HONDA: THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, POWER ON, BUT IN ACCESSORY; NEVER USE CONVENTIONAL WHEEL & TIRE ASSEMBLIES ON PAX VEHICLES; MIL ON AFTER THROTTLE BODY CLEANING OR REPLACEMENT; S/M FIX BRAKE SYSTEM BLEEDING, DIALOGUE FOR DVD SURROUND SOUND FROM FRONT SPEAKERS ONLY. VARIOUS MODELS AND MODEL YEARS.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Honda Civic brakes problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Honda Civic have filed 18 NHTSA complaints about the brakes, typically surfacing around 15,000 miles at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
18
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Civic | 32 |
| 2009 Civic | 43 |
| 2010 Civic | 81 |
| 2011 Civic | 23 |
| 2012 Civic (this page) | 18 |
| 2013 Civic | 14 |
| 2014 Civic | 3 |
| 2015 Civic | 3 |
| 2016 Civic | 47 |
5crashes
5injuries
What stands out
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 10 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes 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.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2012 Civic models describe two broad categories of brake trouble. First, sudden catastrophic failures: brake pedal goes soft, then travels to the floor with no stopping power—sometimes without warning lights. One owner lost all brakes on the highway and had to deploy the emergency brake; another's brakes locked solid and caused a 100+ foot skid into a vehicle ahead at 50 mph; a third experienced brake failure on a hill while stopped, rolling backward uncontrolled. Some failures involve the ABS or VSA modulator getting stuck, causing warning lights and loss of power steering alongside loss of braking.
Second, a pattern of rear brakes wearing out far faster than front brakes—typically reaching 0–2 mm wear while front pads still have 35% life remaining. This happens repeatedly: one owner replaced rear pads at 60k miles, then again at 80k. Another reports pads worn at an angle, suggesting caliper issues. One owner's caliper cracked at the mounting point after just 11,000 miles with no impact damage visible.
Dealers have declined to inspect some vehicles, blamed drivers for unrelated habits, refused warranty coverage, and reported brake pump parts on hard backorder with no availability forecast. Forum discussion suggests many junked Civics show front-end collision damage, raising the question of late-discovered brake defects.
Same Honda Civic brakes reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2013
Failure modes owners describe
ABS system failure—loss of braking or locked wheels
ABS activates unexpectedly or fails to function, resulting in locked wheels, loss of stopping power, or uncontrolled skidding. Owners report wheels locking mid-braking on dry pavement, brake pedal traveling to the floor, or ABS failing to pump during emergency stops.
When: 3,000 miles; 134,000 miles; 17,000 miles; incidents at 35–50 mph and highway speeds
Symptoms owners cite: Wheels lock; tires screaming during braking; Brake pedal travels to floor; Loss of stopping power without warning lights; ABS fails to engage during emergency stop; Sudden uncontrolled skidding
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of ABS system and brake pump; computer reset; independent mechanic diagnosed brake line leak (134k miles case, deemed total loss); Honda dealer replacement of brake modulator and brake pump on backorder
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or TSB mentioned; dealerships have declined inspection or blamed drivers; Honda refusing warranty coverage in some cases; brake pump noted on backorder with strong demand, suggesting possible design defect awareness
Brake pedal sponginess and loss of braking pressure
Brake pedal becomes spongy or soft, then loses all stopping power without warning lights. Pedal may travel to the floor. Issue occurs during normal city driving. Gradual recovery of braking pressure reported in one case.
When: Early in ownership (3 months, 60k miles); occurs during low-speed urban driving and at stoplights
Symptoms owners cite: Spongy brake pedal before failure; Pedal travels to floor; Complete loss of stopping power without warning; No brake warning light displayed; Strong burning smell in cabin; Gradual recovery to ~50% braking power
Repairs/costs cited: Brake line bleeding performed without resolution; rear brake replacement required; one case required new rear brakes to make vehicle driveable
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership blamed driver for riding emergency brake (unsubstantiated); manufacturer refusing warranty coverage; no warning lights functioned to alert driver
ABS/VSA modulator malfunction and electrical failure
ABS/VSA modulator becomes stuck, producing continuous humming or vibration, and triggering multiple dashboard warning lights (VSA, ABS, power steering, power braking). Control module leads disconnect internally.
