Skip to content
Honda Civic HybridModel year report

2007 Honda Civic Hybrid Problems

Complaints
64filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
77,000miles, 47 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
42 mpgcombined, 1.3L 4-cyl · hybrid FWD · 40 city / 45 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster around the hybrid IMA (integrated motor assist) system: owners describe the battery charge indicator dropping suddenly, the assist cutting out, and the car feeling slow or unable to accelerate in traffic, on hills, or when merging. Many of these accounts follow a battery replacement or a dealer software update, and the same complaints mention lower fuel economy afterwards; a separate group concerns the passenger air bag inflator recalls.

  1. Electrical system

    Hybrid IMA assist cuts out / battery loses charge

    Mentioned in 24 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners describe the IMA battery charge bars dropping abruptly — sometimes from half full to one bar — with assist disappearing and the car feeling sluggish or unable to build speed. Some say the IMA, battery and check engine lights come on, and dealers diagnosed a failed IMA battery or voltage converter, sometimes recommending battery replacement. Several complaints note the problem was worse in hot weather with the air conditioning on, or during long stop-and-go drives. Reported from very low mileage up to about 145,000 miles, often in warm weather or stop-and-go traffic.

    Recall 11V1060003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the IMA battery has been replaced and whether the battery control software update was applied; drive the car in traffic and up a hill and watch whether the charge bars drop suddenly or the IMA light comes on.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My Civic Hybrid battery has been declining in power for about the last 2 years, most likely due to a failing hybrid battery that Honda refuses to replace. On numerous occasions, my hybrid batter will fail to provide any assist during accelerations. This seems to occur a couple times a week as the system suddenly notices the battery has no charge (it instantly goes from about 1/2 the bars of charge to just 1). …”

    NHTSA complaint #10453845, filed 2012-04, 40,000 miles

    “I was in the fifth hour of a six hour long road trip (warm day, A/C on, iphone plugged into console for an audio book), when I hit stop and go traffic. Shortly after the stop and go traffic began, my 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid stopped being able to accelerate. Traffic ahead of me would move, my car would not respond normally, but only very, very slowly gather speed -- very tricky and dangerous when the traffic is stop and go. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10702441, filed 2015-03, 42,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Reduced acceleration / sluggishness after software update

    • 22 complaints (34%)
    • median 56,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2016

    Many owners link weaker acceleration to a dealer software update meant to extend hybrid battery life. They describe the engine revving high while the car crawls, hesitation when pulling away from stop lights, and difficulty merging or climbing inclines. Some say dealers told them the car was operating within specification or that nothing was wrong. Typically reported between roughly 20,000 and 100,000 miles, often after the update was installed.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for the service history and whether the hybrid battery software update was performed; test acceleration from a stop and on an incline before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Ever since Honda did a software update on my car's engine to extend the life of the battery, my car has had intermittent accelerations issues. For example, last summer, I was at a stop light and when it turned green, my car didn't seem to want to go . I had to press on the gas pedal about 3 times to get it to engage and actually move. Many times the car is sluggish to start from a stop, or accelerate, but it does go , just not as promptly and quickly as it should. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10442716, filed 2012-01, 52,000 miles

    “This vehicle received a software update to extend the life of the batteries. This update increased the danger of this vehicle more than it had when it was new. The greatest hazard is that this vehicle has unpredictable amounts of power. I had an incident while trying to cross a busy street on an incline with a limited view of oncoming traffic. Normally, the vehicle supplies sufficient power to cross traffic but this time the engine revved high and the car seemed to crawl while traffic was bearing down upon me. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10447696, filed 2012-02, 50,000 miles
  3. Steering

    Power steering cuts out

    • 6 complaints (9%)
    • median 105,000 mi at 8.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2011–2025

    Owners describe the electric power steering failing to engage at start-up or cutting out while driving, leaving the wheel hard to turn, sometimes with warning lights on. Some report that switching the car off and on again restores assist. In a few accounts the steering seizure happened alongside a loss of motive power or a dead 12-volt battery. Reported from near-new mileage up to about 170,000 miles, at varied speeds and conditions.

