2016 Honda Civic Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 114 Engine complaints for the 2016 Honda Civic, 11% of all complaints for that year, with a median failure mileage of 24,000 miles. A related recall (16V074000) covers piston assembly issues on 2.0L engines built September 22, 2015 to February 3, 2016.
- Engine complaints
- 114
- 11% of 1,080
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 3
- Injuries reported
- 1
- Median mileage
- 24,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Owners report engine fires occurring while the vehicle was parked or being driven, sometimes preceded by a clicking noise and smoke smell.
- Some describe an abnormal tapping noise coming from the passenger side of the engine compartment when starting the car.
- Several complaints mention a strong fuel smell in the engine bay along with oil found above the fill line.
- Owners report the air conditioning blowing weak or warm air, tied to a separate recall covering part of the A/C unit.
- One owner noted engine pulling and unusual noises shortly after a recall repair, along with a belt issue.
When 2016 Honda Civic engine complaints were filed
First complaint Dec 25, 2015, latest Sep 1, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2016 Honda Civic
- NHTSA 16V074000Feb 9, 2016Engine42,129 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Civic vehicles manufactured September 22, 2015, to February 3, 2016 and equipped with 2.0L engines. The affected vehicles have engines with piston assemblies that may have been manufactured without a piston wrist pin circlip or with an incorrectly installed piston wrist pin circlip.
Risk: If a circlip is missing or incorrectly installed, the piston wrist pin may not be secure and may drift and damage the engine cylinder causing the engine to seize, and increasing the risk of a crash or a fire.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the piston assemblies and damaged engine components, as necessary, free of charge. Parts are expected to be available in the Summer of 2016. Owners were mailed an interim notification beginning March 31, 2016, and will be mailed a second notice when parts are available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JX9.
Engine complaints by Civic model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2016 Honda Civic have an engine recall?
- Yes. Recall 16V074000 covers 2016 Civics with 2.0L engines built between September 22, 2015 and February 3, 2016 for piston assembly issues. Honda dealers inspect and replace the piston assemblies and any damaged engine components.
- How common are engine complaints for the 2016 Civic?
- NHTSA lists 114 Engine complaints for the 2016 Civic, which is 11% of the 1,080 total complaints filed for that model year.
- At what mileage do engine problems typically show up on the 2016 Civic?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for engine complaints on the 2016 Civic is 24,000 miles.
- Were there any fires linked to engine complaints on the 2016 Civic?
- NHTSA records show 3 fires and 1 injury among the complaints in this dataset, with some fires reported in the engine compartment.
- Is the 2016 Civic engine worse than other Civic years?
- The 2016 Civic's 114 engine complaints and 11% share are similar to other years like 2017 (79 complaints, 13% share) and lower than 2012's 15% share, based on NHTSA data across model years.