2013 Honda Civic Problems
Compared with other Honda Civic years
Fewer complaints than typical for this model
1/100 0.3× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 0.3× that of a typical Honda Civic year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 100 of its 319 complaints were filed by the end of 2015.
- Most reported problem: Intermittent "check airbag system" warning light (114 complaints, median 57,000 mi).
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
- 319filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 24,000miles, 193 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns 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
- 32 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl FWD · 28 city / 39 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Honda Civic (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often describe airbag warning messages that appear intermittently, plus a cluster of brake complaints about early pad and rotor wear. Complaints arrive across a wide mileage range, from cars still under low mileage to high-mileage examples, and the airbag complaints often mention repeat diagnosis without a lasting fix. Steering-assist and starting concerns show up less often but are described as sudden.
- Air bags
Intermittent "check airbag system" warning light
- 114 complaints (36%)
- median 57,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (55 state mileage)
- 24 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $1,111 (median of 12 quotes)
- filed 2013–2026
Owners describe a "check airbag system" message or SRS warning lamp that comes on and off at random, sometimes seconds after startup and sometimes after many miles of driving. Restarting the car often clears it for a while. Complaints mention dealers diagnosing a failed cable reel (clock spring) in the steering wheel, a driver-side airbag inflator, a door airbag sensor, or a front passenger weight sensor, with several reporting that the warning returned after a repair. Some owners say the dealer could not identify a fault unless the light stayed on, and that quotes for the work varied widely. Reported from roughly 14,000 up to about 145,000 miles, with many complaints in the 35,000-100,000 mile range.
What to check: Make sure the SRS or "check airbag system" light is off, and ask for any stored SRS codes (for example B0001-13) to be read before purchase. Ask whether the driver airbag module or cable reel has already been replaced, and whether any warranty extension applies to the VIN.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Takata recall possibility? My airbag sensor has been on for months. There has been no recall, yet I've read tons of the same complaint on the same vehicle. It says check airbag system immediately after starting the car. I don't know how there's not been a recall yet when the airbag thing is a serious issue and there are a lot of these complaints out there. Please advise.”
NHTSA complaint #11165914, filed 2019-01, 60,000 miles“Airbag system failure - a check airbag system warning alert appeared on the dashboard of my 2013 Honda Civic. I checked for recalls and finally took my car into my Honda dealer. The service advisor informed me that a driver side door airbag sensor failed and told me it can be fixed for $310.00 plus labor!!!”
NHTSA complaint #11062022, filed 2018-01, 39,000 miles - Brakes
Premature brake pad and rotor wear
- 55 complaints (17%)
- median 9,890 mi at 1.8 yrs old (34 state mileage)
- 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $1,750 (median of 8 quotes)
- filed 2013–2026
Owners describe brake pads worn down early, sometimes to the metal, and rotors that needed resurfacing or replacement well before expected. Complaints mention squealing, grinding or a rubbing noise when braking, and sticking calipers. Several say the dealer or mechanic attributed the wear to driving habits, and one describes repeated caliper and rotor replacements; another describes the pedal feeling ineffective after repeated or highway stops. Often reported under about 20,000 miles, with some complaints as low as a few hundred miles and others near 90,000 miles.
What to check: Have the front pads and rotors inspected for uneven or early wear, and listen for squeal or grinding on a test drive. Ask for brake service records and whether calipers have been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Under normal driving conditions, I have had my calipers and rotors changed 6 times. I have been told it's a Honda Civic design issue. That being said on numerous accounts coming off an interstate or many stops in the city my car will not stop no matter what. The emergency brake has to be pulled. It is worse when people are in the car. The brakes heat up so much that I can't do anything.”
