general problems of the 2018 Honda Civic - part 1

Steering wheel feels sticky when making slight adjustments to the left or right, causing me to have to overcorrect to shift.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the steering wheel was firm and was sticking while turning. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The vehicle was driven to the dealer, where it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 59,700.

The vehicle experienced a failure of the steering system, specifically the steering gearbox. The steering intermittently sticks, binds, and resists input, followed by sudden release, causing unpredictable response and difficulty maintaining control. The vehicle also pulls unexpectedly, creating a serious safety hazard, especially at highway speeds. The vehicle is unsafe to operate and is currently at a dealership for inspection. Prior to failure, symptoms included increasing steering resistance, inconsistent feel, and intermittent sticking, which worsened over time until the vehicle became undrivable. The issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized dealership, which determined the steering gearbox requires replacement. The dealership indicated the failure was not due to misuse, damage, or lack of maintenance. There are similar steering-related failures reported in comparable vehicles; however, this vehicle is excluded based on VIN eligibility. Despite similar failure, no recall coverage has been provided. This failure creates a high risk of loss of control and potential crash, with no warning lights or alerts prior to failure. The estimated repair cost exceeds $4,300 including parts and labor. The manufacturer has been contacted, but no resolution has been provided. This failure occurred during normal operation and was not caused by driver input or external damage. The sudden loss and return of steering control creates a dangerous condition that could result in a crash without warning. Given similar reported issues, this warrants investigation into a potential safety defect.

Problem presented in April 2026 at 34,300 miles on odometer. The vehicle steering sticks or locks at the 12 o'clock position at highway speeds. A high degree of effort is required to overcome the steering stiction resistance to make small steering adjustments to maintain vehicle course. This anomaly results in overshooting the desired steering adjustment which could potentially cause a accident such as a sideswipe crash or loss of control leaving the roadway. There have been no dashboard warning indicators. The local Honda dealer inspected the car and stated that the steering gearbox needed to be replaced at an estimated cost of $4,025.

When driving in highway or street, the steering feels very stiff. It’s difficult to turn and, especially hard when driving in the highway making small adjustments. When turning left and holding corners the wheel likes to bounce. Took it in the dealership and diagnosed to be the steering rack assembly, and want to charge me 5500 for it. I just bought the vehicle not even 3 days old and I have to spend an extra 5 grand to ensure I’m safe when I’m driving and it’s not right. This is dangerous because if I can’t control the wheel I can lose control and hit someone else. There were no warnings, which was why I purchased the vehicle. The dealership at Honda confirmed my suspicions and diagnosed it as a bad steering rack assembly, and is charging a lump some of money for the fix. The car only had 47000 miles and this should not be an issue I should be dealing with. Honda needs to resolve this as it’s very dangerous to be driving like this especially on a vehicle with very low miles.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. There was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the steering wheel. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred while making a right turn. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.

I have noticed a slight resistance or “sticky” feeling in the steering, especially when driving at highway speeds or while making gentle turns. The steering does not always feel smooth when making small corrections near the center or during curves. At times, the steering wheel feels like it briefly resists movement and then releases, requiring a small additional input to continue turning smoothly. This has occurred intermittently and is more noticeable during continuous driving. The vehicle remains controllable, but the steering does not always return as smoothly as expected, which can affect driving comfort and precision.

Steering wheel gets stuck, jerky. Steering is jerky when traveling in a straight line, at different speeds. For example when traveling at 45 mph in a straight line, if you need to make a slight correction to stay in your lane the steering wheel seems to lock causing you to exert more force to turn it and then it releases causing you to over correct. I know other owners that have the same problem. This in my opinion is a safety concern and should be investigated.

