Is the 2013 Honda Civic a bad year?
319 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Civic years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2013 Honda Civic are in line with other Civic years. Air bags stands out for this year: see below.
5th quietest of 20 Civic years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2013 Civic owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 60,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 114 (36%) | 38k–81k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 39 (12%) | 13k–73k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Steering | 38 (12%) | 4k–62k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Body structure | 23 (7%) | 5k–66k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 22 (7%) | 6k–81k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Brakes | 39 (12%) | 4k–43k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Engine | 23 (7%) | 5k–52k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 20 (6%) | 3k–27k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 17 (5%) | 3k–38k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seats | 16 (5%) | 5k–30k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 14 (4%) | 3k–34k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Tires | 11 (3%) | 1k–21k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Wheels | 7 (2%) | 5k–48k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Stability control | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 60,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 319 complaints: 29 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 24 report an injury · 15 say the car was towed.
16 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Aug 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2013 Honda Civic: 0
No recall campaign lists this model year.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Honda: 53
Repair instructions Honda sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2013 Honda Civic. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The MIL comes on with one of these DTCs: P2646/P2651 (Rocker arm oil pressure switch circuit low voltage)
There is a chirping from the engine area while driving on rough roads in hot weather
Engine oil leak at the timing chain case cover
The MIL comes on with DTC P0128 (Cooling system malfunction) stored
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Electrical overstress
Neighbouring years
2012 Civic: 455 complaints, keep it · 2014 Civic: 292 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Honda Civic year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Civic years side by side
Other Honda models: Honda Accord · Honda Accord Hybrid · Honda CR-V · Honda CR-V Hybrid · Honda Civic Hybrid · Honda Civic Si · Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid · Honda Crosstour · Honda Element · Honda Fit · Honda GL1800 · Honda HR-V · Honda Insight · Honda Odyssey · Honda Passport · Honda Pilot · Honda Prologue · Honda Ridgeline · Honda VTX1300. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2013 Honda Civic a bad year?
319 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Civic years. At 60,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Honda Civic?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (114), electrical system (39), steering (38), body structure (23), transmission and drivetrain (22).
How many recalls does the 2013 Honda Civic have?
No recall campaign lists this model year in NHTSA data. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.