Honda Civic Years to Avoid

Why 2008, 2016 and 2022 made the avoid list

2008 Honda Civic

AvoidTop issue: air bags · 6% of complaints · median 35,000 miles

Owners describe air bags that failed to deploy in crashes or went off without impact, often tied to the Takata recall, plus cracked engine blocks causing coolant loss and overheating. Many also report sun visors cracking and dropping into their view, especially in hot weather.

Full 2008 report ›

2016 Honda Civic

AvoidTop issue: steering · 21% of complaints · median 32,000 miles

Owners describe the electric parking brake failing to hold, clusters of brake, ABS and stability warning lights, and steering that sticks or seizes after sustained highway driving. Many say dealer software updates and part replacements did not permanently fix these problems, or that dealers could not replicate them.

Full 2016 report ›

2022 Honda Civic

AvoidTop issue: steering · 84% of complaints · median 26,000 miles

Owners describe steering that sticks, binds, or locks up, especially at highway speeds, along with adaptive cruise control and driver-assist features that cut out unexpectedly and may need a restart to reset. Many say dealers couldn't reproduce the problems, or that rack replacements, parts backorders, and recall repairs didn't fix them.

Full 2022 report ›

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints on NHTSA's site and checked against them; the counts and mileages come from our data.

Best Honda Civic years to buy

No Civic year drew few enough complaints to count as a best bet (under 0.6× the rate of a typical Civic year). The closest is the 2021, with the fewest for its time on the road and the number sold (0.7× the rate of a typical Civic year), followed by the 2011 and 2013. Years from 2023 on haven't had five years on the road, so they aren't rated yet.

1. Steering34% of complaints · 1,520 complaints · median 11,000–54,000 miles by year · worst years: 2016, 2021 and 2022
2. Brakes11% of complaints · 498 complaints · median 5,000–25,000 miles by year · worst years: 2009, 2010 and 2016
3. Electrical11% of complaints · 481 complaints · median 4,000–29,000 miles by year · worst years: 2008, 2016 and 2017
4. Engine8% of complaints · 375 complaints · median 5,000–40,000 miles by year · worst years: 2008, 2016 and 2017
5. Visibility7% of complaints · 318 complaints · median 3,000–49,000 miles by year · worst years: 2008, 2010 and 2016

Complaints owners filed with NHTSA in each model year's first five years on the road, all years combined. A complaint can name more than one area. Worst years are the rated years with the most complaints about that area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

Questions owners ask

Which Honda Civic years should you avoid?

Counting complaints owners filed with NHTSA in each year's first five years on the road, per vehicle sold, the 2008, 2016 and 2022 Civic drew the most: each more than twice the rate of a typical Civic year, spread across more than one problem area. The 2009 and 2012 also ran above average; use caution with them.

What is the best year for a used Honda Civic?

No Civic year drew few enough complaints to count as a best bet (under 0.6× the rate of a typical Civic year). The closest is the 2021, with the fewest for its time on the road and the number sold (0.7× the rate of a typical Civic year), followed by the 2011 and 2013. Years from 2023 on haven't had five years on the road, so they aren't rated yet.

What is the most common problem with the Honda Civic?

Across every year, the problem area owners report most is the steering (34% of complaints), followed by the brakes (11%) and the electrical system (11%). A complaint can name more than one area.

Has the Honda Civic been recalled?

Yes. NHTSA lists 36 recall campaigns covering Civic model years 2008 to 2026, the most recent in May 2026. Enter a vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether its repairs were done.