2012 Honda Civic hybrid problems
The Honda Civic (Japanese: ホンダ・シビック, Hepburn: Honda Shibikku) is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. As of 2023, the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Accord in Honda's global car line-up.
The first-generation Civic was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door fastback sedan, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With a 1,169 cc transverse engine and front-wheel drive like the British Mini, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance and sportiness, especially the Civic Type R, Civic VTi, Civic GTi and Civic SiR/Si.
The Civic has been repeatedly rebadged for international markets, and served as the basis for the Honda CR-X, the Honda CR-X del Sol, the Concerto, the first generation Prelude, the Civic Shuttle (later to become the Orthia) and the CR-V (which, by extension, was used as the basis for the Honda FR-V).
The Civic is one of the all-time best-selling automobiles in the world, with over 27 million units sold since 1972 as of 2021.
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Common 2012 Honda Civic hybrid problems
The Honda Civic Hybrid, introduced in 2003, was a pioneering vehicle in the hybrid car market. However, the 2012 model year has had its share of common problems based on complaints from owners.
- IMA Light Issues: The Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system in the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid is an electric drive system that combines the power of the gasoline engine and the battery to provide a smooth driving experience. The IMA light comes on when there is an issue with the system, indicating that the battery may not be working properly, which can decrease fuel efficiency.
- Transmission Problems: The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid has had reports of transmission problems, which can be costly to repair. For example, the most-reported problem in the 2004 model year was with the transmission stopping to work, with an average cost to fix of $4,500 and an average mileage of 122,000 miles.
- Battery Replacement: The hybrid battery in the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid may need to be replaced, which can be a significant expense. However, if the battery was replaced last year, as mentioned in one owner's case, this may not be a current concern.
- Lack of Cargo Space: The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid has limited cargo space, which may be a concern for some buyers.
- Resale Value: The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid has had three owners, which may affect its resale value in the future.
In summary, the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid has had common problems with the IMA light, transmission, and battery replacement. However, if properly maintained, it can provide excellent fuel efficiency and a comfortable driving experience.
How long does a 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid last?
The 2012 Civic Hybrid has the "larger, improved 1.5 L gas engine and more powerful 17kw electric motor. It also has the longer-lasting ("10-15 yrs. ") Lithium battery. Fill the 13.5 gal.
What problems do 2012 Honda Civic have?
The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.
- Climate System. ...
- Brakes. ...
- Exhaust. ...
- Paint And Trim. ...
- Electrical Accessories. ...
- In-car Electronics. ...
- Steering And Suspension. ...
- Engine Electrical.
How long will Honda Civic Hybrid battery last?
between 6 to 10 years
Your Honda hybrid battery life expectancy is between 6 to 10 years or up to 100,000 miles. Other Honda hybrid battery options can last a little bit longer on Woodinville roads for about 10 years or even closer to 150,000 miles.
How much does it cost to replace a Honda Civic Hybrid battery?
$2,000 to $4,000
Honda Civic Hybrid Battery Replacement Cost
On average, the cost of a Honda Civic Hybrid battery replacement ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 from the dealership but can be much less by purchasing from a respectable company like Exclusively Hybrid.
2012 Honda Civic hybrid car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Honda Civic hybrid problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Air bags problems
- Steering problems
- Electrical system problems
- Power train problems
- Vehicle speed control problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2012 Honda Civic hybrid vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
Latest 25 complaints 2012 Honda Civic hybrid
The NHTSA has received 444 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2012 Honda Civic hybrid. Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for 2012 Honda Civic hybrid vehicles.
2024-10-26
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-20
- VIN: 19XFB2F57CE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: I was 3 hrs away from home and I started my vehicle and the air bag light began flashing and beeping. The light was on the message board that indicates my speed, clock, fuel, etc. it basically is the information center for the car. I pushed the information button on the steering wheel to clear it but it kept blinking and flashing the entire way home. I also turned off the engine and restarted it but no luck with that either. It was a very distracting experience having to drive 3 hours like this. I made an appointment with my mechanic and he diagnosed it as the Occupant Passenger Detection Sensor. This will cost $800.00 to repair. The car is not drive able in this condition because of the safety of the air bag. I looked up recalls but it seems my car has none.
