Problems · by component
2008 Honda Civic Hybrid visibility problems
113 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid cite visibility, 12% of all 980 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
113
12% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the visibility
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COATING ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CREATED A GLARE ON THE WINDOW DURING NIGHT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS OF OTHER VEHICLES REFLECTED OFF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP THAT SPECIFIED IN THE WINDOWS ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 07/12/16*LJ”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.”
“THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NO LONGER BLOWING ANY COLD AIR. WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR COMPRESSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE COILS, AND A/C CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT FOR THE AIR COMPRESSOR. VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND THERE IS NO EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THE AIR COMPRESSOR. DISCUSSED WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS IN MY AREA AND HAVE SEEN FORUM DISCUSSIONS POSTED THAT HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES AND HAVE LISTED IT AS A "KNOWN ISSUE" BUT HONDA HAS NOT FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGED. PREVIOUSLY I HAVE OWNED A 1997 HONDA CIVIC WITH ALL ORIGINAL PARTS AND IT DID NOT HAVE SUCH AN ISSUE. I HAVE ALSO SUBMITTED A DIRECT COMPLAINT TO HONDA REGARDING MY DEFECTIVE AIR COMPRESSOR. *TR”
“SUN VISORS HAVE BECOME LOOSE AND DO NOT STAY IN UPRIGHT POSITION. DISTRACTING AND DISRUPTS VIEW. CANNOT SEE TRAFFIC SIGNAL (LIGHTS) UNLESS I TAKE MY HAND FROM STEERING WHEEL TO HOLD SUN VISOR IN UPRIGHT POSITION. NOT SAFE, NOT PRACTICAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH HONDA CIVIC. BOTH VISORS HANG IN DOWN POSITION, WILL NOT REMAIN UP. EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR SUN VISORS, AS MUCH AS $60 PER VISOR. HONDA KNOWS THIS IS A FLAW AND NEEDS TO REPAIR SAME AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR”
“I WAS TURNING ON FROM A LEFT LANE INTO A LEFT LANE SEPARATED BY A CEMENT DIVIDER; THE CAR WENT OVER THE CEMENT DIVIDER AND ALMOST OVERTURNED. AT NIGHT WITH NORMAL LIGHTING AND NORMAL SPEED. I HAVE HAD ANOTHER INCIDENT 3 MONTHS PRIOR MAKING A RIGHT TURN. I NOTICED CAREFULLY BY COMPARISON OF THE EXACT POSITION OF SIMILAR MAKE SEDAN CARS; THIS CAR HAS THE MIRROR ATTACHED TO THE DOOR PANELS AND PRESENTS A HAZARD (HAS 2 BLIND SPOTS) MAKING IT ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT WITH LOW BEAM LIGHTS AND OLD PAINTED DIVIDER LINES. IT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ACTION AND RECALL SO THE DEALERS CAN REPOSITION THE MIRRORS. *TR”
“SUN VISOR SPLIT APART CAUSING THE VISOR TO LOOSELY STAY IN THE LINE OF SIGHT OF THE DRIVER. THE MECHANISM THAT HOLDS THE VISOR UP DOES NOT HOLD THE VISOR UP ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE SPLIT. LOOKS LIKE THE HEAT OF THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR MIXED WITH THE PLASTIC PIECES OF THE VISOR CAUSED THE DEFECT. HONDA NEEDS TO NOT JUST REPLACE THE PARTS, THEY NEED TO REDESIGN THE VISORS USING DIFFERENT MATERIALS THAT WILL HOLD UP TO THE EXTREME HEAT THAT CAR INTERIORS HAVE TO FACE. CURRENTLY THEY ARE REPLACING THE VISORS WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED VISORS. THEY NEED TO BE FORCED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, INSTEAD OF TREAT THE SYMPTOM! TYPE IN HONDA SUN VISOR DEFECT IN ANY SEARCH ENGINE AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM! *TR”
Showing 6 of 113 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.