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severe Owners of the 2011 Honda Civic have filed 46 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 Civic | 144 |
| 2008 Civic | 168 |
| 2009 Civic | 93 |
| 2010 Civic | 89 |
| 2011 Civic (this page) | 46 |
| 2012 Civic | 134 |
| 2013 Civic | 104 |
| 2014 Civic | 52 |
| 2015 Civic | 54 |
All 8 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
Airbags accounts for 27% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 12 categories tracked.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
In the event of a crash, an incorrectly installed passenger frontal air bag inflator may deploy the air bag improperly, increasing the risk of injury.
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator for 2010-12 Accord and Other Listed Years and Models (Expires September 30, 2028)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - American Honda is conducting an inspection of certain vehicles that have previously had the passenger's airbag inflator replaced as part of the Takata Passsenger's Airbag Inflator recall. If you completed the repair described by this service bulletin on or before May 10, 2019, make sure to use the Warranty Claim Information provided below.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The core issue is the Takata passenger-side airbag inflator recall that dragged on for years. Owners received recall notices in mid-2016 promising remedy parts by "late summer/fall 2016," but dealers couldn't access parts through 2017 and beyond. Many waited 6–12 months without resolution, forcing them to leave the front passenger seat empty to comply with Honda's safety advisory. No loaner vehicles were provided, and owners had no recourse when their calls went unanswered.
Beyond the recall delays, owners report catastrophic deployment failures. In crashes at 20–60 mph, driver and passenger airbags simply don't inflate, leaving occupants to strike steering wheels and dashboards. We see fractured sternums, broken ribs, spinal injuries, and concussions where the airbags should have protected them. One owner hit a parking lot light pole at 40 mph and the bags never deployed; another rear-ended a vehicle at 20–25 mph with the same result.
There's also the opposite problem: airbags deploying when they shouldn't. One owner's bags went off during a side impact (not frontal), fracturing ribs. Another's driver bag deployed spontaneously while parked with the engine off and key in the ignition, injuring a passenger. One case reported side curtain bags that opened but failed to inflate at all, offering zero protection.
Finally, owners report airbag warning lights staying on even after technicians attempt reset, suggesting unresolved sensor or electrical faults that no shop has fixed.
Same Honda Civic airbags reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2010 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014
The Takata passenger-side airbag inflator recall (16V346000 and related campaigns) left owners without available replacement parts for extended periods, sometimes 6–12 months or longer after receiving recall notices. Dealers were unable to order or access parts, leaving vehicles unsafe to use normally and owners unable to have passengers in the front seat.
When: 2016–2019, affecting model year 2011 Civic
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received but parts unavailable; Dealership unable to perform recall repair; Manufacturer advised against passenger occupancy until repair; Extended delays (months) between recall notice and remedy availability; No loaner vehicle provided during waiting period
Codes mentioned: 16V346000, 18V661000
Repairs/costs cited: Passenger-side airbag inflator replacement; parts consistently delayed or out of stock at dealership level
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall notifications (16V346000, 18V661000, 16-048) issued; remedy promised for 'late summer/fall 2016' but parts distribution was severely delayed; no loaner vehicle compensation offered in narratives
Driver-side airbags deployed without any collision or warning, sometimes while vehicle was parked with engine off or during routine window operation. One incident caused minor injury.
When: At approximately 140,000 miles; parked condition
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployed with no impact or warning lights; Vehicle parked, engine off, key in ignition; Occurred while passenger was rolling down window; Minor injury to passenger ear; No diagnosis or repair completed at dealership
Repairs/costs cited: Not diagnosed or repaired at dealer
In multiple frontal and near-frontal crashes at moderate to high speeds (20–60 mph), driver and/or passenger airbags did not deploy despite impact severity that caused serious injuries and vehicle totaling. Owners sustained broken ribs, sternum fractures, concussions, spinal injuries, and head trauma.
When: At various mileages ranging from 2,000 to 156,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment on frontal impact at 20–60 mph; Vehicle damage extensive or totaled; Occupants struck steering wheel, dashboard, windshield; Serious injuries including fractured sternum, ribs, spine, concussions; Airbag warning light sometimes illuminated post-crash
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles totaled or not repaired; crash-related investigation typically not completed
Front and door airbags deployed when vehicle was struck from the side or rear, not the front, causing unnecessary injury. Design intent was to deploy only on frontal impact.
When: During side and rear impacts; one incident at low mileage (~1,000 miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side front airbag deployed on rear or side impact; Curtain airbags deployed inappropriately; Rib fractures caused by airbag deployment alone; Deployment when vehicle stationary and struck from side
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed for investigation; no repair completion noted
Side curtain airbags deployed mechanically but failed to inflate with gas, leaving occupants unprotected. Owner's head struck window during the incident.
When: During controlled deployment event
Symptoms owners cite: Side airbags deployed but did not inflate; Airbag covers opened as cloth/curtain without pressurization; Occupant's head struck window; Loss of vehicle control reported during deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Not specified; incident documented with photos
Airbag warning light illuminated on dashboard, remaining on even after reset by repair shops, indicating unresolved sensor or system fault.
When: Various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on dashboard illuminated; Light remains on after reset; One case traced to faulty passenger seat pressure sensor; Owner concerns about whether system will operate safely
Repairs/costs cited: One case identified faulty pressure sensor; reset attempted but light returned in another case
Synthesized from 46 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Takata inflator. Honda sent recall notice one year ago but opportunity to repair/remedy is not yet available even though they proposed that it would be by 6-9 months. No incident has occurred.
Takata recall - my complaint is with the amount of time it is taking for parts to become available to repair a Honda civic I purchased for my daughter and her family. I received a letter in july 2016 indicating that the 'remedy parts needed to conduct passenger frontal airbag inflator recalls will become available in late summer/fall of 2016'. I also was advised I would receive another letter…
The contact owned a 2011 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while attempting to park in a parking lot, he was blinded by the sun and collided with the circular concrete base of a parking lot light on private property. The contact mentioned that the engine was revving high. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact was rendered unconscious by the impact. The contact sustained a…
The air bag warning light keeps coming on even after repair shop reset it. We are very worried about it's ability to operate correctly without injuring us !
I was informed of an airbag recall in july 2016 and was told parts needed would become available in late summer/fall of 2016. It has been 5 months and still no communication from manufacturer and no repair has been made.
I was involved in a crash friday, 12/2 and neither my airbag or seat belt did what they were supposed to do. I accidentally rear-ended someone on the highway in moderate traffic going approximately 20-25 MPH, and my airbag did not deploy, and my seat belt did not lock, which LED to me hitting my head on the steering wheel.
Car lost control on the road and moved outside of the road when the side air bags got deployed. When they got deployed the air bags did not inflate. This has caused the head to be hit on the windows of the car pretty hard. How could it happen that the air bags god deployed but no air got inflated into the airbags. They just fell as if a cloth \ curtain was coming out without inflating. Attached…
On August 9 while grandson was in route on I20 toward Birmingham, Al. to attend grandparent funeral, driver air bag exploded. He struggled to take a close next exit. He pulled car to side of road and ran away from car. He said it was full of smoke and small pieces. He feared the car was going to catch fire. His phone was dead and there was nothing off the exit so after smoke cleared and he felt…
It's a meaningful issue. 46 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 8 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.