2021 Honda Civic
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 145 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 23rd highest complaint count among 26 Civic model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 5 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 2 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
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerFeb 1, 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Campaign 24V064000 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
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, master cylinderJun 29, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.
Campaign 23V458000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
145 reports, newest first.
Steering, Jun 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the electronic power steering assist was not functioning properly, requiring an increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Air bags, Jun 14, 2025
While driving my 2021 Honda Civic Sport, both front airbags deployed without warning and without any accident or impact. There were no warning lights beforehand, and no collision occurred. The deployment also caused my windshield to crack. After the airbags went off, the dashboard displayed a ‘SRS airbag system problem’ message. This is a serious safety concern as the vehicle was operating normally at the time. I’m requesting that this be investigated as a potential manufacturer defect
Steering, Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Jun 13, 2025
Steering wheel sticks once at highway speed, wheel turns but with a glitch
Steering, Jun 12, 2025
My steering wheel sticks while driving. It is difficult to keep the car on the highway. I feel that eventually, I will have a wreck due to this issue. It is very scary driving the vehicle. The steering wheel is sticking constantly in the center position. The car is hard to control and keep on the highway.
Steering, May 30, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Steering, May 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel was sticking while turning. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. There dealer was unable to replicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Air bags, May 16, 2025
Unknown
Other or unspecified, May 11, 2025
Unknown
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, May 9, 2025, crash
My 2021 Honda civic ex’ forward collision sensor light flashed mid intersection my brakes locked up causing me to be a victim of a hit and run. As I was in between policies with my insurance therefore I wasn’t covered for the accident and I am now suffering financial hardships.. dealership didn’t want to hear what I had to say because it was a new car & no recalls were announced at the time.
Steering, Apr 23, 2025
Steering Rack Needs Replaced As Per Moses Honda In West Virginia Where I Purchased It New In 2021. 3,ooo repair. It is out of warranty by 10 Months and it has only 28,500mi. Moses honda is trying to help in this matter with American Honda. No Recall on this year. the steering is becoming more difficult as i keep driving it..........
Air bags, Apr 10, 2025
Dealer can not complete recall as they have no parts - I tried 2 times in the last 6 months
Steering, Mar 26, 2025
At highway speeds, the steering has a hitch in it when making slight lane adjustments. This becomes more noticeable over 60mph and after driving for 20-30 minutes.
Steering, Mar 25, 2025
The contact owned a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the failure only occurred while making a right turn. No warning light was illuminated. An unknown dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V704000 (STEERING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.
Air bags, Mar 13, 2025, crash
The contact owned a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that his wife was driving at 30-35 MPH, when another vehicle suddenly merged in front of the vehicle causing a T-bone collision. The vehicle was pushed into the middle of the road from the impact where it came to a stop. All air bags deployed. However, the front passenger-side air bag deployed backward onto the front windshield instead of deploying forward. The contact was unsure whether there was a warning light illuminated. A police report was not filed. EMS was called however, refused to take the contact and his wife to the hospital. The contact's wife sustained unknown injuries and was pending an MRI. The contact sustained whiplash and no medical attention was sought. The insurance company towed the vehicle to a storage location and deemed the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Steering, Mar 6, 2025
Sticky steering due to faulty eps gearbox. Recall is for 2022-2025 but many 2021 are affected. Steering is stiff and difficult, constant corrections being made just trying to steer straight, steering wheel does not want to return to zero position after taking a curve. Steering gets worse when it's cold out or after some rain due to the moisture.
Steering, Mar 3, 2025
The steering system in my 2021 Honda Civic appears to be malfunctioning, causing the steering wheel to feel "sticky" when making small adjustments while driving on the highway. This issue is most noticeable at speeds between 45-70 mph, where the steering momentarily resists movement before suddenly adjusting, making it difficult to maintain smooth lane control. The steering system appears to be the affected component. The Issue seems to be with the EPS not having enough grease which there is a recall for 2022-2025 models. This problem puts my safety and the safety of others at risk because it reduces my ability to make precise steering corrections, especially at highway speeds. The delayed response in the steering makes the vehicle feel unstable, increasing the potential for unintended lane deviations or overcorrections. There were no warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms before this issue began occurring.
Steering, Feb 27, 2025
after prolonged driving steering becomes "sticky", steering wheel will jerk when steering, causing over correction on straights and turns
Steering, Feb 23, 2025
Noticed steering wheel “sticks” when lightly turning to the left. I have to use significantly more force to move the steering wheel past this stick compared to the rest of its travel.
Steering, Feb 13, 2025
Similar to the recall made for Honda civics years 2022-2024 for difficulty steering due to improperly produced steering gearbox, in experiencing difficulty steering. In particular, it is felt as a sticky feeling when making left turns. When making slight left turns, the steering wheel will remain “stuck” in a turned position unless forced to realign straight. The sticky wheel and extra effort to stay aligned in lanes increased risk to crashes and accidents. Many people online have expressed issues in this generation of civics (10th gen 2016-2021) but since it is not a recall, it is costly to diagnose or fix even though a recall was made for those made after.
Exterior lighting, Jan 8, 2025
both fog lights have cracked due to placement and cheap plastic covers on the outta fog light.
Steering, Dec 31, 2024
Steering is becoming sticky while on roadway. Seems like it is developing hard spots.
Service brakes, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 26, 2024
On multiple occasions my car has applied the brake while driving on the highway as well as my caliper has become frozen and I have replaced brakes 3 times in less than one calendar year. I have all old brakes that have needed to be replaced and there is uneven wear on them.
Seats, Other or unspecified, Dec 23, 2024
There’s been a safety recall and I took my car like more than a year ago to repairs and then the check the car but told me the piece it’s not ready yet. I have to wait almost a whole year for it and I receive the notification that the piece was ready. When I call to make the appointment the lady told me that I receive the notification but the piece it’s not on the Honda yet and I have to wait. Wait more ? I’m seriously concerned about my car and even though I receive the notification that it’s ready she says they haven’t receive the piece yet ? This is a serious matter and my car and even my family we are driving the car and this is absolutely not ok. I don’t know how much more do I have to wait.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 22, 2024
I have had dozens of incidents where I will be driving down the road and my car will just break for no apparent reason. It is totally random and at times terrifying. It happens with no other vehicles in front of my vehicle as well as while I am just driving in traffic with cars behind me. Many times, after it happens initially, I cannot accelerate the car due to the breaks locking up. I have to put the car in park and then drive to accelerate. I have asked my service providers at HONDA the dealership about this, and they have no idea why this is happening. This is so dangerous and frightening.
Air bags, Nov 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.