general problems of the 2018 Honda Civic - part 1

•I am an indiana resident. •I purchased a vehicle from a private seller in ohio (seller operates through an llc) on 1/16/2026 •fraudulent title activity was discovered by mechanic on 1/26/26 (taken to mechanic due to sudden and unexpected issues) •the purchase agreement and price ($9,000) were confirmed via text message; there was no written bill of sale and no “as-is” agreement. •prior to purchase, the seller provided a VIN that belonged to a different vehicle than the one sold. •after purchase, I discovered the vehicle has evidence of odometer rollback; the ohio title indicates “odometer inaccurate,” which was not disclosed prior to sale. •the vehicle was previously salvage titled and originated from canada, neither of which were disclosed. •the ohio title lists an incorrect purchase price of $4,000, despite the agreed purchase price of $9,000. •title was sold under dealer name permit number xxx •the vehicle was shown and represented as being in “great condition”; however, shortly after purchase, a licensed mechanic determined the vehicle requires a replacement engine, battery, and additional major mechanical repairs, rendering it unsafe and not drivable. Files attached support all of the above. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The engine gasket failed, leaking coolant into cylinder 3. This created misfires while the vehicle was driving, leading to unpredictable loss of power while driving. Eventually, the coolant purged unbeknownst to the driver and created overheating conditions while driving which could have led to complete engine failure on the road. This behavior was confirmed and reproduced by an independent shop, wenmac repair, in hardin county, ohio. They replaced the spark plugs and coils, thinking the misfire was not necessarily related to the head gasket. The vehicle was then taken to Honda development and manufacturing of America, llc's official repair center for Honda associates attached to Honda's marysville auto plant 10/1/25 and diagnosed by a Honda master technician. My fiance and I both directly work for Honda. It is currently having the head gasket replaced at a cost of $2,700. 00 plus taxes. The vehicle is still in the shop. The failure was observed on vehicle first around 150,000 miles.

Engine failure while driving down the highway. Was able to safely get off the highway without being able to accelerate. Car was towed to the Honda dealership where all the maintenance has been done. They said the car had a cylinder misfire and would need the engine replaced. It would cost $13,000. This car had already had the a/c, fuel pump and transmission replaced in the five short years I owned it. It was garage stored and had under 50,000 miles. All the maintenance was done through a certified Honda dealership.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving on a decline of a public garage road and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle stalled. The contact continuously depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond, and the power steering became inoperable. The vehicle rolled at approximately 20-30 mph and crashed into the wall of the garage. The wall sustained minor damage. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that messages advising of engine system failure, supplementary restraint system failure, and electric power steering failure were displayed on the vehicle mobile app. The front driver's side and passenger's side air bags deployed. The emergency units arrived and provided first aid to both the contact and his sister, who was occupying the front passenger's side seat during the incident. The contact's sister sustained chest pain and was in the process of receiving medical assistance. The contact sustained lower back pain and was in the process of receiving medical assistance. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v858000(fuel system, gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Stalling, oil pollution, electrical issues. The car shut off on me in the middle of the highway!.

1. Component or system failure: •what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? •the air conditioning (ac) system in my 2018 Honda Civic has malfunctioned. Initially, the ac compressor failed and was replaced under warranty in 2018. However, the ac never functioned properly afterward. Recently, the ac failed completely, and the dealership diagnosed a leaking evaporator. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. Safety risk: •how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? •the malfunctioning ac system poses a significant safety risk, especially considering the high temperatures in the central valley of California. Driving without a functional ac in extreme heat can lead to driver fatigue, reduced concentration, and potential heat-related illnesses, increasing the risk of accidents. 3. Problem reproduction: •has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? •yes, the problem has been confirmed by an authorized Honda dealership. They diagnosed the issue as a leaking evaporator and provided a repair estimate of $2,520. 16. 4. Inspection by others: •has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? •the vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Honda dealership, which diagnosed the issue. There have been no inspections by police or insurance representatives. 5. Warning indicators: •were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? •there were no warning lamps or messages prior to the ac failure. The only symptom was the ac’s inability to cool the cabin effectively, which persisted since the initial compressor replacement in 2018 and culminated in complete failure recently.

Car threw a p0035 code which indicates a problem with the turbo bypass valve solenoid high voltage/circuit. Car suddenly lost power and had many service lights go off. The check engine light, power steering, brakes, stability, and other lights went on. This prevents my car from going over 40 mph without feeling like the car is struggling to accelerate. The dealership couldn't reproduce or confirm the issue when I went in for service. The code will disappear and reappear after a few starts ups. I noticed that the 2017 type r has this recall but I'm noticing a lot of other owners having this issue as well.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 23v858000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000. The VIN was not available.

Went to Honda dealership to diagnose why white smoke was coming through the ac vent whenever I would turn on the ac. Honda said that my ac condenser went bad, which is covered under the extended warranty due to others having the same issue but that my ac evaporator core was stain and also needs to be replaced. I was quoted $2322. 16 to have the evaporator replaced and it needed to be replaced before they could continue with replaced the condenser and recharged the system for free. Please help as it seems the issue has to do with the new freon Honda is using.

My ac in blowing hot air on one side and cool air on the other side.

Unknown.

Loss of power during drive. Hesitation while acceleration and check engine light on. Unable to accelerate. Fuel pump recall on other same generation models.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic si. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle entered limp mode and lost all motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a misfire in cylinder three. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v858000 (fuel system, gasoline), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 175,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving in a parking lot, the vehicle stalled while attempting to pull out of the parking lot. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 23v858000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for routine maintenance. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure and informed the contact that the parts were not readily available. The dealer test drove the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred her to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 7,860.

