ServiceNews Article - When removing and installing a cable reel, you need to keep both the cable reel and the steering angle sensor in position. If you don't , the VSA indicator may come on along with one or more VSA DTCs. And when you run the Neutral Memorization Procedure in the i-HDS, it won't complete.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Honda Civic steering problems
severe Owners of the 2015 Honda Civic have filed 20 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 12,250 miles at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
20
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Civic | 4 |
| 2012 Civic | 74 |
| 2013 Civic | 37 |
| 2014 Civic | 15 |
| 2015 Civic (this page) | 20 |
| 2016 Civic | 431 |
| 2017 Civic | 165 |
| 2018 Civic | 224 |
| 2019 Civic | 80 |
4crashes
1fire
1injury
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering 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.
"DEALER MESSAGE - AMERICAN HONDA (AHM) IS INVESTIGATING CERTAIN 2012-2015 CIVICS WITH A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT OF EPS (ELECTRIC POWER- ASSISTED STEERING) LIGHT ON WITH/WITHOUT LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST AS WELL AS HAVING THE DTC 33-01 (LOWER FET STUCK ON), 33-02 (UPPER FET STUCK ON) AND/OR 33-06(LOWER FET STUCK ON) STORED. TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF THIS OCCURRENCE, AHM WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO YOU ATTEMPTING A REPAIR OF ANY KIND."
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗"ENGINEERING REQUEST - AMERICAN HONDA (AHM) IS INVESTIGATING CERTAIN 2012-2015 CIVICS WITH A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT OF EPS (ELECTRIC POWER-ASSISTED STEERING) LIGHT ON WITH/WITHOUT LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST AS WELL AS HAVING THE DTC 33-01 (LOWER FET STUCK ON), 33-02 (UPPER FET STUCK ON) AND/OR 33-06 (LOWER FET STUCK ON) STORED. TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF THIS OCCURRENCE, 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 2012-2015 CIVICS WITH A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT OF EPS (ELECTRIC POWER- ASSISTED STEERING) LIGHT ON WITH/WITHOUT LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST AS WELL AS HAVING THE DTC 33-01 (LOWER FET STUCK ON), 33-02 (UPPER FET STUCK ON) AND/OR 33-06 (LOWER FET STUCK ON) STORED. TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF THIS OCCURRENCE, 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
2015 Civic owners describe six distinct steering problems. First, the steering wheel's grip surface degrades and becomes sticky—a widespread issue Honda acknowledges but refuses to cover under warranty. Second, vehicles wander or pull hard to one side on highways despite multiple alignments and tire replacements; one owner reported curb strikes at 8,500 and 12,250 miles. Third, steering wheels lock up or become extremely difficult to turn; one incident at 7,000 miles involved violent swerving, brake failure, the vehicle rolling on its side, and a brush fire. Fourth, tie rods fracture without prior warning, causing sudden veering during braking—one failed at 12,000 miles. Fifth, power steering systems fail intermittently or completely; one owner's steering locked while backing up in the driveway, though it recovered after 20 minutes. Sixth, steering control computers malfunction, causing the wheel to turn opposite the driver's input. A cable reel fracture at 47,500 miles disabled the horn and airbag warning systems. Dealers have diagnosed these failures but Honda has issued no recall. Repair costs owners cite range from $450 to full steering column service at the dealer's discretion.
Same Honda Civic steering reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Steering wheel degradation (disintegration/gummy surface)
Steering wheel grip surface deteriorates, becoming sticky and unsafe to hold, rendering the wheel unsafe to grip during normal operation.
When: Throughout ownership period, reported on 2013-2015 model years
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel disintegrating; Gummy sticky surface; Unsafe hand grip
Repairs/costs cited: Honda refuses replacement under warranty expiration; owners report paying out-of-pocket to replace steering wheel. Online searches show multiple 9th-generation Civic owners have replaced these wheels at their own cost.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda stated they would only replace if NHTSA directed a recall; refused replacement due to warranty expiration despite acknowledging the issue is known.
