Your vehicle report
1996 Honda Civic
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 305
- Received Dec 1995 to Jun 2020
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes40 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking17 complaints · 5.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Power window regulator fails and window drops15 complaints · 4.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #20V026000Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
- Recall #96V106000A soapy lubricant was used to insert the check valve into the vacuum hose which causes the brake booster check valve to stick.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 67 crashes, 4 fires, 46 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 50 |
| 1997 | 72 |
| 1998 | 29 |
| 1999 | 31 |
| 2000 | 30 |
| 2001 | 20 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 305 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 40 | 13% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 17 | 5.6% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 15 | 4.9% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 15 | 4.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 11 | 3.6% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 10 | 3.3% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 10 | 3.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 9 | 2.9% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 9 | 2.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 2.6% | – | |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 7 | 2.3% | – | NHTSA recall #96V106000 |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Parking brake fails to hold or release | 5 | 1.6% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 5 | 1.6% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Cruise control fails to disengage | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 1.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #20V026000January 17, 20201,439,841 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.
NHTSA recall #96V106000June 18, 1996160,689 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
A soapy lubricant was used to insert the check valve into the vacuum hose which causes the brake booster check valve to stick.
This condition Can cause a loss of the brake's power assist resulting in a reduction in braking performance increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will clean the check valve by washing the vacuum hose with hot water.
Other model years
- 1986 35
- 1987 39
- 1988 46
- 1989 69
- 1990 91
- 1991 110
- 1992 98
- 1993 146
- 1994 135
- 1995 199
- 1996
- 1997 373
- 1998 435
- 1999 338
- 2000 287
- 2001 1,079
- 2002 702
- 2003 499
- 2004 350
- 2005 316
- 2006 1,404
- 2007 1,204
- 2008 916
- 2009 396
- 2010 397
- 2011 169
- 2012 456
- 2013 319
- 2014 293
- 2015 381
- 2016 1,082
- 2017 602
- 2018 747
- 2019 443
- 2020 233
- 2021 147
- 2022 885
- 2023 258
- 2024 125
- 2025 77
- 2026 32
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Honda Civic.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN