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2012 Honda CivicProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 456 owner complaints about the 2012 Honda Civic, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

2012 Honda Civic
45
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.2× the Civic median · #14 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints45688 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage41kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 13, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Honda Civic has problems

456 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags14935
Steering743
Electrical system603
Power train494
Vehicle speed control389
Service brakes3511
Structure3510
Engine322
Fuel/propulsion system171
17 other systems9719

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2012 Honda Civic recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Steering: column

Recall 12V-548 · Nov 21, 2012 · 157 vehicles

Risk. The steering column may not have proper energy absorbing characteristics, which could increase the risk of injury during a vehicle crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Driveline: driveshaft

Recall 12V-256 · Jun 4, 2012 · 50,190 vehicles

Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE A LOSS OF DRIVE POWER AND MAY ROLL AWAY IF THE PARKING BRAKE HAS NOT BEEN SET WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR HAS BEEN PLACED IN…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 11V-288 · May 18, 2011 · 1,156 vehicles

Risk. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

41kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 96 air bags complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
45under 30k miles80under 100k miles16100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2012 vs. every other Civic year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Civic median. How we score

'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2012 Honda Civic safety ratings

2012 Honda Civic 2 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2012 Honda Civic frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2012 Honda Civic side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2012 Honda Civic side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.8% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Honda Civic, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Electrical overstressEA19001 · closed Sep 19, 2024
    Led to recall 20V-024
  2. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What Civic owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

We were not injured. We fixed the problem before we did get hurt..message came up.. “Check airbag system”. We had t replace our driver’s side airbag at the cost of over $1,500.
Complaint 11747440 · Jun 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side seat weight sensor failed to operate properly. The contact stated that while the front passenger’s seat was occupied, the air bag enabled warning light was flashing off and on. The contact associated the failure…
Complaint 11746744 · Jun 26, 2026
I purchased a vehicle from a private seller on offer up. The seller stated the vehicle was clean title, he also stated the vehicle was low mileage with 112,000. When I got the vehicle the tire sensor was showing on the dash and the air bag sensor. After purchasing the vehicle I later found out the…
Complaint 11726572 · Mar 23, 2026

Own a 2012 Civic?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.