2018 Honda Civic

My 2018 Honda Civic LX continues to experience serious safety and drivability issues after the fuel pump recall repair was completed by a Honda dealership. The vehicle intermittently shuts off while stopped, including at drive-throughs and stoplights. When pressing the accelerator, it sometimes hesitates or fails to respond, with the RPMs not increasing as expected. It may then suddenly jerk or surge forward. I have also experienced hesitation and struggling when turning after coming to a stop. During these incidents, dashboard warning lights have illuminated, including the check-engine, electric power steering, traction control/stability, and brake system lights. These issues put my safety and the safety of others at risk because the vehicle can unexpectedly lose power in traffic, fail to accelerate when needed, or suddenly surge forward. This creates a collision risk for surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, especially at intersections and in stop-and-go traffic. The fuel pump recall repair was completed, but the symptoms have continued. The dealership has not resolved the problem. Whether the malfunction was reproduced or confirmed during inspection is UNKNOWN. The exact failed component is UNKNOWN. The fuel delivery system, fuel pump, throttle body, accelerator control system, engine management system, and related electrical components may require investigation. The vehicle and components should be available for inspection upon request. Some symptoms existed before the recall repair and have continued afterward. I am requesting an investigation into whether the recall repair adequately addressed the safety issue or whether an additional defect remains.

NHTSA ID

11775043

Incident

Apr 17, 2024

Since soon after purchasing the vehicle used (~28,000 miles) there is a very obvious ‘pop/click’ sound to the steering wheel and it will try to pull slightly to the left or right. This is most obvious when driving straight but also occurs when turning left or right. This ‘quick pulling’ to either direction can be dangerous (or at a minimum very concerning) while driving straight and at high speeds. As many others have submitted to this NHTSA forum, this has been diagnosed as a failure (I would argue “faulty”) steering rack. This would appear to warrant a recall, in my opinion. The replacement, through the dealership, was estimated at $5,000 total ($3,778 parts; $1,300 labor). (If factored into my used car purchase, I should have just purchased a brand new car.)

NHTSA ID

11774863

Incident

Oct 5, 2026

Paint on top of car is defective. To only have 48,000 miles on a car and for it to look like that is unacceptable.

NHTSA ID

11774448

Incident

Oct 29, 2026

My 2018 Honda Civic EX developed a steering problem that made the steering wheel difficult to turn. On [XXX], at approximately 67,219 miles, I brought the vehicle to J&L Auto & Tire Center in Nyack, New York, for evaluation. The repair facility documented the complaint as “hard time steering wheel” and recommended replacing the rack-and-pinion steering gear assembly with a rebuilt unit. The estimated repair cost was $4,901.84, including labor, parts, and tax. I contacted American Honda after the repair facility advised me to investigate a possible known steering gearbox issue affecting certain 2017–2018 Honda Civics. Honda informed me that my VIN was not included in Safety Recall 18V-663 / Service Bulletin 18-102 and that the repair would not be covered under that campaign. I am concerned that this steering failure may represent a broader safety issue affecting additional 2018 Honda Civics that were not included in the original recall population. The existing Honda recall addressed a steering gearbox defect that could cause unexpected steering input. Although I cannot confirm that my vehicle experienced the identical internal defect, I believe the steering failure warrants investigation to determine whether there is a common underlying problem or a broader defect affecting vehicles outside the original recall. A steering system that becomes difficult to operate can compromise a driver’s ability to control the vehicle and may increase the risk of a crash, particularly during emergency maneuvers. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this complaint alongside other reports of steering rack failures and difficult or sticky steering in 2017–2018 Honda Civics to determine whether further investigation or an expanded safety recall is warranted. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11773673

Incident

Aug 21, 2026

I am reporting a structural manufacturing issue on my 2018 Honda Civic. The vehicle is currently grounded at Caliber Collision in Ceres, CA. A certified structural facility (Caliber Collision) has documented that the factory sheet metal seams are splitting open in both front wheel wells and the center floor area directly under the driver’s seat. The vehicle was involved in a minor right-side accident on [XXX] (fully repaired), and a minor left-side accident on [XXX]. Caliber Collision has officially stated in writing that the impact forces from these accidents were not hard enough to cause this type of structural damage. Coupled with a complete lack of buckling to the sheet metal, Caliber has determined that this seam splitting does not appear to be loss-related, and they are exploring the possibility of an inherent manufacturer defect. Caliber Collision attempted to reach out to Service Manager Jorge Sanchez at Mistlin Honda in Modesto, CA, to escalate this structural problem, but he was completely unresponsive. Because a local resolution failed, American Honda Corporate has since opened an active safety investigation into this vehicle under Honda Case Number: [XXX]. Because the structural seams under the driver's seat and wheel wells are splitting under non-loss conditions, this creates an active vehicle safety hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11772987

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

I am reporting a potentially serious steering safety problem with my 2018 Honda Civic, which currently has approximately 84,000 miles. While driving, the steering develops a sticking or notchy condition, particularly when making small steering corrections. The steering wheel resists movement and requires additional force to overcome the resistance. When sufficient force is applied, the steering can suddenly release and move. This makes smooth steering corrections difficult and creates a risk of overcorrection. I am particularly concerned about this behavior because it affects the driver's ability to make small, controlled steering corrections and therefore may affect safe control of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Honda dealer for evaluation. Initially, in 2024 when the problem became noticeable the proposed repair to correct the steering problem was $ 3,827.36, as of today (10-04-2026) the problem became worse and the proposed repair has a total cost of approximately $5,391.10. I contacted American Honda regarding the problem. Honda agreed to provide partial goodwill assistance of approximately $2,003, leaving approximately $3,388 for me to pay. Incidentally, this is the amount that was supposed to pay in 2024. I accepted the partial assistance because I considered the steering condition a safety concern and did not want to delay the repair while continuing to dispute the cost. I am submitting this complaint because I believe NHTSA should have a record of this steering behavior on a 2018 Honda Civic and determine whether similar complaints exist involving this model and model year. The repair is currently being completed. I will retain the dealer's final repair order, diagnosis, parts information, and invoice in case additional information is required.

NHTSA ID

11768819

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

Infotainment screen stuck in software update mode. Rear camera and Heat - A/C - Defroster no longer visible. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11768741

Incident

Apr 1, 2026

Car steering gets stuck/jerks and cannot stay straight, wheels jerk aggressively from left to right in speeds up to 50 on the highway during rain.

NHTSA ID

11767903

Incident

Sep 12, 2026

Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).

Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).

Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire, and/or DTCs P0300 through P0304 stored.

Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.

Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.

Service Bulletin - Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient sealant adhesion on inspection cover.