RoadVitals

2011 Honda Civic Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Jul 1, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 168 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Honda Civic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Jul 1, 2019
Fire reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE A/C VENTS. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING SOUND ALSO COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT A/C VENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROADWAY AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT SUSTAINED A MINOR BURN TO HER RIGHT LEG. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT SOUGHT. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO IAA TOWING FACILITY IN FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA. NEITHER THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. *BF *TR

NHTSA ID
11228772
Incident
Jun 19, 2019
Mileage
120,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Jun 7, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A DRIVE THRU LINE, IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHILE STOPPED. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO PARK TO COMPLETELY STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED; HOWEVER, A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,600.

NHTSA ID
11100405
Incident
Jun 7, 2018
Mileage
75,600 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 7, 2015

2011 CIVIC COUPE MOTOR MOUNT/BUMP STOP DEFECTIVE AT 38684 MILES. CAUSES VEHICLE TO RATTLE AND VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY AT START, REVERSING, AND W/ AIR CONDITIONER ON. WHILE DRIVING ANY BUMP IN THE ROAD EXACERBATES THE CONDITION. HONDA SERVICE KNEW THE ISSUE OVER THE PHONE, MULTIPLE THREADS TO THE SAME OVER ENTIRE 8TH GEN CIVIC ARE FOUND WITH A BASIC GOOGLE SEARCH. RIGHT HONDA REFUSED TO COVER AND STATED $513.00 FOR A REPAIR HONDA SHOULD BE COVERING.

NHTSA ID
10780513
Incident
Oct 7, 2015
Mileage
39,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 11, 2015

HAPPENS FREQUENTLY THAT WHEN PARKING VEHICLE IN PERSONAL GARAGE, VEHICLE WILL LURCH FORWARD AGGRESSIVELY ON ITS OWN WHILE BRAKES BEING APPLIED. HAVE TO LEAN HARD INTO BRAKES TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM HITTING ANYTHING IN GARAGE. A/C COMPRESSOR BEING ACTIVE OR INACTIVE DOES NOT IMPACT THIS BEHAVIOR, ENGINE TEMPERATURE DOES NOT SEEM TO PLAY A ROLE EITHER. THIS IS OUR FOURTH HONDA, NONE OF THE OTHER THREE HAVE HAD THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10705114
Incident
Feb 3, 2014
Mileage
32,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 20, 2015

WE PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE AS A CERTIFIED CAR IN 2012. AFTER DRIVING FOR A WEEK OR SO I NOTICE THAT THE CAR VIBRATE OR SHAKES WHEN IT IS ON IDLE. IT IS EVEN WORSE WHEN AC IS ON. THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT SOMETIME IT HAPPEN SOMETIME IT DOESN'T. I HAVE MADE A COMPLAINT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. I WAS EVEN ADVICE BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT TO USE PREMIUM GAS SPECIFICALLY " CHEVRON GAS STATION". BUT DIDN'T SOLVE ANYTHING. I COULDN'T REALLY PROVE IT IS SHAKING BECAUSE IT IS ON AND OFF. JUST STUMBLE IN TO THIS WEBSITE I WANT TO SHARE MY FRUSTRATION TOO. AT 43000 MILES IT IS THE SAME SHAKING VIBRATING THAT IS HAPPENING. I'VE REPLACED ALL TIRES AT 32000 BECAUSE IT WAS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE ON IT SINCE IT WAS BALD. REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKES AT 40K SO I MIGHT BE HAVING SOME ISSUE WITH THAT TOO. I OWN A 2006 HONDA PILOT WITH 120K MILES ON IT AND THAT SUV DRIVES WAY SMOOTHER THAN MY CIVIC. FOR MY PILOT THE BRAKE LASTED FOR 70K MILES BEFORE REPLACING IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10689506
Incident
Oct 19, 2012
Mileage
19,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 30, 2014

MY 2011 HONDA CIVIC HAS A BLOWN ENGINE AFTER HAVING THE CAR LESS THAN 4 YEARS. UNFORTUNATELY PAST 60,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE, MY CAR WITH 63,000 MILES HAS A COMPLETELY BLOWN ENGINE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THIS IS NO LONGER COVERED AND THERE IS NOTHING HONDA CAN DO ABOUT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS HONDA IS SUCH A LEMON AND HAVE NO FAITH IN BUYING A HONDA EVER AGAIN. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND NOW I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FIND THE MONEY TO REPLACE AN ENGINE ON THIS CAR BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A FIVE YEAR LOAN TO PAY OFF ON IT. THE LAST HONDA I HAD WENT OVER 229,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HONDA QUALITY? *JS

