Home · 2012 Honda Civic Cng · Complaints

What 443 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Civic Cng

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (443)Crash / fire / injury (63)Airbags (144)Steering (73)Electrical system (56)Transmission & drivetrain (45)Brakes (38)Speed control (38)Body & structure (34)Engine (31)Fuel system (24)Seat belts (14)

Newest first · 443 complaints · page 1 of 18

Aug 7, 2025Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the vehicle was turned off and the vehicle started to roll away. The vehicle was stopped, and the parking brake was engaged to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the front axle had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact also stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle vibrated, and the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle unexpectedly lunged forward. There was no warning light illuminated. An independent was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 156,000.

NHTSA ODI 11679118

Jun 16, 2025Electrical system

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that before attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 116,000. Through a Carfax report, it was discovered that the mileage was 159,000.

NHTSA ODI 11667200

Jun 2, 2025Electrical systemEngine

So according to Honda Service Bulletin 20-030, all honda civic 2012-2015 hybrids having IMA Motor Power Inverter (MPI) have to fixed. I have the SAME CAR, SAME MODEL, SAME YEAR AND SAME ERROR CODES AS THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND THIS IS SUCH A SERIOUS ELECTRICAL POWER INVERTER ISSUE. Yet HONDA IS denying to work on it, even though there is 15 years or 150,000 miles warranty for this specific issue and MY CAR HAS 95000 miles. Yet HONDA is trying to run away from fixing it by claiming the VIN number is not associating whereby MY CAR IS EXACT SAME AS THE MODEL, year and issue for the GIVEN SERVICE BULLETIN. This is complete absurd and consumer rights are being thrown away by Honda. I am very sure that my United States NHTSA, state consumer protection, federal trade commission, all are going to help me and make Honda pay for this. I have attached the service bulletin and here my error codes on the car: P1437 Motor Drive Module (MDM) Short Circuit POA78 Tmu-L Motor Power Inverter Module Internal Circuit Malfunction P15A5 Motor Current Sensor Circuit Malfunction Clear Confirmed & Pending Trouble Codes 2 Pending Trouble Codes POA78 Tmu-L Motor Power Inverter Module Internal Circuit Malfunction P15A5 Motor Current Sensor Circuit Malfunction Clear Confirmed & Pending Trouble Codes ^ ^ 2 Permanent Trouble Codes POA78 P15A5 Motor Current Sensor Circuit Malfunction Tmu-L Motor Power Inverter Module Internal Circuit Malfunction

NHTSA ODI 11664413

Jun 1, 2025Body & structure

Paint defect. Paint faded and clouded on vehicle due to cheap paint used during manufacturing. I was never notified about the extended warranty. I contacted Honda and let them know, but was told the warranty ended. I financed my vehicle through American Honda for 5 years, and serviced my vehicle via Honda dealerships. Never did this come up as a possible repair that I could have fixed by them. I was told that Honda used a third party to contact owners.

NHTSA ODI 11664159

May 8, 2025Electrical system

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 119,560, and the contact stated she looked at the title and took the vehicle to a mechanic to verify and noticed that the mileage was 193,099.

NHTSA ODI 11659725

May 4, 2025Fuel system

It has happened more than once since 3 years ago. If I’m running my AC in the car, when I accelerate the car will skip/jump. It’s extremely expensive to repair and the problem isn’t even getting fixed. I basically can’t run my AC if it’s hot outside

NHTSA ODI 11658732

May 2, 2025Steering

Esp code1.33-06 while driving car I suddenly lose of power steering making it difficult to control vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11658556