NHTSA complaint #11413074, filed 2021-04, 93,000 miles“Okay so I bought my 2013/Civic with 4200 mil ....at 9000 miles I had to replace my pads and resurface the rotors...mechanic said it was due to my driving habits...now it happens again at 30k..this time had to buy new rotors and pads...mechanic said the same due to driving habits..but now that I see other stories I really have a hard time believing it was my driving that caused it...please look into this and the air bag situation... Thanks”
NHTSA complaint #10715003, filed 2015-05, 9,000 miles - Steering
Loss of electric power steering assist
- 46 complaints (14%)
- median 24,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (28 state mileage)
- 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2013–2026
Owners report the power steering suddenly becoming very heavy, with a "check power steering system" or EPS warning appearing, sometimes while slowing for a light or pulling out of a driveway. Some say the assist returned after restarting, others had the vehicle towed. Complaints mention dealers replacing the electric power steering control unit or the steering angle sensor, and some link the warning to VSA or ABS lights coming on at the same time. Reported from a few thousand miles up to around 100,000 miles, often noticed at low speeds or when first starting to drive.
What to check: On the test drive, confirm the steering effort is normal at parking-lot speeds and that no EPS, VSA or ABS lights stay lit. Ask whether the steering control unit or cable reel has been replaced and whether the neutral position was recalibrated after any steering work.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“My wife came out to use the car and suddenly the power steering was out she said that she couldn't drive it, steering was so heavy to turn etc. I was so glad it happened in our driveway and not in the streets or freeway we're I think something bad would have happened to my wife and the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11374110, filed 2020-11, 92,070 miles“Two lights on my dash came on , one light is for electronic power steering and the other is for vehicle stability assist. These lights came on randomly while driving at less than 15 miles per hour pulling away from a curb. As a result, my power steering became heavy, although it still functions. Vehicle stability control is no longer usable. Further inspection from a code reader shows that these lights came on as a result of a ground to body short.”
NHTSA complaint #11403718, filed 2021-03, 98,000 miles - Engine
Delayed acceleration or hesitation when pressing the pedal
- 42 complaints (13%)
- median 6,600 mi at 1.6 yrs old (37 state mileage)
- 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2013–2025
Owners describe a pause when pressing the accelerator, especially when pulling out of a turn or into traffic, followed by a sudden surge if the pedal is pressed harder. Some report the car losing power or stalling while in motion, with emission or transmission warning lights appearing. Complaints mention dealers attributing the behavior to Econ mode, or replacing a speed sensor without fully resolving it. Reported at low mileage, from a few thousand miles up to around 75,000 miles, often during low-speed turns or starts from a stop.
What to check: During the test drive, try a few rolling starts and turns from a stop to feel for a delay or surge. Ask whether any warning lights have been stored and whether the throttle body or its learned idle position has been serviced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The car would cut out while in motion during a turn. (it looks like I'm stalling). Other times I will be driving straight and feel the care losing power the more I pushed on the gas. Once I let my foot off it would have power to go again. This happens more often while on city streets then highway speeds. In march, when I went to start car the car dashboard went mad flashing and the car wouldn't start. I was able to jump start the car. I changed the battery and it continues to stall. …”
NHTSA complaint #11331778, filed 2020-06, 87,000 miles“Sometimes when I slow down to make a left or right turn, I press the accelerater and nothing happens. This has been happening for several months. I took it to the dealer and they said it was because of being in econ mode. I don't use econ mode in spring, summer & fall and it still happens; not every time but 2 or 3 times a week. If I were to try to make a quick turn and it did that ii could have an accident. I've been driving mostly hondas since 1984 and have never had this or any other problem. …”
NHTSA complaint #10616655, filed 2014-07, 6,600 miles
Buying note. Check that no airbag, EPS or ABS warning lights are lit and ask for stored codes and any completed steering or airbag repairs, since owners describe these warnings returning. Inspect brake wear and feel for hesitation on a test drive before deciding.
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 319 consumer complaints for the 2013 Honda Civic. 193 of the complaints include a mileage, and 69% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 24,000 miles. Of all complaints, 29 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 34 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 74 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 1 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than 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.
