2017 Honda Civic Owner Complaints

AC evaporator failed (per dealership diagnostic) causing poor performance of windshield defogger

NHTSA ID

11765995

Incident

Jul 1, 2026

My air conditioning failed producing cool air in late 2020. I took it to Honda Penske in Ontario. The said at that time the Evaporator core is leaking but it not covered by warranty. I had pay out of pocket to install freon and that would like me for 5-6 months however the same problem would return. The following year I took it to El Monte Honda dealership where I purchased the car. They reviewed and stated the same the problem and they couldnt do anything about it. I once again had to pay out of pocket to install freon myself. Any local shop installs freon for $500. I have had to do that every summer of the last 4-5 years. My most recent visit was to Penske Honda which told me there is a recall for the AC Condensor, which was performed along with installing of freon. The same problem arises after 3 months where the evaporator core doesnt hold in the cool air, it leaks and eventually doesnt produce cool air at all. Hot days can be miserable especially with my kids in the Car.

NHTSA ID

11763431

Incident

Sep 28, 2020

I'm submitting a complaint for visibility concerns because the A/C system is plauged with issues on this vehicle. When A/C systems don't function properly it causes a visibility concern because the defogger won't clear the windshield (especially in the cold winters in my home state of [XXX]). This is the first series that Honda used this type of refrigerant (R-1234yf) and they ended up having issues with a few other vehicles when introducing this refrigerant. They released Warranty Extension 6A5 for this series to cover the A/C compressor and a shaft seal for premature failure due to complications with the refrigerant. In my opinion this was a bandaid-fix applied in an attempt to sweep the issue under the rug. My car's A/C has failed 3 times in the 5 years that I've owned it. I took it to Hoda last week and they said this time it was the evaporator and that it's $2,700 to fix. I would argue that all parts in this A/C system (including the evaporator and condenser) are affected by the same issues that cause premature failure in the Compressor. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11761902

Incident

Aug 18, 2026

Steering wheel gets stuck on highway driving and hard to make fine adjustments without force

NHTSA ID

11761834

Incident

Dec 31, 1969

The vehicle suffered a complete, simultaneous loss of climate control and safety defroster/defogging capabilities due to a catastrophic failure of the factory A/C compressor and condenser. This loss of functionality stems directly from a well-documented factory defect where the compressor shaft seal chemically degrades over time (Honda TSB 23-039), leading to total internal lubrication loss and component seizing. While American Honda Motor Co. has an active warranty extension for this issue, corporate claims management is actively restricting consumer remedies by enforcing text-matching policy loopholes—refusing to reimburse subsequent owners for the complete component replacements mechanically required to safely repair the vehicle. This creates an immediate safety and financial hurdle preventing owners from maintaining functional windshield visibility systems.

NHTSA ID

11761623

Incident

Apr 28, 2026

Sticky steerinng on highway Feels tight and difficult to make small adjustments Car then over corrects Has been happening for a while several years

NHTSA ID

11761453

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

After contact the Honda Corporation of this problem, they suggested that I file a complaint with your organization. I have reported a problem to Honda concerning the steering on my 2017 Honda Civic LX. The steering wheel is having a sticky, notchy effect when I am above 4o miles per hour. I am on the PA turnpike atleast once a week and really notice the problem then. What happens is that the car will slightly drift to one side and when I go to correct it, it is not a smooth transition, the steering has a sticky notchy effect which when I do correct the steering to be in the center, even the passager can feel this effect. I did take it to our Honda dealer where we purchased the car new and they said they did a computer diagnostic test and found nothing and could not take the car out for a certain amount of time to experience what I have been experiencing. We recently had all new tires and a four wheel alignment done on the car, but it is still doing the same thing. Honda Corp stated that their is a recall for this problem with 2017 Honda Civic, but that my VIN number does not fall in that category. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE and I feel that Honda should take responsibility in the matter since it is already a problem with other 2017 Honda's. Does someone have to get seriously hurt or killed before they look at this problem. I hope that someone is able to help with this situation as soon as possible. If you need addtional information, my number is [XXX]. Hope to hear from you in a proper time matter. This is the only car we have and the situation is a little nerve racking. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11761363

