Research · Subcompact Cars · 2 NHTSA variants

2010 Honda CivicRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 400 owner complaints for the 2010 Honda Civic. Most complaints involve air bags (97) and service brakes (65). The EPA rates it 24–29 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
24–29mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
8campaigns
Latest Jun 2019
Owner complaints
400
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,200est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

8 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jun 27, 2019NHTSA 19V502000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

Air bagsReported May 16, 2019NHTSA 19V378000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX, TSX Wagon and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Insight, Fit and Pilot vehicles, 2011-2012 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Lastly, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot, 2011-2013 TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord and 2010-2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Sep 27, 2018NHTSA 18V661000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 6, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

400 complaints filed with NHTSA · Feb 2010 – Sep 2026
  1. Air bags97
  2. Service brakes65
  3. Structure44
  4. Visibility/wiper34
  5. Electrical system24
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic23
  7. Engine19
  8. Steering19
  9. Visibility18

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Civic model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1996314
1997383
1998450
1999348
2000297
20011,089
2002717
2003525
2004351
2005316
20061,411
20071,212
2008923
2009398
2010400
2011170
2012462
2013320
2014293
2015389
20161,083
2017608
2018602
2019460
2020240
2021162
2022962
2023338
2024144
202588
202632
Crashes reported
31
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
32
Deaths reported
47
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

97 reports20 crashes
“The contact owns a 2010 Honda Civic. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 20 MPH, the driver-side air bag curtain deployed without any impact, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle and struck the curb on the passenger side. The inside of the vehicle was damaged due to the deployment of the air bag. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home. The contact was severely injured and had to seek medical attention. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and they stated that the air bag deploy because she struck the curb. The failure mileage was 142,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2022Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11494149

Service brakes

65 reports3 crashes
“MY BRAKES WILL BE STUCK (I COULD NOT APPLY THE BRAKE) WHEN I SUDDENLY PRESS DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDLY. I HAD THIS ISSUE WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE TO HONDA ONCE I DID ONLINE SURVEY. TODAY, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE I COULD NOT APPLY BRAKE. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME IN THE STREET. THE BRAKE WORKS FINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT IF I PRESS THE PEDAL SLOWLY. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SCARY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2021Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11390454

Structure

44 reports2 crashes
“The paint on this blue Honda Civic 2010 has been wearing away for years. There’s chips of paint missing on the hood. There is paint wear on the roof in two wide strips, on the trunk all over and the fenders. Also, the roof, when washed by auto carwash, buckles in when being dried so you can tell metal is thin. There’s definitely a defect in these civics I see them all over the place and every blue one almost has worn paint just like mine! Honda had to have done something wrong with these paint jobs, they should repaint them for free!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 16, 2023StructureODI 11507637
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Subcompact Cars
Engines
1.8L 4-cyl · 2.0L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 5-spd · Manual 5-spd · Manual 6-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 6, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Civic
Auto 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
253629$2,200306
Civic
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive
263429$2,200306
Civic
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
212924$3,300370
  • Civic
    Auto 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    25 city · 36 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Civic
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
    26 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Civic
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    21 city · 29 hwy · $3,300/yr
    24
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 6, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Honda Civic as of Nov 6, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 6, 2026Vehicle 5835Vehicle 5834
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2010 Civic questions

How many recalls does the 2010 Honda Civic have?

8 safety recalls as of Nov 6, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2010 Honda Civic problems?

Owners filed 400 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (97), service brakes (65), structure (44). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2010 Honda Civic get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Honda Civic at 24–29 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 6, 2026