Honda Civic 2016–2021
10th generation · FC (sedan) / FK (hatchback, Type R FK8)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20264,033 complaints, 1,474 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 35% 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 — 35% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 7 complaints (0.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 750
- 25%
- 7,000
- Median
- 25,000
- 75%
- 47,287
- 90%
- 74,686
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 291 | 19.7% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 153 | 10.4% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 125 | 8.5% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 83 | 5.6% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 73 | 5.0% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 86 | 5.8% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 99 | 6.7% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 79 | 5.4% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 77 | 5.2% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 68 | 4.6% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 49 | 3.3% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 54 | 3.7% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 51 | 3.5% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 20 | 1.4% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 19 | 1.3% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 22 | 1.5% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 20 | 1.4% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 11 | 0.7% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 18 | 1.2% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 9 | 0.6% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 16 | 1.1% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 10 | 0.7% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 2 | 0.1% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 4 | 0.3% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 8 | 0.5% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 2 | 0.1% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 2 | 0.1% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 2 | 0.1% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 7 | 0.5% |
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 4,033 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016–2021 Honda Civic, and 1,474 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
35% 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 steering (27.2% of complaints, typically around 41,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (15.8% of complaints, typically around 31,000 miles), the electrical system (9.0% of complaints, typically around 18,000 miles).
14 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Steering41,000median 41,184 miles, middle half 24,000 to 59,000
- Problems owners could not categorise31,000median 31,000 miles, middle half 7,500 to 48,000
- Electrical system18,000median 18,000 miles, middle half 4,500 to 40,000
- Engine19,000median 19,000 miles, middle half 5,500 to 43,000
- Fuel and propulsion system14,000median 13,899 miles, middle half 2,500 to 30,000
- Brakes15,000median 15,000 miles, middle half 5,500 to 40,000
- Fuel system57,000median 56,970 miles, middle half 36,000 to 95,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1,096 | 27.2% | 41,000 | 24,000–59,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 639 | 15.8% | 31,000 | 7,500–48,000 |
| Electrical system | 364 | 9.0% | 18,000 | 4,500–40,000 |
| Engine | 263 | 6.5% | 19,000 | 5,500–43,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 238 | 5.9% | 14,000 | 2,500–30,000 |
| Brakes | 206 | 5.1% | 15,000 | 5,500–40,000 |
| Fuel system | 168 | 4.2% | 57,000 | 36,000–95,000 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 151 | 3.7% | 16,000 | 9,500–24,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 125 | 3.1% | 15,000 | 5,500–44,000 |
| Body structure | 124 | 3.1% | 13,000 | 5,500–30,000 |
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 25,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The steering accounts for 27.2% of complaints (1,096 reports, 253 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 41,184 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 24,000 and 59,000 miles.
A single system taking 27.2% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 15.8% of complaints (639 reports, 217 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 31,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,500 and 48,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 9.0% of complaints (364 reports, 163 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 18,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,500 and 40,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 6.5% of complaints (263 reports, 137 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 19,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,700 and 43,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 5.9% of complaints (238 reports, 46 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 13,899 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 2,711 and 30,000 miles.
The brakes account for 5.1% of complaints (206 reports, 120 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 15,000 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 5,500 and 40,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2016 model year drew the most — 1,363 complaints — while 2021 drew the fewest at 205. The median year sits at 648.
That makes 2016 an outlier: roughly 2.1 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 14 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 fuel system (3), the airbag system (2), equipment (2). 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 4,033 complaints filed against this generation, 195 reported a crash; 32 reported a fire; 113 reported an injury; 1 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.8% 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: 35% 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 steering and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 31,000, 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
Engine (1.5l Turbo) 2016–2018 (1.5L turbo)
Fuel dilution of engine oil - unburned gasoline accumulates in the crankcase on short trips in cold weather, raising oil level, thinning viscosity and producing a fuel smell. Honda extended powertrain warranty coverage to 6 years with no mileage limit on affected cars and issued software and HVAC calibration updates.
Fuel Pump 2019–2020
Denso low-pressure fuel pump impeller can crack and deform, causing the pump to fail and the engine to stall without warning; NHTSA recall covering 2019-2020 vehicles.
Air Conditioning 2016–2018
A/C condenser leaks causing loss of cooling; subject of extended warranty coverage and litigation.
Electrical 2016–2018
Parasitic 12V battery drain producing repeat no-start conditions, addressed through software updates.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,363 | 651 |
| 2017 | 762 | 328 |
| 2018 | 873 | 268 |
| 2019 | 534 | 142 |
| 2020 | 296 | 65 |
| 2021 | 205 | 20 |
Recalls (14)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V332000 | 2026-07-06 | Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger |
| 23V858000 | 2024-03-29 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 24V064000 | 2024-03-28 | Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger |
| 23V458000 | 2023-08-07 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder |
| 21V215000 | 2021-05-18 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 20V314000 | 2020-07-22 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 18V817000 | 2019-01-09 | Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual |
| 18V663000 | 2018-11-09 | Steering:electric Power Assist System |
| 18V421000 | 2018-08-07 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 18V266000 | 2018-06-15 | Seats |
| 17V706000 | 2017-12-08 | Power Train:driveline:driveshaft |
| 16V725000 | 2016-11-08 | Parking Brake |
| 16V526000 | 2016-08-31 | Exterior Lighting |
| 16V074000 | 2016-03-25 | Engine and Engine Cooling:engine |
What owners reported
Takata recall. I've had this car for 3 yrs. The problem with it is that, when i come to a stop while driving it doesn't wanna take off. It hesitates for about 30 sec. The problem is that its dangerous when i turn left it stays in the middle of the st and i can get hit. At one point i had to put it in emergency lights…
2016 · Engine
On 10-31-19, driving my 2016 Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo engine taking my kids to school. Car was driving well, until a reach about 1 mile, while making a left turn the car loss power and can only drive up to 15 MPH. I have to drive my car back home and get my other car. The Honda never regains normal power. The same date…
2016 · Engine
Built from 1,474 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page