NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Honda Civic. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Hatch leaks and center console plugs are incorrect and cause a fire hazard
My local Honda dealer's service department inspected the vehicle after I complained about this ongoing steering issue: steering wheel randomly "sticks" when I turn it either to the right or left, by "degrees" or attempt to round a corner, at very low speed or at highway speeds, and even in reverse when parking. When this occurs, an audible clicking sound is produced that can be heard both in the car and when standing outside beside it. Honda Service was able to reproduce the problem and confirmed it. No warning messages or alarms are generated; no Lane Departure Warning or Lane Keeping Assistance messages are shown. This feels like resistance, a rigidity that might occur were the Lane Keeping Assistance function to stick. The driver reaction to try to "over" compensate wheel-turning to correct the rigid steering direction when the incidences are random is the dangerous circumstance I am trying to avoid. Anything random at high speed or in heavy traffic is extremely dangerous.
Car bought at 405 mph gas ⛽️ filled. Subsequently this mph gas started reducing from 405 to 395 to 390 to 380 to 375 and now it is on 367. Thus, the description of this vehicle with a full tank of 400 plus is false and wrong. Got pictures of some of these changes.
My car is afflicted by a common steering issue experienced by other owners of 22-23 model year civics. The steering becomes “sticky” or “notchy” often at highways speeds. It is most noticeable when making small steering adjustments to stay in center of lane, and it takes more effort than normal which causes over correction and difficulty staying centered. It creates a more stressful drive in heavy traffic and creates a higher rate of driver fatigue on longer drives. On a long night drive, I have experienced enough fatigue from trying to maintain center of lane that I’ve needed to pullover and rest frequently. I have described the issue to one dealership but the problem is intermittent and they have not yet observed it or done more than a basic inspection. However, there is a wealth of anecdotal data online in owners forums of people who are experiencing this, with varying levels of success with getting their dealerships attention and meaningful action or resolution. Honda has released a service bulletin (23-037) which matches my issue, however people are now reporting that the issue continues even after getting a replacement EPS gear box. Therefore it is my opinion that this should be escalated to a recall, and that Honda take more action to resolve this known issue before it results in accidents (particularly through driver fatigue or inability to maintain center of lane accurately). I have also started to notice noise from my steering system when stopped or at low speeds, which makes me worry that the steering issue is worsening over time and will become an even more significant safety issue just outside of warranty (I’m only at 22,000 miles currently).
I was getting on the interstate when all of a sudden the collision mitigation assist and lane keeping assist pop up on my dashboard. It was a very scary moment.
While driving at any speed and sometimes when stopped the steering wheel jerks and shutters and is resistant to correction when diving with the lane assist off. It is more noticeable when driving at speeds over 45 mph/ It feels like the steering wheel is sticking. There is also a slight knocking sound that I recently noticed that accompanies the steering wheel “twitch”. It is very disruptive to my driving experience. This happens every time I drive and started around the 1500 mile mark on my vehicle.
The rear hatch of the vehicle is leaking draining into the trunk area. The carpet is wet and upon lifting the carpet the spare tire well is flooded with water
I purchased the 2023 Honda Civic Sport as a certified pre-owned vehicle from Key Honda in Rutland, VT. Shortly after purchasing the vehicle I began noticing what I would classify as sticky steering when driving down roads above 35mph or so AND when the ambient air temperature was 40 degrees fahrenheit or colder. The steering requires more effort from the driver to break it free from the stuck position, and it occurs after traveling straight for a period of time. This is definitely a safety risk as overcorrection could cause an accident or could cause the vehicle to leave the roadway. I have brought the vehicle to Key Honda in Rutland VT for diagnostics and they informed me some newer Honda Civic vehicles do have defective power steering boxes or defective steering racks, but according to Honda my vehicle is not considered to be one of the vehicles with the known defective steering components. I respectfully disagree and urge you to press Honda to expand the list of Honda vehicles that are included in this recall bulletin. Thank you.
The steering wheel feels funny and weird, sometimes stuck and wandering. the car doesn't feel secure driving with this problem. I took it to Honda Dealer service but they said there are no recalls for this car and my car has 20K only.
When going straight for a period of time down the road at speeds above 40mph or so, and the needing to make a slight right or left adjustment to the steering, it feels as though steering sticks momentarily and requires more effort to make a steering adjustment. This is scary and not right. So far, the Honda dealership where I purchased the vehicle as a certified pre-owned car has said there is nothing wrong with the steering. This definitely seems like a safety issue and something Honda needs to issue a recall for. I don't feel the car is safe for my wife to drive or for my kids to ride in.
