Problems · by component
2006 Honda Civic engine and engine cooling problems
151 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Honda Civic cite engine and engine cooling, 11% of all 1,411 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
151
11% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2006 Honda Civic. The contact stated that upon checking the fluids in the vehicle, she noticed that coolant had leaked onto the ground. Upon inspecting under the hood of the vehicle, the contact then noticed that coolant was located at the bottom of the engine and a small crack in the coolant reservoir. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximate 208,000.”
“The accessory serpentine belt produced by gates triggers misfires faults. The part is available for inspection. The misfires escalated to a point where the MIL lamp flashed and the vehicle derated while operating on a roadway. Had to emergency stop. After key off/on the vehicle acted normally. I was able to be confirm the misfire with datalogging. Gates has not responded to my communication effort. The vehicle had no issue previous to the belt change. It was running the OEM belt and was only replaced due to maintenance interval. After the misfire was confirmed with data monitoring a new OEM belt was installed and the misfire was confirmed to be gone.”
“2006 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNSATISFACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP WITH ISSUES IN REPLACEMENT OF AUTO TENSIONER PIVOT BOLT SERVICE BULLETIN 09-007. *M THE CONSUMER DID NOT BELIEVE THE TSB WAS COMPLETED AS INDICATED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE OVERSIGHT, HAS LED TO A CATASTROPHIC MALFUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE.”
“2006 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO COOLANT LEAKS COMING FROM ENGINE BLOCK AND TRANSMISSION. *SMD THE HONDA DEALER VERIFIED THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE VIN WAS THE CORRECT YEAR TO BE COVERED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD COST 5,000 OUT OF POCKET. *JB”
“THE ENGINE BLOCK LEAKS COOLANT, THE MOTOR OVERHEATS TO A DEGREE THAT IS AUDIBLE, YOU CAN HEAR THE STEAM ESCAPING FROM THE COOLANT CONTAINER, THE HEAT DAMAGES THE THERMOSTAT AND BURNS THE GASKETS AND IT BECOMES A SELF-DESTRUCTING CYCLE BECAUSE THE MOTOR IS INCAPABLE OF COOLING ITSELF WITHOUT THE THERMOSTAT AND, THE COOLANT. IN SOME CASES THE CRACK IN THE BLOCK THAT LEAKS IS APPARENT; IN MY CASE THE CRACK IS NOT VISIBLE OR EASY TO SEE AND THE DEALERS TECHNICIAN IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL THAT HONDA HAS ALREADY IN PLACE FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. THE SERVICE MANAGER EXPLAINED TO THE CONSUMER, THAT EVEN THOUGH ALL THE SYMPTOMS OF THE VEHICLE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A COOLING FLUID EVAPORATING, THE MOTOR WAS OVERHEATING, THE HEAT WAS BURNING THE GASKETS AND THE THERMOSTAT, HE HAD TO RELY ON THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSIS TELLING HIM THAT HIS PARTICULAR MOTOR WAS NOT CRACKED EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. THE HOSE TO THE RADIATOR, GASKET WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER RESET THE LIGHT. UPDATED 10/31/13”
“UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AND VIBRATIONS WHEN TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. HONDA HAD A RECALL TO REPAIR CONTROL ARM. HAD REPAIR DONE 6 YEARS AGO. IT WAS A FACTORY/MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. CALLED DEALER WHO SAID HONDA ONLY HONORS ONE REPAIR. ANY SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS ARE AT MY EXPENSE. DEALER WILL NOT DO PERMANENT FIX. TIRES WEAR UNEVENLY DUE TO PROBLEM. HAVE BOUGHT SEVERAL TIRES. HAVE HAD PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR AND STRUT REPLACEMENT DUE TO MANUFACTURING ISSUES. ALSO, CATALYTIC CONVERTER NOW GOING OUT PREMATURELY. NOTHING COVERED BY HONDA. MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FORMING. WHY DOES HONDA NOT STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCT AND PERMANENTLY REPAIR MANUFACTURING DEFECTS/PROBLEMS? *TR”
Showing 6 of 151 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.