    What to check: Start the car several times and confirm the steering assist comes on each time; ask whether the power steering or 12-volt battery/charging system has been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On multiple occasions at different speeds and different times during the day, weather, terrain, location, the power steering will randomly go out on the car. The most recent was on 9/4 when I was driving on 1-5. I am taking it to dealer tomorrow. I have researched this and see that many Honda Civic Hybrid owners are complaining of the same thing.”

    NHTSA complaint #10423773, filed 2011-09, 50 miles

    “Electric power steering fails to turn on. This has occurred 4-5 times so far and 3 in the last month. When we start the car on the electronic power steering fails to turn on also. We sometimes hear a noise under the dash. We turn the car on and off several times and it usually fixes the problem, but it takes a few minutes to this. This item should be grounds for a recall as it seems to be very common among online forums.”

    NHTSA complaint #10441995, filed 2012-01, 65,000 miles
  4. Air bags

    Passenger air bag inflator recall not completed

    • 6 complaints (9%)
    • median 170,000 mi at 10.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2017

    Several complaints are about the Takata passenger frontal air bag inflator recalls: owners report being notified but told the replacement part was unavailable, and some describe air bags that did not inflate or that deployed with metal fragments. Others describe inspections where the dealer said the vehicle did not qualify for repairs. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 97,000 to nearly 194,000 miles.

    Recall 19V502000Recall 19V378000Recall 17V030000Recall 16V346000

    What to check: Check the VIN against open recalls with a dealer or NHTSA and confirm the passenger inflator replacement was actually completed, not just scheduled.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Hi we bought this car 3 years ago and we took it for inspection maybe 10 months ago. We were told my the Honda dealer inspectors that the car didn't need to fix any thing, and that if the car need it any repairs the car did not qualify for it. Since the car had more than 100,000 miles. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10937466, filed 2016-12, 170,000 miles

    “I had an accident on 02/07/2017, 09:15 am ( case number b17-02029 )on highway I-93 in windham, nh. I was driving alone to south. Then, because of ice and snow car lost control, spun,hit back and front and passenger side.I stop after 180 degree turn. No one involved. Damages were front back and passenger side and some of interior. Front bumper was fall off. My car was towed by aaa who was called by the police. My passenger side airbags both window and door were dropped, but non of them had air at all. Just empty bags were dragged. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10954009, filed 2017-02, 193,752 miles
  5. Engine

    Engine stalling and loss of power while driving

    • 8 complaints (13%)
    • median 107,191 mi at 8.9 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2012–2017

    Some owners report the engine cutting out without warning at speed or the car refusing to move despite the accelerator being floored, sometimes with several warning lights lit. Dealers in some cases traced this to the IMA unit or a fuse between the IMA and 12-volt battery; in others the cause was not established and the car was not repaired. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 120,000 miles.

    Recall 11V106000

    What to check: Ask about any history of stalling or warning lights and whether the voltage converter or IMA-related fuse has been checked; a scan for stored codes before purchase is worthwhile.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On sept 15, '12, I was taking my son and his friend over to his coach's house for a football party. I attempted to drive up the coach's driveway but at approximately the halfway point, my Honda Civic Hybrid stopped moving forward although the accelerator was pushed to the floor. I had the two nine year old kids exit the vehicle but it still did not move forward. I slowly backed down the driveway and attempted to accelerate up the driveway again, this time with a running start. Again, my Honda Civic Hybrid did not make it up the driveway. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10482029, filed 2012-10

    “The contact owns a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. While driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine stalled without warning. The failure occurred on three occasions. The dealer stated that the integrated motor assist needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #10637598, filed 2014-09, 120,000 miles

