Service Bulletin - Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient sealant adhesion on inspection cover.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2019 Honda Civic engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2019 Honda Civic have filed 14 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Civic | 12 |
| 2016 Civic | 55 |
| 2017 Civic | 33 |
| 2018 Civic | 28 |
| 2019 Civic (this page) | 14 |
| 2020 Civic | 6 |
| 2021 Civic | 4 |
| 2022 Civic | 6 |
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine 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 2019-2022 Civic & CR-V 1.5Ts with customer complaint of oil leak from the timing chain case cover. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2019-2022 Civic & CR-V 1.5Ts with customer complaint of oil leak from the timing chain case cover. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - American Honda (AHM) is investigating certain 2019-2022 Civic & CR-V 1.5Ts with customer complaint of oil leak from the timing chain case cover. To fully understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Owner Notification Letter - Our records indicate that a PRODUCT UPDATE has not been completed on this vehicle (Vehicle Identification Number XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX). On your 2019 Civic, the powertrain control module (PCM) may have a software issue that misinterprets sensor inputs as a Fuel Level Sensor (Fuel Gauge Sending unit) issue and turns on the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), and stores a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0461 - Fuel Level Sensor Circuit Range/Performance. As a result, your vehicle may be equipped with an improperly functioning on-board emission-related diagnostic system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners document engine problems across multiple failure patterns. Limp-mode activation with check engine lights happens at highway speeds, sometimes after contaminated-fuel recalls fail to stick. Low-mileage emissions warnings (under 600 miles) and throttle unresponsiveness put drivers in unsafe situations—one owner's pedal quit mid-turn into traffic and again on the freeway, with dealers unable or unwilling to diagnose it.
A widespread complaint involves water entering the hood scoop and pooling on the 4th cylinder, rusting spark plugs and coils—owners across multiple locations report this as a design flaw Honda knows about but will not address. Engine oil gets diluted when gasoline bleeds into it, causing smell and drivability loss; one owner reported the vehicle slowing to 8 mph on the highway.
Several owners cite post-recall problems: check engine lights and fuel odors persist or recur after recall work, requiring multiple dealer visits. One owner found engine cylinders flooded with coolant after a repair attempt, leading to highway stalling. Another reports water appearing in spark plug holes repeatedly due to soy-based wiring that rats have destroyed twice in two years. A low-mileage AC condenser leak was denied under warranty despite Honda's prior settlement on the same defect.
Same Honda Civic engine reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Contaminated fuel triggering limp mode
Vehicle enters limp mode with check engine light on, loss of power and jerking at various speeds. Dealer diagnosed contaminated fuel and drained system, but failure recurred shortly after.
When: 29,000 miles; occurred after fuel system recall repair (NHTSA 20V314000) in July 2020
Symptoms owners cite: jerking; loss of motive power; limp mode activation; check engine warning light; failure to accelerate
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel system drained at AutoNation Honda (Valencia, CA); failure recurred
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 20V314000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) performed prior to failure
Recurring check engine light and fuel odor after recall repair
Vehicle returned with persistent fuel smell and check engine light after NHTSA Recall 23V-858 repair. Light cleared temporarily on second visit, then returned. Vehicle required three dealership visits to address the same recall issue.
When: Failure occurred days after recall repair completion
Symptoms owners cite: strong fuel odor inside vehicle; check engine light on and off (recurring)
Repairs/costs cited: Repaired at Honda North (Danvers, MA) on 6/5/25 and 6/11/25; required multiple visits
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 23V-858 repair performed but did not resolve issue permanently
Condenser leak from impact damage
AC condenser developed leak at low mileage on brand-new vehicle. Dealership attributed it to impact from small pebble. Honda denied warranty coverage despite prior class action settlement (2012) on CRV and other models that included protective metal screen installation.
When: 4,862 miles on new vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: refrigerant leak from condenser
Repairs/costs cited: Repair cost approximately $1,000; dealership reported seeing 5+ similar repairs per week
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty denied. Owner notes Honda settled $40 million class action in 2012 for same issue on CRV, which included agreement to install protective screen
Engine cylinders flooded with coolant
Engine flooded with coolant causing engine failure. Vehicle stalled on highway day after leaving dealership from attempted repair. Entire AC system replaced; also reports valve failure. Dashboard shows all systems failure warnings since 30 days after purchase.
When: Since 5,000 miles; continuous issues from November 2019 purchase; stalled after repair on highway
Symptoms owners cite: engine stall on highway; cylinders flooded with coolant; engine not working; dashboard all systems failure warnings; heater not working
Repairs/costs cited: AC system completely replaced; valve failure mentioned but details unclear to owner; vehicle out of service from Feb 23 onward
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda corporate directed owner to pursue lemon law complaint
Sputtering with check engine and emissions warning lights at low mileage
Vehicle sputtered and illuminated check engine and emissions warning lights at very low mileage. Owner reported mild headaches. Dealer deemed vehicle safe to drive but ordered emissions part without performing repair.
When: 521 miles
Symptoms owners cite: sputtering; check engine light; emissions warning indicator
Repairs/costs cited: Emissions part ordered but repair not completed; part type not specified
Emissions failure warning light at startup
Check engine warning light illuminated indicating emission failure immediately upon attempting to drive. Light recurred after multiple engine restart attempts.
When: 450 miles
Symptoms owners cite: check engine warning indicator; emission failure indication
Unresponsive gas pedal at low speed and highway
Gas pedal became unresponsive in two separate incidents: first while entering convenience store driveway (vehicle rolled backward into traffic), second on freeway. Dealer inspection after first incident found nothing wrong and suggested trading in vehicle.
When: Two incidents approximately 2 weeks apart
Symptoms owners cite: gas pedal unresponsive; vehicle unable to accelerate
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer found nothing wrong; suggested trade-in instead of repair
Water in spark plug cylinders from hood scoop design flaw
Water enters from hood scoop and drips onto 4th cylinder, causing spark plug and coil rust and check engine light. Multiple owners report same issue globally. Dealer blamed car washing but owner research found it's a design flaw unrelated to washing. Honda aware but will not fix.
When: Multiple reports; one owner charged for repair by Chapman Honda (Tucson, AZ)
Symptoms owners cite: water in spark plug cylinders; rusted spark plugs and coils; check engine light; engine performance issues
Repairs/costs cited: Charged for repair incorrectly attributed to car washing; owners report cost burden for design flaw issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda aware of issue but refusing to fix; not treating as known defect
Oil dilution from gasoline mixing into oil
Gasoline mixes with engine oil, creating strong gasoline smell inside and outside vehicle. Oil viscosity diluted by fuel contamination. One owner reports this caused vehicle to slow to 8 mph on highway.
When: After short drives; not specified at what mileage
Symptoms owners cite: strong gasoline smell inside and outside vehicle; gasoline mixing with oil; oil dilution; vehicle slowing to 8 mph on highway; gasoline vapors in cabin
Repairs/costs cited: Oil smells like gasoline
Soy-based engine wiring eaten by rodents
Engine wire harness bitten by rats twice within two years. Owner alleges Honda uses soy-based wires that attract rodents but does not inform customers of this material composition or susceptibility.
When: Two incidents within two-year period
Symptoms owners cite: engine wire harness damage from rodent chewing
Repairs/costs cited: Wire harness damaged twice requiring replacement
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had engine trouble with your 2019 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 engine problem on the 2019 Honda Civic?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 14 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 14 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 13,492 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine 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 engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine 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/2019/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.