What 598 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Civic Cng

Ongoing issue with steering sticking near center of range when driving. This causes a constant need to oversteer in order to free it from sticking. The issue increases with speed, to that point that highway speeds require a constant level of slight swerving to correct course. Has been duplicated by independent mechanic and dealer. Dealer diagnosed "internally binding power steering rack" that requires replacement of power steering gear assembly. Parts are unavailable with no ETA. Independent mechanic (Honda specialist) says it's not the first case he's seen with these cars.

NHTSA ODI 11605932

The steering wheel is very “sticky” and “jerky”. The steering wheel will momentarily get stuck in its place until enough pressure is applied to unstick it, resulting in the car jerking constantly. It is especially noticeable at high speeds which is more dangerous. Online I see a lot of owners experiencing this exact same issue. I believe there needs to be a recall or extended warranty for the part responsible for the steering issue.

NHTSA ODI 11605752

The steering wheel sticks & resists movement when traveling at highway speeds. It is resistant to minor steering corrections away from or toward center. This results in a jerky ride and movement when keeping within my lane.

NHTSA ODI 11605211

Steering is sticking while correcting lanes on highway at high speed

NHTSA ODI 11603930

The steering rack is failing, which is confirmed by the Brandon Honda Service Department. The steering wheel sticks when in a left turn and the driver must push it back into a straight position to straighten out the car while driving. We are worried that it will not push back one day and cause problems while driving, which has prevented us from driving the car for longer distances. This problem started in April 2024. We know there is a recall for this part in Honda's, but my car does not fall under the recall because of the V.I.N. number. THIS PART IS ON BACK ORDER FOR MONTHS!

NHTSA ODI 11603539

The electric power steering is bad in this model vehicle. Once the car is warmed up, it begins to have a stick/jerky steering wheel. It is difficult to make minor adjustments while driving straight, as the wheel jerks one way or the other when there is a problem. There is a recall on the EPS on 2018 Honda Civics, however my VIN does not fall into the recall, and it should because it is a faulty part and is unsafe to drive. The sticky steering wheel will even show itself when in park. Steering should be smooth and this should not be an issue on a car with such low mileage. I have taken the vehicle to a certified Honda mechanic and they recommended replacing the EPS rack. This should not be an issue on a car this new.

NHTSA ODI 11603182

Over 40mph attempts to make subtle adjustments to maintain lane following, the steering seems to bind slightly. Extra pressure overcomes the resistance but overcorrects leading to weaving in and sometimes out of the lane. It seems more pronounced the longer the trip as if perhaps heat exacerbates the problem. This is dangerous and I am afraid of worsening.

NHTSA ODI 11601439

Steering sticks when driving, causes over correction, and unsafe driving. Purchased the car used with 41k miles on it and just thought it was misaligned, but new tires and alignment done and issue is still VERY present. Honda needs to recall all vehicles affected and make this right because a 4k repair bill for their issue is just insane!

NHTSA ODI 11601243

The electric power steering rack assembly is malfunctioning. The steering wheel becomes stuck while driving and high force is required to free the steering wheel to enable turning. This can repeat rapidly and can be very clearly heard with an audible knocking noise. This issue is most evident when driving on the highway and driving straight. Making small adjustments to stay within the driving lines is incredibly difficult, exhausting, and leads to unintended oversteering and swerving. This puts the driver and others at risk of death and/or injury. This issue occurs every time the vehicle is operated. This issue has been confirmed by a Honda dealership and there are no warning lamps to notify the user of this issue. This safety issue affects 10th generation Honda Civics and is widely known to owners of these vehicles. Honda recommends replacing the electric power steering rack assembly. Action is needed to ensure a recall of these vehicles and a safe solution is implemented. Failure to do so will likely result in more accidents, injury, and death associated with this safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11600488

There is an issue with the steering in my 2018 Honda Civic. The vehicle is available to be inspected as long as it won’t cost me anything. My steering wheel sticks after driving and the engine has a change to get warm. It seems to stick slight off center and I cannot drive straight or make the minute adjustments needed to maintain my lane. Once I go over 25 mph and the sticking begins I have to constantly over compensate to stay in my lane. This issue has made it nearly impossible to stay in my lane while driving, could cause a crash this putting myself, my child, and anyone on the road in danger. I have not been able to bring my car to a dealership to replicate the issue or to evaluate it because I can’t afford the cost of that. The car has not been inspected by any third party. There are no warning lights or messages.

NHTSA ODI 11598636

At higher speeds, the steering wheel sticks when trying to maintain in a lane. You have to apply a little extra pressure to get the steering wheel to unstick and this causes the vehicle to swerve.

NHTSA ODI 11597995

At highway speeds the steering sticks or hangs up. This car has an early version of electronically assisted steering and research shows Honda has recalled some models for this issue ... but not my VIN. That doesn't make sense. Honda tells me that recalls are based on manufacturing facility which doesn't make sense on a safety issue. So, when driving at highway speeds, the steering will stick, pulling to the left. I have to pull it back to the right to correct this. The result is that I am basically weaving down the road, appearing not to be able to hold my line. It is certainly a safety issue to the point that I won't let others drive the vehicle. I don't understand why Honda has repaired this issue on some vehicles but not all. I want there to be a record of this in case of the worst case scenario. The car has about 72,000 miles now and the problem started at about 55,000 miles. I have contacted Honda several times to no avail. They say there is no recourse through Honda.

