2.0L sedan shares a part number with other Honda vehicles that were part of a recall regarding steering issues.*
Steering, Apr 13, 2026
There are no lights on the dash or any kind of notification of this issue. The issue is the “sticking” of the steering wheel. It sometimes gets stuck while driving and applied force to the wheel in any direction is the only thing to fix it. It is a very dangerous defect of the car and can cause serious injury to the driver and or others around. It has been an ongoing issue. There is already a recall for the problem but on newer year models.
Steering, Apr 11, 2026
The steering wheel is sticky and jerky when turning. It has not been smooth for years and I often have to force it to turn a little at high speeds. It’s been like this for years. I am reporting this because it seems to be a major issue online for a lot of civic owners.
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.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Apr 7, 2026
What component or system failed: The entire Air Conditioning system, specifically the AC Compressor, Condenser, and Evaporator, failed catastrophically. The authorized Honda dealer diagnosed it as "Black Death," meaning the AC compressor internally shattered, sending metal shrapnel and contaminated oil throughout all AC lines and components. How was your safety put at risk: This failure is a SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. Because the AC compressor is dead, the windshield defroster/defogger system no longer functions. During rain or changes in temperature/humidity, the inside of the windshield fogs up instantly and cannot be cleared. This causes a sudden and complete loss of driver visibility, creating a high risk of a fatal crash on the highway. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed: Yes. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Honda dealership. The technician confirmed the catastrophic failure ("Black Death") and stated the entire system needs to be replaced. Previous history & Manufacturer response: Honda has known defects with the 2016 Civic AC system (Warranty Extensions 19-091 & 23-039). The condenser was previously replaced under warranty in 2023. Now, the defective compressor shaft seal has led to the complete destruction of the system. Despite this being a known defect that causes secondary damage to the entire system, Honda Corporate has refused to cover the repair costs for the collateral damage (evaporator and lines). The parts are currently on the vehicle and available for inspection. Were there warning lamps: There were no warning lights on the dashboard prior to the failure. The only symptom was the AC suddenly blowing hot air and the immediate loss of the defogging capability.
Steering, Apr 4, 2026
My 2016 Honda Civic w/ 66000 miles has been experiencing issues with the steering wheel wherein after driving for approximately 10-15 minutes the steering wheel will start "sticking" when attempting to make micro-adjustments. This primarily occurs at highway speeds, however after starting it does still occur at lower city speeds. This problem causes a significant safety issue, particularly when traveling at highway speeds as a result of increased risk of over correction after the steering wheel becomes unstuck. As an example, when making micro-adjustments to maintain a straight direction, I attempted to move the wheel to the left and the steering wheel became stuck for a moment, requiring higher than normal force to turn. When the steering wheel released, the higher force caused the wheel to turn more than desired, resulting in a minor over correction. This then required me to turn the wheel back to the right to maintain position within the lane, however it again became stuck, requiring higher than normal force to turn and resulted in a near continuous cycle. After bringing the vehicle to a Honda Repair Center on 04/04/2026, they diagnosed the issues as a failure with the rack and pinion assembly within the EPS system. The quoted cost of replacement was $4571.09. Unfortunately, while there is an active recall for this issue for 11th gen 2022-24 Civics, despite numerous complaints of the same issue there is no such recall for 10th gen 2016-2020 civics. This problem needs to be rectified, and a mass recall on all civics since 2016 need to be issued.
Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 2, 2026
The fuel pump is failing and stalls when driving.
Steering, Mar 18, 2026
Steering wheel feels like it sticks and causes overcorrecting when trying to make small adjustments to steering.
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 18, 2026
My car shuts off during long drives and carries the same behaviors of a car with a failing fuel pump.
Steering, Mar 14, 2026
When driving on highways steering notches or sticks causing constant attention to be given to it. It does not seem to be a bother when driving short distances for errands in town. It is distracting and dangerous. I will be taking it into a dealer in 2 days so they can reproduce it and hopefully it will be an easy fix, but I doubt it after reading about this problem. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I HAVE READ ABOUT A FEW INJURY ACCIDENTS AND LAWSUITS.
