HONDA CIVIC · model year

2013 HONDA CIVIC

429 NHTSA complaints, 41 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2013HONDACIVIC carries 429 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 41 crashes, 1 fire, 52 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2013 CIVIC is air bags with 108 filings, followed by steering (37) and service brakes (35). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2013 CIVIC. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

429
Complaints
41
Crashes
1
Fires
52
Injuries
0
Deaths
2013 HONDA CIVIC — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2013 HONDA CIVIC. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

429 filings

Crashes Reported

41 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS108
STEERING37
SERVICE BRAKES35
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM34
UNKNOWN OR OTHER28
STRUCTURE:BODY23
ENGINE21
POWER TRAIN21
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL19
SEATS15
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM15
VISIBILITY/WIPER9
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)9
TIRES8
SUSPENSION7

Recent Complaints

20260216CrashAIR BAGS

A drunk driver hit my car along with six others, and my car spun into the highway wall and totaled the car with an impact probably 40 or 50 mph and airbags did not go off

20260216CrashSUSPENSION

A drunk driver hit my car along with six others, and my car spun into the highway wall and totaled the car with an impact probably 40 or 50 mph and airbags did not go off

20260216CrashEXTERIOR LIGHTING

A drunk driver hit my car along with six others, and my car spun into the highway wall and totaled the car with an impact probably 40 or 50 mph and airbags did not go off

20260128SERVICE BRAKES

I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment regarding the ongoing VSA/ABS module failure in my 2013 Honda Civic Si. This issue, common among Honda vehicles from 2013–2017, has caused significant stress, both financially and emotionally. The ABS module in my vehicle has malfunctioned, affecting the vehicle’s anti-lock braking and stability assist systems. This is a serious safety concern, as the failure could impair the car’s ability to brake effectively, especially in adverse driving conditions. The failure of this critical component puts my safety, and the safety of others, at risk.I took my car to two separate service centers, a certified Honda dealer and a Honda tuner shop, both of which confirmed the ABS module failure. They quoted over $2,200 for installation and reprogramming of a new module, which itself costs approximately $1,800. The car has had recurring ABS and VSA warning lights for several weeks prior to the issue becoming critical, and I was not inform

20260128ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment regarding the ongoing VSA/ABS module failure in my 2013 Honda Civic Si. This issue, common among Honda vehicles from 2013–2017, has caused significant stress, both financially and emotionally. The ABS module in my vehicle has malfunctioned, affecting the vehicle’s anti-lock braking and stability assist systems. This is a serious safety concern, as the failure could impair the car’s ability to brake effectively, especially in adverse driving conditions. The failure of this critical component puts my safety, and the safety of others, at risk.I took my car to two separate service centers, a certified Honda dealer and a Honda tuner shop, both of which confirmed the ABS module failure. They quoted over $2,200 for installation and reprogramming of a new module, which itself costs approximately $1,800. The car has had recurring ABS and VSA warning lights for several weeks prior to the issue becoming critical, and I was not inform

20251222AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the driver’s side inflator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,412.

Mileage: 47,412

20251219ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 113,000. The contact paid for the vehicle in full, and when the Title arrived, it was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 224,000. The contact reached out to the dealer. However, the dealer had not responded.

Mileage: 224,000

20251206AIR BAGS

The light for the air bag came on. I have not been in an accident. But this is the car of my 16 year old daughter. I did some research it looks like once the light come on the air bags may not deploy if in an accident. It is a sensor problem. Thank goodness she has not been in an accident but this is definitely a concern.

20251125SERVICE BRAKES

I was driving 35 MPH toward a busy intersection when I lost my brakes and power. A service message “IMA CHECK SYSTEMS” light lit up on the dash. I lost brakes and power while entering an intersection putting myself and other drivers in danger of an accident narrowly missing a container truck. The car shut off with my front end in the intersection. I was able to restart the car and drive it to the nearest garage. They connected the code machine to the vehicle showing “P1437.” I then had my car towed to the nearest Honda dealership. They told me my VIN was not listed under service bulletin 20-030 even though my car fit all of the parameters and showed the same code(s). After giving me a quote of $1900+ to fix the issue, they are claiming to have fixed the problem but I am questioning if the real issues were fixed and if I am responsible for any costs.

