Home · 2016 Honda Civic Type R · Complaints

What 1,061 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Honda Civic Type R

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 (1,061)Crash / fire / injury (43)Steering (428)Electrical system (117)Engine (94)Brakes (93)Visibility & wipers (67)Body & structure (48)Transmission & drivetrain (36)Lights (30)Fuel system (29)Airbags (28)

Newest first · 1,061 complaints · page 18 of 43

May 12, 2022Steering

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the steering wheel failed to respond immediately however, abruptly the steering wheel responded causing the vehicle to veer into the other lane. The contact stated that the failure was ongoing. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after slowing down, the vehicle operated as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11464426

May 10, 2022Electrical systemEngine

This vehicle is having electrical problems due to rodents and the oil smells like gasoline

NHTSA ODI 11464019

May 8, 2022

A/C Compressor had to be replaced after 3.5 years of purchased. After 2.5 years, AC is blowing hot air again.

NHTSA ODI 11463795

May 6, 2022

THE A/C was not functioning. It was not blowing cold air. The A/C suction hose was leaking. The A/C suction hose was replaced and refrigerant was added. After the repair, the A/C functioned normally.

NHTSA ODI 11463587

Apr 28, 2022Steering

My 2016 Honda Civic has the following problem. The steering "sticks" and is very sensitive to turning when it "catches". It is getting worse and is way worse at interstate speeds. It causes the vehicle to swerve sometimes when correcting and could make you overcorrect and lose traction and run off the road or into another lane of traffic very easily. It will be at a Honda Dealership within the week to be officially diagnosed but it is definitely a safety issue and it barely has 60,000 miles on it. NO warning lights are displayed.

NHTSA ODI 11462607

Apr 22, 2022

Both Honda Fit 2012 and Honda Civic 2016 door actuators do not work properly not allowing the door to unlock or lock consistently

NHTSA ODI 11461797

Apr 22, 2022

Air conditioning unit slowly quit blowing out cold air. Actually it happened in 2020. I read there was a problem with the unit holding Freon.

NHTSA ODI 11461829

Apr 21, 2022

I own a 2016 Honda Civic EX, that had the condenser issue. My condenser has failed for the 3rd time in 6 years. I faced the first issue in 2018, but was re-imbursed for the damages in 2021. The second issue was in 2019 and it was covered under the condenser warranty extension The third issue is in 2022 and the American Honda representative told me that I might have to pay out of pocket since the warranty extension was covered only for condensers installed in the factory. In short, I'm having to come to the dealer every 1-2 years for a condensor replacement. If the warranty does not cover my repair, then I'll have to shell out a high sum of money for replacement. This can't be done at a local garage due to a unique refrigerant used in the vehicles. All in all, I'm sick of the repeated repairs with my condensor.

NHTSA ODI 11461604

Apr 4, 2022Steering

Steering sticks. Takes additional force to push against the stiffness for just a minor adjustment. Wheels jerk towards that direction and you then have to steer in opposite direction to correct. But you are also pushing against that stiffness in the other direction, too. People must think I'm a drunk driver as the car jumps back and forth in the lane. Cannot smoothly adjust the wheel to keep the car in a straight line. It happens intermittently. Car starting doing this after 6 years and 48k miles. A search of Honda Civic car forums and on here shows others describing the same issue. For those who were under warranty, Honda replaced the power steering rack.

NHTSA ODI 11459589

Apr 2, 2022Steering

The steering "sticks" especially at high speeds which causes the car to swerve. It is a safety hazard as the steering is not smooth and it bumps the car towards other lanes. A mechanic said it could not be readily determined what the problem is and the dealer stated this is not covered by any warranty. No warning lights or check engine lights are on.

NHTSA ODI 11459347

Mar 31, 2022Steering

Steering wheel sticks causing driver to have to exert extra force to "snap" back to normal steering. Problem happens in both directions and is more noticeable on warmer days after driving for 30 or more minutes. There are forums on the internet with multiple persons reporting the same problem. I see there are 154 steering complaints on this site. Most of them are for the same issue. This problem can surprise a driver at times. It is very annoying and distracting. I am hoping it does not get worse than it already is. Please do something about this safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11459064

Mar 31, 2022SteeringElectrical system

The Electronic Power Steering is failing and causing the vehicle to swerve, get stuck in one direction, and sway into other lanes almost striking other vehicles. The vehicle is a huge safety concern on the road. I Myself have had to roughly pull my steering before crashing into another vehicle. At times, the vehicle looses traction while actively driving because of the steering becoming stiff and stuck. The vehicle has been brought into Honda, they confirmed the power steering rack is failing and will continue to diminish over time thus causing the vehicle to crash. Multiple other Hondas have been brought in for the same issue according to Honda and stated the steering rack part has no estimated time when the part would be in the shop. I was told it could take anywhere from a week to months before Honda receives the necessary part. There are no warning lights appearing but Honda did confirm the steering rack is failing more and more and there’s nothing they can do for it yet. I’m not sure how people are supposed to drive a car that is bound to crash into someone? The part itself is no where to be found easily, so do Honda owners pray they do not crash?

NHTSA ODI 11459136

Mar 26, 2022Electrical system

I’ve had this car for about 1 year now. On the 4th month of having the vehicle I got the battery replaced by the dealer for free. Now here we are a year later and my car is having the same issue. When I go to crank it, it stutters as if it doesn’t want to turn on than turns on. I went to autozone and they said battery needs to be changed again. Which makes no sense because never in my life have I had to change a battery 2x in year & it’s practically still a new vehicle. I started to investigate and when I go in my trunk That I barely use. I have a little bucket with things I keep in it. The bucket was filled with water as if it was leaking from the tail light area. So my trunk is soaked. I’ve noticed before a little moisture back there but I thought nothing of it. I wonder if others are having the same issue or they may not have noticed yet. The vehicle getting wet in the inside can become a very big electrical & rust issue. Which is very unsafe, can lead to things like a fire or even mildew which can get you sick breathing in it. I feel this matter should be addressed and investigated immediately! For not only the safety of my self but the other civic drivers !

