Wheel bearing
2013 Honda Civic steering problems
severe 37 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
37
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
4crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 37 steering complaints filed for the 2013 Honda Civic, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 37 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Power steering failures in the 2013 Civic are real and serious—they can happen at any speed with no warning, and some owners have experienced multiple failures within the first few months. The simultaneous ABS, brake, and VSA warning lights point to a common modulator failure, parts are backordered indefinitely, and repairs cost upwards of $1,500 with no guarantee of a fix.
Steering failures dominate this complaint cluster. Owners describe power steering that cuts out mid-drive without warning—sometimes while pulling from a parking space, sometimes on the highway—leaving them fighting a stiff, unresponsive wheel. The "Check Power Steering" light comes on, steering assist vanishes, and a few minutes or a restart may bring it back temporarily. Some owners report the failure occurring twice in under 5,800 miles of ownership.
Multiple owners also report the steering wheel locking completely while driving, making the vehicle uncontrollable. One owner crashed and rolled the vehicle when the wheel locked on a gentle curve.
Equally troubling is the pattern of simultaneous warning lights: Check Power Steering, Check ABS, Check Brake, and Check VSA all illuminate together. Owners say this is traced to a failed VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) modulator, a component single-sourced from Honda with severe backorder issues—one owner waited months with no estimated arrival date. The VSA modulator runs roughly $1,500 for the part alone, and dealers quote labor on top.
Some owners report losing power steering, brakes, and engine power all at once while driving—the dashboard goes black, the engine shuts down, and systems sometimes return after restart but fail again intermittently.
One owner's dealership found factory wiring in the steering harness was improperly soldered; the wires eventually punctured through their insulation, causing electrical shorts. Despite repairs, failures persisted in some cases.
Diagnostic scans often return no fault codes, leaving shops baffled. Software updates and component replacements have not consistently resolved the issues.
Same Honda Civic steering reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Power Steering Failure—Intermittent Loss of Assist
Electronic power steering system loses assist mid-drive, making the steering wheel stiff and difficult to turn. The 'Check Power Steering' warning light illuminates. Assist sometimes returns after turning the vehicle off and back on, but failures recur unpredictably. Owners report this happening at slow speeds (pulling from parking spaces, low-speed turns) and highway speeds.
When: Reported from early ownership (under 4 months, <2,600 miles) through vehicle age of 10+ years. Multiple owners experienced failures within weeks of purchase; one owner had two failures within 14 months and 5,800 miles total.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel becomes stiff and heavy; Very difficult to turn the wheel; Loss of power assist, requiring manual steering effort; Check Power Steering warning light; Assist sometimes returns temporarily after restart; Failures occur without warning during normal driving
Codes mentioned: Check Power Steering System (warning light), Code 71-01 Motor Angle Sensor
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replacements cited: Electronic power steering control unit; power steering rack and pinion (replaced on one vehicle, failure recurred); rewiring and resoldering of factory-defective wiring connections in power steering harness. One owner mentioned the factory had not properly soldered wires together, and the wiring punctured through the skin, causing shorts.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle was under warranty in at least one case. Honda dealership processes involved diagnostic scans (some returned no fault codes), software updates, and component replacement. No recall mentioned by manufacturer in narratives.
VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) Module Failure
VSA module malfunctions, disabling the vehicle stability assist system. Multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously—Check ABS, Check Brake System, Check Power Steering, and Check VSA. Owners report the system failing intermittently or permanently after a certain mileage. One owner noted VSA module failure after hitting road debris; another owner was told VSA would fail completely at speeds above 30 mph. The VSA modulator is single-sourced from Honda and subject to lengthy backorders.
When: Reported from <1,000 miles to 80,000+ miles. One owner diagnosed March 18, 2023, with no part ETA as of July 16, 2023 (6th in line for delivery). Multiple owners cite 2012–2014 Civic and Accord models experiencing this trend.
Symptoms owners cite: Check VSA warning light illuminates; Simultaneous illumination of ABS, Brake, and Power Steering lights; Vehicle stability control becomes inoperable; Multiple warning lights come on at random intervals or remain on continuously; Lights may remain on most of the time after initial appearance
Codes mentioned: DTC 121-11 (VSA modulator defective), Check VSA System
Repairs/costs cited: VSA modulator replacement required ($1,500 on one quoted repair, labor not included). Part is single-sourced from Honda. Extreme backorder delays reported—one owner waited months with no ETA and multiple units on order in the dealer's region.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner noted that Thailand implemented a recall for VSA modulator and Honda agreed to it, but no equivalent recall issued in the USA. No manufacturer-initiated recall mentioned in any U.S. narratives.