- Air bags114 36%
- Brakes39 12%
- Electrical system39 12%
- Steering38 12%
- Other or unknown30 9.4%
- Body and structure23 7.2%
- Engine22 6.9%
- Transmission and drivetrain22 6.9%
- Vehicle speed control20 6.3%
- Fuel system17 5.3%
Also reported: Seats (16), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (14), Tires (11), Electronic stability control (9), Suspension (7), Wheels (7), Exterior lighting (5), Seat belts (5), Engine cooling (1), Equipment (1), Forward collision avoidance (1).
Example complaints
Air bags: “While car is in motion check air bag sensor will go off. Sensor will stay on until ignition is turned off and car is in park. The sensor will periodically turn on and off over the last 8months. When contacting Honda dealer about the check airbag sensor they stated it not related to the recall. I disagree if my sensor are reading check airbags something must be going on.”
NHTSA complaint #11094056, filed 2018-05, 35,000 milesBrakes: “I had a total hub failure. Luckily I was only going about 9mph in a parking lot making a slight turn when the failure occurred. I had to have the mechanic replace the knuckle, hub, bearing, caliper and bracket along with ABS sensor. If I would've been on the freeway it would've been really bad. The car has 95k miles and maintenances regularly.”
NHTSA complaint #10887634, filed 2016-07, 95,000 milesElectrical system: “'takata recall' hi so recently I got in accident it was my fault in accident I hit car from behind iwas at 50mph speed while other car was stopped at red light ihit his car super hard my front of car was all bad have to put everything new and im surprised ihit car that hard and airbags didn't come outside. And second issue while my car is off it still keeps electronic function on inside system which keep draining my battery ovwr and over”
NHTSA complaint #11066921, filed 2018-02, 105,013 milesSteering: “I was driving on the highway and my power steering locked up and would not let me use the steering wheel. Luckily noone was next to me so I put hazarad light and managed to pull over. I turned off the car and the light went off and the power steering returned for a couple minutes only to turn off and not allow the steering wheel to work any longer.”
NHTSA complaint #11127901, filed 2018-09, 65,300 milesMileage when problems were reported
69% of the 193 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 4,800 and 60,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2013 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.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic · sedan FWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 10.5% risk |
| Civic · coupe FWD | ★★★★☆ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 11.8% risk |
Neighbouring years: 2012: same overall rating; 2014: 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 2013 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).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 28 | 39 | 32 | $2,100 |
| Civic FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 28 | 35 | 31 | $2,150 |
| Civic FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | 22 | 31 | 25 | $3,300 |
| Civic HF FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 29 | 41 | 33 | $2,050 |
| Civic Natural Gas FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl · natural gas | 5-speed automatic | 27 | 38 | 31 | $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
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2013 Honda Civic in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 74 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10160545May 16, 2019Steering. ServiceNews Article - When removing and installing a cable reel, you need to keep both the cable reel and the steering angle sensor in position. If you don't , the VSA indicator may come on along…
- 10152788Feb 1, 2019Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors). "Service bulletin - Clearance between the motor pinion and the plate hole causes the plate body to flex, which allows the gear to move up and jump off the motor teeth."
- 10144037Aug 9, 2018Equipment. Dealer message - Today, American Honda is notifying dealers of a voluntary noncompliance recall for a small number of Honda vehicles due to an error on the replacement (service part) underhood…
- 10144032Aug 9, 2018Engine cooling. Service bulletin - Emission certification labels that were replaced on a small number of vehicles may have been replaced with a label listing incorrect information. The affected emission labels are…
- 10142443Jun 15, 2018Air bags. Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any…
- 10142442Jun 15, 2018Air bags. Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any…
- 10108054Feb 21, 2017Electrical system. Techline summary article - although similar, the hondalink and hondalink ev apps available for download on the apple apps store and google play are not the same. Furthermore, each app applies to…
- 10108021Feb 10, 2017Fuel system. "service bulletin - for vehicles with sci compressed natural gas (cng) fuel tanks, honda is no longer replacing the fuel tank and solenoid valve altogether. If you replace the fuel tank solenoid…
- 10100421Nov 22, 2016Equipment. Service bulletin - navigation system information.
