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Honda CivicModel year report

2012 Honda Civic Problems

Compared with other Honda Civic years

Typical for this model

51/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
456filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
30,150miles, 321 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4–5 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
31 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl FWD · 28 city / 38 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Honda Civic (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2012 Civic most often describe the "Check Power Steering" warning appearing, sometimes with a sudden loss of power assist that makes the wheel very hard to turn; many of these reports come between roughly 45,000 and 130,000 miles and some return after a software update. A second large group of complaints concerns airbag warnings and non-deployment, often at higher mileage, while smaller clusters cover charging/battery warnings, paint and clear-coat deterioration, and driveline noise or premature brake wear at low mileage.

  1. Air bags

    Airbag warning light on or airbags not deploying

    • 139 complaints (30%)
    • median 42,000 mi at 4.6 yrs old (91 state mileage)
    • 34 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2012–2026

    Complaints describe the airbag or "check airbag system" warning staying lit, the passenger airbag indicator switching off with or without an occupant, and in some cases airbags that did not deploy in a collision. Owners report dealers updating a module, replacing the driver airbag module or cable reel, or telling them nothing could be found; some say the light came back after repairs. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 10,000 miles up to 130,000 miles, with many reports above 60,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check that the airbag warning light goes out after the bulb check on start-up and that the passenger airbag indicator reads correctly with and without someone in the seat. Ask whether the vehicle has had the airbag-related service actions completed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “1 airbags didn't deploy on highway accident on 1/11/2021. Honda usa rejected inspection upon request. 2 14 wheeler hit driverside on civic on hwy we almost died. 3 I reported accident of bags not deploying to Hobda USA. They denied case open for free inspection. 4 Airbags have not been inspected by no one. 5 unknown on the warning lamps . Dont know system.”

    NHTSA complaint #11485582, filed 2022-09, 75,000 miles

    “My airbag lights literally go on and off multiple times while I'm driving. I am not sure what brand air bags are in my car, they could be the takata recalled part, but not sure. Whenever I have something in the front seat, or a person is sitting in the front seat the airbag lights on the dash come on. They will come on and go off while I am driving. This happens on the street, highway, anytime.”

    NHTSA complaint #11255093, filed 2019-09, 130,000 miles
  2. Steering

    Power steering warning with loss of assist (EPS)

    • 71 complaints (16%)
    • median 60,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (57 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,357 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2012–2026

    Owners describe the "Check Power Steering" or EPS indicator lighting up, sometimes while driving and sometimes right after start-up, with the wheel becoming very hard to turn or feeling locked. Several report that shutting the car off and restarting temporarily restores assist, and that the problem returns. According to complaints, dealers have diagnosed faulty steering software, updated or reprogrammed the EPS control unit, or replaced the EPS control unit or steering rack, and in some cases the warning came back afterward. Mostly reported between about 26,000 and 130,000 miles, with many between 60,000 and 100,000 miles; some owners mention wet or rainy conditions.

    Recall 12V5480004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether any EPS software update or control-unit replacement was done and whether the warning has returned since. On a test drive, check that the EPS light stays off and that assist is present from a cold start.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “During rain storms especially, the power steering warning comes on and I lose all power to steer. I can still steer but its extremely hard. Has happened 3-4 times now. Has been to the dealer but he doesn't know why get. Had to get a rental until its fixed. In my opinion, electronic power steering is much less reliable than the old type.”

    NHTSA complaint #10704922, filed 2015-04, 68,000 miles

    “We were driving down the highway when the power steering light came on. It took two of us to turn the wheel to make a right or left turn. We were both afraid for our lives! We did not know if we were going to make it home but we did. I am petrified to drive this car again! I have to use the car because I live so far away from stores to shop etc. Please help me soon so I can use the car again!!!”

    NHTSA complaint #11387310, filed 2021-01, 81,452 miles
  3. Transmission and drivetrain

    Clutch or driveline noise and shudder from a stop

    • 39 complaints (9%)
    • median 16,950 mi at 1.7 yrs old (32 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2026

    Owners of manual-transmission cars describe a grinding, squeaking or groaning sound when pulling away from a stop, especially on an incline, that dealers were unable to reproduce. Others report clicking noises on early acceleration, hesitation or stalling while accelerating, and in a few cases axle or transmission diagnoses. Often reported at low mileage, from under 2,000 miles to about 30,000 miles, with some continuing past 100,000 miles.

    Recall 12V2560002 related service bulletins

    What to check: On a manual car, pull away slowly from a stop on a slight incline and listen for grinding or shudder. Ask whether the driveshaft clip recall work was completed and whether any transmission or axle repairs were done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Manual transmission-when pulling out from a stop on an incline, the clutch makes a grinding/vibrating sound. I took to the dealer 3x prior to the warranty expiring and they 'couldn't duplicate it' it's so loud, a pedestrian standing on the sidewalk next to a road can hear it. It started prior to 30k miles, still happening at 100,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #11324880, filed 2020-05, 30,000 miles

    “Some clicking noise coming from under the hood when car the is accelerating to shift gears, this only happens when the car is started first thing and then if you let the car sit for 5 minutes. The clicking happens only 2 times in a row and then when the car accelerates over 10 miles the clicking stops.”

    NHTSA complaint #10522184, filed 2013-06, 16,400 miles

Buying note. Check the power steering assist and airbag warning lights carefully on a test drive and cold start, since these are the two most frequent themes in owner complaints, and confirm which software updates and recall or service actions have already been completed. Paint condition and, on manual cars, clutch noise from a stop are worth inspecting before agreeing on a price.