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

2017 Honda Civic Ex-L (Paint Code NH830M - Lunar Silver Metallic) Paint is coming off in patches throughout the entirety of the vehicle's body, exposing bare metal to the harsh environmental elements. Paint primer appears to have weak adhesion to the metal as both primer and paint is being removed in chunks. Car owner has reported this issue to North Carolina Honda Dealership, where owner was then redirected to have an inspection conducted at the local Subaru dealership, to which they have a contractual agreement with. Imaging and documentation were compiled and submitted. There was no follow-up with the owner after this incident. Owner has contacted both dealerships and was advised that the effected car needed to be completely repainted, quoting thousands of dollars at the owner's expense. Previous NHTSA Report Case ID: XXX, has provided no response/feedback to owner and is not showing as a publicly available complaint for the vehicle on [XXX]. Several similar complaints for this year/make/model have been found on other publicly available threads, to which remain as being unacknowledged/addressed. As the standard American is unable to fork out thousands of dollars for this type of manufacture paint-defect, bare metal is accruing rust and subsequently eating away at the vehicle's structural integrity. This is an extremely hazardous safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11761228

Incident

Jan 1, 2023

My 2017 Honda Civic just had a known BCM issue and many with the same models year from 2016-2018 experience the same failures. Honda should have a recall because it's where the car unknowingly drains the battery and the engine sits in idle/accessory mode that is damaging to other parts that the customer have to expense for.

NHTSA ID

11759796

Incident

Aug 18, 2026

The Body Control Module (BCM) on my 2017 Honda Civic suffered an internal failure, creating immediate safety hazards. The defect caused persistent parasitic battery drain, sudden vehicle power loss, and erratic electrical behavior. A faulty BCM can cause critical safety components—such as exterior lighting, turn signals, and windshield wipers—to fail without warning while driving. Honda has already recalled 2018–2020 Accords and 2019–2020 Insights for identical BCM programming and hardware failures (NHTSA Campaign 20V771000 / Honda Campaign X95). My 2017 Civic utilizes similar BCM architecture and exhibits the exact same dangerous failure symptoms. This component defect is widespread across multiple Honda platforms from this generation, and the safety recall must be expanded to include the Honda Civic before a catastrophic electrical failure results in a crash or injury. I had to replace the unit entirely out of pocket to ensure the vehicle was safe to operate.

NHTSA ID

11759494

Incident

Aug 17, 2026

Check airbag light is on. I'm paying $175 to see what's wrong with an airbag on a perfectly maintained car. Inspection is pending. Safety systems should be covered to at least 100,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11759330

Incident

Aug 25, 2026

This vehicle had a recall from which an extended warranty was given from 10 years of purchase unlimited mileage. The condenser and compressor came defective from the manufacturer. I strongly believe they should include the A/C Evaporator as well. As i know i am not the only one with these issues. This issue is had fixed back in 2022 where one side blew cold air and the hot and white stuff spewed from the vents.

NHTSA ID

11759061

Incident

Aug 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and exiting the freeway, while approaching a traffic light, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The vehicle was driven 50 MPH to a parking lot. Prior to the failure, the HVAC, emission, brakes, assist, and power steering warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11758993

Incident

Jan 22, 2026

Airbags failed to deploy! Fortunately, this was a rather minor accident and nobody was injured, but I found out that the system had tried to deploy the airbags and failed. I don't feel like this vehicle is safe to drive anymore.

