2016 Honda Civic · symptom sheet
Airbag warning light or recall
- 28owner reports
- 33,256median miles
- 13involved a crash
Newest report Jul 13, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
28 of the 1,081 complaints on this car describe airbag.
Tick what matches of 28 reports
Airbag on other Civic years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Airbag complaints split into a few kinds. The most common is an airbag warning light that won't go out. Others involve the passenger seat sensor switching the passenger bag off with an adult sitting there, an airbag that didn't deploy in a crash, or one that went off without a crash at all. A large share also come from owners waiting on a recall part.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the occupant sensor (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the airbags covers the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
All 5 recalls on the 2016 Honda Civic, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the airbags on the Civic
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture. Open.
Electrical overstress. Closed sep 19, 2024, led to recall 20V-024.
Air bag inflator rupture. Open, led to recall 14V-668.
Honda ewr reporting. Closed apr 21, 2016.
Air bag inflator rupture. Closed mar 2, 2015, led to recall 13V-172.
Rupturing driver's air bag inflators. Closed may 6, 2010.
None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 15,000 and 75,000 miles, from the 16 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2016 Honda Civic that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
THIS COMMUNICATION IS INFORMING HONDA OF A DELAMINATION ISSUES WITHIN AN I.C. PRODUCED BY NXP AND ASSEMBLED INTO AIRBAG SENSOR SUPPLIED BY DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
What owners wrote
“2016 Honda civic EX steering wheel airbags and front passenger airbags didnât deploy during my husbands wreck. He totaled the car⦔
Filed Jan 26, 2026
“Went over railroad tracks just like any other car and the airbag blew for no reason. The front of the car was not hit.”
Filed Apr 9, 2024
“FRONT BUMPER AND GRILLE O/H bumper assy RT Filler cover w/o fog lamps; Bumper cover; Impact bar; Grille; Molding Lower grille 2.0 liter; Eblem FRONT LAMPS RT HEADLAMP ASSY LT R&I HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AIM, RT MARKER AC Air bag, MISCELLANEOUS OPERATIONS CoolantTIRE 215/55/16, new SRS module and zero point calibrate ABS module”
Filed Feb 14, 2024
“In a head on collision. Front air bags deployed. Passenger side airbags deployed. Driver side airbags did not deploy”
Filed Oct 7, 2021
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 13 of 28 reports involved a crash and 12 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks 354 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 214 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 94 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 76 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 48 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 39 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 39 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 27 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 27 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 27 reports