THIS COMMUNICATION IS INFORMING HONDA OF A DELAMINATION ISSUES WITHIN AN I.C. PRODUCED BY NXP AND ASSEMBLED INTO AIRBAG SENSOR SUPPLIED BY DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC. THIS DELAMINATION ISSUE MANIFESTS ITSELF AS AN OPEN CIRCUIT WITHIN THE SENSOR, CAUSING A DTC TO BE SET ON THE VEHICLE ALONG WITH A DECLARING AIRBAG LIGHT.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2016 Honda Civic airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2016 Honda Civic have filed 24 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 28,000 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
24
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Civic | 134 |
| 2013 Civic | 101 |
| 2014 Civic | 52 |
| 2015 Civic | 54 |
| 2016 Civic (this page) | 24 |
| 2017 Civic | 20 |
| 2018 Civic | 18 |
| 2019 Civic | 6 |
| 2020 Civic | 28 |
13crashes
1fire
10injuries
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 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.
THIS COMMUNICATION IS INFORMING HONDA OF A DELAMINATION ISSUES WITHIN AN I.C. PRODUCED BY NXP AND ASSEMBLED INTO AIRBAG SENSOR SUPPLIED BY DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC. THIS DELAMINATION ISSUE MANIFESTS ITSELF AS AN OPEN CIRCUIT WITHIN THE SENSOR, CAUSING A DTC TO BE SET ON THE VEHICLE ALONG WITH A DECLARING AIRBAG LIGHT.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗On Friday, January 29, 2016, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. notified NHTSA of a stop sale and safety recall for certain 2016 Civic vehicles due to potentially missing or mis-set piston pin snap rings that may cause engine stall or failure. Then on February 9, 2016, American Honda added additional VINs to the affected list. Any new or used units in dealer stock must be inspected and, if necessary, repaired per service bulletin 16-017, Safety Recall: Piston Pin Snap Ring once the parts, tools, and complete repair information are available. Refer to your eResponsibility report or VIN inquiry to determine which units in your inventory are affected by this safety recall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator Collection - This bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now complete.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report two distinct problem patterns: airbags that fail to fire during collisions, and airbags that deploy when there's no crash.
In crash scenarios, multiple owners describe total failure to deploy during rear-end collisions at speeds of 45–70 mph, head-on impacts, and front-end collisions at 10–35 mph. Some owners struck the steering wheel or windshield; one suffered a concussion and facial injuries. In one rear-end hit at 60 mph, the vehicle was extremely damaged but airbags never fired. In a head-on collision, one owner's front and passenger airbags deployed correctly, but the driver-side airbags did not.
Unwanted deployments happened in low-speed scenarios—one from a small parking curb after the driver parked, another from hitting a water-covered pothole at highway speed (no collision, just a tire blowout), another from going over railroad tracks. These unintended deployments injured owners and shattered windshields. One owner also reports all side and steering-wheel airbags firing simultaneously from the tire blowout alone.
Two owners cited pending Takata recalls: one recall promised for fall 2016 was not completed by January 2017, and another owner says the dealer claimed the recall was done but airbags still failed during a November 2017 collision. Some owners also report SRS warning lights illuminating while driving, including one at over 101,000 miles.
Same Honda Civic airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Airbags fail to deploy in impact events
Multiple owners report airbags that did not fire during collisions ranging from low-speed front impacts to high-speed rear-end collisions. In some cases, owners experienced head/face contact with steering wheels or windshields due to lack of deployment. No diagnostic codes or repair attempts documented by owners in most cases.
When: During collisions; mileage not consistently reported. One case at 20,000 miles (10 mph front impact), one at 13,000 miles (rear-end while stationary).
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment despite impact forces that should trigger them; Seatbelts also failed to restrain in some incidents; Owner head contact with steering wheel or windshield; Vehicles totaled or severely damaged
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers did not repair; vehicles were destroyed/totaled. No repair costs cited by owners.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in some cases; cases opened but no resolution reported. NHTSA complaint filed.
Airbags deploy without impact or warning
Multiple reports of driver and passenger airbags deploying when no collision occurred or impact was minimal. One owner deployed airbag while parking on a small curb; another deployed while driving over a water-covered bump; another while pulling into driveway; another while going over railroad tracks. Owner sustained injuries including facial trauma and concussion in at least one case.
When: Ranging from 33,256 miles (driveway deployment) to incidents at unknown mileage. Parking and low-speed scenarios most common.
Symptoms owners cite: Unexpected airbag deployment during parking or slow driving; Passenger-side airbag deployed shattering windshield; All side and steering wheel airbags deployed from tire blowout alone; No collision or impact to justify deployment; Owner facial injuries, headache, possible concussion
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported $1,000 deductible on insurance; dealer took vehicle but did not repair or diagnose failure. Some vehicles not taken to dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer case opened for one vehicle (33,256 miles) but no case number provided. No other manufacturer response documented.
Uneven airbag deployment in single collision
One owner reported that in a head-on collision, front and passenger-side airbags deployed but driver-side airbags did not. Another owner reported CR-V airbags deployed in rear-end collision but their Civic airbags did not, though the Civic sustained the impact.
When: During specific collision events; mileage not reported.
Symptoms owners cite: Asymmetrical deployment—some airbags fire, others do not in same impact event; Owner sustained injuries in both cases
Repairs/costs cited: Not documented.
SRS warning light illumination
Owners reported 'Check Airbag System' or SRS system warning lights coming on while driving. One case at 101,597 miles; another after about 2 minutes of driving. No diagnostic work or repair outcome described.
When: One case at 101,597 miles; timing on second case not precise.
Symptoms owners cite: SRS/airbag system warning message on instrument cluster; Light comes on during normal driving after short time period
Takata recall not completed or pending
Two owners reported concerns about pending Takata airbag recalls on their 2016 Civics. One owner stated recall was promised for fall 2016 but had not been completed by January 2017. Another owner said dealer claimed recall was done but airbags still failed to deploy in November 2017 collision.
When: January 2017 (recall overdue); November 2017 (collision after stated recall completion).
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notification received but not completed; Concern about defective Takata airbag sitting in steering wheel; Airbag failure even after dealer said recall was done
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Takata recall issued; completion status unclear.
Synthesized from 24 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Takata recall
Had airbags trouble with your 2016 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 2016 Honda Civic?
It's a meaningful issue. 24 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 15 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 13,000 and 59,000 miles, with the median around 28,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 13,000; a quarter make it past 59,000. 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 $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/2016/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.