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2021 Honda Civic problems

The most common problem on the 2021 Honda Civic is steering, typically around 36,000 miles. It has fewer complaints than a typical Civic model year.

Fewer complaintsAmong the best years of this model
Year score
88/100
Owner complaints
148
Recalls
4
Service bulletins
78
Worst area
Steering
Fuel economy
25-36mpg

The worst 2021 Honda Civic problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Honda Civic

Jerking 15Adaptive cruise 13Collision warning 7Lane assist 6Power steering loss 6

Recalls 4

Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passengerReported May 21, 2026 · 98,892 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
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 the federal safety agency recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning May 29, 2026.

Recall number 26V332000 · Recall details

Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passengerReported February 1, 2024 · 750,114 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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
An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
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.

Recall number 24V064000 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pumpReported December 18, 2023 · 2,490,460 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 the federal safety agency recall numbers 21V‑215 and 20V‑314.

Recall number 23V858000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinderReported June 29, 2023 · 124,077 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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
Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
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.

Recall number 23V458000 · Recall details

See all 4 recalls for the 2021 Honda Civic

Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Honda Civic 78

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 78 bulletins for the 2021 Honda Civic

2021 Honda Civic fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
1.5L 4‑cylFWD29-3235-4232-36
2.0L 4‑cylFWD22-3028-3825-33

What 2021 Honda Civic owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 30, 2026 · Steering · FL

“My 2021 Honda Civic experiences intermittent steering resistance. At approximately 0- plus speed, the steering feels sticky at or near TDC of the steering wheel, requiring a little nudge. to correct it. It occurs frequent during warm and/or humid conditions. The vehicle has approximately 81,000 miles. I just bought it so I don't know how long this has been happening in the past years. I will be training my son to drive in this car. So, I worry of it getting stuck. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle yet because they charge for the check.?

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · FL

The infotainment and connectivity system in this 2021 Honda Civic EX suffers from critical, persistent hardware and software defects regarding Android Auto. The system continuously and unpredictably disconnects during active operation when wired, and fails to establish or maintain any reliable wireless connection. Due to a personal medical condition (topographical agnosia), I am entirely directionless and completely dependent on real-time turn-by-turn navigation to travel safely. When the infotainment system abruptly cuts out, maps vanish, forcing an immediate, dangerous choice between driving blindly or dangerously diverting visual attention down to a handheld mobile device while navigating traffic. This recurring equipment failure creates a severe, unacceptable safety hazard and driver distraction risk on public roadways. This was undisclosed to me at time of purchase, and actively prohibits me from safely driving the vehicle. Additionally, I am unable to connect wirelessly, which was also undisclosed. This is appears to be a known issue with the model according to internet forms, but was never actively recalled by Honda. The dealership has not been responsive in my request to reprocess a deal on a model that does not have this safety defect.

Filed Oct 17, 2026 · Steering · NC

Sticky/notch feeling when going straight I over correct because of it stiffness of it it’s very dangerous

Filed Sep 28, 2026 · Steering · UT

When it is warm and humid, at highway speeds and slight turns, the steering sticks and the wheel does not recenter on its own. All driver assist features are off when this occurs. It takes additional force to unstick and causes overcorrection in the steering. Symptoms are consistent with the 11th gen civic recalls, yet mine is a 2021 and no recall yet. This is very scary and dangerous at highway speeds, a crash waiting to happen. Issues started before my 3 year/36k mile warranty ran out, and was taken to a Honda dealership which claimed they could not recreate the issue (drove around the block, checked for codes and checked suspension). No repairs were made by the dealership. This issue remains at current 5 years and 60k miles and seems to be getting worse (sticking harder). Issue more consistently noticeable in humid weather. No indicator lights.

Filed Sep 20, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · CA

On September 17, 2026 at approximately 8:00 a.m. I was driving my 2021 Honda civic Lx with my children in the vehicle when multiple warning lights and system malfunction messages suddenly appeared on the dash board. The vehicle appeared to experience an electrical malfunction/ reset while still driving and I suddenly lost normal power- steering assistance. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and control while the vehicle was moving.I was able to call for assistance and when jumper cables were hooked on to battery underneath the vehicles hood the vehicle engine was able to restart, then was able to get the vehicle home without a collision or injury. The sudden loss of steering assistance created a serious safety risk to me, my children and others on the road. I photographed multiple warnings displayed on the dash panel, including Electric Parking break problem and collision mitigation system problem. This vehicle has a documented history of electrical/ mechanical concerns and prior repairs, including battery and alternator replacement. The exact cause of this most recent failure is currently UNKNOWN. American Honda motor co. has also opened a case #16640343 regarding this incident. I am reporting this to the federal safety agency due to the sudden loss of power- steering assistance occured while the vehicle was actively being driven and could have resulted in a collision.

Filed Sep 4, 2026 · Steering · NJ

While I am driving there is a stickiness in my steering wheel and it causes me to overcorrect my steering and becomes an issue. Feels dangerous to me. This has gotten worse over time.

Filed Sep 1, 2026 · Airbags · CT

Driving down street after pulling out of parking lot and driver’s side air bag employed for unknown reason.

Filed Aug 28, 2026 · Suspension · CA

Struts good bad really quick

Filed Aug 25, 2026 · Steering · 58,000 miles · RI

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact experienced an intermittent failure, and the steering wheel became very firm and became difficult to turn. During the failure, the power steering became inoperable, causing several malfunctions, and several warning lights were simultaneously illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, and the technician diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the electronic power steering assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.

Filed Aug 5, 2026 · Steering · TX

Sticky steering, especially when it’s hot or humid. The issue has been going on since the car was at 60k miles, taken in multiple times and they don’t see and issue. It’s at 117k now issue still present. Same issue as the 2022-25 that got a recall

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2021 Honda Civic before you buy

Compare the 2021 Honda Civic

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Other model years

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Questions about the 2021 Honda Civic

Is the 2021 Honda Civic reliable?

Owners have filed 148 complaints about the 2021 Honda Civic, fewer than a typical Civic model year.

What is the 2021 Honda Civic year score?

The 2021 Honda Civic scores 88 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Honda Civic: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Honda Civic?

Steering, with 67 complaints, typically around 36,000 miles. Next is driver assistance (38).

How many recalls does the 2021 Honda Civic have?

4 recalls, covering air bags, fuel system, gasoline and service brakes, hydraulic.

What year does the Honda Civic have bad steering?

The Honda Civic model years with the most steering complaints are 2022 (734 complaints), 2016 (446 complaints) and 2018 (316 complaints).

Is there a class action lawsuit over the Honda Civic?

Yes. Class action says Honda and Acura keyless entry makes cars easy to steal and asks for theft protection (November 12, 2026).

What gas mileage does the 2021 Honda Civic get?

Official estimates for the 2021 Honda Civic range from 25 to 36 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.5L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 29-32 city and 35-42 highway.

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