Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Civic, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering66
- Forward collision avoidance33
- Electrical system18
- Service brakes17
- Unknown or other13
- Lane departure11
- Air bags9
- Vehicle speed control6
- Engine5
- Fuel/propulsion system4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 73 2021 Civic vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 34 people died inside them, and 8 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2021 Honda Civic failed the safety check 1.00% of the time — 5% more often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 22,646 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2021
7,786 new Honda Civic cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2021; the largest markets were Poland (1,150), Italy (869), Spain (854).
- Average mass
- 1,378 kg
- Average CO₂
- 144 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 122 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 95% · Diesel 5.1%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
553 Honda Civic cars first registered in Europe in 2021 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Petrol versions use 7.5 l/100 km on the road against 6.3 in the WLTP test (+18%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 553 | 7.5 | 6.3 | +18% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
Engines
The most common engines in 2021 Honda Civic cars on Dutch roads are the 1.0 petrol (93 kW, 125 hp) and 1.5 petrol (134 kW, 180 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 petrol | 93 kW 125 hp | 54 |
| 1.5 petrol | 134 kW 180 hp | 34 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
94 first registered in 2021 are on Dutch roads; 33% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €36,483.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde24
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld5
- Band beschadigd4
- Spiegel of gezichtsveldverbeterende voorziening ontbreekt2
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht2
- Band onvoldoende profiel2
- Drager/bevestigingsmiddel van remvoering raakt trommel/schij2
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
4,839 cars built in 2021 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 105 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 180 of these cars first registered in 2021 took their annual MOT test. 93% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2021 the figure was 91%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.0% | 2.9% |
| Visibility | 2.2% | 1.6% |
| Brakes | 0.6% | 1.3% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
84 of these cars first registered in 2021 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 57,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
252 2021 cars are on the New Zealand register; 2% arrived as used imports, 97% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Honda CIVIC 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 9.5 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 7.1–7.4 L/100 km (about 32–33 mpg US), CO₂ 165–172 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civic Sedan · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 7.8 | 6.2 | 7.1 |
| Civic Sedan · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 7.9 | 6.1 | 7.1 |
| Civic Sedan · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 8.2 | 6.5 | 7.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Honda Civic.
| 2026251 21 May 2026 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the weight sensor for the front passenger seat may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the passenger-front airbag an… |
| 2024059 1 Feb 2024 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the weight sensor for the front passenger seat may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the passenger-front airbag an… |
| 2023365 29 Jun 2023 | Brakes Issue: On certain vehicles, the brake master cylinder could separate from the brake booster. If this happens, braking could be reduced or you could experienc… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Honda told its dealers about the 2021 Honda Civic: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011792 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2024 Accord 1.5Ls, 2021-2024 Civics 1.5Ls, 2023-2024 CR-Vs 1.5Ls, and 2017 Fits with customer complaint of Check Engine Light (CEL) on with DTC P0420 [Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold] stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11010549 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2024 Accord 1.5Ls, 2021-2024 Civics 1.5Ls, 2023-2024 CR-Vs 1.5Ls, and 2017 Fits with customer complaint of Check Engine Light (CEL) on with DTC P0420 [Catalyst System Effciency Below Threshold] stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11007887 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11006244 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11005269 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11004269 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11002711 | Service Bulletin - Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the compressor shaft seal may leak. American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C compressor shaft seal from the original 3 years to 10 years from the original date of purchase, with no mileage limitation. The new refrigerant and oil may cause swelling of the compressor shaft seal. The swelling may lead to abnormal wearing of the seal which may increase seal gaps around the compressor shaft allowing refrigerant to leak out. |
| 11000713 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11000281 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 11000133 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10253304 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10252474 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only). To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10252082 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics & 2020-2022 CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10251162 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics & 2020-2022 CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10250725 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics & 2020-2022 CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10249628 | Service Bulletin - Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the compressor shaft seal may leak. American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C compressor shaft seal from the original 3 years to 10 years from the original date of purchase, with no mileage limitation. The new refrigerant and oil may cause swelling of the compressor shaft seal. The swelling may lead to abnormal wearing of the seal which may increase seal gaps around the compressor shaft allowing refrigerant to leak out. |
| 10244663 | Service Bulletin - The ACC system error message comes on while driving when outside temperatures are low/near freezing due to snow and ice getting stuck to the front of the millimeter wave radar. This can cause DTC P2583-76 (Temporary stop of Integrated Driver Support System [Misalignment Millimeter Wave Radar]) to be stored. |
| 10244299 | Service News - If an Adaptive Cruise Control System Problem comes back on when the vehicle is driven in freezing conditions, inform the customer it is likely due to snow or ice buildup on the radar. Advise the customer of the following procedure to clean the front grille where the radar is located. |
| 10243738 | Service Bulletin - Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement the compressor shaft seal may leak. American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C compressor shaft seal from the original 3 years to 10 years from the original date of purchase, with no mileage limitation. The new refrigerant and oil may cause swelling of the compressor shaft seal. The swelling may lead to abnormal wearing of the seal which may increase seal gaps around the compressor shaft allowing refrigerant to leak out. |
| 10237958 | Owner Notification Letter - Due to a new North America regulation that introduced a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the compressor shaft seal may leak. The new refrigerant and oil may cause swelling of the compressor shaft seal. The swelling may lead to abnormal wearing of the seal which may increase seal gaps around the compressor shaft allowing refrigerant to leak out. |
| 10237948 | Service Bulletin - Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement the compressor shaft seal may leak. American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C compressor shaft seal from the original 3 years to 10 years from the original date of purchase, with no mileage limitation. The new refrigerant and oil may cause swelling of the compressor shaft seal. The swelling may lead to abnormal wearing of the seal which may increase seal gaps around the compressor shaft allowing refrigerant to leak out. |
| 10237036 | Service Bulletin - Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement the compressor shaft seal may leak. American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C compressor shaft seal from the original 3 years to 10 years from the original date of purchase, with no mileage limitation. The new refrigerant and oil may cause swelling of the compressor shaft seal. The swelling may lead to abnormal wearing of the seal which may increase seal gaps around the compressor shaft allowing refrigerant to leak out. |
| 10237023 | Dealer Message - Due to supplier process concerns, the A/C compressor may not have been manufactured to specifications. As a result, abnormal wearing of the rubber seal may occur causing gaps in the compressor shaft to develop allowing refrigerant to leak out. |
| 10235549 | Dealer Message - We have identified a potential concern with GUIDE, AC COMP SEAL 07AAG-5AAA100, which was a part of 6CVC SEAL REPLACEMENT KIT, 07AAC-5AAA1Z0 that was recently sent to all Honda dealers. These tools have the tool number and manufacture date laser marked on a critical surface that may contact the new A/C compressor seal during installation. The added roughness of the laser markings may cause damage to the seal and potentially result in an oil and/or refrigerant leak. |
| 10234575 | Service Bulletin - Customers have complained of the air conditioning system not blowing cold air due to the oil/refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor main shaft seal. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)