The Honda Civic is a popular sedan and hatchback that has been on the road since 1972. The 2024 Honda Civic is the fourth of the 11th generation Civic. Despite its ongoing popularity, like its predecessor, it has major steering problems. There are also multiple other problems, including issues with forward-avoidance clearance. Owners are not impressed.
The most common complaints (58% of them) reported to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) about the 2024 Honda Civic by the end of March 2025 relate to steering. Like other Honda models, there are recalls and an NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that delved into a momentary increased steering effort between November 29, 2023, and January 28, 2025.
There is also a recall for a small number (121) of Honda vehicles that have a driver’s seat cushion frame that may not have been tightened properly. This can result in an unsecured seat which may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
There are a relatively small number of other complaints that relate to airbags, the electrical system, engine, lane departure, powertrain, seat belts, service brakes, structure, suspension, tires, vehicle speed control, and visibility/wiper issues.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
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6
Lane Departure: Warning
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5
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings
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4
Suspension
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4
Electrical System
3
3
Power Train
3
3
Stick Steering
From the moment it was launched, owners of the 2024 Honda Civic reported steering issues to the NHTSA. An owner in Indiana reported in November 2023 that with little more than 5,500 miles, when the car was traveling at highway speeds in a straight line, it was difficult to move the steering wheel. “It feels like it is stuck in a rut and requires a tug to get the wheel to turn. This happens at 50+ mph speed. I have tried it with road departure and lane keeping off and it still happens. If you keep moving the wheel slightly it won’t do it but when trying to turn slightly after traveling straight for a while it occurs.”
An owner from Ohio reported a similar problem, stating that the dealer claimed he couldn’t replicate the issue. “Steering wheel is sticking when (the) wheel is turned from a stationary position. Most noticeably at highway speeds while making slight steering corrections to maintain lane.”
Owners were soon talking about “sticky steering,” which is how the NHTSA ODI referred to the problem in its Engineering Analysis launched on November 29, 2023. As an owner in Arizona states, “I am experiencing sticky steering. When driving the steering seems to get stuck until I forcefully move the wheel to overcome the steering resistance.”
An owner from Texas states that the “steering wheel sticks when making small adjustments on (the) highway after driving for a certain amount of time, usually 20-30 minutes. It will reset itself after cooling off and sitting overnight. When it sticks it takes more force than expected to unstick, causing my car to jerk in the lane. It started as it is getting colder outside, and the car is relatively still low mileage (5,700 miles).”
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Steering Recalls
The first steering recall was issued in October 2023, with a warning that a damaged tire could fail and increase the risk of a crash or injury. It warned that as many as 264,567 2022-2024 Civic 4-door and Civic 5-door vehicles that had received a replacement power steering rack as part of a service repair might have a problem. “The steering rack may have been incorrectly assembled, which can allow the tire to chafe against the lower suspension or tie rod end, possibly resulting in tire damage.”
Within days, Honda issued a second steering recall. This was for a lot more (1,693,199) Honda vehicles, including 2024 Honda Civic models. This recall coincided with the ODI investigation into “momentary increased steering effort.”
“The complaints received by ODI alleged that the subject vehicles experienced a momentary increase in required steering effort (described as “sticky steering”) occurring mostly at highway speeds after driving for an extended amount of time; these complaints could not be duplicated during dealer service technicians’ quick test drives. The complaints had been received over the previous two years with most occurring with low vehicle mileage. The steering gear of these vehicles is aided by an electrical power assist unit. This power assist unit inputs force on the steering rack via a worm gear and worm wheel assembly.”
Since December 2024, most of the steering-related complaints stated the recall repair for steering recalls were not available.
Crashes Due to Steering Problems
A year after the recall was announced, dealerships were still unable to fix the issue because the remedy for the recall wasn’t available. There were also issues of owners experiencing the symptoms in their 2024 Civic vehicles, but their VINs were not valid. In November 2024, an owner in Ohio crashed because of this malfunction, and the dealer couldn’t determine the cause of the steering failure, even though the vehicle crashed.
An owner from West Virginia also crashed. “While driving 50 MPH and going around a curve to the right, the steering wheel seized and the vehicle failed to respond as needed, causing the vehicle to become involved in a head-on crash with another vehicle on the driver’s side of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated.” Luckily, the airbags deployed as designed. However, the driver “sustained back injuries and mild contusions to the back.” he was transported by ambulance from the scene to seek medical attention. The vehicle was “destroyed” and deemed a total loss by the insurance provider. Ironically, just a few days after the crash, the owner received notification of the recall linked to difficulty steering due to steering gearbox damage.
An owner from Massachusetts crashed after attempting to make a left turn into a parking lot. “After being idle, the steering wheel seized while (it was) still turned to the left. This caused the vehicle to continue turning to the left. “ The result was that the Civic crashed into a nearby vehicle and stopped. The airbags didn’t deploy and the owner’s left hand was fractured. The driver in the other vehicle was also injured. Both of them needed medical attention — and they filed a police report. The owner later discovered that her CIvic qualified for a steering recall, but the remedy wasn’t available!
Forward Collision-Avoidance Problems
Various problems with the forward-collision avoidance system appear to be causing problems for owners of the 2024 Honda Civic, including phantom braking. For example, an owner from Texas states in an NHTSA complaint that when there were no other vehicles ahead on a straight road, the car decelerates randomly to 15-20 mph. “It happened at least 3 times on a 450-mile trip. Occasionally (it) will also brake when (the) car ahead changes lanes in a different lane than I was driving.”
An owner from Illinois tells how there are “braking system warnings and (the) possibility of brake failure warnings.” The dealership identified a sensor issue and replaced the sensors, “but it happened again and I’m also experiencing a phenomenon referred to as ‘phantom braking’ as my car will stop as if an object is directly in front of me while I’m driving. This has happened a few times on the interstate now and I’m afraid to drive. This is a serious safety risk for all involved.”
An owner from Ohio states that the Civic “automatically stopped abruptly when a car in oncoming traffic turned a safe distance ahead of me. I was in the process of slowing down and was in no danger of being too close to the car in front of me.” He nearly got rear-ended.
Sometimes complaints report crashes. An owner from Massachusetts states in a complaint the automatic brake system failed to operate correctly in January 2025. It happened as a result of him being blinded by the sun. “The system did not deploy and the car ended up totaled with both airbags deployed after just a 20 mph fender bender. If the intended systems worked as they were designed, the accident wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
So Is Your 2024 Civic a Lemon?
If you think your 2024 Honda Civic might be a lemon, you can contact Lemberg Law and we will assess your problems free of charge. A good yardstick to base your assessment on is that when a vehicle is a lemon, the problems will affect your use of the vehicle and its value.
We have helped many lemon car owners reach settlements with automakers and may be able to do the same for you. Ultimately, the law makes Honda pay the legal costs for lemon law cases, ensuring you can seek resolution without financial risk. If you need help, please fill in our online contact form or call our Helpline.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
