NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda Civic. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to floorboard and remained on the floorboard. The vehicle also failed to slow down as intended. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder and brake booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,045.
AC does not blow cold air. I get dizzy when driving in the heat during summertime.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel failed to respond as intended. Additionally, while pressure was applied to turn the steering wheel in the intended direction, the vehicle jerked violently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but declined to assist with the repair. The failure mileage was 94,000.
The car makes loud noise in back near gas cap. The Honda dealer states there's a electrical gas locking mechanism gone bad and needs to be replaced. They were out of part for the fuel door latch actuator. Seems like lots of people having this problem.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle at the residence, the vehicle started losing electrical power. The instrument cluster lights became dim, and the infotainment system turned off. The contact stated that she parked and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving and turning the steering wheel. Additionally, the steering wheel became difficult to steer. The "Power Steering Failure" and "Brake System Failure" messages were displayed. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V663000 (Steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Daughters steering wheel sticks and is jerky while driving down the road. I took it to my honda dealer and it got diagnosed with faulty rack and pinion. This car is a 2018 honda civic with only 27k miles...no way these parts should fail that quickly and the part is backordered (which tells me others are having same issue). Cost estimate is $4200 to replace. Ridiculous!!
Safety hazard for vehicles in the State of Florida. Honda Civic 2016-2018 models defective/failing AC system. Common failing Components include Condenser, Compressor and Evaporator. I paid for a new car and within the first few years of purchase the ac went out due to Honda’s faulty equipment. Per Dealer recommendation replacing evaporator with expansion valve. $2200 to repair. This is a safety concern and hazard in the State of Florida. Health reasons include being exposed to Floridas heat for long periods of time. And with Florida’s unpredictable weather conditions and rainfall, when it rains all windows including windshield fogs up which creates the inability to see which effects the driver and surrounding motorists. Honda has acknowledged the issue but only extended its warranty on the Condenser and Compressor. Not the evaporator. Which SpaceCoast Honda has stated they see more commonly the evaporator failing above all else.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was sticky and would independently turn to the left or the right, causing her to lose control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred increasingly while driving 40 MPH and faster speeds, and while making a turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V663000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
After a visit to the Honda Dealership, my steering rack needs replaced at a cost of $4,200. The steering wheel sticks causing the vehicle to jerk and swerve causing a major safety issue. This is a known issue with my year vehicle and model. There is even a recall but am being told it doesn't cover my VIN. There is also a class action lawsuit in place against Honda because they have known about this issue since 2016 and still produce the vehicle without correction. I would like Honda to cover the cost of the replacement.
In the middle of driving, the power steering rack had a complete meltdown which caused the steering to lockup. Luckily my wife and kids were not hurt but according to Honda, the rack broke beyond repair out of the blue.
I am writing to bring to your attention a serious safety concern related to the steering system of my 2018 Honda Civic. I believe there is a significant defect in the vehicle's steering rack, resulting in hazardous driving conditions that could potentially lead to accidents and injuries. Description of the Incident: While turning the steering wheel in either direction, regardless of the speed, the steering rack becomes "sticky" and unresponsive. This issue forces the driver to exert additional force to correct the steering, leading to a sudden overcorrection once the resistance is overcome. The erratic behavior of the steering rack has put me in numerous situations where I narrowly avoided accidents. Impact and Concern: The erratic steering behavior has caused a severe safety hazard. The sudden overcorrection of the steering rack greatly compromises the stability and control of the vehicle, making it extremely difficult to maintain a steady course during turns. This defect creates an unpredictable driving experience that is highly dangerous not only for the driver but also for passengers and other road users. Attempts to Resolve the Issue: I have made an attempt to address this issue by taking my vehicle to authorized Honda dealerships. What is particularly concerning is that the dealerships have been unresponsive to admitting that this is a safety issue. Request for Investigation and Action: I kindly request the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a thorough investigation into the "sticky" steering rack issue affecting the 2018 Honda Civic. It is crucial to determine the root cause of this defect and take appropriate actions to ensure the safety of all affected vehicles. I urge you to initiate a recall if necessary, to prevent further accidents and injuries associated with this steering defect.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud popping sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. Upon visual inspection, the contact observed a baseball-sized hole in the lower right corner of the rear windshield. As a result of the failure, the entire passenger’s side half of the rear windshield later collapsed. The contact stated that there was no impact on the windshield to cause the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the windshield was not replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 59,000.
