YearToAvoid

2013 Honda Civic Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

27/100

#12 most-complained of 16 Civic years

The 2013 Honda Civic has a Complaint Index of 27 and ranks 12th out of 16 model years, earning a 'Good' verdict relative to other Civic years. NHTSA lists 319 complaints, 0 recalls, and airbags as the top problem area with 114 complaints.

Complaints
319
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
29 / 1
Injuries / deaths
34 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
31
28 city / 38 hwy

Top 2013 Honda Civic problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags114 (36%)
  2. Brakes44 (14%)
  3. Electrical System44 (14%)
  4. Engine41 (13%)
  5. Structure & Body39 (12%)
  6. Steering38 (12%)
  7. Other31 (10%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain22 (7%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires20 (6%)
  10. Fuel System17 (5%)

What owners report

  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in front, side, and roll-over collisions, sometimes with a warning light illuminated beforehand.
  • Owners describe the steering wheel locking up suddenly while driving, in one case leading to a crash into a ditch.
  • Seat belts allegedly failed to lock during collisions or would not release afterward.
  • One owner reported the engine surging to high speed on its own, with brakes failing to stop the vehicle.
  • Another owner described the vehicle starting and moving forward on its own with the steering lock warning light on and brakes unresponsive.
2013 Honda Civic complaints: complaints filed per quarter252013 Q12014 Q42016 Q32018 Q22020 Q12021 Q42023 Q32025 Q2
430 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q1 (25).

2013 Honda Civic recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2013 Honda Civic fuel economy and fuel cost

City
28 MPG
Highway
38 MPG
Combined
31 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,050
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.

2013 compared with other Civic years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Best7168928.5
2012Caution67455331
2013Good27319031
2014Best20291231.5
2015Good33380131.5

All Honda Civic years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Honda Civic reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Civic has a Complaint Index of 27, ranking 12th of 16 model years and earning a 'Good' verdict compared to other Civic years.
Does the 2013 Honda Civic have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 0 recalls for the 2013 Honda Civic, with 0 of those classified as do-not-drive recalls.
What is the top complaint area for the 2013 Honda Civic?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 114 of 319 complaints (36%), with a median failure mileage of 60,000 miles and 19 reported crashes.
How does the 2013 Civic compare to other years like 2012 or 2016?
The 2013 Civic (Complaint Index 27) fares much better than the 2012 (67, 'Caution'), 2016 (93, 'Avoid'), and 2018 (80, 'Avoid') model years, though it trails years like 2011 (7, 'Best') and 2021 (0, 'Best').
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Honda Civic?
The EPA rates the 2013 Civic at 31 mpg combined (28 city / 38 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,050.

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.