NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
This page covers 10 recalls, 169 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2011 Honda Civic.
24–41 mpg combined
5.7–9.8 L/100km
Subcompact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 4 tested variants for this model year.
The 2011 Honda Civic received a three-star overall rating from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program for US-market vehicles. In frontal crash testing, it earned four stars. Side crash protection was rated at two stars, while rollover resistance received four stars. The vehicle achieved a five-star rating in side pole crash testing. NHTSA applies this rating across model years until a significant redesign occurs, so these results represent the safety performance for this generation Civic during its production run.
3/5 Overall
Airbag complaints dominate the 2011 Civic's complaint record, making up the single largest share of reports by a wide margin. Owners most commonly describe airbags deploying without any collision, several report the bags going off while the vehicle was parked or the engine was off, with no warning lights beforehand. On the other side, a number of owners report the opposite: airbags failing to deploy during an actual impact. The passenger seat occupant sensor also draws repeated mentions, with owners reporting the warning light staying on persistently. Service brakes are the second most-reported system, where owners describe longer stopping distances, pedal feel changes, and braking performance that felt inconsistent. Visibility and wiper complaints come in third, generally involving wiper performance and obstructed sightlines. The airbag deployment-without-impact pattern, bags firing while parked or at rest, is the most distinctly recurring symptom across this model year's complaint set.
169
Total Complaints
22
Crash-Related
5
Fire-Related
17
With Injuries
By System
The 2011 Honda Civic has 10 recalls, the most serious being a Takata passenger-side airbag inflator that can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
Multiple recalls cover the same underlying passenger frontal airbag inflator defect across several filings. The core danger is that the inflator can explode rather than deploy cleanly, scattering sharp metal fragments toward the driver and passengers. Separate from that, three additional recalls address passenger airbag inflators that were incorrectly installed, either during original assembly or at a dealership during a prior replacement. An improperly seated inflator can cause the airbag to deploy incorrectly in a crash, reducing its ability to protect the occupant or directing the deployment in an unintended way. Prior repair attempts at one dealership in particular may not have fully resolved the installation problem, which is why more than one recall addresses the incorrectly installed inflator scenario.
On the fuel system side, there are two recalls tied to the rollover valve inside the fuel pump module. The valve is designed to stop fuel from spilling out of the tank and into the evaporative emissions canister if the vehicle rolls over. The housing around that valve can crack or break, causing the valve to separate and allowing fuel to leak out of the tank during a rollover. If that leaked fuel reaches an ignition source, a fire can follow.
At a glance
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NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during a previous replacement, potentially affecting its ability to deploy properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the inflator installation and replace the passenger front air bag module assembly if needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement, potentially affecting its ability to deploy properly in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger air bag and replace the module assembly if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to high humidity, temperature, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Replacement passenger front air bag inflators may have been incorrectly installed at one dealership, potentially affecting proper deployment.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag module assembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost when parts become available.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The case holding the Roll-Over Valve inside the fuel pump module may be defective and break or crack. This could allow the valve to separate, risking fuel leakage during a rollover crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the fuel pump module and replace it if necessary.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The plastic case holding the roll-over valve in the fuel pump module may crack or break due to welding defects, causing the valve to separate and fail. This increases the risk of fuel leaking during a rollover.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the fuel pump module and replace it if necessary at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
