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#BS-2016-HONCIV-40DA2016 Honda CivicProblems, Recalls & Reliability
Based on reports from 1,376 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.
Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 1,376 complaints, 53 crashes, 7 fires, and 5 recalls. Complaint rate is 7.2x the class average.
Top reported problems
ac not working properly
111 complaints • Severity 7.9/10
bluetooth connectivity not working
35 complaints • Severity 6.8/10
display screen stopped working
11 complaints • Severity 7.1/10
multiple electrical problems
11 complaints • Severity 7.1/10
stalls while driving
11 complaints • Severity 7.8/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
443 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 30K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (335 reports) • Median: 30K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Steering (443 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2016 Honda Civic: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 32% of all reports filed for the 2016 Honda Civic, with 443 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 29,775 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 30K-mile mark.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2016 Honda Civic, with 113 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2016 Honda Civic, with 99 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2016 Honda Civic, with 96 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Honda Civic. Recent trend: stable.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (5 recalls)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Civic vehicles manufactured September 22, 2015, to February 3, 2016 and equipped with 2.0L engines. The affected vehicles have engines with piston assemblies that may have been manufactured without a piston wrist pin circlip or with an incorrectly installed piston wrist pin circlip.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2016 Civic 2-Door vehicles manufactured February 23, 2016, through May 20, 2016. The affected vehicles may have a damaged LED side marker light circuit board inside the taillight assembly, making the marker light inoperable. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."
PARKING BRAKE
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2016 Honda Civic two door and four door 1.5L turbo and 2.0L vehicles. The electric parking brake (EPB) may not engage if it is applied immediately after turning the ignition off.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
2016 Honda Civic NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Frontal crash
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
Side crash
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Rollover
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.
The worst model year for the Honda Civic is the 2001 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
2016 Honda Civic vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)
This vehicle
1,376
Class avg
190
7.2x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,376 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.
Other Honda Civic Model Years
2016 Honda Civic: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 2016 Honda Civic Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,376 owner reports. Know before you buy.