Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
moderate Owners of the 2018 Honda Civic have filed 224 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 50,000 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 →
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Civic | 15 |
| 2015 Civic | 20 |
| 2016 Civic | 431 |
| 2017 Civic | 165 |
| 2018 Civic (this page) | 224 |
| 2019 Civic | 80 |
| 2020 Civic | 27 |
| 2021 Civic | 56 |
| 2022 Civic | 728 |
Of the 224 steering complaints filed for the 2018 Honda Civic, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
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.
Steering accounts for 37% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 12 categories tracked.
Among the 18 model years of Honda Civic in our records for steering problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
The unintended steering input reduces vehicle maneuverability and increases the risk of a crash.
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 Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2016-2018 Civics with a customer complaint of excessive vibration and/or noise due to a broken side engine mount. The vibration can be felt through the steering wheel or floor at idle. The noise can be described as clunking or banging. 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 2018 Honda Civic steering complaints center on a sticky or notchy power steering rack that kicks in after 20–40 minutes of driving or at highway speeds above 50 mph. Owners describe the wheel becoming unresponsive, forcing them to apply excessive force; once that resistance breaks, the wheel jerks and overcorrects violently, forcing constant left-right adjustments to stay in the lane. The problem worsens in warm weather and improves when cool. Some owners hear audible clicking or knocking. A few report complete power steering loss or a locked steering wheel making the vehicle nearly impossible to steer.
Multiple owners link their failures to NHTSA Recall 18V663000 (steering gearbox magnet dislodgement), issued September 2018, yet their VINs were not included despite showing identical symptoms. Dealerships confirm the problem and recommend steering rack replacement—quoted between $2,455 and $6,971—but refuse warranty coverage if the vehicle is out of warranty. Honda has offered partial cost assistance (50–75%) in a handful of cases and denied goodfaith assistance requests in others. One owner's son lost steering control entirely and crashed; his VIN also fell outside the recall.
A smaller group report heavy or seized steering wheels and multiple warning lights. One owner found rodent-chewed steering column wires (soy-based insulation attracted rodents). Another encountered dangerous activation of the Road Departure Mitigation system during a routine road transition. No dashboard warning lights precede any of these failures.
Same Honda Civic steering reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021
Electronic power steering becomes unresponsive or jerky, requiring excessive force to turn the wheel. Once the resistance is overcome, the steering overcorrects abruptly in the direction of input.
When: Typically after 20-40 minutes of driving or at highway speeds (50+ mph); worsens in warm weather or at higher temperatures; can occur at any mileage between 25,000 and 100,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel sticks or feels notchy, especially when centered or making small corrections; Excessive force required to turn wheel, followed by jerking or overcorrection; Vehicle drifts left and right, requiring constant steering adjustments; Audible clicking, clunking, or knocking sounds during steering input; Problem worsens with vehicle warm-up and higher speeds; Affects ability to maintain lane position
Repairs/costs cited: Steering rack replacement quoted at $2,455 to $6,971; dealer labor and parts combined. Owners report rack assembly failure as root cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 18V663000 issued Sept. 27, 2018 for power steering assist failure in 2018 Civic, but numerous owners report their VINs excluded despite identical symptoms. Some owners report dealerships confirming problem but refusing warranty repair if out of warranty; Honda has offered partial cost coverage (50-75%) in isolated cases; some goodfaith assistance requests denied.
Complete or near-complete loss of power steering functionality, making the steering wheel extremely heavy and difficult or impossible to turn. Related to magnet dislodgement inside the steering gearbox per recall documentation.
When: Can occur at any point during vehicle operation; one incident at 11,200 miles; another at 30,000 miles; some recur after previous repairs
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel becomes locked or seized; Steering wheel extremely heavy and unresponsive; Vehicle becomes difficult or impossible to steer; Multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously (ABS, brake system, electronic power steering, stability control); In one case, steering wheel jerked abnormally to one side when turning
Codes mentioned: Lost communication with steering angle sensor, Electronic power steering fault
Repairs/costs cited: Steering gearbox assembly replacement required; one owner quoted $3,587.85 for labor/parts combined; steering angle sensor calibration performed in one case without sustained resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 18V663000 issued for magnet dislodgement in steering gearbox; however, many owners report VINs not included despite matching symptoms. Manufacturer refused to cover repairs for out-of-warranty vehicles in several cases; one case documented that magnet may become dislodged but manufacturer would not open gearbox to inspect without owner paying full diagnostic cost.
Loss of communication between steering angle sensor and vehicle electronics, resulting in power steering malfunction or multiple warning lights without clear steering feedback.
When: Occurred at 31,879 miles in one documented case; can recur episodically
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple warning lights illuminate (ABS, brake, electronic power steering, stability control); Power steering loss or heavy steering wheel; Vehicle becomes difficult to steer
Codes mentioned: Lost communication with steering angle sensor
Repairs/costs cited: Steering angle sensor calibration performed; steering column wires replaced and wrapped with manufacturer-supplied tape in one case due to rodent chewing of soy-insulated wires.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer identified that steering column wires use soy-based insulation which can attract rodents; provided tape wrap solution for protection.
Soy-based insulation on steering column wires attracts rodents, which chew through the wiring, causing electrical faults and power steering malfunction.
When: Occurred at 31,879 miles in documented case; timing depends on rodent exposure
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously; Power steering failure; Steering wheel difficulty
Repairs/costs cited: Steering column wires replaced; wrapped with manufacturer-supplied protective tape.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer acknowledged soy-insulated wires attract rodents and provided wrap tape solution; however, this represents a material design flaw in a stock vehicle.
Steering wheel jerks or twitches involuntarily during turns or even while parked; may self-correct unexpectedly while driving.
When: Present from purchase or early ownership; can persist for years (one owner reported 3+ years); one case showed issue at 78,000 miles recurring after repair
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel jerks or shakes abnormally during turns; Steering wheel may twitch or jerk while vehicle is parked with engine running; Steering may self-correct unexpectedly; Jerking occurs when turning left or right
Repairs/costs cited: Entire steering system replaced in one documented case; issue recurred after two years of successful operation.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealership replaced entire steering system without identifying root cause; no recall applied in these cases despite NHTSA Campaign 18V663000 existing for similar issues.
Road Departure Mitigation system applies sudden, heavy steering input and braking in response to perceived lane departure that does not represent actual hazard, creating dangerous overcorrection.
When: Occurred during transition from single-lane to three-lane road with solid center divider
Symptoms owners cite: RDM system suddenly pulls steering wheel to the right with ~30 degree change in direction; Heavy braking applied unexpectedly; System activation at inappropriate time (road marking change vs. actual lane departure)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner's guide documents this behavior as designed function; however, system activated inappropriately and created safety hazard where none existed.
Synthesized from 224 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Car suddenly lost power steering and resulted in the car swerving and losing control causing the car to turn in opposite direction of travel. The car crashed into the wire guard rail on interstate 40. No waring lamps were on the dash at the time of incident. Allstate reported to me 4 recalls with the car.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that when attempting to make a right turn at approximately 25 -30 mph, the vehicle failed to successfully turn right. The vehicle continued in a forward motion until it crashed into a nearby sign. The air bag did not deploy. There were no injuries. Medical attention was received and confirmed that no injuries occurred. The sign was damaged.…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 224 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Across the 47 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 30,000 and 78,000 miles, with the median around 50,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 30,000; a quarter make it past 78,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
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.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover steering issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.