Honda Civic fire or smoke problems

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Fuel system, Steering · TX

Steering wheel is binding, pulling and getting stuck when turning left and making clicking noises. Car makes a burning smell when accelerating aggressively. Think the fuel pump is defective.

Filed Apr 24, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · CA

I was driving my car home from work and many warning lights lit up on my car dashboard (brake problem, engine problem, uphill start, steering problem) etc.. I got off the freeway and my car dashboard lit up and notified me “to pull over to a safe location because my car needle (temperature) was on high. I pulled over to a safe location and opened the hood and noticed that the antifreeze coolant compartment was empty) my car could have caught on fire because there was no coolant inside the compartment. After I got home and filled the car with coolant I placed cardboard under the car engine to see if the coolant would leak. There are no signs of leakage. I took my car to my mechanic and he told me that he couldn’t fix the problem and suggested I call Honda USA customer service. The mechanic told me that the problem is with the “head gasket” and that the coolant does leak into other parts of the engine. He didn’t charge me anything for the inspection and added coolant to my car. I called Honda USA customer service and they told me that there are “no recalls” regarding coolant leaks and head gasket problems. I googled problems with “Honda 2016 civics and learned that there is a problem that exists and it’s very costly to fix. I also learned that Honda was sued in Canada and Honda settled with customers regarding this problem. Honda USA simply told me to take my car to a Honda dealer and ask for an “inspection” I asked if they would cover the cost and they didn’t not say they would pay for the inspection. This is a manufacture problem that occurs after a Honda Civic has gone past 70,0000 miles. People still complain about this issue and wonder where the coolant in the car is leaking and where is the coolant going into since the coolant is not visibly leaking. The coolant is making its way within the engine and causing more problems in my car. I have never had a problem like this one. This is the second time that the coolant inside my car leaks into the engine.

Filed Feb 27, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · MD · fire

The 2022 Honda Civic (Sport) with approx. 13,000 miles had been driving fine for the previous 10 minutes, on and off the highway, when I was almost home and on a more residential 25-30mph road. All of a sudden all of the warning lights went off on the dashboard at once, so I went to brake to slow down and pull over. But the brakes were completely failing - the pedal would just hit the back of the foot well. The emergency brake is electronic, so that wouldn't work either. I was lucky to be immediately next to a grocery store parking lot, so I roll into that. As soon as I make the turn flames began shooting out from under the hood, reaching maybe 6" up the windshield. This is only 5 or 6 seconds after the warning lights had started, and it was clear that the fire inside of the engine bay was substantial. I managed to coast to the back of the parking lot, away from other cars and people, and found a curb "island" that I could run into in order to stop the vehicle. I effectively crashed the car, and at this point the flames had increased. I ran out of the vehicle and shouted for people to call 911. Within a minute the entire front half of the car was engulfed in 10+ foot flames. The fire department showed up a minute later and put out the fire, and after only maybe 3 minutes maximum the only things left in the car were metal and wires. The dashboard was entirely gone, seats were just their metal frames, etc. If the door had been jammed I would have burned alive.

Filed Dec 1, 2025 · Transmission · IL

In november 2025 a burning smell was noticed when driving on the highway. The car was taken to the dealership the next morning and was diagnosed with clutch failure. The burning smell returned when the dealer was assessing the vehiclethe car is in the process of being repaired but I have asked for the parts to be kept for me post repair. The issue puts others at risk due to unpredictability in shifting ability, possible smoke/flames due to wear and inability to put car into gear. A dealer has identified the problem as clutch failure. No one has inspected the parts other than the dealer. There were no warning lamps, messages, etc until the burning smell. The dealer has attributed the clutch failure to wear and tear, however the car is driven by an experienced driver and has only 44k miles on the vehicle. A previous safety bulletin (honda tsb 22-017) was issued the same problem for vehicle years 2020 and 2021 but did not include 2022. The manufacturer has refused to investigate whether this could be an extension of that safety bulletin. An online search indicated that this issue has occurred in a significant number of vehicles of the same year, make and model. T