2024-10-24
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-05-04
- VIN: 2HGFB2F67CH
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: When my car reaches speeds above 60mph the steering is difficult to control (a lot of Play in the steering wheel). I took my vehicle in to a Monrovia, CA Honda Dealer in May 2024 to fix the issue. The dealer replaced the bushings but did not fix the steering issue. This vehicle feels dangerous. I noticed on the internet there are a lot of mechanics talking about steering issues in the model years that my car is under. I am frustrated that the Honda dealers don’t seem to want to fix this issue. I’ve already paid a great deal of money in up keep and the problem has not been corrected. I have had no warning lamps or signs of leaks just a lot of play in the steering wheel and lack of control.I don’t feel safe on the highway in this vehicle.
2024-10-18
SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-08-12
- VIN: 2HGFB2F97CH
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES
- Summary: Driving around town, I stopped our 2012 Honda Civic at a stoplight. The brake pedal vibrated from the ABS modulator, then went all the way to the floor. I had the brake system checked at a workshop, bled the brake lines, and the same situation repeated. It was recommended I replace the brake modulator and brake pump. I called our Honda dealer and the brake pump is on hard backorder with no indication of when or if it will be available. A check of junkyards showed very few of these pumps potentially available, indicating demand is very strong. Many of the Civics in the junkyards we saw were totalled due to front end collissions. Perhaps they discovered the brake issue too late? The car is not driveable. After reviewing forums and [XXX] there were many reports of brake problems with 2012 - 13 Honda Civics. I believe this warrants a close look. Brakes are the most important part of any motor vehicle in my opinion, and until there is a remedy my car will sit as a 3,000 lb paperweight. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2024-10-10
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-10
- VIN: 2HGFG3B81CH
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
2024-07-04
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-27
- VIN: 19XFB2F51CE
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: Power Steering suddenly failed after I stopped for a stop sign. The EPS light was not on prior to stopping but came on after the steering failed. Managed to get to the nearest Honda Dealer and was told they wouldn't touch it. Managed to get to a local repair shop who looked up the issue and reset some code(s). They told me it could happen again at any time. This is an extremely dangerous problem that could cause serious damage or death if it occurred while driving. I can't understand why Honda hasn't figured out a solution and issued a recall.
2024-06-24
SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-03
- VIN: 2HGFB2F88CH
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES
- Summary: ABS Control Module leads fell off. The 2012 Honda Civic has a sealed ABS/VSA control module. This module has leads connected with rigid solid core cables that are known to disconnect and fall off due to natural heat and vibration. This happened with my vehicle. The vehicle lost acceleration, power steering, dash lights, and power breaking on the highway. When I attempted to restart it all of my lights came on: charging system, VSA, ABS, Power Steering, and Power Breaking. For more information see [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2024-06-23
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-23
- VIN: 19XFB2F82CE
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS
- Summary: Car is stating air bag system check on and off.
2024-06-23
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-14
- VIN: JHMFB4F27CS
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE
- Summary: The IMA inverter system keeps malfunctioning without any clear reasons, and the car is in drive mode, which makes the electric motor unresponsive. Additionally, the braking system also malfunctions, leading to a lack of control over the vehicle. I have tried to repair it multiple times, but to no avail. It keeps malfunctioning without any apparent reason.
2024-05-02
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-05-01
- VIN: JHMFB4F22CS
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: Owns a 2012 HONDA Civic Hybrid. While driving ~30MPH, the IMA/braking/engine/charging/ABS lights illuminated. The car still driving but the hybrid system fails. Also, when starting the engine it switches to using the starter instead of the EV motor. The 12V battery will not charge and die soon, which increases the risk of a stall on the road, thus leading to a crash. The vehicle was taken to a Honda Dealer which suggests a Model Power Inverter failure. There is a Technical Service Bulletin: 20-030 (Warranty Extension: 2012-15 Civic Hybrid IMA Motor Power Inverter) related to the failing parts, however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not prepared. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000 miles.
2024-05-02
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-05-02
- VIN: 19XFB2F54CE
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: The power steering light will come on and the cars power steering no longer works. I was driving down the road approximately 60 mph and the power steering light came on and I could barely turn the steering wheel. I was able to stop and shut the care off and restart and the power steering worked again. On future drives the power steering intermittently will go out forcing me to stop and shut the car off and restart. I took vehicle to Honda dealer and the dealership and I was informed I needed to replace the EPS control unit, which I did. The vehicle was clear of any problems a a while but the same issue is now happening again. Went back to dealer and they reset code 51-04 and said they could not find any problem. Less than an hour after leaving the dealer, the same problem was there again: loss of power steering. This is so dangerous. I've noticed tons of other people have this same complaint and it should be a recall issue and fixed.
