2013 Honda Civic Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 60,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 192,600 miles

Receiving an error message to check my air bag system. Did show - which shows two error codes B0001-13 and B0002-13. Both of which are related to the driver’s side air bag. Spoke to the local Honda dealership which advised me the this issue isn’t covered under a recall or extended warranty - BUT the same issue is covered for passenger…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 17,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Several warning lights on the dashboard illuminated: powersteering warning, ABS system warning, VSA warning. We had to pay almost $300 for dealer diagnostics which advised our ABS VSA module must be replaced, reprogrammed and brake fluid bleed otherwise our ABS brake system would fail. There are hundreds of similar complaints on-line of…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The ABS module is defective. I was told by the auto repair shop that he has been getting a lot of Honda vehicles that have defective ABS modules and that it should have a recall on this vehicle. This is dangerous for my vehicle to be on the road. The auto place is having a hard time finding a replacement part for my car. If this is…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 35,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 113,000. The contact paid for the vehicle in full, and when the Title arrived, it was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 224,000 miles

All lights are on the 2013 Honda Civic LX. I took it to the dealer and turns out to be a faulty VSA Modulator... they quoted me $2000 for labor and parts. After extensive research, noticed many other Hondas in the same generation have the same issue. Should be a recall!Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 25,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Car gives the following codes: Check Power Steering, Check Brake System, Check ABS, Check VSA, it would turn on and off at random times starting around November 2022, was initially informed that it could be a software update by the local Honda dealer, with a 2-3 hour labor charge to update and it might fix it. Eventually the lights would…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Electric Power Steering assist occasionally does not work when car is driving under a low speed, making the turning very diffcult.Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 13,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Evap system light also comes on at lower temperatures, and sporadically at warmer temperatures. It used to happen only once every couple of weeks, but now it comes on (and eventually turns off again) every day. Throws the codes P0497 - Evaporative Emission System Low Purge Flow and P145C - Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor Range/Performance…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Ac compressor /condenser system - endangers engine as it can cause overheating in engine. Should have similar warranty for original parts as the Honda civic ac recalls for 2016-2019 models.Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 14,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (23).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The assembly of the 2013 Honda civic ex was missing the rear bumper impact absorber. The component was not noticed until a collision removed the rear bumper from the car, exposing the interior of the assembly. The omission of the impact absorber in the bumper assembly from the manufacturer directly puts my safety at risk because this…Owner complaint, filed 2023

The paint on my civic began to peel after a few years. Honda did repaint some of the panels for free but others were not fixed. It has continued to peel on many other panels. I went to get an estimate on selling my car from a dealer yesterday and was told that the peeling paint was causing over a $1000 in lost resale value.Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The check emission system and check transmission system warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 65 MPH, the vehicle was losing motive power…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 75,156 miles

I have to turn on my car start driving it no more than like 15 to 10 mph and then it shakes it jerks and cut off and it does that repeatedly until I pass second gearOwner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 17,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The driver seatbelt, the portion that accepts the buckle when you "buckle up" has become sloppy over time with excessive free play. This part is free to wobble around. I feel this is a passenger safety risk. The restraint and crash systems in a car work together, and with excessive ship and play in the restraint system, it could…Owner complaint, filed 2024

After a low impact car accident frint end collision seatbelt on driverside will not release and horn does not work despite no airbag deployment. Also paint on several parts of car look like chalk.Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was driving and made a turn on a city street and suddenly the car auto-[VIN] to a high speed and the brakes did not stop it nor the hand-brake. It only stopped when it hit against another car. I bought the car 3 months ago from the honda dealership and it was a certified honda vehicle.Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 36,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 honda civic. On several occasions, while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the accelerator pedal took three to four seconds to accelerate and then stalled without warning. The dealer stated that the vehicle was functioning as desired. The vehicle was not repaired. The [VIN] was notified of the failure. The…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 27,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 14,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

Wiper blade broke in an explosive fashion upon activating throwing plastic and metal components onto the drive way. Since this was in the drive way the components did not cause any harm to any other property but if this was the high way it is likely the components may have caused damage to other vehicles or motorcyclists. Wiper blade was…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Driving through a thunderstorm in 2019 on SB highway 49 in Arkansas. Large bolt of lightning in the distance with very loud thunder. My windshield wipers cam to ta complete stop and started up again within a few seconds. Date of occurrence is only approx.Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Car sitting on level ground, driven previous day with no problem. Upon unsuccessfully trying to start car, I smelled strong gasoline odor. I turned off ignition and opened hood and observed nothing unusual. I backed car up enough to get out to check for gas puddle. There was a puddle about 24 inches across of gasoline where car had been…Owner complaint, filed 2023

I started my car and noticed a gasoline smell. Drivers side door was open. While the car was still running I stepped around to check the exhaust and noticed liquid pouring from underneath my car on the drivers side near the rear wheel. I realized this was gasoline coming from somewhere near the gas tank. It only poured out when it the…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 42,612 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The lugnuts on the driver’s side front wheel must have become loose somehow. I was driving along and noticed a strange thumping sound. Before I could pull over the wheel became detached and was rolling away. I pulled off safely and called a tow truck. The tires were last rotated by Annapolis Honda 6 months prior to the date of the…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The check toms system (tpms) 'dummy light' has been my on nav dash since 1 month after I got this 2013 civic lx. My hubby, a 32 yr master tech for cadillac/gm couldn't even fix it with schematics from honda. Honda techs couldn't fix it numerous times. Tires have been filled w/air. Air let out. All 4 tires rotated. All new 4…Owner complaint, filed 2020

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 11,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

I am writing to express concern about an issue I recently had with my 2013 honda civic and to see if the issue I had is a known issue with honda civics. On 11 february, my car hit a curb and the honda dealership, upon inspecting the car, told me that my front lower control arm was broken, forcing a repair of the control arm, steering…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 16,756 miles

I just want it on the record that the car rode/ felt squirrelly from the get-go. I keep thinking - either something is seriously wrong w/ this car, or it's the tires. So, to do an expensive test, I spent the 1100.00, yes, one thousand, one hundred dollars on new tires and wheels. I purchased michelin. And yes - it was a "new car". My car…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 1,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

Purchased November 2023 not even 1 week warning lamps, messages / adaptive cruise control, road departure mitigation, brake systems, failure lights alarming at the same time. Took to dealer cleared sensors. A matter of days alarms going off again. Call dealer they want to keep vehicle for diagnostic. When they did diagnostic it was…Owner complaint, filed 2024