RoadVitals

2021 Honda Civic

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
148
+3 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
4
Latest May 21, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
7
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 148 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Honda Civic, most frequently naming the steering, driver assistance and electrical categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 78 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

4 campaigns cover this model year

View all 4

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
26V332000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

May 21, 2026
98,892 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The remedy: 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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)Manufacturer number Refer to CommentsView on NHTSA.gov
24V064000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Feb 1, 2024
750,114 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy: 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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)Manufacturer number XHP, VHQView on NHTSA.gov
23V858000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Dec 18, 2023
2,490,460 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: 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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)Manufacturer number KGC, KGDView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 148
Steering
Filed Oct 30, 2026

“My 2021 Honda Civic experiences intermittent steering resistance. At approximately 0- plus speed, the steering feels sticky at or near TDC of the steering wheel, requiring a little nudge. to correct it. It occurs frequent during warm and/or humid conditions. The vehicle has approximately 81,000 miles. I just bought it so I don't know how long this has been happening in the past years. I will be training my son to drive in this car. So, I worry of it getting stuck. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle yet because they charge for the check.?

NHTSA ID
11774591
Incident
Oct 4, 2026
Filed Oct 18, 2026

The infotainment and connectivity system in this 2021 Honda Civic EX suffers from critical, persistent hardware and software defects regarding Android Auto. The system continuously and unpredictably disconnects during active operation when wired, and fails to establish or maintain any reliable wireless connection. Due to a personal medical condition (topographical agnosia), I am entirely directionless and completely dependent on real-time turn-by-turn navigation to travel safely. When the infotainment system abruptly cuts out, maps vanish, forcing an immediate, dangerous choice between driving blindly or dangerously diverting visual attention down to a handheld mobile device while navigating traffic. This recurring equipment failure creates a severe, unacceptable safety hazard and driver distraction risk on public roadways. This was undisclosed to me at time of purchase, and actively prohibits me from safely driving the vehicle. Additionally, I am unable to connect wirelessly, which was also undisclosed. This is appears to be a known issue with the model according to internet forms, but was never actively recalled by Honda. The dealership has not been responsive in my request to reprocess a deal on a model that does not have this safety defect.

NHTSA ID
11771892
Incident
Oct 16, 2026
Steering
Filed Oct 17, 2026

Sticky/notch feeling when going straight I over correct because of it stiffness of it it’s very dangerous

NHTSA ID
11771777
Incident
Oct 14, 2026
Steering
Filed Sep 28, 2026

When it is warm and humid, at highway speeds and slight turns, the steering sticks and the wheel does not recenter on its own. All driver assist features are off when this occurs. It takes additional force to unstick and causes overcorrection in the steering. Symptoms are consistent with the 11th gen civic recalls, yet mine is a 2021 and no recall yet. This is very scary and dangerous at highway speeds, a crash waiting to happen. Issues started before my 3 year/36k mile warranty ran out, and was taken to a Honda dealership which claimed they could not recreate the issue (drove around the block, checked for codes and checked suspension). No repairs were made by the dealership. This issue remains at current 5 years and 60k miles and seems to be getting worse (sticking harder). Issue more consistently noticeable in humid weather. No indicator lights.

NHTSA ID
11767602
Incident
May 1, 2024
ElectricalSteering
Filed Sep 20, 2026

On September 17, 2026 at approximately 8:00 a.m. I was driving my 2021 Honda civic Lx with my children in the vehicle when multiple warning lights and system malfunction messages suddenly appeared on the dash board. The vehicle appeared to experience an electrical malfunction/ reset while still driving and I suddenly lost normal power- steering assistance. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and control while the vehicle was moving.I was able to call for assistance and when jumper cables were hooked on to battery underneath the vehicles hood the vehicle engine was able to restart, then was able to get the vehicle home without a collision or injury. The sudden loss of steering assistance created a serious safety risk to me, my children and others on the road. I photographed multiple warnings displayed on the dash panel, including Electric Parking break problem and collision mitigation system problem. This vehicle has a documented history of electrical/ mechanical concerns and prior repairs, including battery and alternator replacement. The exact cause of this most recent failure is currently UNKNOWN. American Honda motor co. has also opened a case #16640343 regarding this incident. I am reporting this to NHTSA due to the sudden loss of power- steering assistance occured while the vehicle was actively being driven and could have resulted in a collision.

NHTSA ID
11765597
Incident
Sep 17, 2026
Steering
Filed Sep 4, 2026

While I am driving there is a stickiness in my steering wheel and it causes me to overcorrect my steering and becomes an issue. Feels dangerous to me. This has gotten worse over time.

NHTSA ID
11762215
Incident
Jul 1, 2026
Airbags
Filed Sep 1, 2026

Driving down street after pulling out of parking lot and driver’s side air bag employed for unknown reason.

NHTSA ID
11761450
Incident
Aug 31, 2026
Suspension
Filed Aug 28, 2026

Struts good bad really quick

NHTSA ID
11760492
Incident
Dec 31, 1969

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

A26-009

ENGINE

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).

A26-008

ENGINE

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).

AEBM08262026901

ENGINE

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.

A26-009

ENGINE

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.

A26-008

ENGINE

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.

A25-076

ENGINE

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

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Honda Civic by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027000—
2026320044.2
2025842059.9
20241273162.2
20232604261.6
20228864259.3
2021Viewing1484056.1
20202385059.8
20194444058.1
20187506058.7
20176066057.8
20161,0835055.0
20153811253.8
20142932261.4
20133190251.0
20124563261.5
20111699058.8
20103988054.7
20093968056.3
20089167051.8
20071,2049049.6
20061,40415052.7
200531615469.7
200435015365.2
200349924667.3
200270324466.6
20011,07927465.9
200028718061.2
199933815058.6
199843518162.9
199737316163.1
199630517266.2
199519912064.9
199413514065.0
199314613165.9
19929813165.1
19911108365.0
19909110367.8
1989696368.3
1988468363.2
1987393365.3
1986353362.6
1985152059.8
1984530—
1983900—
1982100—
1981101—
1980001—
1979111—
1978010—
1977030—
1976020—
1975020—
1974020—
1973020—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.