2024-04-25
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-04-19
- VIN: JHMFB4F2XCS
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the contact became aware that the braking system, ABS, and battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. Additionally, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle took longer than normal to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-030 (Warranty Extension: 2012-15 Civic Hybrid IMA Motor Power Inverter); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The contact replaced the battery, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,600.
2024-04-16
POWER TRAIN PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2019-11-15
- VIN: 19XFB2F98CE
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while exiting a parking structure, the vehicle failed to accelerate, the steering column started to fail, and the vehicle began to make an abnormal sound coming from the front driver’s side. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed as having a shredded C-axle and transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
2024-02-20
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-11-01
- VIN: 2HGFG3B88CH
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: My airbag warning light comes on intermittently. When the light is on, the airbags are non-functional. It comes on at various times while driving, and at various speeds. The official diagnosis is a flaw in the "internal resistance in driver's airbag inflator." This is a well-established problem in this model, and Honda offers extended warranty coverage for the passenger side airbag for this problem. Yet Honda refuses to take any responsibility or action for the drivers side with the same issue. Numerous other manufacturers have issued recalls or other corrective action for the same part.
2024-02-05
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-01-23
- Number Of Injuries: 2
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 19XFB2F54CE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: We were making a left turn, and a SUV ran the red light across the street and ran through the intersection hitting us broadside at about 45 mph. We were traveling at about. 20-30 mph as we were going to the freeway onramp and had to get to speed. The SUV impact was by the front passenger side tire or just after. The impact was hard enough to bend the subframe to the left. The side air bags did not inflate. We have always had issues with the child safety sensor in the front passenger seat, could that have been the reason? The passenger in the seat was about 105 -110 lbs. and hit the door panel and glass as a result of the air bags no deploying. The hit was bad enough it killed the engine and the frame damage further disabled it.
2024-01-31
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-11-16
- VIN: 19XFB2F59CE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: Like others, I have had an airbag warning light appear intermittently. Apparently, my VIN is affected by this even though this and Honda's website indicates there are 0 recalls for my car. Dealership informed me that this indeed is a recall issue.
2024-01-24
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-01-24
- VIN: 19XFB2F95CE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: Airbag system appears
2024-01-15
STRUCTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-10-15
- VIN: 2HGFB2F53CH
- Components: STRUCTURE
- Summary: The exhaust pipe fell off the catalytic converter. Upon some research on the internet, I have found that this is a common issue for this specific car model.
2023-11-27
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-11-20
- VIN: 19XFB2F83CE
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: Light for Air Bag System fault keeps intermittingly coming on. I know it was a problem in the civic until 2011 but I have a 2012 and it may have been an issue or this year as well.
2023-11-21
SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-11-18
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 19XFB2F56CE
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES
- Summary: While driving at about 40 mph the car suddenly started to pull toward the left. I pressed on the brake pedal as I steered to the right to try to bring the car back to my lane but I noticed the brake pedal was already very hard. In a second the car skidded out of control toward the right side of the road and it slammed its left side against some big rocks. The driver's door window broke and the side airbags deployed. The big rocks kept us from going into the water of a lake that the road runs next to. The passengers in the car were myself and my wife and were not injured but it was a very terrifying incident and the consequences could have been a lot worse. The vehicle has been released to Progressive, the Insurance Company.
2023-10-18
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-09-11
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 2HGFB2E56CH
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at approximately 55 mph, his vehicle crashed into a stopped Ford F-150. The driver was sore where x-rays were performed and medical attention was provided. There was no fire. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The air bag warning light illuminated after the impact. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 196,000.
2023-10-07
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2021-11-26
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 19XFB2E55CE
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: Front passenger seat belt pretensioner (Honda part #HP04814-TR3-A00ZA) deployed too late after a minor impact (<10 mph) causing passenger to lurch forward until seat belt engaged. The part is not available for inspection. Passenger's safety was at risk due to not being held firmly in place by the seat belt. Don't know if Honda has confirmed/reproduced this issue. Car was inspected by Honda dealership on 11/28/21. No other impact related damage or parts failure discovered by Honda during inspection. Honda replacement part (Honda part #HP04814-TR3-A00ZA) ordered at that time. Replacement part was backordered and did not arrive until 9/1/23. No warning lamps/messages/other symptoms prior to failure.
