Honda Civic misfire problems

Filed Nov 9, 2026 · Engine · TX

The cylinder head gasket on this 2016 Honda Civic Touring suffered an internal failure and breach, leading to progressive coolant loss, engine overheating, sudden rough idling, check engine warning lamps, and vehicle misfires while driving. The sudden loss of power and risk of engine stalling created an immediate safety hazard while operating in traffic on public roadways. The vehicle is currently held and available for inspection at an authorized dealership, where the service center confirmed a catastrophic internal head gasket breach. The failure caused extensive coolant intrusion and fluid emulsification inside the crankcase, which completely destroyed the motor's internal lubrication and subsequently starved the turbocharger bearings, causing the turbocharger to malfunction as well. This component failure matches the exact systemic defect parameters detailed under Honda Service Bulletin 26-099.

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · Engine · IL

My 2020 Honda Civic experienced engine overheating and a cylinder 3 misfire (P0303). Two independent mechanics diagnosed a blown head gasket with coolant leaking into cylinder 3. The vehicle underwent a head gasket repair under Honda’s extended warranty. Less than a week after the repair, the engine overheated again while I was driving. I pulled over, waited approximately an hour for the engine to cool, added coolant, and drove to the dealership. The dealership later reported that the cylinder head was cracked near cylinder 4, close to the exhaust valve. When I picked my car up from the dealership, I scanned the vehicle and found the P0303 cylinder 3 misfire code. I am concerned that the engine may have an unresolved problem that could cause it to overheat again, sustain further damage, or lose power while driving. The vehicle is still in my possession and available for inspection. I have an appointment with an independent mechanic on October 24, 2026, to have the engine and cooling system inspected and determine what may have caused the repeated overheating. I am submitting this complaint to bring attention to a potential engine or engine-cooling safety defect and ask the federal safety agency to consider whether similar problems may be affecting other vehicles.

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Engine · NC

Vehicle: 2019 Honda Civic (1.5L turbo), VIN [XXX] Mileage at failure: ~167,000 Component: Engine — head gasket Description: My 2019 Honda Civic with the 1.5L turbocharged engine suffered a blown head gasket, diagnosed by my Honda dealer. The car was purchased brand new from the same dealership. Symptoms were coolant loss with no visible external leak — coolant was leaking internally into the cylinders, causing misfires. This is a known defect with the 1.5L turbo engine affecting 2016–2021 Civics. Honda issued a warranty extension for this exact failure (10 years / 150,000 miles), which acknowledges the defect, but my vehicle was just over the mileage limit at 167,000 miles. The dealer denied any goodwill assistance. A federal class action lawsuit (XXX v. American Honda Motor Co., Case XXX) has been filed over this same engine defect. Safety concern: Coolant leaking into the cylinders causes engine misfires and can lead to sudden loss of power while driving. An engine misfire or stall at highway speed creates a clear crash risk. This is not normal wear — it is a documented design defect that Honda has attempted to correct with revised parts in later model years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 17, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · TX

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine, steering. Purchased the car from a certified dealership in January 2026. After 3 months of driving, the car began exhibiting performance issues. During a normal acceleration pattern, the car would go into a ‘limp mode’ where all dashboard lights would turn on and the car’s performance became severely limited. Acceleration is barely possible when this happens and the car must be turned off and restarted in order to get the car out of ‘limp mode,’ which is a MAJOR safety concern communicated to Honda. It is also of major concern that every time there is a performance issue, every light illuminates, not allowing the driver to diagnose and safely operate the vehicle without Honda assistance with diagnosis. Honda scans revealed P3004 engines misfire code- recommendations included replacing a spark plug. I replaced all four spark plugs and performance returned to normal. Steering recall (Recall Campaign SJS- 2022-25 Civic EPS Grbx Safe ) was also repaired on 6/24/2026- the car was exhibiting steering tightness and locking behaviors which were resolved after this repair. On 7/9, the car was traveling at 70mph when all dashboard lights came on once again. The car did not exhibit performance degradation at this time and was immediately taken for additional engine scan, which provided new code P0299 Turbocharger Underboost problem. Honda reported this code was not present during the scans on 6/24/2026. Dashboard warning lights disappeared on 6/25/2026. On 7/16/2026, the car began exhibiting major steering wheel locking and tightness, much worse than before the steering recall was fixed. I am unsure if it is related to the Turboboost issue. The car also began exhibiting engine performance issues again, rendering the car unsafe to operate until taken back to Honda for further diagnostics.

