2018 Honda Civic Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
80/100
#4 most-complained of 16 Civic years
The 2018 Honda Civic ranks 4th-worst out of 16 model years, with a complaint index of 80 and 741 NHTSA complaints. Steering issues dominate at 42% of complaints, backed by 6 recalls including a steering gearbox campaign, giving it an overall Avoid verdict relative to other Civic years.
- Complaints
- 741
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes / fires
- 26 / 4
- Injuries / deaths
- 23 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 34
- 30 city / 40 hwy
Top 2018 Honda Civic problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering311 (42%)
- Fuel System174 (23%)
- Other127 (17%)
- Electrical System62 (8%)
- Engine61 (8%)
- Brakes29 (4%)
- Structure & Body29 (4%)
- Airbags23 (3%)
- Visibility & Wipers16 (2%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires14 (2%)
What owners report
- Steering wheel fails to center or self-corrects unexpectedly at highway speeds, sometimes producing a fishtail sensation while driving through curves.
- While driving around 30 MPH, the instrument cluster displays an 'analyzing the system' warning followed by the steering wheel veering on its own to one side.
- Seat belts have been reported to tear loose from the floor mounting bolt during a crash, leading to injuries despite proper airbag deployment.
- Owners report electrical fires starting inside a door while the vehicle is parked and off, with smoke filling the interior.
- Some owners describe the vehicle accelerating on its own while parking, requiring maximum brake pressure to stop.
2018 Honda Civic recalls
6 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 20V314000May 28, 2020Fuel System135,995 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
2018 Honda Civic fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 30 MPG
- Highway
- 40 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.
2018 compared with other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Honda Civic a good year to buy?
- Relative to other Civic model years, 2018 ranks 4th-worst out of 16 years tracked, with a complaint index of 80 and an Avoid verdict. Steering complaints account for 42% of all reported issues that year.
- What is the most common problem with the 2018 Honda Civic?
- Steering is the top problem area, making up 42% of the 741 complaints NHTSA logged for this model year, with a median failure mileage of 50,564 miles.
- Does the 2018 Honda Civic have a steering recall?
- Yes. Recall 18V663000 covers 2017-2018 Civic and CR-V vehicles where a magnet controlling the electronic power steering torque sensor signal may not be properly secured, and Honda replaced the steering gearbox assembly.
- How many recalls does the 2018 Honda Civic have?
- NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2018 Honda Civic, covering steering, fuel system, airbags, and other components, with none classified as do-not-drive.
- How does the 2018 Civic compare to other years for fuel economy?
- The 2018 Civic is EPA-rated at 34 mpg combined (30 city / 40 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,900.