This was a single car incident (no other cars involved). The car was going on the 270 degree curved onramp to enter the highway. Lane Keep assist (LKAS) came on at or near the end of the onramp which caused the vehicle to head from the inside part of the lane/curve towards the left side of the onramp lane/curve and toward the left side retaining wall. Driver attempted to course correct but steering was not responsive in time and the car hit the left side wall completely disabling steering. The car came off the left wall and went across the onramp lane and struck the right side retaining wall before coming to a stop. Airbags did not deploy. Seatbelt may not have locked/tightened at impact with the wall either. LKAS initiated the move into the wall, the steering was stuck/non-responsive or perhaps slow to take driver input. Multiple previous reports to the dealer about steering being problematic were each unable to confirm a problem and this vehicle was not considered part of the existing potentially related recall. The LKAS is believed to have engaged with flashing warning just before crash. After the crash, the driver seatbelt "red X" shows on display, a LKAS error shows on display, and a supplemental restraint system error shows on the display.
There is a recall on other similar vehicles but my VIN isn’t showing as one with a recall. However, I am also experiencing “sticking” while steering. Brought the car to the dealership and received conflicting information. We were told that the tech was able to replicate the issue we stated when he test drove the car. Dealer ordered the part, which appears to be just a bolt that they stated was back ordered for 3 weeks. This was the second time we brought the car. The first time, they supposedly just took a photo of the part number to see if it was part of the recall or not and never inspected the vehicle thoroughly. We are concerned that the dealership is not doing their due diligence to ensure our safety. AJ, the service rep from Honda West said he can’t really confirm whether it’s safe to drive the car or not when I asked him what we should do until the part arrives. Then when I asked about a possible rental car because I feel unsafe driving the vehicle, he said that Honda doesn’t consider this a safety issue so they can’t provide us with a loaner or rental car, but continued to ask us if we wanted to leave the car (for 3 weeks). We are concerned that not all vehicle part numbers related to the EOS issue have been identified to be included in the recall. Hoping for some assistance.
On January 23, I first noticed a severe alignment problem, as the car felt unstable and was veering in one direction. I took the vehicle to Mavis Tire Shop, where an alignment was performed. Initially, the car felt fine, but the same issue reoccurred on February 6. I then took the vehicle to DCH Paramus Honda for a recall inspection and explained the alignment problem, mentioning my prior visit to Mavis. They informed me that Mavis did not perform the alignment correctly but assured me that everything was fixed. However, the alignment issue returned, and I brought the car back to DCH Paramus on March 12. Despite my frustration and concern, they performed another alignment and multi-point inspection at no charge. Yet, they inaccurately documented that the issue might be due to my driving habits and tints, which is not true. I don’t drive at night, nor do I drive recklessly or through potholes. On March 26, the alignment issue led to a minor accident. I attempted to stop near the highway divider as I felt the car veering uncontrollably, which caused damage to the side skirt. I had it repaired at an auto shop as I need the car for my daily 50-mile commute. On April 16, I spoke to a Honda representative and explained my ongoing safety concerns. Despite my detailed explanation, the representative's response made me feel undervalued as a customer. I was told I would be assigned a case manager, but as of today, May 27, I have not received any follow-up communication. This lack of response leads me to believe Honda is waiting for my warranty to expire, which is unacceptable.
Experienced sticky steering while driving down highway. Felt resistance in the steering wheel when trying to make a minor correction. It required additional steering effort to overcome the resistance.
The vehicle has “sticky steering” at highway speeds. The steering wheel seems to get stuck on something and doesn’t move very smoothly. While it is manageable, it is a known issue that I’m not entirely sure Honda is addressing. I’d mentioned it to the dealer and they told me Honda knows it’s an issue but they don’t have a resolution so they should be putting out a bulletin saying it’s a normal part of the technology. However, it can be kind of scary at highway speeds. It doesn’t make me feel safe on the road at all times. I know there is a steering rack recall but they claim the two are not related. I have not taken my car to the dealer for them to reproduce the issue but in the civic community it is a big issue that is happening to many people. No warning lights or codes come up. It just doesn’t feel safe especially considering it happens at 60+ mph.
Tires had 17,000 miles on them and had to be “warrantied out” by the manufacturer. These tires had no grip and weren’t made for a car with sound dampening materials. I was told by the manufacturer that the reason the road noise got worse was the technologies were fighting against each other. More importantly, I experienced rapid wear. These are an 80,000 mile tire and with 17,000 miles on them I was already in the “consider replacing” time frame. Alignment was checked and good so it wasn’t due to the vehicle itself. Poor quality tire.
Steering wheel 'sticks' or requires greater force applied to move the wheel while traveling highway speeds making small adjustments to steering causing overcorrections to steering to counteract the issue. This creates an unsafe and unpredictable driving situation. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership who is 'unable to reproduce' the issue on short tests. The issue only presents after the car has been driven at highway speeds. There are no warning lamps indicating any issues.
