2011 Honda CIVIC problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
168 owner complaints analyzed
9 distinct recall campaigns
31,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 121 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 51 of 168 complaints (30.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 41 | 24.4% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 3.6% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 3.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 2.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 2.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.6% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 51 |
| Service Brakes | 26 |
| Unknown Or Other | 21 |
| Electrical System | 13 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Structure:Body | 8 |
| Engine | 7 |
Air Bags: 51; Service Brakes: 26; Unknown Or Other: 21; Electrical System: 13; Visibility/Wiper: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Structure:Body: 8; Engine: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 52 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 25 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 52; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 7
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (52). 47 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 | 19 |
| 2012 | 19 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 14 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 30 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2011: 19; 2012: 19; 2013: 18; 2014: 14; 2015: 10; 2016: 30; 2017: 15; 2018: 12; 2019: 8; 2020: 10; 2021: 2; 2023: 4; 2024: 2; 2025: 4; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 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 10405687 · 2011-06-09 (June 9, 2011)
MY DAUGHTER DROVE ON FREEWAY 60 AND NEEDED TO CHANGE LANE TO FREEWAY 57. WHILE SHE CHANGED LANES, SHE FOUND THE TRAFFIC ON FREEWAY 57 STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. SO, SHE STARTED TO BRAKE, BUT FOR SOME ODD REASON THE BRAKE DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN WELL ENOUGH, SO SHE STARTED TO BRAKE HARDER, AND SUDDENLY SHE HEARD A VERY LOUD BUMPING NOISE. SHE THOUGHT SOME PARTS OF CAR HIT THE GROUND. SO SHE DECIDED TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT BY THE TIME I PULLED IT UP, SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE A STOP IMMEDIATELY AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10405687 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10405768 · 2011-06-09 (June 9, 2011)
WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED IN A 6 MONTH OLD VEHICLE WITH 5500 MILES, A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE CAME FROM RT FRONT WHEEL AREA. ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SLOWED DOWN TO PULL OVER AND NOISE STOPPED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. MOMENTS LATER TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR LIT UP. PULLED OVER AND SAW TIRE DEFLATED. CHANGED TIRE. DAMAGED TIRE DID NOT HAVE ANY VISIBLE DAMAGE OR PUNCTURES. AIR REMAINED IN TIRE BUT WAS REDUCED. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTIONS AND THEY STATED THAT THE CORDS INSIDE THE TIRE WERE "SHREDDED/TORN". CONTACTING GOODYEAR TIRE NOW FOR INSPE…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10405768 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10467957 · 2012-07-27 (July 27, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR ENGAGED BACK INTO THE CORRECT POSITION INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING WAS A COMMON FAILURE, BUT ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SLIPPING WOULD OCCUR BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION ASSUMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPING. THE VE…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10467957 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10485295 · 2012-11-20 (November 20, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. AFTER TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL WHILE IN THIRD GEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485295 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10493567 · 2013-01-20 (January 20, 2013)
ON 1/15/13 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE FRONT OF MY 2011 HONDA CIVIC STRUCK THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE IMPACT CAUSED ME TO STRIKE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AN MY SEAT BELT WILL NOT ENGAGE. I SUSTAINED INJURIES TO MY UPPER BODY BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DID NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS AT THIS POINT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493567 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10522276 · 2013-06-28 (June 28, 2013)
I WAS STOPPED IN A PARKING GARAGE AND INTENDED TO PULL INTO AN OPEN SPACE ON MY LEFT. I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT AND MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. IT CRASHED INTO THE CAR TO THE RIGHT OF THE OPEN SPACE AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, PUSHING THE OTHER CAR INTO THE CAR TO ITS RIGHT. I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKES DURING THE ENTIRE INCIDENT BUT THEY WERE NOT FUNCTIONAL. MY CAR FINALLY PUSHED THE OTHER CAR OUT OF THE WAY AND MY CAR SLAMMED INTO THE CONCRETE BLOCK IN FRONT OF THE OPEN SPACE AND STOPPED. HAD THE CONCRETE B…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,983 miles reported. Look up ODI 10522276 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10450076 · 2012-03-02 (March 2, 2012)
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 35,840 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450076 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10406234 · 2011-06-14 (June 14, 2011)
PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2011 HONDA CIVIC 4D LXS MODEL CAR IN MARCH. WITHIN A MONTH THE CAR HEAD COMPUTER ISSUE THAT CAUSED ALL OF THE ELECTRONIC DISPLAY CONTROL TO BREAK, SPEEDOMETER, ENGINE TEMPERATURE, GAS INDICATOR, ODOMETER, ETC. ALL WENT DEAD. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE, BUT NO ROOT-CAUSES WERE FOUND FOR THE ISSUE. AFTER THE CAR HAD THE BATTERY DISCHARGED AN RECHARGED THE ISSUE SIMPLY WENT AWAY. ON 6/12/11 THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, BRAKES WEREN'T FUNCTIONAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10406234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10421519 · 2011-08-25 (August 25, 2011)
OWN A 2010 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS HAVE GOTTEN 35-42 MPG DEPENDING ON CITY OR HIGHWAY. OVER ALL HAVE BEEN HAPPY WILL PURCHASE UNTIL THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. 3 WEEKS AGO HAD TO TAKE CARE INTO SERVICE (AT 25000 MILES) WAS TOLD THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING OF INABILITY TO RETAIN CHARGE ON IMA BATTERY WAS DUE TO A WEAK BATTERY. IT WAS DECIDED BY THE SERVICE DEPT TO REPLACE BATTERY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND IS KEEPING A SOMEWHAT BETTER CHARGE BUT HAVE NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN POWER AND THE AUTO STOP FUNCTION ONLY WORKIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10421519 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10934921 · 2016-12-13 (December 13, 2016)
I BOUGHT A 2011 HONDA CIVIC FROM A USED CAR DEALER. WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION OR SITTING AT STOP LIGHT WITH THE HEATER ON OR A/C ON YOU CAN SMELL RAW GAS SMELL. IT COMES AND GOES.MOST OF THE TIME YOU SMELL IT. IF YOU PUT CLIMATE CONTROL IN RETICULATION THERE IS NO SMELL OF RAW FUEL AT ALL.DEALER CANNOT FIND ANY LEAKS I CAN'T EITHER. SINCE THEY SOLD THIS TO ME AND THIS IS A HEALTH CONCERN CAN I MAKE THEM TAKE CAR BACK?
Owner-reported narrative. 52,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10934921 at NHTSA ↗