The steering is sticky. It feels like play in the steering wheel. Gets worse when driving over 45 or 50. You have to over compensate when coming around curves and it pulls left. The car has been aligned in March and I attributed it to bad alignment. Took it back to dealer in June when it was getting worse. Diagnosed with faulty EPS.
The steering sticks when the car has been on the road for 45-60 min. which causes wandering and loss of steering adjustment to maintain lane control.
June of 23' I took my car to the dealership Honda. My steering was locking and causing the car to drift left and right. They diagnosed the car as needing a steering gearbox. It behaves in the same manner as the previous year Honda with a magnet problemThe recall states only 54 cars have this recall which seems like there may be more out there and I am one of them. It I was quoted many thousands of dollars to repair "the electronic steering gear box assembly. I have still not fixed the car. It continues to drift left and right and feels like a locking magnet catches. Honda states they will not stand behind the part and require me to pay for the fix. I believe that the defective part was not of my doing or fault and that Honds should honor the recall for this vehicle. This is not the first time I requested your help. I have paperwork I can send as I am unable to send attachments. Please let me know what you need from me and I will get it Thanks [XXX]
Strong smell of fuel in the cabin due to known Honda oil dilution associated with the 1.5 turbo engine. Honda has a “fix” for issue but states only cold weather states are affected. Our 2018 Honda Civic has had this issue for over 2 years now. Strong smell of fuel in the oil, along with oil above normal mark on dipstick. On oil change, oil is filled to the normal mark (3.7 quarts) and upon oil change, 4.5 quarts will come out (likely fuel in the oil). The major safety issue is that the smell of fuel in the cabin is strong to the point of causing driver and passengers to have burning eyes, and in some occasions, dizziness. No warning lights have come on as a result of this issue. Vehicle was taken to dealership over a year ago and dealership stated this is a problem in cold weather states and not in California. Dealership could not replicate issue.
Steering wheel sticks when traveling over 60 MPH and trying to make minor lane adjustments on the freeway. This causes the driver to over correct and jerks the car back and forth.
When the car gets hot after about 10 mins of driving in spring/summer weather the steering wheel feels like it’s sticks and the steering gets very tight. I then have to over compensate to stay in my lane and it’s constant until you stop and allow the car to cool off again.
The car which has 46K miles on it started is now have steering issues. The symptoms are that when driving, especially at highway speeds, there is a 'sticking' point in the wheel. The sticking point tends to be when the car is moving straight down a road. When doing even moderate steering corrections on the highway, the 'sticking' takes extra force from the driver to move the wheel. Once you do apply force, there is generally a slight overcorrection that will occur as the force needed to move the wheel exceeds what is generally needed for the correction. As a result of the 'sticking', you must constantly battle the car and correct the steering in order to drive it. Upon my visit to Honda dealer I was told, after a very quick inspection (5 minutes), that the Rack was bad and with parts and labor, the cost to install the new Rack would exceed $4K. I understand that the bad rack could cause the steering to lock. Outside of Honda and mechanics I have spoken with, I have not had other independent verifications of the vehicle. There are no warning lights on the car stating this issue.
This has been an in going issue. While driving the steering sticks as you try to make small movements to get the car straight. This is especially noticeable at highway speeds and can cause you to over correct on the sticking releases. I have seen multiple reports of this issue in several different places with most stating that Honda has been unwilling to help. There was a recall on the newer models just recently but nothing for the 2018 Honda Civic. This is a very dangerous issue making driving the car safety risk. I had my independent shop state this seems to be a steering box issue that would cost over $4000 to fix with original Honda parts.
At speed the steering sticks when turning.
Steering starts to get sticky over approximately 45 mph. Hard to stay straight and is difficult to correct without over correcting.
While driving on a highway my sunroof randomly shattered. There were barely any cars around me. Nothing his my sunroof it just shattered randomly.
The steering wheel is sticky and takes some effort to steer. The issue makes the vehicle dangerous to drive, as maintaining control of the vehicle is more difficult. I brought the issue to the attention of the service department at Honda of the Avenues in Jacksonville, Fl, on 5/26/2023. The response was that they could not see the problem. Now, on 4/5/2025, I again brought up the same issue. This time they say there is an issue.
