At speeds between 40 and 70 my 2021 Honda Civic EX Hatchback steering feels sticky when making small adjustments. There is a slight resistant in steering when a slight correction is needed. Once that resistant is overcome, the steering wheel jerks in the direction of the correction potentially causing an over correction. This is a safety problem and can cause an accident. I am not seeing any warning lights or warning noises.
2021 Honda Civic: jerking or lurching
15 of the 148 complaints about the 2021 Honda Civic describe jerking or lurching.
- owner complaints
- 15
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 1 service bulletin covers this area of the car. See below
Jerking or lurching by model year
What owners say
The Steering Gearbox, Electronic Power Steering failed. The steering was resistant and sticks on the highway, causing jerking and overcorrection to control the vehicle. This was with both manual driving and Lane Assist. Took the vehicle to the local Honda dealership, they confirmed the problem, and replaced the steering gearbox, EPS, because it was still under warranty. However, this is the same exact part and this problem will occur again. The car did not display any warnings.
Steering wheel seems to "stick" when positioned in the center and "unsticking" it requires extra effort causing the wheel to jerk free and making you overcorrect for what would be a minor lane adjustment. It causes you to zig zag back and forth in your lane as you try to correct each time the steering wheel stick. It has happened to me multiple times on multi hour drives on the highway and persists until the end of the drive. The vehicle has not been inspected yet by any professionals and the first signs of the sticking issue appeared several weeks ago beginning this winter.
My car has sticky steering when making turns and has a difficult time making micro adjustments. This appears to be the same issue that there is a recall for but my VIN is not recalled. This is a huge safety issue as the steering is more difficult to control on the highways, turning on and off ramps, driving straight, etc. I find myself having to pull the wheel back to center to straighten it out after a turn and when making adjustments on the highway, the wheel jerks back and forth. Honda has refused to fix the issue since I am 9k miles out of warranty. The dealer diagnosed my issue as an internal failure of Honda's part and wants to charge me $5400 to replace their faulty steering rack. They refuse to cover this because I am out of warranty even though this is a safety issue and is the result of their faulty part.
When I’m turning, the steering wheel gets sticky/stuck in place. Whenever it unlocks, it’s usually a very jerky movement:
While driving at interstate speeds and turning left into a curve the steering wheel sticks and you have to forcibly pull it back to drive straight jerking the vehicle dangerously. Possibly a known steering rack issue.
Steering of the car at highway speeds is impaired. The steering becomes sticky and hard to control, both hands need to be tightly gripping the steering wheel in order to keep the car under control as it comes and goes and one cannot anticipate the reaction of the car. Steering should be smooth and not jerky, this creates an exhausting and unsafe occurrence. I have taken the car to two different Honda dealers, the one where I purchased the vehicle and a larger well known dealer an hour and a half from my home. Attached is the most recent inspection report and cost breakdown. Roush Honda offered to contact Honda directly regarding this inspection, issue and recommendation. There were no warning lamps or messages. This issue started a little over 30 days ago. It has taken some time to get it into the two different Honda locations to get an inspection.
after prolonged driving steering becomes "sticky", steering wheel will jerk when steering, causing over correction on straights and turns
The steering has recently started sticking at random times while gradually turning left at around 55 mph. When it unsticks on its own it’s a slight jerk back to the right. In at aid if it doesn’t correct on its own I would have no choice but to go into the other lane and possibly hit oncoming traffic. This could absolutely cause an accident. The vehicle has not been inspected or taken to the dealership. There are no warnings indicated before the event takes place.
While driving the steering wheel sticks occasionally and, without warning causes me to over-react and jerk the steering wheel.
I have a 2021 Honda Civic Ex with 55, 000 miles on the odometer. The steering sticks at highway speeds and when correcting jerks to break free of the stickiness. Have taken it to the dealership and told the steering box is malfunctioning and would be $4,000 to replace. I work in the automotive industry and recognize this as a manufacture defect that Honda is aware of due to the current lawsuits against the company for this issue in 2022-2024 Honda Civics.
Issue Description: -While traveling in a straight line, particularly at speeds above 45 mph, the steering wheel exhibits a sticky behavior. If left untouched for a few seconds, the wheel becomes difficult to turn, requiring significant force to break it free from the straight line. This resistance is felt both while driving straight and during turns, resulting in noticeable sticking and jerking. Details: -Lane keep assist and driver assist features are turned off. -When driving straight and not touching the wheel for a few seconds, attempting to make a minor correction causes the wheel to stick. This requires applying considerable pressure to free the wheel, often leading to over-correction. -In turns, if the wheel is held in a steady position for more than a second, it sticks and must be forcibly moved out of the turn. Once unstuck, the steering feels normal again. -The issue is most prominent at speeds above 45 mph affecting both slight left and right adjustments. -Potential causes include the steering rack/pinion assembly (EPS gearbox) and the possible need for additional lubricant/grease. Symptoms: -Sticking and jerking of the steering wheel during slight adjustments. -Increased resistance when attempting to correct the wheel after it remains in one position for a few seconds. -Inspection and repair of the steering rack/pinion assembly, with consideration for additional lubrication or grease application. -Further evaluation of steering wheel, steering column, column lock, steering rack/box, linkages, hydraulic power steering pumps and hoses, electrical power steering motors, actuators, wiring and related sensors, electronic control units and software needed to determine if other components contribute to the sticky steering issue.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2021 Honda Civic jerking
Is jerking or lurching a common problem on the 2021 Honda Civic?
15 of 148 owner complaints about the 2021 Honda Civic (10%) mention jerking or lurching. The model year with the most reports is 2022.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Honda Civic?
There are 0 recalls and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2021 Honda Civic
Adaptive cruise 13Collision warning 7Lane assist 6Power steering loss 6
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