Honda Civic 2012–2015
9th generation · FB (sedan) / FG3-FG4 (coupe)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,927 complaints, 1,195 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 30% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 4 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 30% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 8 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 376
- 25%
- 7,000
- Median
- 30,138
- 75%
- 72,000
- 90%
- 105,013
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 324 | 27.1% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 156 | 13.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 105 | 8.8% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 93 | 7.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 79 | 6.6% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 59 | 4.9% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 68 | 5.7% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 67 | 5.6% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 63 | 5.3% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 46 | 3.8% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 21 | 1.8% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 19 | 1.6% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 29 | 2.4% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 26 | 2.2% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 5 | 0.4% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 12 | 1.0% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 8 | 0.7% |
| 200,000+ | 8 | 0.7% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,927 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012–2015 Honda Civic, and 1,195 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
30% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 4 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (19.5% of complaints, typically around 47,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (17.9% of complaints, typically around 61,000 miles), the electrical system (8.5% of complaints, typically around 38,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Airbag system47,000median 47,456 miles, middle half 19,000 to 80,000
- Transmission and driveline61,000median 61,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 95,000
- Electrical system38,000median 37,933 miles, middle half 15,000 to 71,000
- Problems owners could not categorise36,000median 36,000 miles, middle half 12,000 to 78,000
- Steering47,000median 46,750 miles, middle half 15,000 to 78,000
- Engine19,000median 19,129 miles, middle half 2,000 to 63,000
- Brakes18,000median 18,000 miles, middle half 9,000 to 47,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 376 | 19.5% | 47,000 | 19,000–80,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 345 | 17.9% | 61,000 | 10,000–95,000 |
| Electrical system | 164 | 8.5% | 38,000 | 15,000–71,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 153 | 7.9% | 36,000 | 12,000–78,000 |
| Steering | 146 | 7.6% | 47,000 | 15,000–78,000 |
| Engine | 107 | 5.6% | 19,000 | 2,000–63,000 |
| Brakes | 102 | 5.3% | 18,000 | 9,000–47,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 87 | 4.5% | 11,000 | 967–36,000 |
| Body structure | 83 | 4.3% | 25,000 | 3,500–57,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 53 | 2.8% | 18,000 | 2,000–33,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 30,138 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 19.5% of complaints (376 reports, 218 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 47,456 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 19,000 and 80,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 17.9% of complaints (345 reports, 190 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 61,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,180 and 95,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.5% of complaints (164 reports, 98 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 37,933 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 70,800 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 7.9% of complaints (153 reports, 69 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,500 and 77,680 miles.
The steering accounts for 7.6% of complaints (146 reports, 98 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 46,750 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,447 and 77,800 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.6% of complaints (107 reports, 70 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 19,129 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,800 and 63,300 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2012 model year drew the most — 620 complaints — while 2014 drew the fewest at 384. The median year sits at 461.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (2), the tyres (1), the steering (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 1,927 complaints filed against this generation, 240 reported a crash; 22 reported a fire; 195 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 12.5% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 30% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the airbag system and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 47,456, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission (cvt) 2014–2015
Start-clutch judder and shudder on light acceleration after the 2014 switch from the 5-speed automatic to a CVT on the 1.8L; addressed by control software updates and fluid service. Note this defect cannot exist on 2012-2013 cars, which used a conventional automatic.
Air Conditioning 2012–2015
A/C condenser refrigerant leaks causing loss of cooling; a high-volume complaint across the generation.
Airbags (takata Inflator) 2012–2015
Takata inflator recall population continues through this generation.
Hybrid Battery (ima) 2012–2015 Civic Hybrid
IMA battery degradation on the Civic Hybrid, same failure mechanism as the prior generation.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 620 | 444 |
| 2013 | 438 | 262 |
| 2014 | 384 | 230 |
| 2015 | 485 | 259 |
Recalls (5)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 15V574000 | 2015-11-02 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/Pcm/Tecm) |
| 14V109000 | 2014-04-15 | Tires:bead |
| 12V548000 | 2012-12-10 | Steering:column |
| 12V256000 | 2012-06-21 | Power Train:driveline:driveshaft |
| 11V288000 | 2011-05-27 | Fuel System, Other:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings |
What owners reported
I had been driving on the street for about 5 minutes with my two kids. I had stepped on my brakes a few times and everything seem to work. Suddenly, i needed to slow down and pressed on my brake and the brake was hard where i couldn't step down on it. It seemed like it got stuck. I kept pressing on it and it did not…
2012 · Brakes
When the car is parked in a downward slope facing down, and you engage the reverse gear, the car rolls forward. This is especially difficult to control if you are parked in a tight spot and you will roll and hit the car in front of you. We reported this to Honda corporation and they said that this is normal…
2012 · 10 miles · Engine
Built from 1,195 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page