Headgasket problem fuel injector problem head bolt problem engine enters limb mode when cold start due to head gasket leak misfire on multiple cylinders due to fuel injector failure.

Infant mortality of the entire ac system due to faulty components. Cost of repair is $3000+. It is a common, systemic failure on this generation of Honda Civic. Lack of ac in hot regions can lead to unsafe mold growing in the vents as well as heat related illness potentially leading to death. This is a highly hazardous failure with a high likelihood of occurring, so it is unacceptable to allow this situation to continue without a full recall or reimbursement by Honda.

All dashboard warning light turn on flashing at the same time causing confusing and unsecured driving.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, the contact stated that while decelerating, the brakes were rubbing significantly. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated, and the dealer determined that the brakes were functioning properly. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.

Poor acceleration after stop, then twice again car loss power, I almost get into an accident due to this.

The engine light pops up on the dashboard stating an “emissions” issue. When scanned, it says that the fuel pump is malfunctioning.

I got a new alternator because I thought it was draining the battery. A few weeks later I didn’t drive my car for 3 days and the engine would not start but all the lights would turn on. I got it jumped and took it the dealership and they still don’t know what is wrong with it. This is the 4th time this has happened and I changed the battery every time.

Strong smell of fuel in the cabin due to known Honda oil dilution associated with the 1. 5 turbo engine. Honda has a “fix” for issue but states only cold weather states are affected. Our 2018 Honda Civic has had this issue for over 2 years now. Strong smell of fuel in the oil, along with oil above normal mark on dipstick. On oil change, oil is filled to the normal mark (3. 7 quarts) and upon oil change, 4. 5 quarts will come out (likely fuel in the oil). The major safety issue is that the smell of fuel in the cabin is strong to the point of causing driver and passengers to have burning eyes, and in some occasions, dizziness. No warning lights have come on as a result of this issue. Vehicle was taken to dealership over a year ago and dealership stated this is a problem in cold weather states and not in California. Dealership could not replicate issue.

Last July I had to have my ac condenser and compressor replaced due to one side of the air conditioner working. Bad part was I had to pay to have a recall fixed after the fact and now im trying to get american Honda to reimburse me my money. After 1 year the problem came back and now they are saying it's my evaporate coil. Honda is not taking this seriously and expecting people to pay several thousands of dollars to fix an issue that is their problem.

Every so often, quite a few lights will come on my dash. These lights include and relate to problems with power steering, hill start assist, emissions system, traction control tire pressure, and brake system. It does not allow me to use my brake hold when this happens. Also, unsure if it has anything to do with it, it has caused a problem with my first cylinder and is reading that the fuel system is too rich. But the original few lights that come on, will come and go randomly when the car is shut off overnight and will typically stay gone until the car sits with the parking break on for a few minutes.

Clutch failure resulting in a non-moveable vehicle in heavy traffic.

Water leakage from the engine bay that damages coil packs and spark plugs. Coil pack seal is not durable enough to repel water once its introduce from the hood scoop.

There is fuel leaking into engine oil and thinning it out. My mechanic said there's a software issue causing it but a recall hasn't happened for it. It's hurting my car performance and making my car speed up faster even when breaking.

Driving on the highway and my check engine light starting to flash. I experienced loss of power and hesitation during acceleration. I got home and scanned my computer and it returned p0304. I then removed the #4 ignition coil and that's when I noticed rust. Seems like the seal on the ignition coil failed and water has been leaking into the #4 cylinder over time.

Ac system went out 3 times in less than 8 months.

While driving at 50 mph on the right lane of the saw mill parkway the engine suddenly stopped running. The car came to a halt in the right lane. It was immovable. I put the flashers on, put the gear shift in park and pushed the start button. The car did start. I drove it home but am afraid to drive it again.

This car's evaporator is defective. Evaporator failure left many individuals, including myself, without air conditioning. In California, where I live, the temperature can rise above 100 degrees. Due to the leak and the high flammability of the freon, it is a safety risk. Additionally, drivers who must commute in hot weather may have dehydration due to the lack of air conditioning. Whenever I'm traveling the heat makes me feel weak and dizzy. Honda dealerships charge between $1,500 and $2,000 for repairs. I believe a recall should be issued to repair the entire a/c system in Honda vehicles from 2017 to 2019.

The a/c evaporator has apparently stopped working. The condensor had to be replaced because it was not manufactured to specifications, and a recall was generated. I am of the opinion that the same thing has happened to the evaporator, as this is a part that should not have failed.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 mph, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle started to idle very rough. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was an engine cylinder misfire failure with dtc codes: p0302 and p0303. Additionally, the contact stated that there was a strong smell of gasoline in the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Vehicle will not start. The vehicle was sitting in my office parking lot the first time this happened and went to leave and the inside lights flashed and then seemed as if the battery died. Got car jumped off, took to economy Honda in chattanooga, TN they checked it and said nothing was wrong and the battery was fine. Left and now about a month later it is doing the exact same thing. Went to start it, lights flash and it wont come on and now it's not doing anything.

Changed the oil for the second time ~12,300 miles on my 2018 Honda Civic ex hatchback with the cvt and drained 5 quarts of oil/fuel out of the engine. (only holds ~3. 7qts. Had a very strong gas smell to the oil. Concerned with diluted oil not lubricating effectively as well as excess oil/fuel in the engine can cause overheating, frothing along with other concerns. This oil was driving all highway miles and during the summer.