Filed Jun 23, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · MO

The ABS misfired and locked my brakes without warning during normal driving. This was without pumping the brakes or any engagement of the brake system.

Filed Mar 16, 2026 · Engine · MD

Rough idling. Currently unknown reason.

Filed Jan 20, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · OH

Civic developed a misfire. Diagnosis at the Honda service center revealed a leaking #2 fuel injector causing fuel wash-down into cylinder #2. This led to fouled & broken spark plugs in cylinders 2 and 3, blown head gasket, scored cylinder wall in cylinder #2, hairline crack in cylinder head and valve damage. Engine and head have been deemed unsalvageable by the Honda service center. Honda has indicated this vehicle will not be covered under TSB A18-025 and Warranty Extension 21-010 despite being the same engine family (L15B7/L15CA) used in 2016-2021 Civics that were completely covered.

Filed Jan 2, 2026 · Engine, Steering · CA

Component or system failure: The vehicle experienced failures involving the engine/ignition system, emissions system, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), and power steering. On July 14, 2025, warning messages appeared for “Check Emissions System,” “Check VSA System,” and “Check Power Steering System.” Diagnostics identified engine misfire code P0304 (Cylinder #4). On August 11, 2025, an authorized Honda dealership confirmed a seized spark plug and cylinder head damage, indicating an internal engine defect. The vehicle is currently with the selling dealership and available for inspection. Safety risk: Simultaneous failure warnings for emissions, VSA, and power steering created an unsafe driving condition. Impaired stability control and power steering increase the risk of loss of vehicle control during turning or emergency maneuvers. Confirmation of problem: Yes. Independent diagnostics confirmed the misfire. The selling dealer attempted repairs between July 22–25, 2025, but the same warnings returned. On August 8, 2025, the dealer admitted it lacked tools and software to diagnose or repair CNG vehicles. Honda later confirmed internal engine damage. Inspections: The vehicle was inspected by the selling dealer and an authorized Honda dealership. A third-party warranty administrator authorized a tear-down inspection. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Honda Motor Co. or the federal safety agency. Prior warnings and recall concern: Warnings first appeared on July 14, 2025, about two weeks after purchase, and recurred despite repairs. The 2012 Honda Civic CNG has multiple recalls involving engine, fuel, and emissions systems, and these failures are consistent with known defect patterns, warranting further investigation.

Filed Oct 10, 2025 · Engine · OH

The engine gasket failed, leaking coolant into Cylinder 3. This created misfires while the vehicle was driving, leading to unpredictable loss of power while driving. Eventually, the coolant purged unbeknownst to the driver and created overheating conditions while driving which could have led to complete engine failure on the road. This behavior was confirmed and reproduced by an independent shop, WenMac Repair, in Hardin County, Ohio. They replaced the spark plugs and coils, thinking the misfire was not necessarily related to the head gasket. The vehicle was then taken to Honda Development and Manufacturing of America, LLC's official repair center for Honda Associates attached to Honda's Marysville Auto Plant 10/1/25 and diagnosed by a Honda master technician. My fiance and I both directly work for Honda. It is currently having the head gasket replaced at a cost of $2,700.00 plus taxes. The vehicle is still in the shop. The failure was observed on vehicle first around 150,000 miles.

Filed Aug 26, 2025 · Fuel system · WA

P0302 Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected, diagnosis concluded fuel injector is faulty, the rest are to follow the same path. Vehicle hesitation happened during highway traffic driving.