2008 Honda CIVIC HYBRID problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
64 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
70,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 48 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 64 complaints (29.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 26 | 40.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 14 | 21.9% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 7.8% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 4.7% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 3.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 19 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 14 |
| Air Bags | 11 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 |
| Engine | 4 |
| Power Train | 3 |
Electrical System: 19; Fuel/Propulsion System: 14; Air Bags: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling: 9; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline: 5; Engine: 4; Power Train: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 11 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 9 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 14 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 0
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (14). 16 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2011: 3; 2012: 15; 2013: 10; 2014: 7; 2015: 4; 2016: 9; 2017: 9; 2018: 3; 2019: 3; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 26 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 14 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10440625 · 2011-12-20 (December 20, 2011)
PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN MARCH OF 2008. IN OCTOBER OF 2010 AN IMA BATTERY UPDATE WAS REQUIRED BY MANUFACTURER. SINCE THE UPDATE I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR ALMOST A YEAR WITH THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS, THEY OF COURSE CAN NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT IT DOES TO ME AND THE DEALER ALWAYS TELLS ME IT IS OPERATING WITHIN MANUFACTURERS STANDARDS. I HAVE GIVEN UP TAKING IT IN EVERY MONTH AND NOW JUST TAKE IT IN FOR ITS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, I GIVE THEM A PRINTOUT OF MY CONCERNS AND THE TECH ATTACHES I…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10440625 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10447684 · 2012-02-12 (February 12, 2012)
I TRACKED MY HONDA CIVIC HYBRID GAS MILEAGE. FROM 12/09 TO 1/10 MY AVERAGE GAS MILEAGE WAS 40.2MPG. TOOK MY CAR INTO HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL WORK IN SPRING OF 2010. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A SOFTWARE UPDATE ON THE ENGINE/BATTERY. I ASKED IF THERE WOULD BE ANY AFFECT ON THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE. THE DEALERSHIP RESPONSE WAS THAT WITHOUT THE UPDATE I WOULD RISK VOIDING THE WARRANTY ON MY CAR BATTERY/ENGINE. SO I HAD TO GET THE UPDATE. FROM THAT DATE I CONTINUED TO TRACK MY GAS MILEAGE. FROM THAT POINT ONWARD MY GAS MILEAGE HAS AVERAGED 30.9…
Owner-reported narrative. 24,325 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447684 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10430897 · 2011-10-19 (October 19, 2011)
GASOLINE LEAK WHERE FILLER TUBE ATTACHES TO FUEL TANK. NOTICED STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IN GARAGE, PUT CAR ON RAMP AND COULD SEE FUEL DRIPPING FROM SPOT WHERE THE FILLER TUBE CONNECTS TO THE FUEL TANK. DEALER SAYS THAT THE ENTIRE TANK MUST BE REPLACED AND THEY ARE BACK ORDERED NATIONWIDE. SO THIS IS HAPPENING TO OTHERS AND NO RECALL???? UPDATED 11/10/11 *BF *TR PICTURES RECEIVED. 03/05/12
Owner-reported narrative. 25,684 miles reported. Look up ODI 10430897 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10449653 · 2012-02-29 (February 29, 2012)
FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED AROUND A MONTH AFTER PURCHASED 3 OF 2011. DOOR LOCKS WOULD LOCK & UNLOCK WHILE DRIVING. IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT BACK TO NORM REEVES HONDA IN CERRITOS,CA. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A BAD MOTOR IN THE PASSENGER DOOR & NORM REEVES FIXED THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WAS DEFECTED & NORM REEVES REPLACED THE WINDOW. IN 4 OF 2011, THE CAR DOOR LOCKS BEGAN LOCKING & UNLOCKING WHILE DRIVING BUT NOW MAKING A SCREECHING SOUND. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SAME NORM REEVES & THEY EXPLAINED IT WAS THE MOTOR IN THE PAS…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10449653 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10449909 · 2012-03-01 (March 1, 2012)
SITUATION 1: ON THIS DAY, I WAS CLIMBING THE HILLS (NOT STEEP) TO GO TO AN OBSERVATORY CALLED LICK OBSERVATORY IN MY HOMETOWN. THE BATTERY DRAINED COMPLETELY AND THE GASOLINE ENGINE FAILED TO START, STALLING MY CAR AND THEN SLIDING BACKWARDS TOWARDS THE CARS BEHIND ME. THE CARS BEHIND ME UPON WITNESSING ME SLIDE BACKWARDS, STARTED TO HONK AT ME VERY LOUDLY. I INSTANTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND SOMEHOW MANAGED TO SLIDE BACKWARDS TOWARDS THE SHOULDER. SOMETIME LATER, AFTER TURNING THE KEYS SEVERAL TIME, THE GASOLINE ENGINE STARTED. AND WITH MUCH …
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10449909 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10453955 · 2012-04-03 (April 3, 2012)
EVER SINCE HONDA "UPGRADED" MY BATTERY SYSTEM I HAVE LOST BOTH POWER AS WELL AS MILES PER GALLON. I MUST MERGE ONTO INTERSTATE 680 ON MY COMMUTE TO WORK. THERE ARE MANY LARGE TRUCKS WHO TRAVEL ON THIS INTERSTATE AND IT IS SCARY WHEN I AM MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY, ESPECIALLY SINCE CAL TRANS JUST ADDED A METEORING LIGHT SO I MUST BEGIN MY APPROACH FROM A STOPPED POSITION. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY IMAGINATION THAT I HAVE LOST POWER UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE LAWSUIT AGAINST HONDA MOTOR CORPORATION. I WENT INTO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER AND ASKED THE SERVICE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10453955 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10819570 · 2016-01-11 (January 11, 2016)
THE CAR IS A HYBRID, IN WHICH HEAVILY RELIES ON A BATTERY. HOWEVER, THE BATTERY UNIT IS NOT SO GREAT AND DIES EVERY FEW YEARS. IF ONE DAY THE BATTERY DIES WHEN I'M DRIVING, IT CAN BE EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER AS IT ALSO POWERS THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CAN CAUSE A INCIDENT IN THE ROAD OR AT AN INTERSECTION. MOREOVER IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO BE BUYING A NEW BATTERY EVERY FEW YEARS, SO PEOPLE REMOVE THE ERROR CODE AND SELL THE CAR, WHICH CAUSES THIS TO BECOME AN NEVER ENDING CHAIN.
Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10819570 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11219662 · 2019-06-13 (June 13, 2019)
'TAKATA RECALL' THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING LOCKS UP AT RANDOM TIME WHEN THE CAR IS ALREADY IN MOTION; IT IS VERY RANDOM. I COULD NOT GET IT FIXED BECAUSE IF THE CAR IS NOT ACTING UP WHEN GETTING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT TELL ME THE PROBLEM. IT FIRST START HAPPENING IN JUNE 2018. IT STOPPED FOR MONTHS AND NOW IS MESSING AGAIN OUT OF NO WHERE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11219662 at NHTSA ↗