2023-09-29
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-09-20
- VIN: 2HGFB2F51CH
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: UNKNOWN After inspecting my car and passing, I was still notified about recall information
2023-07-28
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-07-15
- VIN: 19XFB2F82CE
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
- Summary: I purchased this vehicle 6 months ago from a dealer. In the short time I have had the car, there have been multiple issues presented. Bluetooth has been malfunctioning (connects the disconnects), window regulator has had to be replaced three times now (window kept disconnecting from the track and would cause the window to go down sideways and get stuck), more recently the AC condenser went out (it was reported as the condenser has small pieces of metal inside preventing the freon to get into the system and cool the inside of the vehicle).
2023-06-14
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-06-14
- VIN: 19XFB2F55CE
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: If we don't drive my car for a couple of days, we have to keep charging the battery. We keep buying batteries. For instance, the last battery was bought in 10/2022 and we're in 6/2023 and it's doing it again. This time we know it's not the battery. And before we were told it was the battery.
2023-06-03
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-05-19
- VIN: JHMFB4F30CS
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: https://electricvehicleforums.com/forums/honda-civic-hybrid-12/civic-hybrid-ima-failure-bad-power-inverter-32102/index6.html On this link, there is a form of several other individuals experiencing the same issue that I experienced with this vehicle. Randomly, while driving, ON THE HIGHWAY, all the engine dashboard lights came on at once. The car stopped working. It shut down in the most dangerous environment and it’s a miracle that we didn’t get into a car crash. Taking the car to hybrid auto repair in order have the codes read, there was a readout of P1440, B2993, and B2992. Doing research, I found the link which I included; it appears there is a consistent IGBT malfunction in the motor power inverter which is believed to happen after 100k miles but from different testimonials, can actually happen at any mileage. This electrical issue has been closely related to the air conditioner (which our car had issues with when purchased) with the summer months upon us, I can only imagine how many more of these hybrid vehicles will spontaneously lose power in the middle of traffic.
2012 Honda Civic hybrid recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 1 recalls for different components of the 2012 Honda Civic hybrid.
2020-12-10
- Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
- Components: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
- Summary: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Acura ILX, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, and 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles with a manual transmission and 2009-2013 Honda Fit vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The drive shafts' protective coating may not have been applied properly during manufacturing, making it more susceptible to damage from road salt, or other contaminants, and potentially cause it to break.
- Consequence: A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing either the left or right drive shaft, if necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk with an interim letter mailed February 2, 2021. A second letter will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are P9M, PAV, BAY, TAX, CA0, and MAZ.
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2012 Honda Civic hybrid problems:
Is it a bad idea to buy a 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid w/ 107,363 miles ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatcarshouldIbuy/comments/vnisey/is_it_a_bad_idea_to_buy_a_2012_honda_civic_hybrid/
Jun 29, 2022 ... Yes. The internal design is horrible, especially the transmission. If it has a manual transmission then it's an ok buy but still overpriced. It ...
2012-2015 Civic Hybrid Question: Are they reliable? | PriusChat
https://priuschat.com/threads/2012-2015-civic-hybrid-question-are-they-reliable.217309/
The brakes being the weaker spot. Compared to other 2015 hybrids, the Civic hybrid is 2nd, with a 90% reliability score. Behind the Prius with a ...
Did I make a mistake buying a civic hybrid 2012? : r ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatcarshouldIbuy/comments/ztxtzx/did_i_make_a_mistake_buying_a_civic_hybrid_2012/
Dec 24, 2022 ... Thanks for the information! it looks like this recall was for pre-2009 hybrids, but I definitely have read that the mpg on these guys isn't ...
2012 Honda Civic Hybrid Consumer Reviews | Cars.com
https://www.cars.com/research/honda-civic_hybrid-2012/consumer-reviews/
It has run perfectly, with no issues or problems whatsoever. The first owner had all Honda dealer required maintenance/service and we both have maintained the ...
Civic hybrid reliability? | PriusChat
https://priuschat.com/threads/civic-hybrid-reliability.176507/
There was also issues with the first Insight. Honda allowed the software to be more aggressive with the battery for better EPA numbers. This ...
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