Honda Civic common problems: what to check before you buy
Credov's researched list of the 17 faults the Honda Civic is known for (2013–2015), 15 of them serious or costly. Each one says what to look for when you check the car, so you can spot it before you buy. Not every car has these faults: they are the ones worth checking on this model.
Known problems on the Honda Civic
Compulsory Takata airbag recall
Safety risk
2001–2012 · Paperwork
What to look for: Check the plate on the NZTA Takata lookup and ask for paperwork showing the airbag inflator was replaced.
Why it matters: The NZ Government made the Alpha recall compulsory on 4 April 2018. An unrepaired car fails its warrant of fitness and a trader cannot legally sell it, so an open Alpha recall makes the car unsaleable until Honda replaces the inflator - which Honda still does at no cost. Buy one unchecked and you own a car you cannot retail.
What to look for: Check the VIN on the NZTA Takata pages, look for a Japanese recall certificate, and ask if an airbag was replaced.
Why it matters: Honda's non-Alpha inflator campaigns run across a wide slice of the models NZ buyers see, and a Japanese import will not have been chased by a NZ owner letter. From 1 November 2018 non-Alpha recalls are flagged at the NZ border and an open recall means the vehicle is rejected for entry certification until the manufacturer's evidence of replacement is produced.
What to look for: Ask for proof the gearbox software update was done, and feel for slipping or shudder when accelerating hard from low speed.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2014-2015 Civic and 2015 Fit because the software settings controlling transmission operation could damage the CVT drive pulley shaft. If that shaft breaks the car can lose acceleration or the front wheels can lock while driving. A car outside the campaign is a warranty and safety exposure you are buying.
What to look for: Ask for proof the piston recall was done, and listen for knocking or rattling under load on the drive.
Why it matters: Honda recalled these cars because pistons may have been built without a wrist pin circlip or with one installed incorrectly. An unsecured wrist pin can drift, damage the cylinder and seize the engine, with a fire risk. This is an engine-out repair if it lets go, so the campaign record is the whole story on an affected build date.
What to look for: Ask for the fuel pump recall paperwork, and listen for a long crank when restarting hot after ten minutes.
Why it matters: Honda's fuel pump recall spans model years 2013 to 2023 across most of the models NZ dealers stock, though each model has its own band, and the failure mode is an engine stall while driving. A Japanese import in this range is very unlikely to have had a NZ owner letter, so the campaign status is worth confirming before the car goes on your yard.
What to look for: Feel at full lock both ways for the steering pulling against you or turning further by itself.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2017-2018 Civic and CR-V because the magnet controlling the torque sensor output for the electric power steering may not be secured properly and can come loose. Honda's stated consequence is that during a full-lock turn steering assist may be applied in the opposite direction, reducing manoeuvrability. The remedy was a whole steering gearbox assembly.
What to look for: Check the electric park brake applies and holds on a slope when pulled straight after switching off.
Why it matters: Honda recalled 2016 Civic 1.5 turbo and 2.0 vehicles because the electric park brake may not engage if it is applied immediately after the ignition is turned off, so the car can roll away. The remedy was a software update, which means the campaign record settles it - but the failure itself is something you can reproduce on the forecourt in a minute.
What to look for: Check every rear belt stops dead when yanked out sharply, then pays out and rewinds smoothly.
Why it matters: The notification describes a spring in the retractor lock mechanism fitted bent because an assembly machine was out of adjustment; it fouls other parts and the belt does not lock when pulled out quickly. Honda Japan's remedy was to check the belt serial numbers and replace matching belts. A rear belt that will not lock is also a warrant of fitness failure in New Zealand.
What to look for: Ask a Honda dealer to check Japanese airbag recalls on the chassis number, and check the passenger visor for an airbag-off label.
Why it matters: Stream, Airwave, Mobilio, Edix, That's, Zest, Partner, Inspire and Fit Shuttle were never sold new in New Zealand, so no local recall campaign was ever run against them and a New Zealand plate lookup has nothing to say. The Japanese notifications cover them across more than a dozen filings, driver and passenger side, several of them explicitly preventive with the cause not yet established at the time of filing.