Buying note. The hybrid battery and its control software are the main thing to verify on this model year — ask for battery replacement records and confirm the software update status, then test drive in traffic and on hills. Also check for open air bag inflator recalls by VIN before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 64 consumer complaints for the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. 47 of the complaints include a mileage, and 26% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 77,000 miles. Of all complaints, 6 involved a crash, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 22 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (2), Tires (2), Brakes (1), Electronic stability control (1), Hybrid propulsion system (1), Other or unknown (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “Bought 2007 civic Honda hybrid on feb2,2007. I was told 50 miles/gallon,but it averages only 34 miles/gallon. A sign showed up 'imr' on the panel,took the vehicle to dealer. He told imr battery needs to be replaced and will cost me $2800.00. Car is only 5 years old. I feel it`s a rip off by Honda. They should compensate.”

NHTSA complaint #10445705, filed 2012-01, 88,000 miles

Engine cooling: “This vehicle is not safe for highway or city driving. It decelerates when you need power, making it very dangerous to merge in high speed or heavy traffic conditions. In the summer when the A/C is running, acceleration is extremely unreliable. The driver's side has severe blind spots. I have also experienced long delays in the engine restarting after pulling out into traffic from a dead stop at lights or stop signs. I have nearly been hit by oncoming traffic -- planning for adequate gaps in traffic is a challenge and very different from the other vehicles I drive. …”

NHTSA complaint #10454577, filed 2012-04, 33,282 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “In the last two weeks I've had two instances where I was attempting to make a left turn at a green light and had to yield to oncoming traffic. However, when the next oncoming vehicle appeared to be far enough away and at a safe distance, I attempted to accelerate and make the turn and my hybrid system a.k.a. Honda's ima (integrated motor assist) would randomly fail to engage, leaving me with almost no acceleration power. It felt like I was driving a lawnmower. The engine would rev up, but the vehicle would not proportionately accelerate. …”

NHTSA complaint #10980827, filed 2017-04, 76,285 miles

Engine: “My wife was driving our 2007 Honda civic and I was in the passenger seat. We were in traffic, on the freeway, slowing down due to cars stopped in front of us. When traffic started moving again she attempted to speed up, but the car lost power. She pushed the accelerator further and further until it was floored, but the car had little to no power. The car barely made it across two lanes to the side of the freeway. We barely made it off the freeway to a parking area. The car could reach speeds of only 5-10 MPH even with the accelerator pushed to the floor. …”

NHTSA complaint #10526387, filed 2013-07, 78,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

26% of the 47 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 50,000 and 105,000 miles.

4%0–106%10–2515%25–5017%50–7526%75–10019%100–15013%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (47 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 77,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

20112420132015201720192025
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Civic Hybrid · sedan FWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Civic Hybrid FWD1.3L 4-cyl · hybridCVT404542$1,600

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 22 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 22 bulletins →

Other model years of the Honda Civic Hybrid

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20258—2———Too new
20155117,7290544—Not enough data
2014540,0000544—Not enough data
2013933,0000544—Not enough data
20121243,2141544—Not enough data
20101237,5006—42—Not enough data
20092852,0005—42Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Stable
20086470,7504—42Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
20076477,0005—42Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200655105,6187—42Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20054896,5006—41Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200435123,0006—41Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200351126,1026—41Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Honda Civic Hybrid model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid?

Complaints on this model year cluster around the hybrid IMA (integrated motor assist) system: owners describe the battery charge indicator dropping suddenly, the assist cutting out, and the car feeling slow or unable to accelerate in traffic, on hills, or when merging. The issues reported most often: Hybrid IMA assist cuts out / battery loses charge; Reduced acceleration / sluggishness after software update; Power steering cuts out.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid have?

NHTSA recorded 64 consumer complaints for the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 34 complaints (53% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 13.

Has the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid get?

The EPA rates the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid (Civic Hybrid, 1.3L 4-cyl · hybrid) at 42 mpg combined, 40 city and 45 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid reported?

Among the 47 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 77,000 miles and the middle half falls between 50,000 and 105,000 miles; 26% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.