What 314 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Civic

I PURCHASED A USED 2013 CIVIC SEDAN FROM A PRIVATE SELLER ON MARCH 23RD 2018. THE DAY I BOUGHT IT, AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT OF THE CREDIT UNION WHERE I MET THE SELLER THE POWER STEERING FAILED. A YELLOW WARNING LIGHT THAT LOOKS LIKE A STEERING WHEEL WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT CAME ON ON THE DASH, AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. I PUT IT IN PARK, HIT THE HAZARDS AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF FOR FEAR OF HITTING SOMEONE. I CONTACTED THE SELLERS AND THEY CAME BACK. WE DISCUSSED HAVING IT TOWED TO THE SHOP, AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER GOT IN IT, TO RE-PARK IT SOMEWHERE MORE OUT OF THE WAY WHILE WE WAITED FOR AAA. AT THIS TIME, THE CAR STARTED UP FINE, NO WARNING LIGHT WAS PRESENT AND HE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE IT INTO A PARKING SPOT. HE SUGGESTED THAT HE JUST DRIVE IT TO THE SHOP, AND I RIDE OVER THERE WITH HIS WIFE. SO WE DID, AND THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AT THE SHOP, AND INFORMED ME THAT IT DIDN'T THROW ANY CODES, AND THAT "THE COMPUTER DOESN'T LIE" THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE IT DROVE OVER THERE FINE, TO JUST TAKE IT HOME, AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. SO I DID, AND I DROVE IT AROUND FOR A COUPLE WEEKS UNTIL ON THE 5TH OF APRIL, AGAIN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IT HAPPENED AGAIN, YELLOW STEERING WHEEL LIGHT AND ALL. EXCEPT THIS TIME THE BRAKES FAILED TOO. NOT ONLY COULD I NOT STEER, I COULD NOT STOP. I ENDED UP DRAGGING THE FRONT END OVER A FLOWERBED WITH A CURB, AND RIPPING OFF THE BUMPER. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND IS NOW AT A HONDA DEALERSHIP AWAITING REPAIRS PENDING PROCESSING OF WARRANTY PAPERWORK. THANKFULLY NOBODY WAS HURT IN EITHER OF THESE INCIDENTS, BUT IT COULD'VE EASILY BEEN DIFFERENT. THESE POWER STEERING FAILURES ARE KNOW TO, AND WERE INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA IN 2013. NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. I KNOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED.

NHTSA ODI 11084222

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE KEY WAS IN THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT AND THE VEHICLE DROVE FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER THE SIDEWALK AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,447.

NHTSA ODI 10766542

ON APRIL 23, 2014 AT ABOUT 4:40 P. M. MY SON WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHICH IS 5 MILES UNDER THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT FOR THAT AREA WHERE HE LIVES. THE ROAD LEADING TO THE BACK ENTRANCE OF HIS HOUSING COMPLEX IS A SINGLE ONE-WAY LANE WITH A WIDE BICYCLE LANE. THIS ROADWAY CURVES SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT LEADING INTO THE ENTRANCE OF HIS HOUSING COMPLEX. ON APPROACHING THE END OF THE ROAD MY SON TOOK HIS FOOT OF THE GAS TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE, TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT (AS THE ROAD CURVES NATURALLY TO THE LEFT) THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND STEERED TO THE RIGHT. MY SON TRIED VERY HARD TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO CORRECT THE STEERING BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE STEERED UNCONTROLLABLY TO THE RIGHT, JUMPING THE CONCRETE CURB AND STUCK A CONCRETE STREET LIGHT POLE, FLIPPED OVER AND LANDED A FEW FEET AWAY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WITH FIVE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. (ONE ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AND FOUR OVER THE DOORS). HE WAS EXAMINED BY PARAMEDIC'S ON THE SCENE AND LATER OBSERVED SEVERE BRUISING ON HIS ABDOMEN AND NECK WHICH REQUIRED FURTHER MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND DECLARED A TOTAL LOST BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10585098

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK IN THE MORNING AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AS I WAS DRIVING. I TRIED TO PHYSICALLY GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK AS MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT TO UNLOCK AND AN ACCIDENT HAPPENED AND I ENDED UP IN A DITCH WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10536924