20251125ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was driving 35 MPH toward a busy intersection when I lost my brakes and power. A service message “IMA CHECK SYSTEMS” light lit up on the dash. I lost brakes and power while entering an intersection putting myself and other drivers in danger of an accident narrowly missing a container truck. The car shut off with my front end in the intersection. I was able to restart the car and drive it to the nearest garage. They connected the code machine to the vehicle showing “P1437.” I then had my car towed to the nearest Honda dealership. They told me my VIN was not listed under service bulletin 20-030 even though my car fit all of the parameters and showed the same code(s). After giving me a quote of $1900+ to fix the issue, they are claiming to have fixed the problem but I am questioning if the real issues were fixed and if I am responsible for any costs.

20251125ENGINE

I was driving 35 MPH toward a busy intersection when I lost my brakes and power. A service message “IMA CHECK SYSTEMS” light lit up on the dash. I lost brakes and power while entering an intersection putting myself and other drivers in danger of an accident narrowly missing a container truck. The car shut off with my front end in the intersection. I was able to restart the car and drive it to the nearest garage. They connected the code machine to the vehicle showing “P1437.” I then had my car towed to the nearest Honda dealership. They told me my VIN was not listed under service bulletin 20-030 even though my car fit all of the parameters and showed the same code(s). After giving me a quote of $1900+ to fix the issue, they are claiming to have fixed the problem but I am questioning if the real issues were fixed and if I am responsible for any costs.

20251108WHEELS

The lugnuts on the driver’s side front wheel must have become loose somehow. I was driving along and noticed a strange thumping sound. Before I could pull over the wheel became detached and was rolling away. I pulled off safely and called a tow truck. The tires were last rotated by Annapolis Honda 6 months prior to the date of the accident (11.4.25). The damage estimate – the front brakes and rotors need to be replaced. Also body damage to the front left quarter-panel and front bumper. Likely at least $4,000 in total costs. There were no warning lights, the vehicle was repaired at AAA car care center in Annapolis, MD and Caliber Collision in Edgewater, MD.

20250922FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The hybrid motor DC to DC convert failed. When this fails it stops providing 12 V power to the rest of the vehicle resulting in multiple systems stopping or working very slowly. This vehicle does not have a traditional alternator. There was a TSB and an extended warranty offered to some models, but not all included in the VIN range for this vehicle. The vehicle was scanned and pulls the same codes as the TSB notes as the issue.

20250922ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The hybrid motor DC to DC convert failed. When this fails it stops providing 12 V power to the rest of the vehicle resulting in multiple systems stopping or working very slowly. This vehicle does not have a traditional alternator. There was a TSB and an extended warranty offered to some models, but not all included in the VIN range for this vehicle. The vehicle was scanned and pulls the same codes as the TSB notes as the issue.

20250922ENGINE

The hybrid motor DC to DC convert failed. When this fails it stops providing 12 V power to the rest of the vehicle resulting in multiple systems stopping or working very slowly. This vehicle does not have a traditional alternator. There was a TSB and an extended warranty offered to some models, but not all included in the VIN range for this vehicle. The vehicle was scanned and pulls the same codes as the TSB notes as the issue.

20250921SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT

Several warning lights on the dashboard illuminated: powersteering warning, ABS system warning, VSA warning. We had to pay almost $300 for dealer diagnostics which advised our ABS VSA module must be replaced, reprogrammed and brake fluid bleed otherwise our ABS brake system would fail. There are hundreds of similar complaints on-line of Honda owners with the exact issue costing over $3000 to make the repair. It will cost us almost $2600 for the repair. This appears to be a defect in Honda's VSA Module circuitboard across several models (Accord, Civic).

20250527CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the contact was rear-ended by another vehicle, which caused the contact to crash forward into another vehicle. The contact and their spouse were taken to a local emergency room to be evaluated. The contact and their spouse sustained multiple injuries, such as whiplash and back injuries. In addition, the contact's spouse sustained an arm injury. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Mileage: 70,000

20250501AIR BAGS

I stepped on brakes and airbags opened up on my steering wheels made me hit

20250501SERVICE BRAKES

I stepped on brakes and airbags opened up on my steering wheels made me hit

20250501STRUCTURE:BODY

I stepped on brakes and airbags opened up on my steering wheels made me hit

Compare 2013HONDACIVIC to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2013 HONDA CIVIC have?
The 2013 HONDA CIVIC has 429 NHTSA complaints, 41 crashes, 1 fires, 52 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2013 HONDA CIVIC?
The 2013 HONDA CIVIC received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 HONDA CIVIC?
The most-complained component for the 2013 HONDA CIVIC is AIR BAGS with 108 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2013 HONDA CIVIC safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2013 HONDA CIVIC has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.