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 456 consumer complaints for the 2012 Honda Civic. 321 of the complaints include a mileage, and 63% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 30,150 miles. Of all complaints, 55 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 41 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 76 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Honda Civic model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 51 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

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: Seat belts (14), Seats (12), Electronic stability control (10), Exterior lighting (10), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (10), Wheels (10), Suspension (5), Engine cooling (4), Equipment (4), Tires (3), Interior lighting (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “The airbag sign keeps popping on when I am driving. Then I will have to have my children lean to their left away from the doors in order for the airbag sing to go off. After a few minutes the airbag off sign will pop on. This happens frequently. The sign will pop on while I'm at a light, or driving on the highway, city streets, or turning.”

NHTSA complaint #11111970, filed 2018-07, 145,000 miles

Steering: “I was driving at 35 MPH on a city street with high traffic volumerwhen I lost all power steering and the indicator light went on statting check power steering system.. The car was unable to be steered properly and is currently at the shop in tenafly nj- tenafly of Honda. This incident is extremely troublesome as I now doubt the reliability of the vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #10839027, filed 2016-02, 48,000 miles

Electrical system: “At 70,000 miles my vsa alert and check steering alert has been flashing on my dashboard. Honda service claims they never saw such a complaint but last week Honda motor corporation issued a recall to fix this issue on 130,000 Honda vehicles for this same problem. The fix could run over $2,000.00 . This alert flashes and beeps, annoyingly, while auto is stationary and moving, it flashes constantly now for the last 7,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11219186, filed 2019-06, 69,400 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “While driving, car randomly displays check emission and check transmission system error. When I restart the car, the check engine light comes when I put it in d position. I took the car for repair and they say everything is normal and they didn't find any issues. I'm really worried about the safety in mid-way and also the engine or transmission might get effected.”

NHTSA complaint #11114654, filed 2018-07, 65,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

63% of the 321 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 11,000 and 72,500 miles.

23%0–1018%10–2521%25–5013%50–7511%75–10010%100–1503%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (321 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 30,150 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

’12’1449’16’18’20’22’24’26
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 2012 Honda Civic. 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 · sedan FWD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 10.9% risk
Civic · coupe FWD★★★★☆5 / 4454 · 11.8% risk

Neighbouring years: 2011: 3 stars overall; 2013: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

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

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2012 Honda Civic 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 FWD1.8L 4-cyl5-speed automatic283831$2,150
Civic FWD1.8L 4-cyl5-speed manual283531$2,150
Civic FWD2.4L 4-cyl6-speed manual223125$3,300
Civic HF FWD1.8L 4-cyl5-speed automatic283932$2,100
Civic Natural Gas FWD1.8L 4-cyl · natural gas5-speed automatic273831$1,500

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 2012 Honda Civic → · 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. 76 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 76 bulletins →

Other model years of the Honda Civic

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026323000534Too new to compareToo new
2025766,5552534Too new to compareToo new
202412511,0003533Too new to compareToo new
202325810,000453364 · TypicalToo new
202288526,2644533100 · MoreRising
202114730,000453310 · FewerRising
202023315,400553249 · TypicalRising
201944316,200453348 · TypicalRising
201874732,508653361 · TypicalRising
201760123,066653466 · MoreRising
20161,08230,000553484 · MoreStable
201538150,00014–5325 · FewerFalling
201429332,57024–53215 · FewerStable
201331924,00004–5321 · FewerStable
201245630,15034–53151 · TypicalStable
201116931,500932930 · FewerStable
201039739,9608—2948 · TypicalFalling
200939631,0008—2974 · MoreFalling
200891650,0007—2978 · MoreFalling
20071,20445,0009—29Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20061,40460,00013—29Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200531665,00010—30Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200435082,00010—30Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200349976,00011—30Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200270290,00011—30Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20011,07989,32014—31Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200028774,0006—30Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1999338120,0003—28Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199843595,0004—28Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199737388,0002—30Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1996305100,5002—31Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1995199131,0000—28Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1994135133,0502—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1993146139,5001—31Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199298116,7541—37Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1991110150,0001—29Not compared (before 2008)Rising
199091156,9313—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198969100,0001—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198846150,0003—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198739157,0003—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198635107,6843—28Not compared (before 2008)Rising
198515—2—29—Stable
19845—3—29—Not enough data
19839—0———Not enough data

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Honda Civic?

Owners of the 2012 Civic most often describe the "Check Power Steering" warning appearing, sometimes with a sudden loss of power assist that makes the wheel very hard to turn; many of these reports come between roughly 45,000 and 130,000 miles and some return after a software update. The issues reported most often: Airbag warning light on or airbags not deploying; Power steering warning with loss of assist (EPS); Clutch or driveline noise and shudder from a stop.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Honda Civic have?

NHTSA recorded 456 consumer complaints for the 2012 Honda Civic as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Honda Civic is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 149 complaints (33% of the total), followed by steering with 74.

Has the 2012 Honda Civic been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2012 Honda Civic do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2012 Honda Civic 4–5 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Honda Civic get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Honda Civic (Civic, 1.8L 4-cyl) at 31 mpg combined, 28 city and 38 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Honda Civic reported?

Among the 321 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 30,150 miles and the middle half falls between 11,000 and 72,500 miles; 63% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 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.