2016 Honda Civic electrical problems
120 of the 1,082 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Honda Civic name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). Filed under the same heading: 53 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA complaint database4 of the 120 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 3 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 21 · 2017: 14 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 20 · 2020: 13 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 6
Half of the 61 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 10,000 and 45,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
1,082 complaints in all about the 2016 Honda Civic, 6 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electrical System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Honda Civic electrical problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Repeated issues with faulty dashboard electronic warning system which alerts brake failure and experience with acceleration problem and other related issues. These issues occurred while driving on city streets
The radio or said infotainment system does not work as advertised, not allowing you to use your google navigation or bluetooth which are 2 big safety concerns, the internet is flooded with complaints and all say Honda is ignoring the problem and refusing a fix
While driving 25 MPH in daytime/dry conditions/light traffic on a straight portion of a two-lane street, vehicle lost instrumentation (tach, speedometer, and central display) for approx. 45-60 seconds. As system reset, large "h" was displayed for a period and then instrumentation was restored.
Certain Honda civic's have apple's carplay installed, through the ios iphone mobile phone platform. When enabled, or plugged into the car, navigation support provided by apple's maps application goes into 'day mode' while at night. This creates a huge amount of brightness in the car and blinds the driver with brightness.
Car doors will sometimes refuse to unlock / acknowledge remote control after the trunk is closed. The car's computer crashes. Youtube. Com/watch?v=nnbiwhk2tbg it's difficult to repro, but here are the steps: 1. Open the trunk. 2. Close the trunk 3. Observe that both turn signals are solidly lit 4.
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications53 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0300 P0301 P0302 P0303 U0038 U0101 P2817
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Honda Civic names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Honda Civic
Source: the same files- engine problems 99 complaints
- visibility and wiper problems 67 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre electrical problems common on the 2016 Honda Civic?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 120 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (11% of everything owners filed about it), and 53 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the 2016 Honda Civic?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 5 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2016 Honda Civic?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 28,600 miles; half of them between 10,000 and 45,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?
Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.