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 passengers airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Honda Civic airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2014 Honda Civic have filed 52 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 75,000 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
52
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 Civic | 89 |
| 2011 Civic | 46 |
| 2012 Civic | 134 |
| 2013 Civic | 101 |
| 2014 Civic (this page) | 52 |
| 2015 Civic | 54 |
| 2016 Civic | 24 |
| 2017 Civic | 20 |
| 2018 Civic | 18 |
18crashes
20injuries
What stands out
Owners have filed 52 airbags 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.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 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 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 - 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 passengers airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗DEALER MESSAGE - IF THE SRS WARNING LAMP IS ILLUMINATED AND A DTC 11-1X OR 11-2X OR A B0001-13 IS STORED IN THE SRS MAIN UNIT, REPLACE THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG MODULE.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2014 Civics with a complaint of the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor) light on with DTC 151-11 (Low Tire Pressure) stored. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - American Honda (AHM)is investigating certain 2014 Civics with a complaint of the TPMS light on. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The most common complaint is a persistent "Check Airbag System" warning light appearing at 45,000–100,000 miles. It flashes intermittently or stays on while driving city streets, highways, or even parked. Dealerships run diagnostics and typically point to driver-side airbag inflator resistance out of tolerance, cable reel defects, or failed airbag modules. Owners have had cable reels replaced at $379 or full airbag units swapped for $1,100–$2,000. The problem: the light comes back on days or weeks later. One owner reported the light returning the day after cable reel replacement at the dealership.
In separate, more serious incidents, owners describe actual collisions where front or side airbags simply did not deploy. These happened at speeds ranging from 25 mph to 60 mph, with structural damage severe enough to total the cars. Occupants struck steering wheels and dashboards; one owner reported compression fractures to the spine from undeployed airbag protection. A few narratives describe opposite problems—airbags deploying without a collision, such as from a pothole impact or unexpectedly during low-speed driving, causing injury.
Seat belt failures also appear: in at least one collision, the seat belt refused to lock while the airbags failed, leaving the occupant completely unprotected. Dealership diagnostics often find nothing wrong, and Honda's Goodwill program covers repairs once, then denies further assistance.
Same Honda Civic airbags reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag warning light—intermittent or persistent illumination
Check Airbag System light comes on intermittently or stays illuminated while driving, often starting at 45,000-80,000 miles. Dealers report diagnostic trouble codes related to driver-side airbag inflator resistance out of tolerance, cable reel issues, or airbag module defects. Light frequently returns after dealership resets or repairs.
When: 45,000–100,000 miles; intermittent at first, becoming more frequent over time
Symptoms owners cite: Check Airbag System warning light illuminates on dashboard; Light comes on and off intermittently or remains on continuously; Light persists during city driving, highway driving, and while vehicle is stationary; Light returns days or weeks after dealer diagnostic reset or cable reel replacement
Codes mentioned: B0001-13 (Permanent DTC Open Increased Resistance in Driver Air Bag First Inflator), B0050-13 (Permanent DTC Open Increased Resistance in Driver Seat Belt Buckle Switch), Codes 11-10 (Airbag Module), Codes 11-18 (Inflator)
Repairs/costs cited: Cable reel replacement: $379. Driver-side airbag inflator replacement: $1,100. Full airbag system replacement cited at ~$2,000. Goodwill repairs by Honda covering first instance then refusing further assistance. Dealership refuses coverage under warranty due to out-of-tolerance resistance condition not deemed manufacturing defect. One owner charged $1,343.99 for spiral cable and airbag inflator replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda Goodwill program offered one-time $100 customer contribution for cable reel replacement on second complaint, refusing further assistance. Other complaints show no manufacturer response or assistance. No formal recall issued in narratives.
Airbag non-deployment during collision
In multiple collision events—ranging from 25 mph low-speed crashes to high-speed 50–60 mph impacts with significant structural damage—front and/or side airbags failed to deploy. Victims struck steering wheel, dashboard, or lost protection intended by airbag design. Several occupants sustained injuries (compression fractures, head/chest trauma, lacerations) that occupants or medical professionals attributed to airbag failure.
When: Occurred during collision events at various mileages (18,500 to 200,000 miles). No specific pattern tied to age or mileage prior to failure.
Symptoms owners cite: Front driver-side airbag did not deploy in frontal collision; Passenger-side airbag deployed while driver-side did not (asymmetric deployment); Side airbags did not deploy in side-impact collision; Occupant hit steering wheel, dashboard, or suffered unprotected trauma on impact; Check Airbag System or Airbag Off warning light illuminated after collision
Codes mentioned: B0001-13 (Increased Resistance Driver Air Bag Inflator)
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs completed in any of these incidents. Vehicles totaled or towed. One incident (#29) involved airbag deployment with sharp contact causing jaw/throat laceration. Another (#6) involved unintended deployment from pothole striking tire, causing airbag to strike driver's arm and vehicle to crash into embankment.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturers notified in only a few cases; no assistance or investigation documented in narratives. Insurance companies and dealerships declined to investigate or address airbag failure.
Unintended or inadvertent airbag deployment
Driver-side airbag deployed during non-collision events. One narrative (#6) describes deployment triggered by passenger-side tire hitting a pothole while driving at normal speed, causing airbag to strike driver on right arm and vehicle to lose control and crash. Another narrative (#47) describes airbag exploding when car accelerated. Another (#35) describes airbag deploying on driver's face while driving 35 mph on back road with no collision.
When: Unspecified mileages; incidents occurred during normal driving conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployed without collision or driver action; Airbag struck driver, causing injury (cuts, bruises, jaw/throat laceration); Loss of vehicle control following deployment; Unintended acceleration preceding deployment
Repairs/costs cited: One instance repaired by insurance after incident (#35). Others resulted in vehicle totaling or emergency towing.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not made aware in most cases. No response documented.
Seat belt failure to retract or lock
Seat belt failed to lock or retract to secure occupant during collision or failed to retract during normal operation. In one incident, seat belt combined with airbag non-deployment to leave occupant unprotected.
When: Occurred during collision events at low mileage (10,100 miles noted in one case); unclear if pre-existing or collision-triggered.
Symptoms owners cite: Seat belt does not retract to secure occupant; Seat belt fails to lock during collision; Occupant not restrained during impact
Codes mentioned: B0050-13 (Permanent DTC Open Increased Resistance in Driver Seat Belt Buckle Switch)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer inspected and determined no issue with seat belts despite owner assertion of failure.
Synthesized from 52 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The car just sped out causing the airbag to explode. ...updated 01/07/15 *bf
Takata recall
Had airbags trouble with your 2014 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 airbags problem on the 2014 Honda Civic?
It's a meaningful issue. 52 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 26 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 28,820 and 87,620 miles, with the median around 75,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 28,820; a quarter make it past 87,620. 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 $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.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2014/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.