2012 Honda Civic: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
454 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
454 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Complaints per year on the road: 32.43
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
We were not injured. We fixed the problem before we did get hurt..message came up.. “Check airbag system”. We had t replace our driver’s side airbag at the cost of over $1,500.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side seat weight sensor failed to operate properly. The contact stated that while the front passenger’s seat was occupied, the air bag enabled warning light was flashing off and on. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V332000 (Air Bags). The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that the f…
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the alarm indicator sounded off intermittently without cause. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who informed the contact that the alarm was a factory-made system and then suggested pressing the key fob twice to stop the alarm from sounding off. The vehicle was not officially diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failur…
What the community is saying right now.
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 12V256000 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 HONDA CIVIC VEHICLES. DURING ASSEMBLY, THE PROCESS REQUIRED TO SEAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DRIVESHAFT… |
| 11V288000 | Fuel System, Other:Delivery:Hoses, Lines | HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CIVIC 2-DOOR AND 4-DOOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 21, 2011, THROUGH MAY 2, 2011. THERE IS… |
| 12V548000 | Steering:Column | Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 Civic passenger vehicles, manufactured from October 26, 2012, through October 30, 2012. These ve… |
EPA combined 31 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,000
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (149 complaints in our indexed sample).
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 35/100, computed from 454 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Honda Civic, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/06/2012. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorComplaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-08-20.