2012 Honda Civic Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 64 Electrical System complaints for the 2012 Honda Civic, 14% of its 455 total complaints for the year. No related recall is listed for this area. Median mileage at failure was 38,781.5 miles, with 4 crashes and 2 fires reported.
- Electrical System complaints
- 64
- 14% of 455
- Crashes reported
- 4
- Fires reported
- 2
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 38,782 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Owners describe a rear ceiling light fixture catching fire while the car was parked and idling, with melting plastic dripping onto the upholstery.
- Multiple owners report the battery dying or the car failing to start, sometimes after sitting for a couple of days, with alternator and harness testing fine.
- Some report the VSA alert and check steering alert flashing and beeping while the car is stationary or moving, which one owner linked to a separate Honda recall covering 130,000 vehicles.
- Owners describe the power steering wheel seizing while driving, with a warning light illuminating and a diagnosis of power steering and electrical failure.
- One owner reported the airbag system turning on and off depending on the weight of the front passenger, raising concern about airbag deployment in a crash.
- A dashboard error for the emissions and transmission systems appeared randomly while driving, sometimes coinciding with abnormal shifting behavior.
When 2012 Honda Civic electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Jun 22, 2011, latest Mar 26, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2012 Honda Civic
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Electrical System complaints by Civic model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are electrical problems in the 2012 Honda Civic?
- NHTSA lists 64 Electrical System complaints for the 2012 Civic, which is 14% of the 455 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2012 Honda Civic electrical system?
- No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the Electrical System area on the 2012 Civic.
- At what mileage do electrical problems typically show up on the 2012 Civic?
- The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2012 Civic is 38,781.5 miles.
- Did the 2012 Civic's electrical issues cause any crashes or fires?
- NHTSA data shows 4 crashes and 2 fires and 2 injuries linked to complaints in this problem area for the 2012 Civic.
- How does the 2012 Civic compare to other years for electrical complaints?
- The 2012 Civic's 14% share of complaints in this area is on par with 2013 and 2014 (both 14%), but higher than 2015 (7%) and lower than 2017 (17%).