NHTSA ID
10668934
Incident
Dec 27, 2014
Mileage
63,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 30, 2014

A/C BLOWING HOT AIR. MY MECHANIC ADVISED THAT "ROAD DEBRIS" PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE CONDENSER COIL, WHICH IS THE VERY FIRST THING BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER. NOTHING IS VISIBLE THAT WOULD PROTECT THE DELICATE COIL FROM NORMAL DRIVING. SINCE THERE IS NO RETROFIT AVAILABLE, NOTHING PROVIDES PROTECTION FROM THE DAMAGE HAPPENING AGAIN, AFTER A COSTLY REPAIR BILL. HONDA NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS DESIGN FLAW AND PAY FOR REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10606983
Incident
Jun 22, 2014
Mileage
45,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 24, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER SHE POWERED THE VEHICLE ON, IT WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ID
10545097
Incident
Jul 13, 2011
Mileage
7 mi
Engine
Filed May 23, 2013

I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER, UNDER MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY PERIOD, BECAUSE THE A/C WAS BLOWING HOT AIR. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT "ROAD DEBRIS" PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE CONDENSER COIL, WHICH IS THE VERY FIRST THING BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER. NOTHING IS VISIBLE THAT WOULD PROTECT THE DELICATE COIL FROM NORMAL DRIVING. INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I CALLED SEVERAL LOCAL DEALERS, ALL OF WHICH ADMITTED THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE. I CALLED HONDA, AND WAS ADVISED THEIR POSITION IS NOT TO OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AS THEY DO NOT FEEL THIS IS AN EQUIPMENT OR DESIGN FLAW. SINCE THERE IS NO RETROFIT AVAILABLE, NOTHING PROVIDES PROTECTION FROM THE DAMAGE HAPPENING AGAIN, AFTER A COSTLY REPAIR BILL. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE, AND FOUND A SETTLED CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT BETWEEN HONDA AND HONDA OWNERS FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. "SPECIFICALLY, THE COMPLAINT ALLEGED THAT THE CONDENSER WAS PLACED IN A POSITION THAT WAS VULNERABLE TO CONTACT FROM ROCKS, PEBBLES AND OTHER ROAD DEBRIS DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON PAVED ROADWAYS, AND THAT HONDA FAILED TO DESIGN THE VEHICLE EITHER TO WITHSTAND THIS IMPACT OR WITH A GUARD OR GRILL THAT WOULD PROTECT THE CONDENSER DESPITE THE 'CLEAR VULNERABILITY' OF THE CONDENSER TO THIS DEBRIS CONTACT." - ALIN V. HONDA MOTOR CO. LTD. ET AL., CASE NUMBER [XXX]. THE LAWSUIT SETTLED IN SEPTEMBER 2011. THIS LAWSUIT DID NOT INCLUDE CIVICS, BUT LOCAL DEALERS AND VEHICLE BLOGS SHOW THAT THIS IS, AND HAS BEEN, A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM FROM BACK BEFORE THIS LAWSUIT . HONDA CLAIMED I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO CALL THEM WITH THIS ISSUE. I AM TRYING TO WORK THIS OUT WITHOUT PARTICIPATING IN A CURRENT CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT INVESTIGATION FOR THIS ISSUE, FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL. IT IS VERY DISTRESSING THAT HONDA WAS WELL AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAW AND FAULTY/FLIMSY MATERIAL CAUSING THIS ISSUE, AND DID EXACTLY NOTHING TO PREVENT FUTURE ISSUES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10513252
Incident
May 21, 2013
Mileage
31,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Apr 17, 2012

MODEST AND CAREFUL DRIVING RESULTS IN MUCH LOWER GAS MILEAGE THAN EPA ESTIMATES. MPG EQUALS THAT OF THREE PRIOR CARS WITH ENGINES OF TWICE THE SIZE AND TWICE THE HORSEPOWER. DEALER SHRUGS, IGNORES. *JS

NHTSA ID
10455498
Incident
May 1, 2011
Mileage
1,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Mar 12, 2011

I PURCHASED NEW 2011 HONDA CIVIC LX SEDAN VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. IT WAS ALLEGEDLY REPAIRED BY DEALER. HOWEVER, WITHIN 24 HOURS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT GREENWICH HONDA, MASON STREET, GREENWICH CT THREE TIMES ALREADY AND IT IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. IT APPEARS THAT VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANT. THE ENGINE APPEARS TO RUN IRREGULARLY AT TIMES AND I AM AFRAID THAT IT MAY ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10389935
Incident
Mar 5, 2011
Mileage
14 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .