Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Honda Civic owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Car gives the following codes: Check Power Steering, Check Brake System, Check ABS, Check VSA, it would turn on and off at random times starting around November 2022, was initially informed that it could be a software update by the local Honda dealer, with a 2-3 hour labor charge to update and it might fix it. Eventually the lights would remain on most of the time and I could now pay for a diagnostic which determined the VSA modulator was defective (Code DTC 121-11). This diagnosis was generated on March 18, 2023, as of this date, July 16, 2023 there is no ETA for the part to arrive but have been informed 9 other VSA modulators have been ordered and I am 6th in line, none have arrived to this particular local Honda parts department. Looking online there appears to be a trend of car owners of 2012-2014 Honda Civics and Honda Accords that have observed their VSA modulators fail. …
The component that has failed is the abs modulator system. The problem with the abs modulator failing on me puts me and my family at great risk including death because the abs modulator works alongside with the brakes, power steering and the vsa system all of which are the main components to a cars safety. Yes I have take my Honda to a certified technician who informed me that the and modulator has gone bad and will need to be replaced immediately due my safety alongside everyone who is on the road. Lastly when I first purchased the car everything my worked fine and their were no problems whatsoever until one day I was driving down the road and suddenly the abs light, power steering light, vsa light, and brake light all turned on which led to my car having horrible performance alongside my brakes feeling sloppy as well as my steering literally moving even though I was going straight. …
My 2013 Honda Civic has just 80000 miles. 4 lights came on recently: ABS, Brakes, Power Steering and VSA lights. I took it to the honda dealership to get it diagnosed. They said it's the VSA modulator that has gone bad and needs replacing. The part is $1500 not including labor. This part is a known problem for civic and accord models and other honda models. My car still drive normal but those lights indicate a huge risk. I would like to get it repaired but the dealer said they don't have that part, it's on back order with no ETA. This means that it is a common problem where everyone is looking for it and supply ran out. Also I was told that Thailand did a recall on this part and honda agreed to the recall. This is a safety issue and many cars out there have same issues at even lower mileage than mine. And my car 80k miles is still very new. …
There are four lights with a warning that shows up and stay on Check Brake, Power Steering, ABS and VBS Systems. These four lights occurs immediately or even occasionally delayed but they appear everytime my vehicle is running. It is the VSA System per service repair shop. This is a known problem for the Honda Civic 2013 and also Honda Accord. My concern is when these lights are present there is a safety hazard issue. A recall should HAPPEN. My thorough research shows that it should've been a recall in the USA for vehicles in 2012-2013 regarding an expansion of VSA Non-compliance Recall: 2012-2013 Honda Fit done free of charge. This article was July 23, 2013 and it was a little over 48,000 vehicles. They all qualified for a repair if indicated. The repairs happened in Thailand but not USA. The repairs are very, very costly. I'm the only owner of my vehicle and purchased new.
Purchased November 2023 not even 1 week warning lamps, messages / adaptive cruise control, road departure mitigation, brake systems, failure lights alarming at the same time. Took to dealer cleared sensors. A matter of days alarms going off again. Call dealer they want to keep vehicle for diagnostic. When they did diagnostic it was another problem. They repair guy also mentioned not to apply E-brake. He said their is a possibility that it may completely lock. I will be taking vehicle to another dealership for 2nd opinion.
The electric power steering pump is failing while driving my vehicle. When driving the vehicle, if I make a turn any way, than my vehicle shuts off and locks up completely causing me to not be able to go or move without turning the vehicle off and on quickly to get out of the way. It has caused me to almost get rear ended as well. I have spoke to mechanics at multiple shops and even Spoke to honda world about it; who advised me to take the steps of looking into a recall or submitting an incident report to make a claim.
Traveling down Interstate 49 in Arkansas. Hit a patch of "chicken byproduct" that was spilled on the highway. My car fishtailed. VSA module out of service. Did a vehicle diagnostic scan on it. Scanner said VSA module malfunctioning. No ABS past 30 mph. Took vehicle to shop. They said VSA module needed to be replaced. VSA is suppose to be a safety mechanism in the 2013 Honda Civic. I have read that I am not the only owner to have this problem. Should be a recall. They are expensive to replace.
My Honda Civic is experiencing multiple serious system warnings, including Check VSA System, Check Power Steering System, Check Brake System, and Check ABS System. This appears to be a recurring issue reported by Honda Civic owners in different places, and I believe Honda needs to investigate the problem and take responsibility for properly addressing it because these systems directly affect vehicle safety and driver control.
ABS check light, VSA check light, Power Steering light comes on. They come on everytime the car is started. Sometimes it is immediately. Sometimes it is delayed. The lights come in that order. My car diagnostic scanning tool says ABS will fail at 30 mph. I lack the funds to get car looked at.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while the key was in the on position, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was able to start after another attempt and the vehicle drove forward independently. In addition, the brakes failed to respond and the steering wheel locked warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle drove over the sidewalk and crashed into a building. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 15,447.
Steering complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2013 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the steering of the 2013 Honda Civic, 12% of the model year's 319 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2013 Honda Civic steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2013 Honda Civic. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Honda Civic steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 25,000 miles, and 48% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.