NHTSA ID

11757689

Incident

Aug 6, 2026

sticky steering

NHTSA ID

11756166

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

My car AC has been having issues as the driver side produces warmer air than the passenger side. Honda issued a 10 year extended warranty for two of the three AC components; the warranty covers only the compressor and condenser. My 2017 Honda Civic has roughly 64k miles on it and the AC evaporator needs to be replaced. The Honda dealership has responded that this would cost out of pocket to replace. Seeing as the extended warranty covers the other components but not the third related one I'm writing a formal complaint. My vehicle doesn't meet the minimum threshold of usage for the AC evaporator to fail having been in use for under 10 years and having about 64k miles on it.

NHTSA ID

11754822

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

About one month ago, I noticed that the paint on my rear quarter panel (to the right of my rear window) was peeling. It continues to peel. My insurance will not cover the paint failure, as the adjuster stated that they "will not touch my car because there are several class action lawsuits again Honda for the paint on this specific model and color of white" '. I have contacted Honda and they stated that after looking up my VIN, there are no lawsuits or recalls associated with my specific VIN. I am at a loss because the paint looks like a paint failure - not as though something hit or scratched the paint and caused it to peel. I am looking for assistance for reimbursement or how to get this covered. Because this is not an at fault event, I am unsure of next steps because the paint will continue to peel and then there is a possibility that the car will rust.

NHTSA ID

11753059

Incident

Jun 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while purchasing the vehicle, the contact became aware that the A/C was inoperable. Before purchasing the vehicle, the contact asked the dealer to replace the A/C condenser, and the component was replaced. The contact stated that three years later, the A/C compressor was replaced again, but the shaft seal was not replaced. The contact stated that on June 30, the evaporator failed, causing fumes to enter the A/C and there was bacteria trapped due to oil leaks from the shaft seal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with the failure of the evaporator, causing the oil from the shaft seal to leak into the evaporator. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,500.

NHTSA ID

11753040

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

Mileage

125,500 mi

I just purchased a 2017 Honda Civic yesterday that seems to be experiencing issues similar to the electric power steering (EPS) malfunction involved in Honda’s EPS gearbox recall, even though my VIN is not included. The steering becomes stiff and jerky when trying to turn the wheel, particularly at higher speeds (especially on the highway) and when trying to slightly move the wheel to remain in the lanes. The condition occurs consistently and has made it difficult to maintain proper control of the vehicle, which is super concerning for me. This creates a safety risk because the steering does not respond smoothly or predictably. I purchased this car yesterday at around 75k miles, and I noticed it immediately once I hit the highway. After doing some research I see that many others are experiencing the same issue, as well as it already being a widely known issue with Honda hence their initial recall. I believe this defect should be investigated and expanded to my vin because myself and other owners are experiencing the same problem outside the current recall population.

NHTSA ID

11751361

Incident

Jul 18, 2026

Steering is sticky feeling when driving, causing me to overcorrect left or right when making slight adjustments to keep the car in the center of the road.

NHTSA ID

11745766

Incident

Jun 17, 2026

The steering wheel seems to be making a clicking noise and locks up

NHTSA ID

11744924

Incident

Jun 18, 2026

The paint on the rear trunk area has failed and it is chipping off in large amounts. The missing paint exposes the area to corrosion and reduces structural integrity of the components. American Honda was informed about the paint defect and the car was inspected by Hendrick Honda on 5/27/26 as requested by American Honda.

NHTSA ID

11743099

Incident

May 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and making a left turn, the contact heard a boom, and the front driver's side airbag suddenly deployed without warning or impact. The airbag hit the contact's hand. The contact received medical attention, and a stent was placed in the contact's arm up to the elbow. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The insurance company was informed of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11742631

Incident

Jun 6, 2026

Mileage

140,000 mi

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel suddenly became firm, causing the vehicle to pull to one side. The contact was able to continue driving until arriving to the residence, and the steering wheel became inoperable. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.

NHTSA ID

11742279

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

Mileage

144,000 mi

When you driving at any speed but mainly when the vehicle is traveling at least 45 mph or more. When you have to abruptly stop, occasionally you will hear a bike horn sound. I have no clue what's causing it and/or where the noise is coming from.

NHTSA ID

11740032

Incident

Jun 11, 2017