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The 2012 Honda Civic has 454 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2012 Honda Civic has 454 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 134 complaints, typically surfacing around 57,295 miles (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Civic | 395 | 8 |
| 2010 Civic | 396 | 8 |
| 2011 Civic | 168 | 9 |
| 2012 Civic (this page) | 454 | 3 |
| 2013 Civic | 315 | 0 |
| 2014 Civic | 290 | 2 |
| 2015 Civic | 377 | 1 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2012 Honda Civic 2 DR FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: airbags is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 57,295 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.4/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
Takata recall, the airbags turn off when going downhill on a street and highway when trying to use the brakes and while not using the brake. This happens when the car is in motion. This continues to occur and has happened more then once.
The vehicle seems to burn oil very fast even though it has been maintained properly throughout the years. I've had to fill up the oil 3 times between oil changes due to this issue and no leaks have been found after a thorough search.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Honda civic. While driving at speeds below 40 MPH and accelerating, the contact heard a grinding noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. No further information was available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to duplicate the…
The brakes drag each time the brakes are applied, this is a constant issue. It has been for sometime now. *js
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
The steering column may not have proper energy absorbing characteristics, which could increase the risk of injury during a vehicle crash.
If this occurs, the vehicle will have a loss of drive power and may roll away if the parking brake has not been set when the gear selector has been placed in the park position, increasing the risk of crash or pedestrian injury.
Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.4 out of 10 based on 454 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Honda Civic has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2012 Honda Civic is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Steering: 74 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 33,100–89,687 mi; Electrical system: 48 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 24,000–66,100 mi; Reliability score 6.4/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 134 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 57,295 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.4 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 454 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Typical failure occurs around 57,295 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 134 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 57,295 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 57,295 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 454 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.