What to look for: Ask a Honda dealer to check the replacement airbag fitted under an earlier recall isn't itself under a later recall.
Why it matters: Honda Japan filed notification 4528 specifically against replacement driver-side inflators - the parts fitted to fix an earlier campaign - because the propellant in them can degrade with repeated temperature and humidity cycling in the same way. Notification 4527 does the same on the passenger side and lists the earlier campaign numbers it supersedes, including 3141, 3375, 3493, 3568, 3582 and 3638.
What to look for: On a 20-minute motorway drive make small corrections either side of centre, feeling for stiction, notchiness or noise turning.
Why it matters: Steering that sticks or jerks at speed is a genuine safety concern, not just an annoyance, and Honda's own parts shortage for the fix means a car with this fault can be off the road for months waiting on the repair.
Typical repair: NZ$2,000–NZ$4,500 in New Zealand · A$2,060–A$4,640 in Australia
What to look for: Check the dipstick when cold for oil above the full mark, and smell it for petrol.
Why it matters: Honda extended powertrain warranty cover to six years and unlimited mileage on certain 2016-2018 Civic and 2017-2018 CR-V vehicles with the 1.5 turbo, after unburned fuel passing the piston rings diluted the crankcase oil. The extension is reported to cover camshafts and rocker-arm assemblies, with a whirring noise from the engine as the cue mechanics were told to listen for when diagnosing camshaft damage;
What to look for: With the engine cold, check the coolant level and look behind the block above the starter for dried, crusty coolant.
Why it matters: A cracked block only gets worse, and once it has lost enough coolant the engine can overheat; the fix is a replacement short block or engine, one of the costliest repairs this car can need.
Typical repair: NZ$3,500–NZ$8,000 in New Zealand · A$3,610–A$8,240 in Australia
What to look for: On a hilly drive watch the battery gauge: it should sit mid-range, not force-charge from empty or lose all assist.
Why it matters: Every FD3 in NZ is now well past the age its original pack was designed for; a tired battery means lost fuel economy and eventually a hybrid-system fault, and a new or reconditioned pack is one of the larger bills this car can present.
Typical repair: NZ$2,500–NZ$6,500 in New Zealand · A$2,580–A$6,700 in Australia
What to look for: Run the air-con on max cold for several minutes; centre vents should blow properly cold, not warm or cycling.
Why it matters: Any of the three failure points means a full regas and parts replacement, and a compressor that has come apart internally spreads metal debris that contaminates the whole system, turning a simple leak into a much bigger bill.
Typical repair: NZ$900–NZ$3,500 in New Zealand · A$930–A$3,610 in Australia
What to look for: Look in the driver's door frame near the latch for small numbered recall stickers, and photograph each one.
Why it matters: Every Japanese recall schedule in this overlay ends with the same line: completed vehicles get a sticker bearing the campaign number near the driver's-side door striker. Nothing in a New Zealand recall lookup covers Japanese campaign numbers, so for an import this sticker cluster is often the only outstanding-work evidence physically on the car.
What to look for: Walk around in daylight and look along the roof, bonnet and boot lid for chalky, cracked or peeling clear coat.
Why it matters: Once the clear coat has started peeling it only gets worse with UV exposure, and a full respray of the affected panels usually costs more than a cheap example of the car is worth - useful as a price negotiation point.
Typical repair: NZ$1,200–NZ$3,500 in New Zealand · A$1,240–A$3,610 in Australia
Got a question about a Honda Civic? Ask Credov: a noise, a warning light, a part or how to fix it.
Also check on every car
On top of the faults above, every Credov inspection covers the basics: fuel smell, leaks or filler rust, engine oil leaks, power steering fluid leak, drive belt cracks or squeal, rust underneath: chassis and mounts, engine mounts, engine oil level and colour, coolant level, colour and leaks, head gasket failure signs, cold start: rattle, knock or smoke, rough or hunting idle, engine running hot on gauge, gearbox or diff oil leak, swapped gearbox without lvv and more.
Researched by Credov from manufacturer recalls and service bulletins, owner reports and workshop sources. Repair prices are typical ranges, not quotes. See also fault codes and repair costs.