Most common 1996 Honda Civic problems
Share of the 305 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Civic complaints by model year
Best Civic years: 2011, 2021, 2014. Years to avoid: 2022, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2017. Compare all years →
1996 Honda Civic recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
A soapy lubricant was used to insert the check valve into the vacuum hose which causes the brake booster check valve to stick.
Remedy: Dealers will clean the check valve by washing the vacuum hose with hot water.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1996 Honda Civic:
Throttle cable sticking
Due to the agency's investigation into this matter, Honda agreed to conduct a safety recall to notify owners of the 1996-1998 Honda civics and install a positive floor mat retention system on the driver's side (genuine Honda) floor mat.furthermore, Honda will conduct a product improvement campaign to inspect and replace certain model year 1996 civic throttle cables equipped with cables not having the latest…
Condenser fan motor inoperative
See resume for details.
What 1996 Honda Civic owners say
Air bags all 70 →
This Honda was involved in an accident yesterday with both side and front impact while in motion, both impacts being major. But neither the passenger or driver's airbags were deployed at any time. There were no warning lights on about the airbag prior to this.
I was driving down a residential street in my 1996 Honda Civic when a 2004 GMC yukon SUV came hurling around the corner of an intersecting street ahead of me. The driver of the yukon failed to stay in his lane as he rounded the corner and hit my Honda Civic head-on. Upon impact my head hit the windshield so hard that it left a bubble protruding out on the driver side of my windshield. In the shape of my head ( I have photos of windshield damage) right before the airbag deployed. I was also wearing a seat belt with shoulder restraint. As a result of the collision I sustained a brain concussion. I have always believed that a driver side airbag and seat belt with shoulder restraint was designed to keep my head out of the windshield in the event of a head-on collision. Evidently both the seat belt and airbag failed to protect me from hitting the windshield in the collision I was in. …
Brakes all 61 →
On April 20, 2007, I wrecked my Civic on the freeway when the car in front of me suddenly hit their brakes, and when I applied my brakes which did not work properly causing my car fishtailed and run into the cement freeway divider. My car was a total loss, and I had to buy another car.
While driving about 20 MPH in rainy weather consumer put on brakes and the vehicle swerved and turned on the other side of the road, spinned around and hit the back of a another vehicle, consumer stated that the air bags did not deploy. Has contacted the dealer. Also passengers seat collasped.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 31 →
The window on the driver's side continually comes off the track. I have had it fixed, but it still comes off and it is very difficult to get the window back up. I have no children and usually ride alone to work so no one 'plays' with the up/down button. The window on the passenger side will sometimes not come up. I have to have someone manually pull it up while I press the button. This has been going on for a number of years.
Dt*: the contact stated the power windows were inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where it was determined the wiring harness needed to be replaced. It was taken to the dealership for repair. Also, the hazard light was inoperable. The dealership determined the hazard light switch needed to be replaced.
1996 Honda Civic engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 33 / 41 / 36 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 30 / 35 / 32 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 33 / 28 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Honda Civic a good car?
Based on 305 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 Civic rates average: 18% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Civic at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Honda Civic?
The air bags — 70 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the brakes (61) and windows, wipers & sunroof (31).
How many recalls does the 1996 Honda Civic have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1996 Honda Civic, the most recent from January 17, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda Civic?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2021 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2017. See the full Honda Civic years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Honda Civic problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 103,000 miles; 10% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.