2016 Honda Civic Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
93/100
#2 most-complained of 16 Civic years
The 2016 Honda Civic ranks 2nd worst of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 93, 1,080 complaints, and 5 recalls. Steering issues dominate, making up 41% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 39,000 miles.
- Complaints
- 1,080
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes / fires
- 36 / 4
- Injuries / deaths
- 16 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 34
- 30 city / 39.5 hwy
Top 2016 Honda Civic problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering444 (41%)
- Other264 (24%)
- Electrical System144 (13%)
- Engine114 (11%)
- Brakes111 (10%)
- Visibility & Wipers54 (5%)
- Structure & Body51 (5%)
- Transmission & Powertrain36 (3%)
- Fuel System30 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires29 (3%)
What owners report
- Electric parking brake fails to hold, allowing the car to roll away while parked, in some cases causing collisions with other vehicles or objects.
- Steering wheel locks or sticks mid-drive, sometimes causing the car to veer sideways or crash into a curb.
- Airbags fail to deploy during low-speed front impact collisions, leaving drivers without protection.
- A 'check airbag system' message appears during driving after a couple of minutes, without an actual crash event.
- Brake pedal is depressed but the vehicle continues moving while parking, accompanied by multiple stability and steering warning messages.
2016 Honda Civic recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 26V332000May 21, 2026Airbags98,892 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
- NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
- NHTSA 16V725000Oct 11, 2016Brakes350,083 vehicles
Parking brake
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Civic two door and four door 1.5L turbo and 2.0L vehicles. The electric parking brake (EPB) may not engage if it is applied immediately after turning the ignition off.
Risk: If the EPB is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software to allow the EPB to engage immediately after the ignition is turned off, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KC6.
2016 Honda Civic fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 30 MPG
- Highway
- 39.5 MPG
- Combined
- 34 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $1,900
- 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.
2016 compared with other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Honda Civic reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 Civic ranks 2nd worst among 16 model years with a Complaint Index of 93 and an Avoid verdict relative to other Civic years.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2016 Honda Civic?
- Steering is the top problem area, accounting for 444 complaints, or 41% of all complaints, with a median failure mileage of 39,000 miles.
- Does the 2016 Honda Civic have a brake recall?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 16V725000 covers the electric parking brake, which may not engage if applied immediately after turning off the ignition.
- How many complaints and recalls does the 2016 Honda Civic have?
- NHTSA lists 1,080 complaints and 5 recalls for the 2016 Civic, including issues with airbags, fuel system, brakes, electrical system, and engine.
- What is Civic fuel economy for 2016?
- The 2016 Civic gets an EPA-rated 34 mpg combined (30 city / 39.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,900.