2005 Honda Civic Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 26about this part
- Share
- 8%of 316 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 78,100miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 26 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Honda Civic, 8% of the 316 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 78,100 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 3 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“2005 Honda Civic sedan , ignition switch failure , key will not turn either way in ignition , drove to store ,, when I came out of store ,, ignition was locked up ,, Honda had ignition switch recall ,, when I called them , they said it wasn't on list of recalls , tho they had over 1 million replaced in other vehicles ,,, somehow in Honda's theory , my situation is different , go figure !!”
NHTSA complaint #11072686, filed 2018-02, 130,000 miles“I had common wealth motors in lawrence massachusetts replace my air bag in on 08/05/2015 due to many post card warnings I kept receiving by mail. Soon after, a light indicating my seat belt connected to my airbag continues to stay on. I went back to common wealth motors because of an inspection sticker issue with this light problem and they tried to get me to pay over 500.00 dollars to fix the issue as well as shut the light off. It is 12/8/17 and the light is still on.”
NHTSA complaint #11053545, filed 2017-12, 60,011 miles“I first noticed the problem with the head lights dim from regular brightness to really low while driving. Then I noticed the lights inside the car doing the same dim while the engine is off. And today, on my dashboard I noticed the srs indicator light turned on red, and stays on red as I drive it. Everything is original on the vehicle, no after market. Vehicle has never been in an accident and no repairs have been made, minor or major.”
NHTSA complaint #10667835, filed 2014-12, 177,000 miles“As I was making a right hand turn, a key from my key ring became lodged in a screw hole in the steering wheel. As I was exiting the turn, the lodged key ran up into the arm of the wiper blades control, preventing the wheel from straightening out. As a result, the vehicle continued turning and ran into a parked car. The reporting police officer observed and noted the defect in his police report. No ticket was issued.”
NHTSA complaint #10482717, filed 2012-10, 115,000 miles“The alternator gave out with only 46,800 miles on my '05 Civic. When I called american Honda about this - since this is unacceptable - the rep told me to take the car to a Honda dealership for evaluation. I explained to her that you don't simply take a car with a dead alternator from place to place - towing would have to be arranged and I wasn't paying for another tow job. $520 later and had to have the battery replaced too.”
NHTSA complaint #10292377, filed 2009-11, 46,800 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10107355Jul 10, 2015"background american honda is extending the warranty coverage on the ima battery module for some 200308 civic hybrids an additional 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes…
- 10040484Jan 18, 2014Honda: there are new battery software and hardware updates. *rm updated 3/06/12. *pe updated 02/26/2014
- 10040487Apr 24, 2012Honda: hybrid vehicle battery exchange information. *rm updated 5/2/12
- 10043248Jan 12, 2012Honda: on some model vehicles, there is an alternator/starter tester (ast) module capable of testing alternators, installed on gr8 diagnostic battery station.
- 10026884Aug 6, 2008Honda: hybrid batteries can be affected and damaged by excessively high temperatures.
- 10032953May 9, 2008Honda: warranty extension-vehicle warranty mileage. Class action lawsuit alleging that the odometers on certain 2002-2006 honda models were overstating mileage. Federal court…
- 10018257Nov 16, 2005Accessory power socket inoperative.
- 10017632Aug 13, 2005Product update: ecm update to prevent catalyst dtc p0420 and/or vps dtc p1021, mcm update to current specifications.
- 10018021Jul 1, 2005Speedometer shops can transfer odometer mileage. Honda service news.
- 10018018Jul 1, 2005Speedometer needle sticks; won't go back to zero. Honda. Servicenews.
Electrical system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 16% |
| 2025 | 6 | 8% |
| 2024 | 8 | 6% |
| 2023 | 17 | 7% |
| 2022 | 38 | 4% |
| 2021 | 18 | 12% |
| 2020 | 37 | 16% |
| 2019 | 37 | 8% |
| 2018 | 61 | 8% |
| 2017 | 103 | 17% |
| 2016 | 119 | 11% |
| 2015 | 28 | 7% |
| 2014 | 39 | 13% |
| 2013 | 39 | 12% |
| 2012 | 60 | 13% |
| 2011 | 16 | 9% |
| 2010 | 23 | 6% |
| 2009 | 36 | 9% |
| 2008 | 51 | 6% |
| 2007 | 67 | 6% |
| 2006 | 100 | 7% |
| 2005 | 26 | 8% |
| 2004 | 32 | 9% |
| 2003 | 51 | 10% |
| 2002 | 49 | 7% |
| 2001 | 59 | 5% |
| 2000 | 38 | 13% |
| 1999 | 118 | 35% |
| 1998 | 88 | 20% |
| 1997 | 30 | 8% |
| 1996 | 17 | 6% |
| 1995 | 12 | 6% |
| 1994 | 2 | 1% |
| 1993 | 25 | 17% |
| 1992 | 28 | 29% |
| 1991 | 22 | 20% |
| 1990 | 18 | 20% |
| 1989 | 11 | 16% |
| 1988 | 7 | 15% |
| 1986 | 4 | 11% |
Other parts of the 2005 Honda Civic
129 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
36 complaintsBody and structure
25 complaintsVehicle speed control
25 complaintsSeat belts
21 complaintsEngine cooling
19 complaintsBrakes
16 complaintsEngine
14 complaintsFuel system
12 complaintsOther or unknown
12 complaintsSuspension
8 complaintsTires
8 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2005 Honda Civic
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology