2012 Honda Civic Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 68 Engine complaints for the 2012 Honda Civic, 15% of its 455 total complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 13,000 miles. No related recalls are listed for this problem area.
- Engine complaints
- 68
- 15% of 455
- Crashes reported
- 12
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 5
- Median mileage
- 13,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Owners report sudden unintended acceleration when shifting out of park or reverse, sometimes ending in a collision with a wall, fence, or parked vehicle.
- Several complaints describe the car surging forward on its own when the driver's foot came off the accelerator, often at low speed while parking.
- Some drivers report RPMs spiking to around 4,000 and staying elevated at idle, requiring the engine to be turned off and restarted to return to normal.
- One owner described RPMs jumping to about 3,500 while driving downhill, with the car failing to accelerate normally when the gas pedal was pressed.
- A manual-transmission owner reported a squeal when releasing the clutch from a stop, especially on a slight incline, which a dealer could not duplicate.
When 2012 Honda Civic engine complaints were filed
First complaint Jul 26, 2011, latest Jan 2, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2012 Honda Civic
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Engine complaints by Civic model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Are engine problems common on the 2012 Honda Civic?
- NHTSA lists 68 engine complaints for the 2012 Civic, making up 15% of all 455 complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2012 Honda Civic engine?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this Engine problem area on the 2012 Civic.
- At what mileage do engine problems typically show up on the 2012 Civic?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 13,000 miles.
- Did the 2012 Civic engine issues cause crashes?
- NHTSA data tied to this problem area for the 2012 Civic includes 12 crashes, 1 fire, and 5 injuries.
- How does 2012 compare to other Civic years for engine complaints?
- The 2012 Civic's 15% share of complaints tied to the engine is higher than most other years listed, which range from about 5% to 13%, except 2016 and 2017 which also saw high complaint counts.