Honda Civic 2012–2015
9th generation · FB (sedan) / FG3-FG4 (coupe)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20261,927 complaints, 1,195 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 1,195
- Median of reported failures
- 30,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Airbag system (19.5%)
- Recalls
- 5
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, 30% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 8 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000.
Figure 1 · Honda Civic 2012–2015 · 1,195 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 324 complaints.
- First 12,000 miles — 30% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 8 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 376
- 25%
- 7,000
- Median
- 30,138
- 75%
- 72,000
- 90%
- 105,013
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 324 | 27.1% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 156 | 13.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 105 | 8.8% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 93 | 7.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 79 | 6.6% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 59 | 4.9% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 68 | 5.7% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 67 | 5.6% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 63 | 5.3% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 46 | 3.8% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 21 | 1.8% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 19 | 1.6% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 29 | 2.4% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 26 | 2.2% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 5 | 0.4% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 12 | 1.0% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 8 | 0.7% |
| 200,000+ | 8 | 0.7% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,927 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012–2015 Honda Civic, and 1,195 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
30% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 8 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (19.5% of complaints, typically around 47,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (17.9% of complaints, typically around 61,000 miles), the electrical system (8.5% of complaints, typically around 38,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2012–2015 Honda Civic last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2012–2015 Honda Civic were filed by 30,000 miles and 90% by 105,000 miles — figures drawn from 1,195 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
8 reports (0.7%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Civic reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2012–2015 Civic: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,195 mileage-tagged complaints, 5 recall campaigns, 4 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 5 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Ask for throttle and speed control repair records. This area fails at a median of 11,000 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Check transmission (CVT) on 2014–2015 cars. Start-clutch judder and shudder on light acceleration after the 2014 switch from the 5-speed automatic to a CVT on the 1.8L; addressed by control software updates and fluid service. Note this defect cannot exist on…
- Check air conditioning on 2012–2015 cars. A/C condenser refrigerant leaks causing loss of cooling; a high-volume complaint across the generation.
- Check airbags (takata inflator) on 2012–2015 cars. Takata inflator recall population continues through this generation.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 30% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the airbag system and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 47,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Honda Civic 2012–2015
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Brakes102 reports18,0009,000–47,000Brakes: 102 reports, median 18,000 miles, middle half 9,000 to 47,000 miles.
- Engine107 reports19,0002,000–63,000Engine: 107 reports, median 19,000 miles, middle half 2,000 to 63,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise153 reports36,00012,000–78,000Problems owners could not categorise: 153 reports, median 36,000 miles, middle half 12,000 to 78,000 miles.
- Electrical system164 reports38,00015,000–71,000Electrical system: 164 reports, median 38,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 71,000 miles.
- Steering146 reports47,00015,000–78,000Steering: 146 reports, median 47,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 78,000 miles.
- Airbag system376 reports47,00019,000–80,000Airbag system: 376 reports, median 47,000 miles, middle half 19,000 to 80,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline345 reports61,00010,000–95,000Transmission and driveline: 345 reports, median 61,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 95,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 376 | 19.5% | 47,000 | 19,000–80,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 345 | 17.9% | 61,000 | 10,000–95,000 |
| Electrical system | 164 | 8.5% | 38,000 | 15,000–71,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 153 | 7.9% | 36,000 | 12,000–78,000 |
| Steering | 146 | 7.6% | 47,000 | 15,000–78,000 |
| Engine | 107 | 5.6% | 19,000 | 2,000–63,000 |
| Brakes | 102 | 5.3% | 18,000 | 9,000–47,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 87 | 4.5% | 11,000 | 967–36,000 |
| Body structure | 83 | 4.3% | 25,000 | 3,500–57,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 53 | 2.8% | 18,000 | 2,000–33,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Honda Civic 2012–2015 · 1,195 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 68% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 85% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 92% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.7% of reports (8) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
68% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Brakes — median 18,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Airbag system — middle half 19,000–80,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 10,000–95,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 15,000–71,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — middle half 12,000–78,000 mi
- Steering — middle half 15,000–78,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 2,000–63,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
85% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Airbag system — median 47,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 38,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 36,000 mi
- Steering — median 47,000 mi
- Engine — median 19,000 mi
- Brakes — median 18,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 10,000–95,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
92% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Airbag system — median 47,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 61,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 38,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 36,000 mi
- Steering — median 47,000 mi
- Engine — median 19,000 mi
- Brakes — median 18,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 30,138 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 19.5% of complaints (376 reports, 218 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 47,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 19,000 and 80,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 17.9% of complaints (345 reports, 190 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 61,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 95,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.5% of complaints (164 reports, 98 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 38,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 71,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 7.9% of complaints (153 reports, 69 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,000 and 78,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 7.6% of complaints (146 reports, 98 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 47,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 78,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.6% of complaints (107 reports, 70 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 19,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 63,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2012 model year drew the most — 620 complaints — while 2014 drew the fewest at 384. The median year sits at 461.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (2), the tyres (1), the steering (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,927 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 240 (12.5%)
- Fires
- 22
- Injury reports
- 124
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Transmission (cvt) 2014–2015
Start-clutch judder and shudder on light acceleration after the 2014 switch from the 5-speed automatic to a CVT on the 1.8L; addressed by control software updates and fluid service. Note this defect cannot exist on 2012-2013 cars, which used a conventional automatic.
