2021 HONDA Civic

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
ℹ️Average Safety Profile

This 2021 model shows average reliability, primarily driven by 3 recalls affecting the service brakes, hydraulic system.

Key Factor:service brakes, hydraulic recalls

πŸ“‹Why This Matters

Brake and steering systems are the foundation of vehicle control. Issues in these areas directly influence insurance risk assessments.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:critical safety systems
πŸ“Š

Expert Analysis

  • πŸ“ˆ
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • ⚠️
    Primary Risk Area:Warning
  • βš–οΈ
    Vs Brand: Worse than avg (0.3)
    πŸ“
    Summary:

Safety & Reliability Score

66/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-24
Complaint Impact-5
Investigation Impact-5

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2021 HONDA Civic

Engine2.0L / 1.5L Turbo
Cylinders4
Drive TypeFWD
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassSedan / Hatchback
Model Year2021
MakeHONDA

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more β†’
Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jun22
ISSUEFirst Report
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Jan24
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

28 complaints (28% of total)
➑️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
βœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 100 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
6(6%)
🟑Medium
19(19%)
🟒Low
75(75%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

βš™οΈEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 20k-40k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 37,730 miles.

πŸ“Š Mileage data extracted from 11 of 100 complaints (11% coverage)
0-20k
3 reports (27%)
20k-40k
4 reports (36%)
40k-60k
2 reports (18%)
60k-80k
1 reports (9%)
80k-100k
1 reports (9%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

πŸ› οΈ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICAIR BAGSFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Official Safety Recalls (3)

Campaign: 23V458000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.

Consequence

Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 24V064000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

Consequence

An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Campaign: 23V858000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence

Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

NHTSA Investigations

1 investigation

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2021 Civic.

INV-2021-1000🟒 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Civic performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 6,215

Consumer Complaints

100 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 Civic.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning28%
Jerk11%
Accident10%
Stuck6%
Steering/SuspensionπŸ”΅ Low
STEERING

I drive on the highway everyday to get to work and my steering makes it impossible to drive in a straight line it takes every bit of effort to remain in my lane and when I make a slight adjustment it reacts too much. It is unpredictable and it becomes obvious to drivers around me and makes me look like a bad/crazy driver. It becomes so overwhelming to drive to and from work that I don't want my car anymore. Please investigate this. It is a big safety issue for me and the people on the road. I pray something is done about this problem that me and so many other civic owners are experiencing.

BrakesπŸ”΅ Low
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

Nov 9th, 3:00pm, Fruitridge Rd 35 mph, driving with foot on the gas The safety brake feature overrode my ability to drive by forcefully coming to a complete stop while flashing 'brake' messege appeared on dashboard. No car, item or person was in front of me. The car behind me (who was also going around 35 mph) almost hit me and drove off angrily.

Body/InteriorπŸ”΅ Low
SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I have been calling my local dealership for over a year trying to get my car fixed due to the recall and the dealership keeps saying they do not have the parts and will call when they do.

Safety SystemsπŸ”΅ Low
AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

ElectricalπŸ”΅ Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The infotainment system in these vehicles is poor when using the navigation. Having the phone connected via wire will cause the phone and infotainment system to malfunction constantly causing restarts and making the mobile device extremely hot too the touch. The android auto function in the car loses connection and begins to cause the arrow marker to jump around on the map causing confusion, turn directions down wrong roads causing drivers to enter areas of no thruway due to a business being there. Researched this for 2 years and there is no current fix from HONDA other owners through REDDIT have the same issue and have been told by HONDA that nothing can be done to fix the hardware system.

Steering/SuspensionπŸ”΅ Low
STEERING

When I’m turning, the steering wheel gets sticky/stuck in place. Whenever it unlocks, it’s usually a very jerky movement:

ElectricalπŸ”΅ Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

A recent Electric Power Steering (EPS) failure on my 2021 Honda Civic that resulted in a repair of the entire steering rack. I took my vehicle to Vandedrgriff dealership for routine maintenance, including tire replacement, alignment, oil change, and a multi-point inspection. The car passed all checks and was deemed safe to drive. However, immediately after leaving, the steering became sticky and difficult to control on the freeway β€” a serious safety risk. Upon returning the next day, I was informed of an internal EPS failure, with a repair estimate exceeding $4,584.30. I later discovered this failure involves a part number tied to a known Honda recall. Although my VIN is not currently part of the recall, the symptoms and overall failed part match exactly. The failure occurred immediately after authorized dealership service without warning. The EPS unit is associated with a known defect. The failure occurred just outside the 3-year warranty and before its time. An EPS is guranteed good over 100,00 miles. The issue created a dangerous situation on the road. Honda America Corporate has inspected the vehicle and refused to cover the repair because I am right outside of my warranty. I am a loyal Honda customer and trust in Honda's commitment for safety and customer satisfaction.

Steering/SuspensionπŸ”΅ Low
STEERING

While driving at interstate speeds and turning left into a curve the steering wheel sticks and you have to forcibly pull it back to drive straight jerking the vehicle dangerously. Possibly a known steering rack issue.

Steering/SuspensionπŸ”΅ Low
STEERING

At higher speeds the steering wheel sticks, this make making minor corrections to stay within the lane difficult, subsequently causing the vehicle to swerve while making these adjustments.

Steering/SuspensionπŸ”΅ Low
STEERING

The component that has failed is my electric power steering motor. Yes, it is available for inspection upon request. While driving, the steering wheel should turn in a fluid motion, without requiring much force to turn the wheel. When i turn my wheel, it sometimes will get stuck mid turning. Another time when this happens is when i am driving in a straight line. Making the micro adjustments to stay straight in between the lines. The steering wheel will catch, and i will have to exert additional force to get the wheel unstuck. Obviously, this has caused safety issues, as sometimes the strength to overcome the wheel being stuck will cause me to oversteer. This has also been found to be a problem on some 2022 and 2023 year Civics. There is already a recall for this problem, but not for my year civic. It does greatly lower my safety while driving, when i should never be uncomfortable in my own car. The problem has been confirmed by my own mechanic, and by Honda. It has been inspected by my own mechanic as well. There were no indications on the dash to warn me the motor was going to fault. I do not remember the exact date it happened, but sometime last week when i took my car in to have the CV joints replaced. The problem has steadily gotten worse since then.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2021 HONDA Civic?

Yes, the 2021 HONDA Civic has 3 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP.

Is the 2021 HONDA Civic safe to drive?

The 2021 HONDA Civic has 3 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2021 HONDA Civic has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local HONDA dealer.

πŸ“ŠYear-over-Year Context

➑️Stable Pattern

Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Service brakes, hydraulic

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

βœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm service brakes, hydraulic recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

πŸ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all service brakes, hydraulic recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:23V458000
2

Air bags

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

βœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm air bags recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

πŸ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all air bags recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:24V064000
3

Fuel system, gasoline

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

βœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm fuel system, gasoline recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

πŸ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all fuel system, gasoline recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:23V858000
πŸ’‘Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your HONDA dealer to verify recall completion status.

🧭What This Means for You

This analysis is particularly important for drivers who navigate steep terrain, tow regularly, or drive in frequent rain or snow.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

πŸ”‘

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 3 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your HONDA dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyβ€”recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
πŸ›’

If You're Buying Used

  • Request documentation proving all recalls were addressed before finalizing purchase.
  • Factor potential recall-related service time into your ownership cost estimates.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.