AI Damage2013 Honda Civic Hybrid: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 22% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 22% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 4 Hybrid propulsion system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Hybrid propulsion system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hybrid propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated to start, and multiple warning lights illuminated, including the check engine warning light. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with trouble code P1437.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle vibrated violently. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the continuously variable transmission (CVT).
On the morning of november 10, 2017, the "check breaks" light lit up while I was driving, then the breaks suddenly stopped working. Fortunately I was driving in slow city traffic, so I wasn't moving very fast, but in order to stop, I had to apply the parking break because the car kept on moving after I hit the breaks…
It vibrates real loud, and the odometer will not go to 2. I have to now get it towed back to honda on 10/30/17 and let them fix it, and I will not pay a dime. They did something to the computer while programming my key. I am very angry with them.
6659 miles into owning this car honda pasadena charged me $220 to replace engine wiring that had been eaten by rodents. This car was parked in the same place as at least 3 other types of cars over a 13 year period and none of the others had this issue.
Purchased vehicle because it included fcw (forward collision warning) and ldw (lane departure warning) safety features. Have learned that as part of a four-wheel alignment, calibration of these systems is required. This is not documented\disclosed in the owner's manual or product literature.
I received nhtsa recall 14v-349 jj7 and was told by the dealership that only one of the two affected airbags was available. They said honda is projecting the other to be available in april, 1-2 months from the date of the notice.
While driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle downshifted to 15 mph independently while making a jerking motion. Also, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for diagnostic testing, which indicated that a random misfire caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Civic Hybrid has 23 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Hybrid propulsion system. HV battery state, hybrid codes, water ingress.
Other years of this model
- Civic Hybrid 200351 sources
- Civic Hybrid 200435 sources
- Civic Hybrid 200548 sources
- Civic Hybrid 200655 sources
- Civic Hybrid 200764 sources
- Civic Hybrid 200864 sources
- Civic Hybrid 200928 sources
- Civic Hybrid 201012 sources
- Civic Hybrid 201212 sources
- Civic Hybrid 20145 sources
- Civic Hybrid 20155 sources
- Civic Hybrid 20168 sources
- Civic Hybrid 202523 sources
- Civic Hybrid 202613 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, air bags. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (44%), vibration (22%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2013 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.