Other or unspecified, Mar 13, 2026
Have had A/C issues for years, have had to replace compressor and condenser 4 times, only twice after a warranty finally came out for the defective parts. Now, the evaporator core has failed, but it is not under extended warranty or recall. Wild as I've seen so many with issues with another part of the faulty a/c system, likely from a defect. Going through a heatwave currently, dropping 3K on an evaporator core was not on my budget, especially when I believe Honda is at fault here. Tried a goodwill claim with them, immediately rejected. This came shortly after the condenser and shaft were replaced at the dealership.
Steering, Mar 12, 2026
Increased resistance making minor adjustments to the steering wheel in either direction when driving the highway at high speeds. I've seen every symptom of the Honda 'sticky steering' problem that only has a recall for 2022-2025 right now, but I know it's not a coincidence.
Steering, Mar 11, 2026
Sticky Steering causing over correction when attempting to drive straight. Driving and drifting to either left or right, then attempting to find center, steering wheel will feel sticky and over correct past center. This then makes the car drift to the other direction, then requiring another correcting back, which also over corrects/skips center. The problem is most noticeable during highway driving. This is a safety issue that I have seen many other posts about. The issue may cause the car to severely over correct and veere off the road and/or cause an accident.
Steering, Mar 9, 2026
Steering intermittently sticks making driving awkward and difficult to hold a straight line.
Steering, Mar 9, 2026
Steering is sticking when driven for while, making it very unsafe for myself and others and sometimes it sticks and the wheel has to be jerked back which could cause over correction.
Steering, Mar 7, 2026
Steering can be "sticky" in warm weather, especially above 70 degrees. The issue is intermittent and almost disappears during colder weather, below 60 degrees. I have been noticing this issue for the last couple of years. The issue is particularly noticeable at highway speeds 45mph+. At these speeds the steering wheel becomes somewhat "stuck" and won't turn until you apply enough force to overcome this "stickiness", after which point it starts turning normally, just as expected. The amount of force you need to overcome the "stickiness" is not too much, but it's more than expected, and enough to reduce the control you have over the vehicle's steering. I believe that this "stickiness" is a safety hazard because at highway speeds it makes it harder for you to make small steering adjustments to stay in your lane. This is because you need to apply more steering force to overcome the "stickiness" of the steering wheel, which can result in your car steering more than the desired amount, which can be dangerous. I usually find myself having to immediately make a secondary small steering correction towards the opposite direction, just to bring the vehicle back to the direction I was expecting it to be heading in the first place. But even this secondary adjustment will also suffer from the same "stickiness", so the problem repeats.
Steering, Mar 6, 2026
Steering became "sticky" at highway driving speeds. This caused the driver to be unable to make small adjustments to steering at highway driving speeds. Clicking sound could be heard when making steering adjustments while driving. This was caused by a manufacturing defect in the steering rack of the vehicle. The car is a 2016, but has only 32,727 mile on it and was purchased new. Because of the sudden stick and release of the steering, it creates a crash hazard and put my family and grandchildren in danger. This is a known problem on this model (we now know) and has been recalled on newer model Honda vehicles. We paid Honda of Ft. Worth $5,000.00 to replace the steering rack. We have retained the defective rack, which is available for inspection as needed. We contacted Honda of America for help with this since it is a known safety issue, but they were unwilling to help at all. No warning lights messages etc were given on the vehicle dash panel.
Other or unspecified, Mar 5, 2026
The white orchid pearl paint on my 2016 civic is peeling. the car has 150000 miles on it. I've seen this is a known defect with this type of paint. I'm reporting this concern for my vehicles as the repair is costly and if it isn't repaired I will get structural rust.
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
Steering, Feb 2, 2026
While driving straight, steering wheel sticks in the straight position. Moving the steering wheel slightly to left or right leads to over correction due to resistance.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while the vehicle was running with the A/C unit activated, there was an abnormal odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. Additionally, while the A/C unit was activated, only hot air was coming from the vents. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the A/C evaporator needed to be replaced because of leaks in three places. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
Other or unspecified, Jan 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the white paint was peeling off the vehicle. Large white pieces from the rear hood started to peel off first. Then, the white paint from the rear and later both rear sides, the paint was peeling off, stemming from manufacturing defects in the application of its three-stage finish, leading to peeling and flaking that can impact resale value and cause rust. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.