Last July I had to have my AC condenser and compressor replaced due to one side of the air conditioner working. Bad part was i had to pay to have a recall fixed after the fact and now im trying to get American Honda to reimburse me my money. After 1 year the problem came back and now they are saying it's my evaporate coil. Honda is not taking this seriously and expecting people to pay several thousands of dollars to fix an issue that is their problem.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Parking brake does not light up. It will flash and not turn on. Once the car is in park and pull the brake button it will not engage. Turning off the engine you can hear the brake system trying to engage but doesn’t. This is a problem when parking the car up hill or down hill. Have been avoiding parking car in these scenarios.
The steering rack in my 2018 Honda Civic has failed. The steering becomes notchy after 15-30 minutes of driving in temperature's above 73 degrees. When making a turn, the steering will not auto-center. Also, when driving in a straight line the steering will initially resist any correction and will sometimes cause me to over correct the steering. This is the same exact issue that is being investigated on the 22-23 model year civics. This needs to be investigated.
Electrical power steering is causing the steering to "stick" when trying to maintain lane. Steering sticks and when trying to correct and straighten steering to maintain lane, the power steering suddenly overcorrects. This makes it difficult to maintain lane at highway speeds.
A/C & Steering with another recall of the fuel pump The steering was hard to steer car in a straight line. I had to align the car three times so it could run smoother. Something is wrong with the steering. There were no warning lamps or messages. This first appeared from the day I bought it on May of 2018. I had to take the car back to dealership several times. The mechanic could not find anything wrong but I've had several leases of Honda Civic's/Accord's and this is the first that does not drive smooth and has recalls. I feel this car is a patched car/lemon and would rather have it replaced with a newer model and less serious recalls or issues. My car stalled in my carport and got it running after waiting a few minutes. There hasn't been crash or injury but if they don't repair the fuel pump sooner then fall of 2024, this car is not safe for me to drive!
Air conditioner condenser needs replaced at 24,000 miles. Mechanic says he has worked on numerous exact models / similar year with same issue. Has there been a recall?
Steering becomes sticky after the vehicle is warmed up. Traveling at highway speed ( 60 mph and above ) becomes challenging trying to correct for lane adjustments. The steering wheel feels or has a tighten spot from center both right or left directions. This causes an over correction while driving. Also there is a clicking sound when going though the sticky spot moving the wheel right or left. This vehicle has 30k plus. My Honda dealer denies knowing of any problems with the electronic steering in their vehicles.
At approximately 45k miles, the steering wheel started to "stick" when at highway speed. Instead of the steering being continually smooth, like it used to be, it seems like the wheel gets stuck or tight and you have to make a quick, almost jerky adjustment. It's not a one time occurrence, but happens over and over. It had been taken to the dealer and had an alignment but the problem consisted. Upon researching, this is a common problem since the 2016 Civic.
Failed component/system: Some portion of the steering system. Vehicle is available for inspection. When the vehicle warms up and is driven 20 to 40 mins, power steering becomes "sticky," requiring additional effort for driver input in order to overcome, which causes excessive oversteer (in either direction). At highway speeds, while making "micro-corrections" to the vehicle's trajectory, driving becomes unsafe as the unintended oversteer can get quite pronounced and often results in oversteer both in directions, in rapid succession. This issue has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center and would require a service tech to drive the automobile for up to 40 mins to confirm. The issue has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police insurance representatives or others. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms associated with this issue have occurred. This issue occurs 100% of the time it's driven more than 20-40 minutes.
The steering wheel sticks when traveling causing a definite safety issue. I have had some difficulty maintaining my lane on the road at times. There are a lot of folks posting on the Honda blogs about this same issue. This problem started a while back and continues to happen periodically. I can't afford the $4,500 dollars the dealer wants to fix it. Please issue a recall. Thanks.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the steering wheel was seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with an electronic steering gearbox failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 129,443.
At highway speeds, the steering wheel sticks in the center position. When turning to the right or left, it has a 3-4 inch free travel after the initial “stickiness” is broken. Honda dealer was unable to find any issues and recommended an alignment. Nothing changed. On second trip to the dealership they determined it was a faulty EPS which would require the replacement of the entire EPS rack at a cost of $4,200. The vehicle currently has 81,000 miles. The problem first appeared around 50-60K miles.