Steering instability and wandering (highway pulling/veering)
Vehicle pulls or veers to one side, particularly at highway speeds, causing difficulty maintaining a straight path. Despite multiple alignments and tire replacements, the issue persists.
When: Ongoing from early ownership; reported at various mileages including 8,500 miles and 12,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle swerves or veers left and right on highway; Car pulls to the right when steering wheel released; Steering wheel wobbles; Difficulty keeping car straight at freeway speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Three alignments and three sets of tires did not resolve the issue. One owner reported $1,200 damage from curb strike at 8,500 miles due to rightward veer; another reported $725 in damage at 12,250 miles from similar event.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda corporate stated they cannot do anything; American Honda dismissed the case, stating they cannot identify any problems.
Steering wheel lock and loss of control
Steering wheel becomes locked or extremely difficult to turn, sometimes accompanied by brake failure, loss of power, and violent swerving.
When: At 7,000 miles; incident at 35 mph in parking garage at 47,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locked; Brake system failed (spongy pedal feel); Violent swerving left and right; Extremely difficult to turn steering wheel; Rumbling sound from steering wheel
Codes mentioned: Air bag warning light
Repairs/costs cited: One incident resulted in vehicle rolling onto its side and catching fire (brush fire of 25 acres). Another incident: cable reel fractured, interfering with steering controls; air bag warning light illuminated; horn and other wheel-mounted functions inoperable.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer diagnosed fractured cable reel; manufacturer made aware of failure. No recall issued.
Tie rod fracture
Tie rod fractures, causing sudden loss of steering control and veering during braking.
When: At 12,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden veering to right while attempting to stop; Loss of vehicle control; All warning lights illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: Tie rod replaced by independent mechanic. Vehicle crashed into pole but no injuries sustained; airbags did not deploy.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware of failure; no recall issued.
Power steering system failure
Power steering system loses function intermittently or completely, rendering steering wheel extremely difficult or impossible to turn.
When: At 9,000 miles; reported as intermittent failure (failed temporarily then returned to normal after 20 minutes)
Symptoms owners cite: CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM warning on dash; Steering wheel extremely difficult to turn; Steering suddenly fails while backing up
Codes mentioned: CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer quoted $450 for harness replacement. One owner reported power steering failure recovered on its own after 20 minutes but remains afraid to drive the vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall; Honda requires diagnosis and repair through dealer at owner expense.
Steering control module/computer malfunction
Steering control computer or software fails, causing steering response to be inverted (wheel goes opposite direction intended) or requiring complete computer replacement.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel goes opposite direction commanded; Steering computer failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer states steering wheel computer software and entire computer unit must be replaced, affecting steering alignment and response.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall; repair required through dealer.
Cable reel fracture in steering column
Cable reel inside steering column fractures, interfering with steering control and disabling steering wheel-mounted functions.
When: At 47,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Difficult to turn steering wheel requiring excessive force; Abnormal rumbling sound from steering wheel; Air bag warning light illuminated; Horn and other steering wheel functions inoperable
Codes mentioned: Air bag warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed fractured cable reel; vehicle not repaired at time of complaint.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware of failure; no recall issued.
Suspension and motor mount deterioration
Front suspension components fail, with motor mounts requiring replacement and axles requiring replacement, causing handling concerns.
When: Within first months of ownership (vehicle purchased with 0 miles, bought May 2015)
Symptoms owners cite: Suspension problems; Steering wheel jarring and rumbling when turning; Car jar around and rumble if turning steering wheel too much
Repairs/costs cited: Motor mounting replaced; axles replaced. Owner notes dealer avoids explaining the cause of failures.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No clear manufacturer response documented; dealer requested owner participate in test drives rather than providing diagnosis.
Synthesized from 20 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had steering trouble with your 2015 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 2015 Honda Civic?
It's a meaningful issue. 20 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 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 9,230 and 35,960 miles, with the median around 12,250. A quarter of owners report trouble before 9,230; a quarter make it past 35,960. 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/2015/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.