When: 5 months into ownership (low-speed incident on driveway); incidents at highway speeds during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: VSA modulator gets stuck; Low-frequency hum or vibration from modulator; VSA, ABS, and power steering warning lights activate; All warning lights illuminate (charging, VSA, ABS, power steering, power braking); Loss of acceleration, power steering, and power braking on highway; Dash lights go dark
Repairs/costs cited: Battery disconnection required to stop modulator; vehicle loss of critical functions on highway; sealed ABS/VSA control module with rigid leads known to disconnect due to heat and vibration
Excessive and uneven rear brake pad wear
Rear brake pads wear at abnormally rapid rates, faster than front brakes. Pads wear to 0–2 mm while front pads remain at 7 mm or 35% life. This reverses normal wear pattern where front brakes wear faster than rear.
When: 60,000 miles (first replacement); 80,000 miles (second replacement within 20k miles); 17,000 miles; normal commuter use
Symptoms owners cite: Rear pads worn to 0–2% life while front pads still have 35% life; Accelerated rear pad wear every 20,000 miles; Pads worn at an angle (caliper-related); Grinding noise while braking
Repairs/costs cited: Rear brake pads, shim plates, and rotors replaced; dealer cost over $1,000 in one case; pads worn at angle suggesting caliper issue; resurfaced rotors
Brake caliper cracking
Front brake caliper cracks at the mounting point, causing uneven pad wear and potential wheel hub damage. No external impact damage observed.
When: After 11,000 miles of normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Brake caliper visibly cracked at mounting point; Pads worn at an angle; Wheel hub bent
Repairs/costs cited: Brake caliper replacement; wheel hub replacement; repair cost exceeded $1,000; dealer speculation about impact cause without evidence
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer unwilling to contact Honda area service manager; claimed impact damage without supporting evidence
Brake drag and sticking
Brakes drag or stick each time they are applied, a chronic issue occurring repeatedly over time.
When: Chronic condition during vehicle ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes drag with each application; Persistent, ongoing issue
Parking brake malfunction and inoperability
Parking brake control knob breaks off. Brake becomes stuck when engaged and cannot be released without inserting a tool. If brake is not engaged, there is no parking brake function.
When: During normal ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Parking brake knob broken off; Brake stuck when engaged; car will not move; Brake inoperative when disengaged; Difficulty moving car out of park on inclines; No warning lights for failure
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement part unavailable from Honda; independent service unable to order
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda states no replacement part is available
Complete brake failure during hold on hill in Drive
While stopped on a steep hill in Drive, brakes fail entirely when foot is removed from brake pedal. Car rolls backward uncontrolled. Turning vehicle off and back on restores brake function temporarily.
When: During normal operation on hill
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes fail when foot removed from pedal; Car rolls backward while in Drive with no brake function; Brake function returns after engine restart
Brake pulling and vehicle instability under braking
Vehicle pulls sharply to one side during braking, causing loss of directional control and collision with roadside obstacles.
When: At 40 mph during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle pulls hard to the left during braking; Hard brake pedal; Uncontrolled skid and loss of lane control; Vehicle slides toward roadside
Repairs/costs cited: Side airbags deployed; vehicle released to insurance company
Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
The brakes drag each time the brakes are applied, this is a constant issue. It has been for sometime now. *js
Had brakes trouble with your 2012 Honda Civic?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2012 Honda Civic?
It's a meaningful issue. 18 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most brakes failures cluster between 9,125 and 35,000 miles, with the median around 15,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 9,125; a quarter make it past 35,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes 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.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Honda/Civic.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.