The Lemon Index2016 Honda Civic.
The 2016 Honda Civic is about average by owner complaints: 389 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 106, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 30 to 35 mpg combined. The best Honda Civic year is 2011.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 97 YouTube videos about the 2016–2021 Honda Civic, 36.0M views. The 2016 is the same car.
- Heat, A/C & blend door992K views
How To Recharge A/C 10th Gen Honda Civic 2016-2021 R1234YF In-Depth | TSB Recall Condenser IssuesEyeOnAiman · 367K views · 4 videos - Transmission & shifter840K views
Honda Civic CVT Filter Replacement & Fluid Change DIY Transmission Maintenance 10th Gen 2016-2021 SISal's Garage · 310K views · 3 videos - Infotainment, battery & electrical709K views
2016 Honda Civic - Radio Reset / RebootBreezy Productions · 337K views · 3 videos - Brakes & ABS437K views
DIY 2016 + Civic Rear Brake Replacement With EPB Using Honda Tech ManualRob's Garage Woodworking · 264K views · 2 videos
Show 4 more
- Oil changes & service377K views
How To Do An Oil Change on your 10th Gen Honda Civic! (2016-2021)RevolveAuto · 248K views · 2 videos - No-start: theft light, key & ignition331K views
Fix & Solved Honda Civic 10th Gen Car Won't Start Brake System Problem & Error Messagesmacdaddypimpping · 331K views - Steering & suspension251K views
Replacing Honda Civic Rear Shocks 2016 -2020 DIYRob's Garage Woodworking · 126K views · 2 videos - Timing chain & engine191K views
Must Have Power Mods | 10th Gen Civic X Bolt On GuideMAPerformance · 191K views
Before you buy, watch
2016 - 2021 Honda Civic problemsBCauto_ · 200K views
How to Check a Used Honda Civic (2016+) For Hidden ProblemsJustin Pritchard · 148K views
Common problems with HONDA CIVIC 2016 to 2021.El papá de los autos · 136K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 1,083 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Honda Civic year. 2016 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 7K to 48K miles on the car (495 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- steering complaints mostly came at 23K–52K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 6K–44K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 6K–48K miles
Recalls 5
- airbags 2026
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
- fuel system, gasoline 2023
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
- parking brake 2016
The electric parking brake (EPB) may not engage if it is applied immediately after turning the ignition off.
Show all 5 recalls
- lights 2016
The affected vehicles may have a damaged LED side marker light circuit board inside the taillight assembly, making the marker light inoperable.
- engine 2016
The affected vehicles have engines with piston assemblies that may have been manufactured without a piston wrist pin circlip or with an incorrectly installed piston wrist pin circlip.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Honda told dealers about
Honda sent dealers 327 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Dealer message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
- Techline summary article - were getting reports of the brake indicator blinking after turning…
- Dealer message - is the high mount brake light detached from the rear window?
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic 2 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Honda Civic 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $1850–2150 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.5L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
Repeated issues with faulty dashboard electronic warning system which alerts brake failure and experience with acceleration problem and other related issues. These issues occurred while driving on city streets.
2016 Honda Civic owner · NHTSA complaint 10924908
More owner reports
When I turn on the car all of the electrical lights turn on and the car locks, I can't move it from the p (park) shift. This has happened to me in the last 2 1/2 months, 3 times.
NHTSA complaint 11279183
Airbag advisory light is intermittent with or without a passenger sitting on the passenger seat while the car is moving or while the car is on running at idle. The happens everyday.
NHTSA complaint 11054379
Quick answers
Is the 2016 Honda Civic reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew about the average number of complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 106; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Honda Civic year by this measure is 2011.
What are the most common 2016 Honda Civic problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (18%), brakes (17%) and steering (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2016 Honda Civic have?
5 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Honda Civic get?
30 to 35 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2016 Honda Civic safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2016 Honda Civic problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 7,500 and 48,700 miles. The middle report was at 30,000 miles, from 495 complaints.
Does the 2016 Honda Civic have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2016 Honda Civic cost in fuel a year?
About $1850 to $2150 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2016 Honda Civic have?
1.5L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.
What Honda Civic year is better than the 2016?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2011, 2013 and 2015.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works