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2018 Honda Civic

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Live NHTSA + EPA record2018 Honda Civic

Recall campaigns

6

model-level · confirm on your VIN

Owner complaints

596

filed with NHTSA

NHTSA safety

5/5

federal crash test

2018 Honda Civic — Safety Summary

The 2018 Honda Civic has 6 NHTSA safety recalls and 596 owner complaints on record. The most frequently reported complaint area is steering. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. Based on this public data its Model Risk Score is 78/100 (low risk). These recall campaigns are matched at the year/make/model level — confirm any open recall for a specific VIN with a franchised dealer. Enter your VIN above to decode the exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for a buyer analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.

Should you buy the 2018 Honda Civic?

On the public data available, the 2018 Honda Civic does not show major recall or complaint red flags. That makes it a reasonable used-car candidate for most buyers — but public data reflects model-level patterns, not the condition of one specific car.

The best next step is to run the exact VIN and, if the car still looks promising, get a Smart Buyer Report for a model-specific reliability read and an inspection checklist before you visit the seller.

6
Recall Campaigns
596
Owner Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
78/100
Model Risk Score

What owners complain about most

The complaint categories reported most often for the 2018 Honda Civic, based on owner reports in the public NHTSA data.

STEERING193 reports
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE82 reports
UNKNOWN OR OTHER72 reports
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM49 reports

Complaint patterns suggest where to look — they are not proof any specific vehicle has that issue. Treat them as inspection prompts.

What to check before buying a used 2018 Honda Civic

  • Owners report steering concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
  • Owners report fuel system, gasoline concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
  • Owners report unknown or other concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
  • Owners report fuel/propulsion system concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
  • Confirm any open recall work was completed with a franchised dealer using the VIN.

Ownership considerations

General things worth checking on a used Civic in cold-weather states — winter, road salt, and cold-weather wear.

  • Road salt causes corrosion on rocker panels, brake lines, and subframe points — inspect the undercarriage on salt-belt cars.
  • Confirm the heater, defroster, and rear defogger work before winter.
  • Check battery health and cold-start behavior for reliable winter starting.
  • Look for uneven tire wear that can hint at suspension or alignment issues on rougher winter roads.

Pre-purchase inspection priorities

  • Bring a qualified mechanic or book an independent pre-purchase inspection.
  • Check the undercarriage for rust and corrosion, especially on salt-belt vehicles.
  • Confirm all open recalls have been repaired with a franchised dealer using the VIN.
  • Review maintenance records and look for gaps in servicing.
  • Test all winter-critical systems: heater, defroster, battery, and (if equipped) AWD/4WD.

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NHTSA Safety Ratings

Government crash test results

★★★★★
Overall
★★★★☆
Front Crash
★★★★★
Side Crash
★★★★★
Rollover

NHTSA Recalls

6 recall(s) for this year/model

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

28/05/2020

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

20/06/2018

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Civic vehicles. The manufacturing date area of the certification labels may have random characters which can affect the owner's ability to determine if a safety recall includes their vehicle.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is U23.

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

27/09/2018

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Honda Civic and CR-V vehicles. The magnet that controls the torque sensor output signal for the electronic power steering system may not be properly secured, allowing the magnet to become dislodged. During a full lock turn, the dislodged magnet may cause steering assist to be applied in the opposite direction.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gearbox assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are C2N, P2O.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

16/11/2018

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Honda Civic Hatchback and Civic Type R vehicles. The owners guide in these vehicles may not have been included or if included, the owner's guide may not have been properly provided required information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the owners information kit, free of charge. The recall began January 9, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O3A.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

18/12/2023

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.

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.

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

21/05/2026

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

Owner Complaints

596 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA

Top complaint categories:

STEERING193 (32%)
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE82 (14%)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER72 (12%)
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM49 (8%)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23 (4%)

Want the full picture?

The free data above comes from public NHTSA records. The Smart Buyer Report adds buyer analysis for this exact model — reliability score, common problems by mileage, real maintenance costs in USD, a pre-purchase inspection checklist, a market value estimate, and notes on rust, winter, and fuel.

Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on SmartVINReport.com is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. SmartVINReport.com is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.