My air conditioner has gone out for the 3rd time. Fits the air condenser is replaced, and then the evaporator core. Now stating the compressor. With a newborn baby infant my ac blowing hot air does not help and could cause a heat stroke! Summer days are approaching in California which are dangerous.
My driver side mirror is very loose and wiggles/shimmys while the car is loving causing me to not be able to use the side view mirror. It’s not the entire mirror housing, just the reflective glass part. This is a serious safety issue! I have seen the recalls in other Honda models for this very reason but not mine.
While driving at > 40 mph, the steering wheel constantly gets stuck and is jerky. There is a recall issued by Honda for the exact same issue, however, the recall is vin locked and only includes 54 cars. Looking online, this looks to be a widespread problem. I took it to a Honda dealership for a diagnostic and the service department diagnosed it to the TSB about the recall, however, my car doesn't fall under the recall even though it is doing just that. The repair charge is listed at over $4,000. That's a pretty major system failure for such a young car.
In April of 2023 I reported to Honda corporate and a local dealership that I was having an issue with “sticky” steering. I took it to the dealer, and was told there were no recalls, and that they couldn’t replicate the problem. I just left it to even though I could still feel it. Now, as of March 2024 it has started again as soon as the weather starts to get warmer. Once you feel it it’s very obvious that it’s happening. It’s when you make small adjustments on the highway to stay in the lane and when the weather is warmer. There is a distinct point where you feel resistance moving the wheel. Almost like the power steering is failing for a brief second. Based on the amount of reports of this Honda has to know this was a flaw in design yet refuses to fix it.
The contact’s daughter owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked abnormally while turning to the left or the right. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while making a left or a right turn, the steering wheel seized and required an aggressive turn of the steering wheel in the opposite direction to keep the vehicle straight. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear box assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V663000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to cover half the cost of the repair. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Steering wheel is starting to stick at high speeds, typically while driving on the highway. When you make small adjustments to stay straight/in the lane there is momentary resistance as if the power steering isn't working. I know this has been reported on 22-23 Civics, but if you look on forums it is happening in 16-18 models, and people are being told they need a whole new steering column for $3000 since it's out of warranty.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel started jerking to the left and the right. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel to correct the movement, the steering felt loosened and non-responsive. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway but observed no issues with the tires. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V663000 (Steering). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Steering wheel is sticking in position. Seems to become worse as the car heats up. Happens every time the car is driven and intensifies as the car gets more miles. Potential for a dangerous situation if unable to maneuver from another object or situation. Have not yet received service to correct steering stickage. There is no visual signal stating a problem with the steering system. Started noticing slight problems around 50k miles but had definitely progressed to interfere with everyday driving.
Steering gets sticky with more effort to keep straight in lane. The contact stated that there is an investigation on Honda Civic 2022-2023 but not for older models 2016-2021 which seems to be where the steering issue started.
The steering is often "notchy", especially in warmer weather. When trying to make small steering adjustments while driving the wheel will resist changes until turned hard enough that it jerks suddenly. This issue makes driving in a lane next to another car uncomfortable as the driver is never confident that the wheel will actually turn, especially on the highway or at high speeds. The issue on this particular vehicle has not been reproduce by a service center because the vehicle is out of warranty. However, this issue is widely reported online and Honda has taken no action to rectify this safety issue. There are no warning lamps or other warnings provided by the car. The issue has consistently been happening for over 3 years.
While driving at high speeds (>40mph) without turns, the steering wheel sticks at the center. It then requires relatively significant force and results in a jerk and steering overcorrection. The steering overcorrections is very dangerous when on high speed roads with oncoming traffic right next to you. The problem is reproducable at these speeds. No warning signals for this has occured. This has been occuring for a ~a month now 3/1/23.
I am the original owner of the above listed vehicle. The AC is not circulating cold air. I brought it in to get inspected and was told that the AC went out and has to be replaced. It is retaining freon, but it’s not circulating.
My steering wheel sticks after driving and the engine has a change to get warm. Once I go over 25 mph and the sticking begins I have to constantly over compensate to stay in my lane. This issue has made it nearly impossible to stay in my lane on highways and speed above 55mph.