Simultaneous Loss of Multiple Safety Systems (Power Steering, Brakes, Engine Power)
While driving, the vehicle loses power steering, brakes, and/or engine power simultaneously. The dashboard goes black, the engine shuts down, and steering becomes extremely stiff. In one case, loss of brakes occurred alongside steering loss. Owners manage to drift into open lanes and coast to a stop but report extreme fear. Systems sometimes return after restart, though functionality is erratic.
When: Reported at various speeds: 5 mph (reversing), 30 mph (low-speed turns and intersections), 72 mph (highway driving). One incident occurred during startup; another during a U-turn.
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard lights go completely black; Engine shuts off abruptly; Power steering becomes extremely stiff; Brakes fail to respond; Vehicle loses acceleration; Steering wheel may lock; Systems sometimes resume operation after restart
Codes mentioned: No fault codes returned by dealership diagnostic scans in reported cases
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership diagnostics in one case included battery and cable checks (reported OK), software update performed. No successful repairs reported for this failure pattern. Dealers could not replicate the issue during test drives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Software updates offered as a temporary measure. Dealerships unable to find root cause or replicate the failure.
Steering Wheel Lockup During Driving
Steering wheel suddenly becomes immobile or locks completely while the vehicle is moving. In one case, the wheel locked during a left turn at 30 mph; in another, it locked mid-turn on a gentle curve at 30 mph. Owners describe being unable to turn the wheel manually, even with maximum effort. One incident resulted in a rollover crash.
When: Reported during active driving at low speeds (30 mph). One incident resulted in a crash and rollover with five airbags deployed.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locks and becomes immovable; Unable to turn wheel despite significant physical effort; Vehicle veers uncontrollably in opposite direction of intended turn; Check Power Steering warning light may illuminate; Sudden loss of directional control
Codes mentioned: Check Power Steering System
Repairs/costs cited: No successful repairs documented in these narratives. One owner had a lockup that resulted in a crash with vehicle declared total loss.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented for lockup cases.
Wiring Short and Electrical Faults in Steering System
Factory wiring defects in the power steering electrical harness cause shorts and intermittent failures. One owner's dealership found that factory had not properly soldered wires together; the wiring then punctured through its protective skin, shorting out the power steering system. Another owner's diagnostic indicated a ground-to-body short causing simultaneous power steering and VSA light illumination.
When: Reported early in vehicle ownership; one case manifested within 6 days of purchase.
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering fails intermittently; Check Power Steering light illuminates; Wiring physically damaged or improperly soldered at factory; Simultaneous VSA and Power Steering warnings (ground-to-body short)
Codes mentioned: Ground-to-body short (indicated by code reader)
Repairs/costs cited: Factory wiring harness was re-wired and re-soldered by dealership. Damaged wires had to be replaced due to puncturing through protective insulation.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No preventive recall or TSB mentioned.
ABS Module/Control Module Failure
ABS control module or ABS modulator fails, triggering the ABS warning light and causing brakes to feel sloppy or unresponsive. In one case, owners report brake performance degradation alongside the ABS failure light. One owner noted that the ABS would fail completely above 30 mph.
When: Reported at various mileages and ownership periods.
Symptoms owners cite: ABS warning light illuminates; Brakes feel sloppy or soft; Reduced braking confidence; ABS system non-functional above certain speed
Codes mentioned: ABS system fault, Check ABS System
Repairs/costs cited: ABS control module replacement quoted at approximately $1,600 (labor not included in quote). Parts availability issues reported.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer recall or TSB mentioned in these narratives.
Abnormal Noise from Steering or Braking System
Owners report loud, abnormal noises emanating from the steering and/or braking system during steering inputs or braking, with the noise progressively worsening over time. One owner noticed the noise starting at just 1,000 miles.
When: Starting around 1,000 miles; noise progressively worsens.
Symptoms owners cite: Loud abnormal noise during steering wheel turns; Abnormal noise during braking; Progressive worsening of noise over time
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired in the narrative provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was made aware but no action documented.
Synthesized from 37 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
I was making a left hand u-turn in the city on main street when in the middle of my turn my dash lights turned off my brakes wouldn't work and I lost power steering and acceleration. It felt like the car turned off. Lucky there was nobody coming the other way because I was stopped in the middle of the road and could not accelerate. Once I was at a complete stop in the middle of oncoming traffic…
Had steering trouble with your 2013 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 steering problem on the 2013 Honda Civic?
It's a meaningful issue. 37 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 19 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 11,788 and 65,300 miles, with the median around 43,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 11,788; a quarter make it past 65,300. 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 $700 for steering 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 steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering 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/2013/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.