NHTSA ODI 11596924

Steering is sticky or notchy, usually happens above 30mph, but varies, is not consistent. Happens in the middle of a curve and causes overcorrection. Has occured many times.

NHTSA ODI 11596465

After approximately 15 minutes of driving the steering becomes sticky. At highway speeds the steering does not self center. The slightest left/right movement will cause the vehicle to continue in that direction until driver input to counter the motion. Steering rack is making clicking/groaning noise when the steering wheel is turned more than 45 degrees either direction when the vehicle is sitting still. This has been an ongoing problem since approximately 2022.

NHTSA ODI 11594673

When driving highway speeds (50-70 MPH) the steering wheel feels "notched" between 11 and 1 positions. This will cause me to oversteer in making minor adjustments. The problem is more consistent in daytime traffic with the temperatures at the hottest. In morning commutes, the issue arises about 15 minutes into the commute. Looking at online forums there have been many instances of other drivers experiencing the same problem however most could not have the issue resolved due to licensed dealers not fixing the faulty device but instead saying this is a compliant design.

NHTSA ODI 11593374

Steering feels rough. When traveling down highway, resistance is felt when trying to make steering adjustments right or left. The pressure required to make adjustments causes the car to weave, as each adjustment right or left requires pressure to overcome resistance. I also have had steering bump against my input going around a corner. This is a dangerous defect and is well documented. Honda should recall these defective electronic steering units.

NHTSA ODI 11593223

The problem I have is with the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) rack on my 2018 Honda Civic Si. My safety is at risk because the EPS rack causes the steering wheel to stick at the 12-o clock position while driving in ambient temperatures above 60F. The vehicle is difficult to keep driving straight, and the sticking causes me to have to jerk the wheel from side to side to overcome the sticky spot. This is a common issue on 10th and 11th Gen Hondas and Acuras. My vehicle has not been inspected yet by Honda as they would charge me to diagnose the issue, or simply deny any problem exists. I am a shadetree/at-home mechanic who has determined this issue from my own research and mechanical knowledge. The symptoms first appeared 1 year ago during the summer after I bought the car.

NHTSA ODI 11593244

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Electronic Power Steering. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? You are not able to comfortably drive in a straight line with this component not working. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No Warning

NHTSA ODI 11593265

When merging over left to right my steering wheel seems to stick like a magnet is pulling it. I've taken it to 2 different shops and they say that "it's the electronic rack and pinion. Nothing to be fixed as this is normal." What I see here is a safety issue because when the steering wheel releases from the "magnet" it makes me feel like over correcting my turn because it pulls hard to whichever direction it's being pulled.

NHTSA ODI 11593057

Over the past few months, I have noticed the steering wheel "sticking" while driving. It occurs most frequently on trips longer than 30 minutes or on trips at highway speeds (55+ mph) for any amount of time. The steering sticks at the 12 position and requires extra force to move it to the 11 or 1 positions. This makes it difficult to make micro-adjustments when driving straight or on slightly curved roads without wrenching the steering wheel in a way that causes the car to swerve or move further than expected/needed. The problem has been reproduced by the dealership McGovern Honda in Boston. The dealership expects the problem to become worse. The manufacturer has not inspected the vehicle or component, nor have the police or insurance agents. There were and are no warning messages or errors. The problem first became noticeable in February/March 2024.

NHTSA ODI 11592335

While the wheel is centered and moving, primarily at highway speeds, the steering feels sticky in the sense where making slight corrections to the left or right causes over correction. While centered the wheel has a “hump” to overcome before steering input is registered at the wheels.

NHTSA ODI 11592336

Beginning about early February 2024, the steering of this vehicle became "sticky" at certain speeds. More specifically, above about 40 MPH the steering wheel will almost lock into place and resistance is felt when the driver attempts to turn the steering wheel in a different direction. Yes, I consent to an inspection by Honda or NHTSA representatives upon request. The described condition 1) can cause the driver to concentrate on the condition, and 2) can cause the driver to over-compensate when they turn the wheel from the sticky/stuck wheel position while driving. Yes, the condition was described to a local Honda dealer on February 11, 2024 (I have a copy of their report - which I have uploaded with this writing). While their diagnosis isn't shown on that report, the dealer verbally advised this writer that the problem I described was identified and the dealer provided me an estimate to replace a steering mechanism for a price of about $2,970. The dealer advised there was no recall on this vehicle for this problem. I later called Honda and was told the same thing. No, there were no warning lights or vehicle messages, or notifications from Honda, about this condition. As noted previously, the condition appeared about early February 2024.

NHTSA ODI 11591783

Car has rough steering inputs when making small corrections in a left only turn when traveling over 45 mph. The initial input to the left is smooth however when adjusting the wheel to the right to make a correction the wheel will get stuck and then have a jerk or rough correction which can cause large unwanted correction, especially at higher speeds. This issue is most likely the EPS failing in some way.

NHTSA ODI 11590595

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the steering wheel was twitching and jerking while turning in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack and pinion was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified to the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V663000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11590297

The steering is “sticky” in one area, particularly when trying to keep the car centered. I’m having to over correct to either side.

NHTSA ODI 11589786