At highway speeds and sometimes lower, steering becomes sticky/feels like it has notches and requires additional pressure to move wheel
My 2023 Honda Civic Touring steering will stick and cause a momentary increase in steering effort to compensate for the sticky steering. This occurs at highway speeds which adds to my concerns. I understand the NHTSA has been investigating this occurrence and would like to make it known that my model and VIN # are experiencing this issue. My automobile currently has 3,000 miles on it.
This vehicle has sticky steering. The effort needed to turn the steering wheel intermittently increases, so you have to pull the wheel harder to get it to move, and then it turns too far. This issue is dangerous at highway speeds and extremely annoying at slow speeds. This issue is unrelated to the current active recall for the steering rack. This issue has been reported and discussed by many drivers in online forums and may be related to the worm gear in the steering gear box. I experience this sticky steering problem at all speeds, temperatures, and lengths of time driving. I purchased my vehicle new 13 months ago and it has 6,700 miles on it.
It takes increased effort to make necessary steering adjustments on my steering wheel. It’s most noticeable from the 12:00 ‘o’ clock position and I’m making small adjustments. I notice the problem after roughly 30 minutes of drive time.
I started having issues with my tire the tire felt wobbly like if it was loose I took it to Mavis Tire Shop it was closer to my house as an emergency I got my tire balanced and alignment. The tire felt fine for like a day then I started having the same issues so I took it to Honda service center which felt fine as well for like a day they ran a multipoint inspection and they said the car wasn’t aligned properly. The car felt good for like a day as well and I’m having the same issues. I believe traveling over 50 mph taking my car out of alignment on my route to work.
Steering wheel sticking, hard to make minor adjustments.
Steering is "sticky" at higher speeds, taking more force than usual to turn or make adjustments. During these situations the steering wheel also does not return to center by itself when completing the turn. There is also a "knocking"/"clunking" noise when turning the steering wheel while stationary or at low speeds. Vehicle mileage was at around 25,000 miles when the problem was detected.
Rear hatch holds water inside after rain
Just want to document/share an issue I've had recently. 8k miles 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Sedan. The steering wheel sticks at times. Driving straight and in turns. It's a slight stick, but increasingly more noticeable. While driving straight it happens if I don't touch the wheel for a few seconds. Then I'll need to make a minor correction and it's stuck. I have to put some decent pressure on the wheel to make it unstuck, which causes an over-correction. If i steadily make corrections it doesn't stick. Same in a turn. If I am making a slow or wide turn, wheel stays in same position for a second, it doesn't just roll out of the turn easily. I have to force it to come out of the turn. Again once it's unstuck it feels fine. Leaving it in one position for more than a second or two initiates the stuck. It is annoying.. I have read some Forums [XXX] ) and there are countless Civic owners that have same issues with no fix and they have been complaining that Honda dealerships are not fixing the issue n saying that they didn't see the issue. I hope Honda owns their mistake and fix my car along with others INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I took my car in because the steering wheel feels like it gets stuck and starts shifting my car to the left. I have to turn the “sticky” wheel until it snaps back from shifting. I had scheduled a service because it felt very unsafe and then the day before I took it in, I noticed there was a recall. However, when I mentioned it to the tech he said that the recall didn’t affect my car and that everything was good. I took it to another service center where they found the issues- steering rack issue. BUT NOW the parts on back order and it’s progressively getting worse! It feels safe to drive and that’s the only mode of transportation I have!
While driving the vehicle on an interstate for 40 miles, the steering became "sticky" and the vehicle was difficult to change lanes/turn when needed. Vehicle has 2700 miles and it only happens when at highway speeds. No lights are on the dash. Vehicle has not been to a dealership yet.
After about 6000 miles on the odometer, my vehicle started experiencing the "sticky steering" that other owners of this vehicle have been experiencing. When driving at about 55+ mph, the steering wheel gets very stiff, making adjustments to steering much more difficult. The issue was on and off, but it has occurred several times within a span of a few days. After this discovery, I took the car back to the dealership to try to get it fixed under warranty. It has been about 30 days and the issue is still not resolved.
Rodents have chewed through the wiring on my vehicle twice within 7 days. Dealer fix of "rodent-deterrent" tape did not work. All systems are compromised by this occurrence -- emissions, braking, acceleration, lane-keep asist, etc. Using soy-based wiring on vital components is not safe for the consumer.
When I’m driving at any speed going straight, my steering wheel feels sticky and clicky when barely attempting to straighten out.
My steering wheel is sticking. When I'm on a straight road it seems to get stuck especially wind the wind is blowing. This is something that's happening continuously. You have to try and over correct it without snatching the wheel.