Apr 23, 2025Steering

This is a serious matter that needs to be evaluated as it is a potentially fatal safety issue for human drivers of 2012 Honda Civic. This email needs to be sent please to the Department of Transportation and the National Transportation Safety Board for evaluation of extension of recall: meaning other 2012 Honda Civic vehicles that have the same type or similar area of issues as the two above stated recalls and from the same manufacturer as the 2012 Honda Civic vehicles but whose VIN were not included in the group of VIN numbers in the original recalls) a. 2019 - control arm bushings cracked - cause: leaking - front lower arm compliance bushings, both replaced by Honda( documention available upon request) b. 2019- right front tire shred and upon inspection by Goodyear no nail or issue could be found for the one right front tire shredding. (documentation and images available upon request) c. 2022- right front tire shreds while driving and upon inspection by Goodyear no nail or issue could be found for the right front tire behavior. (documentation and images available upon request) d. 2024-right front control arm mount and right control arm failure while driving causing the vehicle to be a total loss including from collateral damage. It happened at a low speed but if it happened at a higher speed it would have been potentially fatal. Corporate American Honda made aware and Corporate American Honda made aware this is to be reported to the Department of Transportation and Corporate American Honda response was that they were taking no action to the situation of the request for evaluation of extension of recall, besides just collecting the information I was reporting to them due per Corporate American Honda to it potentially costing Corporate Honda money and that they American Corporate Honda were willing to wait the couple of months that it could potentially take for the Department of Transportation to evaluate. Police report was taken, but I do not have a copy.

NHTSA ODI 11656345

Apr 17, 2025Electrical system

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while attempting to repair the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was an independent dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 71,00 and at the time of replacing the instrument panel, it was discovered that the mileage was 190,000.

NHTSA ODI 11655244

Feb 5, 2025Electrical systemBrakes

ABS/VSA module faulty. Upon internet research it seems to be a very common problem among owners of this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11640980

Oct 26, 2024Airbags

I was 3 hrs away from home and I started my vehicle and the air bag light began flashing and beeping. The light was on the message board that indicates my speed, clock, fuel, etc. it basically is the information center for the car. I pushed the information button on the steering wheel to clear it but it kept blinking and flashing the entire way home. I also turned off the engine and restarted it but no luck with that either. It was a very distracting experience having to drive 3 hours like this. I made an appointment with my mechanic and he diagnosed it as the Occupant Passenger Detection Sensor. This will cost $800.00 to repair. The car is not drive able in this condition because of the safety of the air bag. I looked up recalls but it seems my car has none.

NHTSA ODI 11622097

Oct 24, 2024Steering

When my car reaches speeds above 60mph the steering is difficult to control (a lot of Play in the steering wheel). I took my vehicle in to a Monrovia, CA Honda Dealer in May 2024 to fix the issue. The dealer replaced the bushings but did not fix the steering issue. This vehicle feels dangerous. I noticed on the internet there are a lot of mechanics talking about steering issues in the model years that my car is under. I am frustrated that the Honda dealers don’t seem to want to fix this issue. I’ve already paid a great deal of money in up keep and the problem has not been corrected. I have had no warning lamps or signs of leaks just a lot of play in the steering wheel and lack of control.I don’t feel safe on the highway in this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11621855

Oct 18, 2024Brakes

Driving around town, I stopped our 2012 Honda Civic at a stoplight. The brake pedal vibrated from the ABS modulator, then went all the way to the floor. I had the brake system checked at a workshop, bled the brake lines, and the same situation repeated. It was recommended I replace the brake modulator and brake pump. I called our Honda dealer and the brake pump is on hard backorder with no indication of when or if it will be available. A check of junkyards showed very few of these pumps potentially available, indicating demand is very strong. Many of the Civics in the junkyards we saw were totalled due to front end collissions. Perhaps they discovered the brake issue too late? The car is not driveable. After reviewing forums and [XXX] there were many reports of brake problems with 2012 - 13 Honda Civics. I believe this warrants a close look. Brakes are the most important part of any motor vehicle in my opinion, and until there is a remedy my car will sit as a 3,000 lb paperweight. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11620669

Oct 10, 2024Steering

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11619161

Jul 4, 2024Steering

Power Steering suddenly failed after I stopped for a stop sign. The EPS light was not on prior to stopping but came on after the steering failed. Managed to get to the nearest Honda Dealer and was told they wouldn't touch it. Managed to get to a local repair shop who looked up the issue and reset some code(s). They told me it could happen again at any time. This is an extremely dangerous problem that could cause serious damage or death if it occurred while driving. I can't understand why Honda hasn't figured out a solution and issued a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11598809

