2021 Honda Civic Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 36,000 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

“My 2021 Honda Civic experiences intermittent steering resistance. At approximately 0- plus speed, the steering feels sticky at or near TDC of the steering wheel, requiring a little nudge. to correct it. It occurs frequent during warm and/or humid conditions. The vehicle has approximately 81,000 miles. I just bought it so I don't know…Owner complaint, filed 2026

When it is warm and humid, at highway speeds and slight turns, the steering sticks and the wheel does not recenter on its own. All driver assist features are off when this occurs. It takes additional force to unstick and causes overcorrection in the steering. Symptoms are consistent with the 11th gen civic recalls, yet mine is a 2021 and…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Parts named most: Automatic emergency braking (26), Adaptive cruise control (9), Warnings (8).

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

while driving last week with my family, doing some grocery shopping, we got on the highway which is 75mph in our 2021 Honda Civic and it had a catastrophic failure on its ADAS system out of nowhere it stopped and made my car swerve off the road and applied the breaks like it detected a car in front of us, it took us from 75 to 0 pretty…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Lane Keep Steering Assist failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel was sticking. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to two dealers, and the vehicle was diagnosed…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 36,200 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

A recent Electric Power Steering (EPS) failure on my 2021 Honda Civic that resulted in a repair of the entire steering rack. I took my vehicle to Vandedrgriff dealership for routine maintenance, including tire replacement, alignment, oil change, and a multi-point inspection. The car passed all checks and was deemed safe to drive.…Owner complaint, filed 2025

With my steering wheel, when turning, the wheel will sometimes get “sticky”. Making it so I have to use extra force to get he wheel “unstuck”. Took it to my mechanic, they found a recall for the ‘22-‘23 year model civics for this same problem. The electric steering motor can sometimes fault and cause the wheel to get stuck while…Owner complaint, filed 2025

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

The problem is unintended braking. It is possible for this malfunction would cause the car to be rear ended. Have not taken it to the dealer... yet. There is no warning, the car suddenly starts to brake while in cruise control mode without any other cars being near.Owner complaint, filed 2024

My Important Safety Recall is not showing up on my dealer's system or the following sites: Check for Recalls: Vehicle, Car Seat, Tire, Equipment | NHTSA Recall Information for Safety & Defects | Honda Owners Site Honda Campaign Number: AEV, VEW Service Bulletin Number: 23-051, 23-052 Brake Booster Assembly during production.Owner complaint, filed 2023

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 2021 Honda Civic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer…Owner complaint, filed 2025

While driving my 2021 Honda Civic Sport, both front airbags deployed without warning and without any accident or impact. There were no warning lights beforehand, and no collision occurred. The deployment also caused my windshield to crack. After the airbags went off, the dashboard displayed a ‘SRS airbag system problem’ message. This is…Owner complaint, filed 2025

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

While driving the car began to smoke from under hood and engine stopped. Interior and under hood flooded with smoke and fire under hood. This was a major fire, fire company put it out. No repairs were made or needed on car since purchase October 2024.Owner complaint, filed 2026

High pressure fuel pump issue diagnosed by mechanic. The models prior to mine up to and some 2021 vehicles were included in the recall but my VIN is not considered within the recall. My vehicle is a very early 2021 bought in 202 that likely has the same fuel filter as 2020szOwner complaint, filed 2026

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

was in reverse backing into parking spot. my foot was on the break; however, the car accelerated rapidly resulting in hitting a post. there were no warnings that registered took it to Honda and reported, they indicated they were not aware of this issue and did not run diagnostics as requestedOwner complaint, filed 2022

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200.Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 200 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

Driving [XXX] just south of [XXX] ~10 am on a Monday. No large trucks near by, and pretty minimal traffic otherwise. Heard loud thud and shattering. Slightly retracted sunshade and saw shattered glass where my sunroof used to be. Closed sunshade and exited freeway to survey the damage. No injuries, fortunately. INFORMATION REDACTED…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The windshield of my 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring CVT has prematurely cracked in two places, inhibiting the frontward-facing view (and ultimate safety!) of both the driver's and passenger's sides of the vehicle. Neither crack was due to a chip or normal windshield damage caused from driving. Again, these cracks are NOT…Owner complaint, filed 2023

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

High pressure fuel pump issue diagnosed by mechanic. The models prior to mine up to and some 2021 vehicles were included in the recall but my VIN is not considered within the recall. My vehicle is a very early 2021 bought in 202 that likely has the same fuel filter as 2020szOwner complaint, filed 2026

Our battery died in April 2025. We've had this car since October 2021 with only 8 miles on it. We've replaced: The PCV valve The PCV valve tube The MAF sensor The sparks plugs 3 times which was $90 each time Replaced our battery 2 times since April 2025 3 oil changes And finally replacing our entire fuel injector system with the hard…Owner complaint, filed 2025

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

I was informed of a recall notice for my vehicle in the summer months of 2024 (approximately). I took my vehicle to the Culver City Honda dealership in Los Angeles to address this, however they informed me that the issue was not critical and that they did not have the parts. Hence, the recall notice has still not been addressed. I…Owner complaint, filed 2025

I have been calling my local dealership for over a year trying to get my car fixed due to the recall and the dealership keeps saying they do not have the parts and will call when they do.Owner complaint, filed 2025

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

2125 miles on this Type R, fresh off the show room floor. At low speed turning into the slight dip in my driveway, the suspension in Sports Mode flexed enough for the driver side tin rotor back plate at the driver front wheel to get caught on the lower control arm. Drove it to Honda, and yes, they confirmed that this had happened, that…Owner complaint, filed 2021

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

I went to my dealership for the recall on November seventh of 2025 and the service crew notified me that my car did not have the lug nuts Honda was worried about.Owner complaint, filed 2026

Steering wheel catches and I have had to replace a strut due to the car wearing out my tire. I have kept proper maintenance and align my wheels regularly. This is a manufacturer defect not yet recalled. I've seen multiple people with this issue claiming it may ve the LKAS system or steering worm or steering component issue. This needs to…Owner complaint, filed 2024

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

My car has multiple electric problems and it has been trying to die on me since I bought the car and they dealership doesn’t want to look at it unless I mention Apple CarPlay.Owner complaint, filed 2021