Filed Jul 30, 2025 · Transmission · CA

The clutch system in my 2024 Honda Civic Sport Touring (VIN: [XXX]) failed completely at 8,126 miles, consisting of flywheel (#22100-5CD-018), friction disk (#22200-5CC-003), pressure plate (#22300-5CC-003), and release bearing (#22810-57A-006) - the exact parts Honda identified as defective in TSB 22-017 due to supplier production issues causing premature friction disc wear. The failure created immediate safety hazards including complete loss of power transmission in traffic, inability to accelerate or maintain speed, unpredictable gear engagement, and risk of being rear-ended when the vehicle suddenly lost power on busy San Diego roads, forcing an emergency roadside stop and towing. Mossy Honda Lemon Grove confirmed the failure (RO# [XXX]), documenting excessive heat causing excessive wear with hot spots all around pressure plate and clutch disc measuring only 5.24mm. Honda denied warranty coverage claiming user error without evidence, and Honda Customer Relations (Case #[XXX]) has provided no substantive response despite these being known defective components. Warning signs first appeared at approximately 4,000 miles with clutch slippage during uphill parking, progressively worsening to include burning smell, difficulty engaging gears, and slippage under normal acceleration before complete failure at 8,126 miles, though no warning lights appeared as manual transmissions lack clutch monitoring systems. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 9, 2025 · Transmission · 17,000 miles · MO · fire · 1 injury

The contact owned a 2024 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, an abnormal loud explosion sound was coming from the vehicle. The contact managed to pull over to the shoulder of the road, and upon inspection, the dashboard began to emit black smoke. The contact stated that as he and a nearby pedestrian had backed away from the vehicle from opening the vehicle door, it had caught on fire. The local fire department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire and filed a report. In addition, the fire department stated that the fire may have occurred in the transmission. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it remained. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The contact was seen by EMS and sought medical attention for migraines/Headache's, loss of hearing in his right ear for several days, panic attacks, anxiety, and loss of sleep. The local dealer was contacted however, no assistance was obtained. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.

Filed Mar 18, 2025 · Fuel system · TX · fire

Car was purchased new on Jan 16,2025. On Feb 25,2025 the car spontaneously burst into flames while driving on the highway during rush hour traffic. Car was pulled over to the center median and exited while flames were engulfing the passenger seat. Fire department responded and put out the fire, but car is a total loss. Could have caused significant injury or death to the driver or other motorists. Insurance representative inspected the car and suspects failure of the high pressure fuel pump. There was a recall on this model on October 14, 2024 for this problem, and a stop sale order on Jan 17, 2025 but we were not notified. There is no reported VIN range on either recall.

Filed Feb 28, 2025 · Airbags · AZ · crash · fire

The death investigator's decedent owned a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that after the decedent stopped at a stop sign, they attempted to make a left turn and struck another vehicle on the passenger side. The decedent's air bag was deployed which caused trauma to the decedent's neck. The decedent's vehicle caught fire shortly after impact. The other driver attempted to remove the decedent from the vehicle as authorities were called to the scene. The decedent received medical treatment at the scene and was later transported to the hospital. The decedent was pronounced deceased approximately 30 minutes after arriving at the emergency room. The other driver did not sustain any injuries. A police officer who arrived at the scene managed to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. The fire department later arrived at the scene to ensure that the fire was extinguished. A police report was filed. The whereabouts of the vehicle after the accident were unknown. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the vehicle was included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V370000(Air Bags) and the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V320000(Air Bags) which the contact linked to the decedent's death. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Apr 18, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · CA · fire · 1 injury

While driving steam started to appear from the engine bay. I pulled over to inspect, lifted up the hood and could hear the fuel line popping and gasoline hissing out. The engine bay spontaneously caught fire. As it ignited all of the gasoline in the air combusted and created a ball of fire in my face as I was looking in the engine bay. The fire was put out by the fire department. An incident report was created. The potential for safety risk was high and could have been worse if I was not on a road where I was able to stop or if it caught fire while I was inside the car. The vehicle has been inspected by Insurance and confirmed to be a total loss. Since nothing was left to visually inspect of the car their investigation came back nonconclusive as to the cause. There were no indication lights that there was anything wrong with the engine.

Filed Apr 15, 2024 · Airbags · 156,000 miles · MI · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 3 MPH, the front driver's side air bag unexpectedly deployed. There was no impact on the vehicle that could have caused the front driver's side air bag to deploy. The air bag warning light was illuminated after the front driver's side air bag was deployed. The contact stated that when the front driver's side air bag deployed, she leaned back and raised her left arm, resulting in a metal fragment from the air bag cutting her left thumb. There was also smoke coming from the air bag, which she inhaled; however, no medical attention was received. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and parked the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle for leaks but found none. The vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 156,000.