Jun 24, 2024Brakes

ABS Control Module leads fell off. The 2012 Honda Civic has a sealed ABS/VSA control module. This module has leads connected with rigid solid core cables that are known to disconnect and fall off due to natural heat and vibration. This happened with my vehicle. The vehicle lost acceleration, power steering, dash lights, and power breaking on the highway. When I attempted to restart it all of my lights came on: charging system, VSA, ABS, Power Steering, and Power Breaking. For more information see [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11596214

Jun 23, 2024Electrical systemAirbagsEngine

The IMA inverter system keeps malfunctioning without any clear reasons, and the car is in drive mode, which makes the electric motor unresponsive. Additionally, the braking system also malfunctions, leading to a lack of control over the vehicle. I have tried to repair it multiple times, but to no avail. It keeps malfunctioning without any apparent reason.

NHTSA ODI 11595954

Jun 23, 2024Electrical systemAirbags

Car is stating air bag system check on and off.

NHTSA ODI 11595984

May 2, 2024Steering

The power steering light will come on and the cars power steering no longer works. I was driving down the road approximately 60 mph and the power steering light came on and I could barely turn the steering wheel. I was able to stop and shut the care off and restart and the power steering worked again. On future drives the power steering intermittently will go out forcing me to stop and shut the car off and restart. I took vehicle to Honda dealer and the dealership and I was informed I needed to replace the EPS control unit, which I did. The vehicle was clear of any problems a a while but the same issue is now happening again. Went back to dealer and they reset code 51-04 and said they could not find any problem. Less than an hour after leaving the dealer, the same problem was there again: loss of power steering. This is so dangerous. I've noticed tons of other people have this same complaint and it should be a recall issue and fixed.

NHTSA ODI 11586543

May 2, 2024Electrical system

Owns a 2012 HONDA Civic Hybrid. While driving ~30MPH, the IMA/braking/engine/charging/ABS lights illuminated. The car still driving but the hybrid system fails. Also, when starting the engine it switches to using the starter instead of the EV motor. The 12V battery will not charge and die soon, which increases the risk of a stall on the road, thus leading to a crash. The vehicle was taken to a Honda Dealer which suggests a Model Power Inverter failure. There is a Technical Service Bulletin: 20-030 (Warranty Extension: 2012-15 Civic Hybrid IMA Motor Power Inverter) related to the failing parts, however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not prepared. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11586568

Apr 16, 2024Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while exiting a parking structure, the vehicle failed to accelerate, the steering column started to fail, and the vehicle began to make an abnormal sound coming from the front driver’s side. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed as having a shredded C-axle and transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11583413

Feb 20, 2024Airbags

My airbag warning light comes on intermittently. When the light is on, the airbags are non-functional. It comes on at various times while driving, and at various speeds. The official diagnosis is a flaw in the "internal resistance in driver's airbag inflator." This is a well-established problem in this model, and Honda offers extended warranty coverage for the passenger side airbag for this problem. Yet Honda refuses to take any responsibility or action for the drivers side with the same issue. Numerous other manufacturers have issued recalls or other corrective action for the same part.

NHTSA ODI 11573039

Feb 5, 2024AirbagsCrash2 injuries

We were making a left turn, and a SUV ran the red light across the street and ran through the intersection hitting us broadside at about 45 mph. We were traveling at about. 20-30 mph as we were going to the freeway onramp and had to get to speed. The SUV impact was by the front passenger side tire or just after. The impact was hard enough to bend the subframe to the left. The side air bags did not inflate. We have always had issues with the child safety sensor in the front passenger seat, could that have been the reason? The passenger in the seat was about 105 -110 lbs. and hit the door panel and glass as a result of the air bags no deploying. The hit was bad enough it killed the engine and the frame damage further disabled it.

NHTSA ODI 11569996

Jan 31, 2024Airbags

Like others, I have had an airbag warning light appear intermittently. Apparently, my VIN is affected by this even though this and Honda's website indicates there are 0 recalls for my car. Dealership informed me that this indeed is a recall issue.

NHTSA ODI 11569051

Jan 24, 2024Airbags

Airbag system appears

NHTSA ODI 11567525

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Working with the data? Download all 443 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Honda Civic Cng verdict →