I have recently purchased a 2018 Honda Civic lx at 39k miles and now at 42k miles and only six months of owning the vehicle I am experiencing the sticky steering at 35mph or faster due to the worm gear in the eps gearbox assembly in 18v-663, NHTSA recall 18v-663, however my VIN was not listed as eligible. I was able to have the fuel pump recall replaced immediately after I purchased it in September of 2025. But now find myself with the plagued steering issue that notches at center when you try to lane correct or bend into a turn. It is alarming and while manageable at slower speeds in town, I intended to use this car to teach my daughter to drive. I am concerned for the safety and chance of over correcting while driving already hazardous winter conditions in northern maine that this poses a legitimate risk at highway speeds. Thank you taking my report with consideration. Please take care.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became firm and was sticking while driving forward. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and making a left or right turn, the steering wheel was sticking. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and test-driven. The dealer informed the contact that the steering wheel was pulling, and that the failure was associated with the steering rack. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering rack was rusted. The dealer recommended that the steering rack be replaced, and an alignment was performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and declined to cover the repair because the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The steering issue in my 2018 Honda Civic has put my safety and that of others at severe risk by causing unpredictable sticky and jerky movements at highway speeds, potentially leading to loss of control and crashes—I’ve had to fight the wheel multiple times on la freeways just to stay in my lane, and it’s only getting worse with heat buildup. The problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, as I’m in the process of scheduling that amid Honda’s stonewalling, but it’s identical to widespread eps failures reported in similar models. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance reps, or anyone else yet—Honda’s dodging responsibility despite knowing about these defects since 2016 per the burgos v. Honda lawsuit. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure; it just started jerking out of nowhere during high-speed drives, first noticed today based on my best recollection. This is a blatant manufacturing flaw Honda’s covering up for older Civics while recalling newer ones for the same damn thing—force them to expand the recall before it kills someone. Approximate incident date: 03/02/2026. No crash occurred.

The electric power steering gets notchy and sticks instead of smooth turning. This causes the car to drift left and right in the lane. The hotter the day and longer the drive, the worse the problem gets.

The steering wheel is very sticky/notchy at highway speeds. Makes steering difficult especially with minor adjustments. Very unsafe as it can stick and cause you to drift if you’re not on top of the steering or even overcompensate.

Have the dangerous sticky steering while traveling down the road where steering wheel needs to be “broke free” to make minor corrections. Aware that there is a recall on certain years and models of the Honda’s for the electronic steering rack recall replacement, it isn’t covered on other select years. Honda has diagnosed yet another vehicle not covered by this recall (mine) and is now wanting me to pay $4500 out of pocket for a new steering rack.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving and turning the steering wheel, the steering was sticking and turned in the opposite direction, reducing the maneuverability of the vehicle. The contact was able to turn the steering wheel to the intended direction. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

The vehicle steering wheel sticks when turning, makes a noise, sometimes it doesn’t. Feels like when turning the steering wheel is like stuck and doesn’t return to the straight position. It happens only in one direction, turning right. This has been happening for at least 5 years. Took it to the dealer at least 3 times. They changed left side ball joint, in warranty. But still doing it. After the third time I gave up. Last year a mechanic outside the dealer changed the left cv axle, nothing changed. Changed sway bars, shock absorbers, still doing it. Today went to a different shop, they say is the rack and pinion or eps?. I have been having this problem for a really long time, even before the warranty was over.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda. The contact stated that while driving the steering wheel became "sticky" making it stiff. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was sticky, making the vehicle difficult to maneuver. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering); however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was also informed that there was a TSB on certain model vehicles related to the same failure; however, the vehicle was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.

While driving, my steering wheel sticks in position. The steering wheel will remain in that position until I break it free using more than normal force. At speed, this can often result in overcorrection once the steering finally breaks loose. It is most noticable on the highway when trying to make micro-adjustments to the steering to maintain my lane. The micro-adjustments are not possible since more force is needed to loosen the steering wheel from it's stuck position. I've tried to look this issue up online, and it appears this is a common issue experienced by owners of this generation of Honda Civic. The issue is bad enough that steering racks are on back order due to so many being replaced.

Sticky steering, very difficult to handle on highway. It lasted about 2 weeks, then went away.

My steering sticks at all speeds and is difficult to drive on the highway.

The steering is sticky, the power steering does not return the wheel to center whenever I turn. It feels jerky whenever trying to remain center in the lane, especially at highway speeds. Makes slight noise when turning.

The car has excessive play in the steering causing much vibrations in the seat and steering wheel while driving, the slightest movement will send you all over the road and presents itself extremely jerky and unstable handling. It should not have this much play in the steering. I see multiple complaints over the steering of this car model but oddly enough I have the opposite issue pertaining to the same components but either way it sounds like the steering system of these cars are not up to par in some way and it seems dangerous to continue driving with noticeable issues there. Im about to trade it in dispite im still paying on it and there is over 100,000 miles on it. It feels like an expensive fix that just aint that worth it to me.

