Verdict
2016 Honda Civic: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues
What the public record actually says about the 2016 Honda Civic — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.
The read
More reported complaints than most sedan.
Owners filed 1,061 NHTSA complaints — more complaints than 99% of 2016 sedans. Steering leads the reports (40%). 5 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.
Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2016 sedans, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.
Complaints filed
1,061
Reports to NHTSA, 2016
Safety recalls
5
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
34
EPA estimate
Complaint volume vs. segment peers
More complaints than 99% of 2016 sedans
The bar is this car's percentile among 2016 sedans by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.
Known issues
Steering issues lead owner complaints (40% of 1,061 reports), followed by unknown or other (19%).
+ 17 more component categories with fewer reports.
Share of all 1,061 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11698436, ODI 11545002, ODI 11196054, ODI 11073532, ODI 11749875.
Recalls(5)
Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.
Parking BrakeNov 2016 · 16V725000Details +Close −
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Civic two door and four door 1.5L turbo and 2.0L vehicles. The electric parking brake (EPB) may not engage if it is applied immediately after turning the ignition off.
Risk: If the EPB is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to allow the EPB to engage immediately after the ignition is turned off, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KC6.
Exterior LightingNov 2016 · 16V526000Details +Close −
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 Civic 2-Door vehicles manufactured February 23, 2016, through May 20, 2016. The affected vehicles may have a damaged LED side marker light circuit board inside the taillight assembly, making the marker light inoperable. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."
Risk: If a side marker light does not function, vehicle visibility can be decreased to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect both the taillight assemblies, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 31, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KB8.
Engine And Engine CoolingSep 2016 · 16V074000Details +Close −
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Civic vehicles manufactured September 22, 2015, to February 3, 2016 and equipped with 2.0L engines. The affected vehicles have engines with piston assemblies that may have been manufactured without a piston wrist pin circlip or with an incorrectly installed piston wrist pin circlip.
Risk: If a circlip is missing or incorrectly installed, the piston wrist pin may not be secure and may drift and damage the engine cylinder causing the engine to seize, and increasing the risk of a crash or a fire.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the piston assemblies and damaged engine components, as necessary, free of charge. Parts are expected to be available in the Summer of 2016. Owners were mailed an interim notification beginning March 31, 2016, and will be mailed a second notice when parts are available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JX9.
Fuel System · 23V858000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Air Bags · 26V332000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
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.
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
0 NHTSA investigations on record
No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.
Crash-test ratings
2016 Honda Civic 4 DR FWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
2016 Honda Civic 2 DR FWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic 4Dr | 1.5L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 31 | 42 | 35 |
| Civic 2Dr | 1.5L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 31 | 41 | 35 |
| Civic 4Dr | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 30 | 40 | 34 |
| Civic 2Dr | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 30 | 39 | 34 |
| Civic 4Dr | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 27 | 38 | 31 |
| Civic 2Dr | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 37 | 30 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.
These are affiliate links. TireKick may earn a fee if you use one.
Compare model years
"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.
2016 Honda Civic: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2016 Honda Civic?
Owners filed 1,061 NHTSA complaints about the 2016 Honda Civic — more complaints than 99% of comparable 2016 sedans, so it sits toward the weaker end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.
What are the most common problems on the 2016 Honda Civic?
The most-reported problem areas are Steering (40% of complaints) and unknown or other (19%).
How many recalls does the 2016 Honda Civic have?
5 recalls have been issued that affect the 2016 Honda Civic, covering components such as parking brake. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Honda Civic get?
The EPA rates the 2016 Honda Civic between 30 and 35 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.