I had been driving for a few hours and my car suddenly became difficult to steer. This is the first time this has happened and was very scary. The steering wheel would lock up and stick while driving on the highway. The only way to unstick the wheel was to overcorrect the steering wheel by pulling it to one side, which made me slightly swerve the vehicle. The car does not feel safe to drive anymore.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, upon attempting a turn, the steering wheel required increased effort, with the contact manually turning the steering wheel back to center. The contact then became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the steering column sleeve. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: EA23003 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Less than 10k miles on 2023 the original tire exploded
The steering “sticks” and while driving it is necessary to oversteer to keep the car in the lane. This is a problem at all speeds but is especially scary at highway speeds. The car has just started doing this and has not been to the dealer yet. We have the same model car that is one year older than the one I am reporting here. It has the same issue and the dealer agreed to replace faulty steering components but it has not yet been fixed. I have already reported the other vehicle.
Steering wheel is sticking. Took it for service at Piazza Honda in Limerick Pennsylvania and I was told that they were aware of this issue on the 11th generation Honda civics. They do not know of a fix and currently have 2 other Hondas there with the same issue. This is a major safety hazard. I do not feel safe driving this car or putting my kids in the car.
intermittent issue, but steering becomes sticky;maintaining car in between lanes can become difficult and overcorrection becomes frequent. stickiness can occur at highway or city speeds. Took car for routine maintenance to dealer and they confirmed problem with steering gear.
my new car with 3k miles has the steering lock while going straight at 40MPH plus . it must be over powered which at that time will dart left or right. this just started and has gotten worse in one week and my wife will no longer drive our new car
Slight sticking in steering at speed when making minor adjustments to stay within lane or coming out of a turn back to center. It seems to occur more often in colder weather. - 15,000 miles on car. - Taking to dealer for inspection 1/30/24. - No warning lights.
This vehicle currently has 10100 miles on it. I noticed that at highway speeds, the steering wheel is sticky/stiff while going straight and requires extra effort to keep the car straight. The steering is not smooth like it should be.
My steering is becoming very stiff at speeds above 45mph. When making minor adjustments on the highway the steering requires a lot of force and sometimes will slip before actually engaging. This happened after the car reached around 10,000 miles and has been more prevalent during the colder months.
The steering wheel of my 23 Honda Civic EX sticks. It feel like teeth in the steering wheel. At lower speeds it's very simple to do a slight turn of the steering wheel and feel it "click". At higher rates of speed, the steering wheel sticks and I can literally take my hand off the steering wheel and the car will continue its turn as the steering wheel looks into place. This has caused me to fight the steering wheel and not veer into another lane or oncoming traffic. No lights illuminate and trying to get to the dealership to have it looked at. This has been an ongoing issue but more prominent today than it has been. Research online shows Honda knows about it but isn't fixing the problem and my VIN isn't in the range of steering columns they are fixing for other issues.
Steering wheel sticks. Noticeable on highway
I have a new 2023 civic that is still under manufacture warranty. The steering becomes stuck when driving. When driving, and you turn the vehicle a slight bit, instead of the steering straightening itself out, it stays stuck. So you have to forcefully keep making micro adjustments. I have shown it to a honda dealer ship and they agreed it was a manufacturers defect with the steering rack and have placed an order on the part. But theres so many cases of this that part is on back order and honda has yet to provide me with a solution in the meantime. So I have to keep driving a defective car thats basically brand new and honda wont even provide me a rental car.
When going around 50mph+, the steering wheel tends to feel "stuck" in the middle, which causes you to overcorrect it to the side, causing the driving to feel super unstable. When I take it to the dealership, they keep saying there are no warnings on diagnostics, so I get the car back with the same issue still happening at random times. Please help! There are tons of online posts about this same issue with the same model of Civic and it doesn't seem like dealerships know what to do about it. It's a very uncomfortable way to drive a car and feels very unsafe.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various highway speeds the vehicle had experienced a sticky steering wheel and would not immediately respond when turning in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 2,000.
This steering wheel is having a “sticky steering” problem. The wheel tends to get ‘stuck’, and the steering wheel needs more adjustment to correct the issue, however, another overcorrection is needed to compensate the initial steer, which increases the likelihood of an accident. I have not had an accident, but I have had 2 close calls with other vehicles on the highway. I will cite the most recent one below. The dealership has reproduced my issue and is planning on implementing a fix. I have provided the dealership Service Bulletin 23-037. No warning lights/lamps illuminate whatsoever. According to the car, this is treated as ‘normal’ behavior.
Steering wheel feels stiff while driving on the road and difficultly keeping car in lane
Steering is sticky in nature. Is not stuck but demonstrates small temporary resistance to steering wheel inputs. Steering wheel then snaps free and is easily moved about. Honda Dealer Reno, NV found no discrepancies with steering. No codes set. Problem seen is mostly freeway speeds and when moving steering wheel to stay in lane or to change lanes.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026