HONDA CIVIC TYPE R · model year

2021 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R

11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2021HONDACIVIC TYPE R carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2021 CIVIC TYPE R is electrical system with 2 filings, followed by engine (2) and power train (2). 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 77 investigation files overlapping the 2021 CIVIC TYPE R, and 9 remain open. 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.

11
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

11 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
ENGINE2
POWER TRAIN2
AIR BAGS2
WHEELS1
STEERING1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20251204ENGINE

Misfire in cylinder 4 led to head gasket failure. The problem was diagnosed at the dealership, and there is an active TSB for this issue - however my vehicle is not covered.

20251121ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Entertainment system turns on and off while driving suspected bad alternator.

20250124CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic Type-R. The contact stated that the vehicle in front came to a stop, and the contact did not have ample time to bring the vehicle to a stop. As a result, the contact crashed the front of the vehicle into the rear of the vehicle in front. None of the air bags deployed. The vehicle was not deemed a total loss. The vehicle was driven back to the contact's residence and then taken to an independent service center, where it remained for further investigation. The vehicle was not repaired due to costs. It was unknown if the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags), which was associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

Mileage: 48,000

20241105CrashFirePOWER TRAIN

The contact owned a 2021 Honda Civic Type R. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced and the failure was remedied. Later, while driving and making a left turn the steering wheel remained stuck in the left direction and the contact was unable to veer to the right direction causing the vehicle to crash into a tree and then catch on fire immediately. During the crash, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. The contact sustained a fractured right ankle and was transported to the hospital. The contact required surgeries, 16 bolts, and a plate where he was placed in bed rest for 2 years. A police report was filed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 4,000.

Mileage: 4,000

20240926AIR BAGS

See attached document for complaint.

20240725FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Car abruptly shut off after start up. Then car started and ran normally for 2 days. Then after start up CEL came on for emissions problem. Took to dealership and said it had a P0546 (small evap leak) code. Performed a leak down test and no leak was found. Then said fuel was present in charcoal canister. These are same issues and complaints that other Honda owners have had about vehicles that fall under the fuel pump recall. My car is a 2021, but was built late 2020. Vin # is right at the end of recall vins. I want to report my issue just in case my fuel pump goes bad while driving and causes an accident.

20240725ENGINE

Car abruptly shut off after start up. Then car started and ran normally for 2 days. Then after start up CEL came on for emissions problem. Took to dealership and said it had a P0546 (small evap leak) code. Performed a leak down test and no leak was found. Then said fuel was present in charcoal canister. These are same issues and complaints that other Honda owners have had about vehicles that fall under the fuel pump recall. My car is a 2021, but was built late 2020. Vin # is right at the end of recall vins. I want to report my issue just in case my fuel pump goes bad while driving and causes an accident.

20240725POWER TRAIN

Car abruptly shut off after start up. Then car started and ran normally for 2 days. Then after start up CEL came on for emissions problem. Took to dealership and said it had a P0546 (small evap leak) code. Performed a leak down test and no leak was found. Then said fuel was present in charcoal canister. These are same issues and complaints that other Honda owners have had about vehicles that fall under the fuel pump recall. My car is a 2021, but was built late 2020. Vin # is right at the end of recall vins. I want to report my issue just in case my fuel pump goes bad while driving and causes an accident.

20240723ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Infotainment system reboots while driving, lose access to navigation, music, and anything controlled with the radio. Unable to reverse safely due to loss of back up camera, Honda dealer does not want to replace and they tell me to turn my head and look over my shoulder

20240619STEERING

the steering wheel will get stuck while turning slowly, mostly only while turning to the left, if I remove my hand from the wheel it will stay in that spot and not return to center without effort to free it. It does not always happen and seems to be more prevalent in warmer weather rand when the car has been driving for a little while. It also occurs, when I am driving down the hwy when it is acting up, it is difficult to make corrections because the steering feels stuck and requires effort to break free. It seems dangerous and the dealer has been no help - they just say there are no error codes and everything looks fine.

20240422WHEELS

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic Type-R. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and received the rear wheels alignment, and the rear tires were rotated. The contact stated that after the vehicle was serviced, the contact noticed an abnormal metal scraping sound coming from the rear wheels. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken back to the dealer several times after the original service; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Compare 2021HONDACIVIC TYPE R to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 9 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2021 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R have?
The 2021 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R has 11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R?
The most-complained component for the 2021 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2021 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. 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.