- 10116764Nov 8, 2016Equipment. Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2013 Civics with a customer complaint of the starter not starting intermittently. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM…
Other model years of the Honda Civic
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 32 | 300 | 0 | 5 | 34 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2025 | 77 | 7,278 | 2 | 5 | 34 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 125 | 11,000 | 3 | 5 | 33 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 259 | 10,000 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 64 · Typical | Too new |
| 2022 | 886 | 27,000 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 100 · More | Rising |
| 2021 | 147 | 30,000 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 10 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2020 | 234 | 15,400 | 5 | 5 | 32 | 49 · Typical | Rising |
| 2019 | 443 | 16,200 | 4 | 5 | 33 | 48 · Typical | Rising |
| 2018 | 747 | 32,508 | 6 | 5 | 33 | 61 · Typical | Rising |
| 2017 | 602 | 23,066 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 66 · More | Rising |
| 2016 | 1,082 | 30,000 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 84 · More | Stable |
| 2015 | 381 | 50,000 | 1 | 4–5 | 32 | 5 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2014 | 293 | 32,570 | 2 | 4–5 | 32 | 15 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2013 | 319 | 24,000 | 0 | 4–5 | 32 | 1 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2012 | 456 | 30,150 | 3 | 4–5 | 31 | 51 · Typical | Stable |
| 2011 | 169 | 31,500 | 9 | 3 | 29 | 30 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2010 | 397 | 39,960 | 8 | — | 29 | 48 · Typical | Falling |
| 2009 | 396 | 31,000 | 8 | — | 29 | 74 · More | Falling |
| 2008 | 916 | 50,000 | 7 | — | 29 | 78 · More | Falling |
| 2007 | 1,204 | 45,000 | 9 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 1,404 | 60,000 | 13 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 316 | 65,000 | 10 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 350 | 82,000 | 10 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 499 | 76,000 | 11 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 702 | 90,000 | 11 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 1,079 | 89,320 | 14 | — | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 287 | 74,000 | 6 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 338 | 120,000 | 3 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 435 | 95,000 | 4 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 373 | 88,000 | 2 | — | 30 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1996 | 305 | 100,500 | 2 | — | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1995 | 199 | 131,000 | 0 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1994 | 135 | 133,050 | 2 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 146 | 139,500 | 1 | — | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1992 | 98 | 116,754 | 1 | — | 37 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 110 | 150,000 | 1 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1990 | 91 | 156,931 | 3 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 69 | 100,000 | 1 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 46 | 150,000 | 3 | — | 29 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 39 | 157,000 | 3 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 35 | 107,684 | 3 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1985 | 15 | — | 2 | — | 29 | — | Stable |
| 1984 | 5 | — | 3 | — | 29 | — | Not enough data |
| 1983 | 9 | — | 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 2013 Honda Civic?
Owners of this model year most often describe airbag warning messages that appear intermittently, plus a cluster of brake complaints about early pad and rotor wear. The issues reported most often: Intermittent "check airbag system" warning light; Premature brake pad and rotor wear; Loss of electric power steering assist.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Honda Civic have?
NHTSA recorded 319 consumer complaints for the 2013 Honda Civic as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2013 Honda Civic is reported most often?
Air bags is named most often, in 114 complaints (36% of the total), followed by brakes with 39.
Has the 2013 Honda Civic been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2013 Honda Civic do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2013 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 2013 Honda Civic get?
The EPA rates the 2013 Honda Civic (Civic, 1.8L 4-cyl) at 32 mpg combined, 28 city and 39 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2013 Honda Civic reported?
Among the 193 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 24,000 miles and the middle half falls between 4,800 and 60,000 miles; 69% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 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.