NHTSA ODI 11458408

Mar 22, 2022Body & structure

Paint chipping off. According to 2 different body shops, this is a factory issue with improper priming. Honda of North America is refusing to acknowledge and repair the car.

NHTSA ODI 11457807

Mar 19, 2022Steering

The 10th gen Honda civics are having steering problems related to eps. The steering will become stuck while driving, especially at speeds higher than 45 mph. The steering becomes stiff and you must pull the wheel hard to gain control back and then the wheel goes right back to being stiff. It is difficult to keep the vehicle straight and to turn the vehicle. There are no warning lights coming on. Multiple forums of owners having similar issues and Honda dealerships not knowing what the problem is or how to fix it. The car veers off into other lanes with traffic. This first began to happen about 3 months ago. Never had any issues with steering prior to this case.

NHTSA ODI 11457402

Mar 6, 2022Speed controlDriver assistance

My 2016 Honda Civic Touring is equipped with automatic emergency braking. In more than one instance, my Civic has applied the brakes unnecessarily when there was no apparent danger. Traveling on the highway at 65 mph, I have been 'cut-off' by a driver and the brakes were applied hard. There was no way to override the braking and the car commanded itself to a complete stop. The drivers immediately behind me had to brake hard and if they hadn't maintained control there would have been a pile-up. This took place in Cobb County, GA during rush hour on 75S in the 'Northwest Corridor' area. This is a high traffic density area.

NHTSA ODI 11455415

Mar 2, 2022

Air conditioner suddenly not functioning. The dealership confirmed that the AC condenser and evaporator core were leaking and needed to be replaced. The condenser was covered under an extended 10 year warranty issued by Honda because of manufacture defect. However, the evaporator core is not and had to pay out of pocket for it to be repaired. I’ve have done research and have discovered that the evaporator core malfunctions just as mush as the condenser. That is why I feel Honda needs to also establish an extended warranty for that part as well since they are both related. There were no indicators telling me the parts were failing.

NHTSA ODI 11454883

Feb 26, 2022Steering

While driving down the highway, and attempting to make minor steering adjustments, the steering wheel constantly binds. An unnatural breakout force is required to overcome this perilous situation. The result is a continual overcorrection of the vehicles trajectory within the driving lane (Similar to a drunk driver). My vehicle has over 60k miles. The problem has been getting progressively worse over the last year. A google search reveals this issue is not an isolated one. It appears there may be a defect with the steering rack of these vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11454295

Feb 24, 2022Lane DepartureDriver assistance

Multiple times my 2016 Honda Civic has engaged the auto braking system for what appears to be no reason at all. I have had my Honda brake when I do not have any vehicles, obstacles, items or obstructions anywhere in the road in front of me or beside me. When this occurs at full speed on the road the vehicles traveling behind me have had to quickly swerve into the adjacent lanes of travel to avoid a rear end collision which could have resulted in serious injury. I have also noticed that the lane departure warning system is faulty and frequently goes off steering my vehicle into the lane next to me even if there is a car occupying the lane next to me. Thank you for your time and assistance.

NHTSA ODI 11453786

Jan 21, 2022Visibility & wipers

Ice builds up on windshield while snowing. Wipers build up ice and stick to windsheild

NHTSA ODI 11448417

Jan 7, 2022

While driving on the freeway on 1/6/2022, the sunroof suddenly exploded above my head. It was as if something was dropped from the sky and glass fell down on my head and into the exterior of the car. I was able to maintain control of the vehicle and maintain safety but it was absolutely terrifying. This car is brand new to me as of 12/11/21. Nothing was visibly wrong with the sunroof and I wasn’t driving under an underpass, so nothing could have been thrown at me from above. What is left of the tempered glass sunroof is spiderwebbed and continues to fall into the car and it is not drivable until repair.

NHTSA ODI 11446580

Dec 23, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

I experienced a total catastrophic failure of the transmission with less than 55000 miles and only 5 years and 1 month old. The transmission needed to be replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11444838

Dec 12, 2021Steering

The car steering wheel stick and is jerky when driving. There are multiple sites with forum and videos of people experiencing the same issue.

NHTSA ODI 11443495

Dec 3, 2021Brakes

I'm the original and only owner of the vehicle, which has less than 36,000 miles. My Civic has only ever been serviced by Honda dealerships, and I can provide maintenance records upon request. A failure of this nature to the braking system can only be caused by a defective part. In fact, I had my brakes inspected by Honda at 33,000 miles, and Honda gave my brakes a clean bill of health. While driving my vehicle, the brake pedal suddenly was unable to be depressed except with extreme foot pressure; it felt like a brick had been placed under my brake pedal. The stopping power was substantially diminished. It took multiple, very strong brake pumps to slow and stop my vehicle, meaning I was unable to stop in the event of an emergency. I took the car immediately to a Honda dealership. Ultimately, Honda replaced by brake booster, which they noted was defective, but charged me for the repair because the time (but not mileage) had elapsed on my warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11442511

Nov 29, 2021Steering

Steering would "catch" at the centerline when attempting to steer straight. Extra force needed to overcome resistance which causes oversteering and vehicle veered into next lane. This issue has become progressively more dangerous until now the vehicle is unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ODI 11442021

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Working with the data? Download all 1,061 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 22, 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 2016 Honda Civic Type R verdict →