Tenth generation (FC)
2021 Honda Civic
The most reported problem on the 2021 Honda Civic is sticky steering, with 50 complaints, usually around 36,000 miles.
- 145owner complaints
- 4recalls
- 5involved a crash
- 36,200median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 28, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Civic doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2021 model year.
Is the 2021 Honda Civic reliable?
The 2021 Honda Civic has 145 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, close to the median of 145 for 2021 sedans on this site. Of the 13 Civic model years since 2014, it has the 10th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2020 and 2022
- At 24 complaints for each year on the road, the 2021 runs below the 2020 (32) and well under the 2022 (176).
- Top problem
- Sticky steering leads with 50 of the 145 complaints (34%), ahead of brake wear at 18. A quarter of the 10 owners who gave a mileage for sticky steering saw it by about 24,000 miles, and half by about 36,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 6 of the 145 complaints (4%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, a little under the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 5 reports mention a crash, 2 mention a fire and 2 people were hurt.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- No recall on file is on the same system as sticky steering. For those, the complaints are all there is.
- When owners filed
- Complaints are still climbing. 2025 brought 40, the most of any year so far. So far in 2026, 30 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks, 50 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
145 complaints is 1.3 times fewer than the median 2021 model on this site and about the median for a 2021 sedan. Among the 13 Civic model years here it ranks 10th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2021 Honda Civic
Honda filed 76 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2021 Honda Civic. 10 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. 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.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 1 bulletin · 18 complaints
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics with a customer complaint of long brake pedal travel, almost reaching the floor.
Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves 2 bulletins · 16 complaints
Service News - If an Adaptive Cruise Control System Problem comes back on when the vehicle is driven in freezing conditions, inform the customer it is likely due to snow or ice buildup on the radar.
ServiceNews Article - When returning the vehicle to the client, inform them that if the message Adaptive Cruise Control System Problem comes back on when the vehicle is driven in freezing conditions, it is likely because of snow or ice buildup on the radar.
Airbag warning light or recall 1 bulletin · 9 complaints
ServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49 (Internal Failure of the SRS Unit) to be stored.
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 6 bulletins · 6 complaints
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics, 2020-2022 CR-Vs, 2022-2023 Pilots & Passports with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen (Civics and CR-Vs only).
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics & 2020-2022 CR-Vs with a customer complaint of the center display flickering, flashing, or frozen.
4 more on this problem
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2017-2021 Civics & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of a inop, blank, or black meter display (gauge cluster) with no prior repairs made to the vehicle.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2017-2021 Civics & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of an inop, blank, or black meter display (gauge cluster) with no prior repairs made to the vehicle.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2017-2021 Civics & CR-Vs with a customer complaint of a inop, blank, or black meter display with no prior repairs made to the vehicle.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2021 Civics, CR-Vs & HR-Vs with a customer complaint of the audio screen turning black, blank or inop.
Complaints filed by year
40 complaints came in 2025. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2021 Honda Civic
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
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.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.
All 4 recalls on the 2021 Honda Civic, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2021 Honda Civic?
Sticky steering, with 50 of the 145 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 36,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2021 Honda Civic problems start?
Of the 23 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 24,000 miles and half by about 36,000.
Is the 2021 Honda Civic better or worse than the 2020 and 2022?
Counted per year on the road, the 2021 has fewer complaints than both the 2020 and the 2022: 24 a year against 32 and 176.
How many 2021 Honda Civic complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
6 of them (4%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for sticky steering on the 2021 Honda Civic?
No recall on file for the 2021 Honda Civic is on the same system as sticky steering. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.