“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.?
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.
- Steering67
- Driver assistance38
- Brakes18
- Electrical18
- Airbags9
- Acceleration6
- Engine6
- Fuel system4
- Seats3
- Suspension3
- Visibility3
- Lights2
- Tires2
- Transmission2
- Seat belts1
- Wheels1
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 passenger
- 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 passenger
- 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 pump
- 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 cylinder
- 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
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.
- Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may
- Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may
- Dealer Message
- Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient sealant adhesion on...
- Dealer Message
- Dealer Message
- Dealer Message
- Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the...
- Dealer Message
- The ACC system error message comes on while driving when outside temperatures are low/near freezing due to...
2021 Honda Civic fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4‑cyl | FWD | 29-32 | 35-42 | 32-36 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 22-30 | 28-38 | 25-33 |
What 2021 Honda Civic owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
Sticky/notch feeling when going straight I over correct because of it stiffness of it it’s very dangerous
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.
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.
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.
Driving down street after pulling out of parking lot and driver’s side air bag employed for unknown reason.
Struts good bad really quick
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.
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
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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