YearToAvoid

2008 Honda Civic Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2008 Honda Civic has 916 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 75, and 7 recalls, ranking 6th worst out of 21 model years. It carries an Avoid verdict, with Engine issues the top complaint area.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
75/100
#6 of 21 Civic years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
916
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
7
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
62
reported in complaints
Fires
6
Injuries
50
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2013
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
28.5
24.5 city / 35 hwy
Injuries / deaths
50 / 0

Top 2008 Honda Civic problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine230 (25%)
  2. Airbags177 (19%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires134 (15%)
  4. Visibility & Wipers131 (14%)
  5. Structure & Body96 (10%)
  6. Other72 (8%)
  7. Electrical System55 (6%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain52 (6%)
  9. Brakes46 (5%)
  10. Steering24 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report airbags failing to deploy in moderate-to-severe crashes, including head-on and rear-end collisions.
  • Some drivers describe brakes intermittently failing to stop the car, causing it to roll into intersections or traffic.
  • Several owners say the engine shuts off unexpectedly at low speed, cutting power assist to the brakes.
  • Reports describe sudden loss of steering or control while turning at low speed, leading to collisions.
  • One owner described a tire-related event at highway speed that caused the car to swerve and spin out of control.
  • A complaint describes the vehicle unexpectedly moving forward out of park and striking a fixed object.
2008 Honda Civic complaints: complaints filed per quarter572007 Q42010 Q12012 Q22014 Q32016 Q42019 Q12021 Q22023 Q3
916 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2016 Q3 (57).

2008 Honda Civic recalls

7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V502000Jun 27, 2019Airbags9,555 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are F5F and Q5E.

  2. NHTSA 19V378000May 16, 2019Airbags19,138 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

    Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M4O, P4R, T4Q, and W4P.

  3. NHTSA 18V268000Apr 26, 2018Airbags1,335 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

    Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.

See all 7 recalls for the 2008 Honda Civic →

2008 Honda Civic fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24.5 MPG
Highway
35 MPG
Combined
28.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other Civic years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Avoid901,4021328.5
2007Avoid951,204928.5
2008Avoid75916728.5
2009Caution65395828.5
2010Avoid80396828.5

All Honda Civic years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Honda Civic reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Civic ranks 6th worst among 21 model years with a complaint index of 75, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other Civic years.
What problems does the 2008 Honda Civic have?
NHTSA lists 916 complaints for the 2008 Civic, led by Engine issues (230 complaints, 25% share) and Airbags (177 complaints, 19% share), followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires and Visibility & Wipers.
Does the 2008 Honda Civic have an airbag recall?
Yes. NHTSA recall records show six separate airbag-related campaigns tied to the 2008 Civic, plus one fuel system recall for a missing bracket nut, totaling 7 recalls.
How many recalls does the 2008 Honda Civic have?
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2008 Honda Civic, none of them do-not-drive recalls.
What is the median mileage for engine complaints on the 2008 Civic?
NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage of 86,000 miles for Engine-related complaints on the 2008 Civic.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.