Crack in windshield 5 months after purchasing the car from dealer. Was told it was not covered under manufacture or extended warranty. Replaced, and one year later, replacement glass has crack. Replaced and two months later, glass cracks after hit with debris from freeway. Is this a design flaw in the design of the car? Does this fall into the "lemon law?"
2016 Honda Civic visibility problems
moderate 40 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $350 · see visibility across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
40
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
When does it fail?
Of the 40 visibility complaints filed for the 2016 Honda Civic, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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 40 visibility 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 visibility complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Driving into a small town at approximately 45 MPH sounded like a gunshot went off inside the car. The sunroof had exploded. No traffic was around. Nothing hit the roof. Only a small amount of glass fell into the car. It had blown outward leaving a hole in the middle with the edges sticking up. Drove directly to dealership about 15 minutes away where the car was purchased new 6 months…
Had visibility 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 visibility problem on the 2016 Honda Civic?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 40 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Across the 23 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most visibility failures cluster between 10,000 and 43,000 miles, with the median around 35,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 10,000; a quarter make it past 43,000. 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 $350 for visibility 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 visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility 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.