Air Conditioning 2012–2015
A/C condenser refrigerant leaks causing loss of cooling; a high-volume complaint across the generation.
Airbags (takata Inflator) 2012–2015
Takata inflator recall population continues through this generation.
Hybrid Battery (ima) 2012–2015 Civic Hybrid
IMA battery degradation on the Civic Hybrid, same failure mechanism as the prior generation.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 620 | 444 |
| 2013 | 438 | 262 |
| 2014 | 384 | 230 |
| 2015 | 485 | 259 |
Recalls (5) — is your car included?
Nov 2015 · 2014–2015 · Power TrainIf the transmission drive pulley shaft is damaged, it may break, and the vehicle may lose acceleration or the…
The defect. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Civic vehicles manufactured January 16, 2014, to November 6, 2014 and 2015 Fit vehicles manufactured March 12, 2014, to May 12, 2015. The software settings that control the transmission operation may result in damage to the transmission drive pulley shaft.
What can happen. If the transmission drive pulley shaft is damaged, it may break, and the vehicle may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock up while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 30, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU2 (Civic) and JU3(Fit).
Apr 2014 · 2014 · TiresThe tire damage could cause the tire to lose air, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Honda Civic LX vehicles manufactured November 26, 2013, through January 21, 2014. In the affected vehicles, during mounting of the tires, the tire bead may have gotten pinched between the assembly equipment and the steel wheel rims, resulting in damage to the tire.
What can happen. The tire damage could cause the tire to lose air, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any damaged tire, free of charge. The recall began on April 15, 2014. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's number for this recall is JD8.
Dec 2012 · 2012 · SteeringThe steering column may not have proper energy absorbing characteristics, which could increase the risk of…
The defect. Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 Civic passenger vehicles, manufactured from October 26, 2012, through October 30, 2012. These vehicles were assembled with the incorrect steering column assembly.
What can happen. The steering column may not have proper energy absorbing characteristics, which could increase the risk of injury during a vehicle crash.
The free fix. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on December 10, 2012. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Jun 2012 · 2012 · Power TrainIf this occurs, the vehicle will have a loss of drive power and may roll away if the parking brake has not…
The defect. Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 Honda Civic vehicles. During assembly, the process required to seat the driverâ’s side driveshaft and set the retaining clip was not completed. As a result, the driveshaft may separate.
What can happen. 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 the â“parkâ” position, increasing the risk of crash or pedestrian injury.
The free fix. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver's side driveshaft and install a new driveshaft as needed, free of charge. The safety recall began on June 21. 2012. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
May 2011 · 2012 · Fuel System, OtherFuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
The defect. Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 Civic 2-door and 4-door vehicles manufactured from april 21, 2011, through may 2, 2011. There is a possibility that an o-ring, which seals a connection in the fuel feed line, is misaligned. If the o-ring is misaligned, a small fuel leak may occur.
What can happen. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the fuel feed line assembly free of charge. The safety recall began on may 27, 2011. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
What owners reported
I had been driving on the street for about 5 minutes with my two kids. I had stepped on my brakes a few times and everything seem to work. Suddenly, i needed to slow down and pressed on my brake and the brake was hard where i couldn't step down on it. It seemed like it got stuck. I kept pressing on it and it did not…
2012 · Brakes
When the car is parked in a downward slope facing down, and you engage the reverse gear, the car rolls forward. This is especially difficult to control if you are parked in a tight spot and you will roll and hit the car in front of you. We reported this to Honda corporation and they said that this is normal behavior.…
2012 · 10 miles · Engine
Built from 1,195 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page