2022 Honda Civic Problems and Top Complaints – Is Your Car A Lemon?

Electrical system, cruise control, automatic braking, and steering issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners

Updated on November 28th, 2023 Author: Brian Jones

The 2022 Honda Civic provides the traditional style and memorable name that the average car buyer is looking for. The automaker tries to step it up a notch by claiming it will provide “nonstop fun.” However, some customers aren’t having any fun at all, especially when their cruise control disengages, or the emergency braking system randomly activates.

Click on other model year to view more problems: 2019   2020   2021   2023

Most Common Problems

There were 56 complaints made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the 2022 Honda Civic between July 2021 and mid-October 2022. Overall, 13 components and systems are listed, but most complaints relate to at least 2, sometimes to 3 of them.

Forward collision avoidance tops the complaints list with 30 complaints. Vehicle speed control is a close second, with 26 complaints, but of these 22 are combined with forward collision avoidance. In total, 29 of the complaints related to Cruise Control and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) systems malfunctioning. Several also complain about problems with the emergency automatic braking system activating even when there aren’t other vehicles nearby.

There are 10 complaints, so far, about the electrical system, and half of these are combined with cruise control problems.

There are 9 complaints related to lane departure issues. Of these, 4 relate to faulty steering, which has attracted a total of 8 complaints.

With so many brands of vehicles reporting problems with sunroofs shattering and windshields cracking, we note that the 2022 Honda Civic isn’t immune. One of the 3 complaints about the structure of this car reports a windshield crack that occurred without any impact. Despite the fact that there is widespread comment about windshields that randomly crack – including Honda vehicles – the dealer maintained “a small item must have hit it and it isn’t a manufacturer issue.”

Shattering sunroofs are also common with multiple brands, and again, the Honda Civic isn’t invulnerable. A California resident with a new 2022 Civic reports that the sunroof shattered while driving on a freeway in March 2022.

2022 Honda Civic Complaint Summary

Problems with the Electrical System

The electrical system issues cited in complaints to the NHTSA are varied. Out of a total of 10 complaints, half are listed as vehicle speed control and/or forward collision avoidance issues, specifically the widespread cruise control problems and 1 to steering issues.

An owner from California complains that the car engine also randomly shuts down and the car loses all power. This usually happens after 3-5 hours and the car has to be restarted. And an owner from Ohio, with only 307 miles on the clock, states that the traffic sign recognition feature provides inaccurate speed data,

Here’s an example from an Edmunds review. “Within 10-hours after purchase, the defroster stopped working followed by the air-conditioning immediately afterwards. Took it back to the dealer and it’s been with them for over a week. I may not get my car back for several weeks as it’s difficult to get the electrical replacement parts probably due to chip component shortage. Not very happy with this purchase.”

The electrical issues range from small to large. On the minor side, Service Bulletin #AATS210301 talks about the wireless charger not working with iPhone 12 models. Honda’s solution to this is to “use a USB charging cord” instead. However, even larger are the previous issues that Honda has faced. In the past, the automaker has been found possibly liable for failing to disclose issues with the seatbelts and airbags because of an electrical defect.

Cruise Control Problems

The first complaint about cruise control problems was lodged with the NHTSA on December 2, 2021. Since this time, there have been 3 technical service bulletins (TSBs) that address the issue. The first was released on April 28, 2022 and the most recent in July 2022. But months later Civic owners still have problems.

What the TSBs Say

The initial TSB warns dealers that the Cruise Control and ACC “stop working or cancel while driving.” It states that when customers try to resume the function with a key cycle, they will hear a series of beeps. The cause, they say, is possibly software issues with the multipurpose camera. Dealers are therefore asked to get a repair technician to update the driver support software.

The next TSB, issued on June 24, says, “Cruise control is not working and all the ACC lights are illuminated.” Again, they blame this on software issues with the multipurpose camera and ask dealers to update the software to the most current version.

The most recent TSB was issued on July 15, 2022. This was updated little more than a week later, listing an increased number of VIN numbers. All 3 TSBs state that the normal warranty applies. It isn’t clear whether the software itself has been updated.

Complaints

A recent complaint from a Michigan resident lodged with the NHTSA on September 21, 2022 tells it like it is. “The adaptive cruise control disengages abruptly during its operation with a beep and cannot be reengaged unless it is restarted. Honda seems to have released a TSB for this issue but this car hasn’t been updated for that TSB software update.” Now that it’s happened a couple of times, the owner plans to get the software updated.

A Los Angeles resident has experienced the ACC and regular cruise control disengaging on multiple occasions. “Once this occurs the cruise control will not engage regardless of whether I try ACC or regular cruise control and I receive a message ‘Cruise Control Off’ and a beep when I try. The only consistent solution seems to be to turn off the car and turn it back on.”

This owner didn’t take the Civic to a dealer for inspection because the problem occurs “very randomly.” Their concern is that it will probably take a dealership hours of driving to reproduce the problem … not knowing that Honda already knows about the problem! While the cruise control failed for the first time in December 2021, the complaint was only filed on July 22, 2022. Surely that’s evidence enough that a recall would solve the problem for many?

The solution may be to join a forum, because they spread the word!

But then, an owner from Texas experienced the problem. The dealership confirmed the issue but said it would “be a while to get fixed.” A software update?

Emergency Automatic Braking Issues

There are only 4 complaints about random or ghost braking in the category Service Brakes. But brake problems are reported in other categories, including Forward Collision Avoidance. It seems that malfunctioning cruise control may sometimes go hand-in-hand with random emergency braking issues.

An owner from Virginia was driving at 75 mph in ACC away from other cars. The weather was perfect, and then the car braked automatically. “The braking period lasted about two seconds during which time inertia slammed me forward. Fortunately there were no cars immediately in back of me or I no doubt probably would have been rear-ended. I did not step on the brake pedal or the gas pedal during this period.”

The owner’s assumption is that the forward collision system activated.

An owner from California reports that while driving on an empty highway, the car ghost brakes even though there are no cars in front. “It has happened multiple times that my last incident almost caused an accident behind me. I have tried to get serviced and they won’t listen.”

Faulty Steering

If your steering doesn’t work, you’re in trouble. Complaints about the steering system of the 2022 Honda Civic range from “unstable steering at low speeds” and the steering becoming “statically neutral” to lane departure issues.

An owner from Tennessee reports a crash, saying that “Steering pulls to the side making it very hard to steer.” The car stays in the lane when going straight but it “makes your arms sore trying to steer it.” The dealer was able to duplicate the problem but was not able to fix it.

An owner from Illinois complains that the steering wheel starts “to stick or bind” after driving for half an hour. When the car stops, they hear a clunk coming from the electronic power steering. “Once on the highway, the steering wheel gets really sticky and when trying to do a small correction it jerks. After a while it becomes really unsafe to drive since all the corrections you make are extreme and it struggles to keep the car centered on the lane without constant struggle.”

Is your 2022 Honda Civic a Lemon? Your Lemon Rights

Do you think you may have a lemon? If you do, Lemberg Law will assess your problems free of charge. The law makes Honda pay legal fees and you may be able to get your lemon out of your life.

Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you. All our Helpline or fill in our contact form and we’ll get back to you.

About the Author:

Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.

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