YearToAvoid

2015 Honda Civic Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#11 most-complained of 16 Civic years

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

The 2015 Honda Civic has 380 NHTSA complaints, a Complaint Index of 33, and ranks 11th worst out of 16 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Civic years. Its top problem area is Transmission & Powertrain at 46% of complaints, with one recall issued for transmission software.

Complaints
380
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
37 / 2
Injuries / deaths
23 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
31.5
28.5 city / 37 hwy

Top 2015 Honda Civic problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain176 (46%)
  2. Airbags58 (15%)
  3. Other58 (15%)
  4. Engine48 (13%)
  5. Electrical System28 (7%)
  6. Structure & Body26 (7%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires22 (6%)
  8. Steering21 (6%)
  9. Brakes18 (5%)
  10. Fuel System11 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report unintended acceleration where the engine revs and the car speeds up on its own even when the brake is pressed, sometimes after being rear-ended.
  • Airbags fail to deploy in frontal and rear-end collisions despite noticeable impact speed, leaving the airbag warning light cycling on and off.
  • Some drivers describe a loss of braking or steering control, with the brake pedal feeling soft or unresponsive right before a crash.
  • One owner reported a fire starting near the battery area of the engine bay while the car was parked shortly after a dealership battery replacement.
  • A front axle and tire reportedly failed during a hard braking maneuver at low speed, causing the wheel to come loose.
2015 Honda Civic complaints: complaints filed per quarter192015 Q12016 Q32018 Q22019 Q42021 Q22022 Q42024 Q22025 Q4
480 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q4 (19).

2015 Honda Civic recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V574000Sep 15, 2015Transmission & Powertrain143,676 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Civic vehicles manufactured January 16, 2014, to November 6, 2014 and 2015 Fit vehicles manufactured March 12, 2014, to May 12, 2015. The software settings that control the transmission operation may result in damage to the transmission drive pulley shaft.

    Risk: If the transmission drive pulley shaft is damaged, it may break, and the vehicle may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock up while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 30, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU2 (Civic) and JU3(Fit).

2015 Honda Civic fuel economy and fuel cost

City
28.5 MPG
Highway
37 MPG
Combined
31.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,000
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.

2015 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
2013Good27319031
2014Best20291231.5
2015Good33380131.5
2016Avoid931,080534
2017Good47593634

All Honda Civic years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Honda Civic reliable based on NHTSA data?
It ranks 11th worst out of 16 Civic model years with a Complaint Index of 33, earning a "Good" verdict compared to other years. It has fewer complaints and a lower index than several later Civic years like 2016, 2018, and 2022.
What is the biggest problem area for the 2015 Honda Civic?
Transmission & Powertrain issues make up 46% of complaints (176 of 380), with a median mileage at failure of 84,500 miles. This is far ahead of Airbags at 15% and Engine at 13%.
Does the 2015 Honda Civic have any recalls?
NHTSA lists one recall (campaign 15V574000) covering 2014-2015 Civic vehicles for a transmission software update. This recall is not a do-not-drive or park-outside order.
How many airbag complaints does the 2015 Civic have?
NHTSA lists 58 airbag complaints, 15% of the total, linked to 22 crashes with a median mileage at failure of 43,069 miles.
What is the fuel economy of the 2015 Honda Civic?
EPA rates it at 31.5 mpg combined (28.5 city, 37 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,000.

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.