Steering wheel is hard to move/ steer, makes clunking noises, can feel vibration in the steering wheel, way worse at higher speeds, definitely a safety issue if the steering locks up you can't steer the car!!! I see there are recalls on this make model and year car, but mine isn't included??, it should be and why not? this car has only 15k miles.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving at higher speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. No warning lights illuminated. The contact mentioned the vehicle was still drivable, however his wife stated when she drives at any unknown speed the failure persist.  a dealer or independent were not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnoses. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number : 18v663000(steering), however the VIN was included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and they informed him his VIN was not apart of the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Steering is "sticky". It is only noticeable when turning toward the right. It is exactly like the steering gearbox recall Honda announced October 2024. [xxx] my vehicle (2018) doesn't fall under the years recall linked above but its definitely experiencing that same issue. It is dangerous and I can feel the same "stickiness" at low(and high) speeds like backing into a driveway. Especially driving 45+ mph, going around a right-curve on the highway and immediately when I start to straighten the steering wheel, it quickly jerks. This symptom happens consistently and easily duplicated. I've noticed it about a month ago and still happening every since then. I've never had this steering issues with any of the other vehicles I've owned and driven. There people are in the same generation(2016-2021) Civic forums and facebook groups experiences the same symptoms. The recall linked above should've been at least for the 2018 Civics too. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The electric power steering (eps) system failed/malfunctioned this past week. When going over 35 mph my steering wheel would become "knotchy/jerky" and lock up and be difficult to turn. As a result, I took it to Honda to which they stated my whole rack and pinion needed total replacement. No warning signs, messages, icons, or lights came on in my car.

Rack and pinion steering failure. Sticking, hard to make wheel adjustments. Loss of steering control. Issue confirmed but Honda dealership. Honda dealership contacted Honda north America and was rejected as warranty issue. Repair will exceed $7500. This issue corresponded with the fuel pump recall and failure of the ac system which were covered under warranty recall. Due the high volume of failures of r & p for these Honda Civics locating replacement parts is difficult if not impossible.

The steering wheel has been sticky on our 2018 Honda Civic. We took it to a Honda dealership for evaluation and they said it needs a steering gearbox replacement. Other 2018 Honda Civics have had the same issue and a recall was issued but our particular VIN number is not apart of this recall. The 2018 recall states: “due to incorrect production of the steering gearbox torque sensor, the torque sensor magnet may shift from its normal position inside the gearbox. A shifted sensor magnet may cause the steering to move left or right unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash. ” because of this risk while driving, as well as it being the same issue that other cars with the same make and model were recalled, ours should also be recalled.

Steering wheel gets really loose and very stiff at random while driving. I get power steering failure notifications on dash. I spoke with Honda dealership and was told my vehicle doesn’t belong to the recall. I have all the symptoms of the power steering recall issue.

We have noticed a clicking noise and her steering has begun to stick. Took to Honda and they told us they have been seeing this issue and even sent video telling us they see this is an ongoing problem. Filed claim with Honda. They refused to fix the faulty part because there is not recall with my VIN even though many have been recalled. Again, multiple managers at service told us they are just waiting for Honda to recall this. Car has less than 55,000 miles. We have a video they sent us but ai have been unable to attach. It is a video Honda service sent us stating this was an ongoing issue with Honda advice at this year and a few others. That they were seeing these parts fail.

My complaint is similar to most of the other ones shown here. Notchy steering. I took it to the dealer. They told me that the steering rack was bad and needed to be replaced. How much? $6500! the car has under 30,000 miles on it. Got to give the service rep credit. He asked me if I wanted them to contact american Honda. I said heck yes. While they were making their decision, which took about 2 weeks, I came here and looked at all of the other similar complaints. The dealer told me that Honda would cover 100% of the replacement cost. They ordered the parts and the replacement was completed last week. Although this was resolved to my satisfaction, it's another incident for the record, and it demonstrates that the problem showed up as early as under 30,000 miles.

The steering wheel becomes sticky and stiff. There is also a clicking noise when I try to center it. It is difficult to keep the car within my lane of traffic. There is presently 38,565 miles on this vehicle. I keep up with required maintenance. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the dealership. There is a safety recall for 2017-18 Civic: steering box . My VIN number is not included on this recall. I understand repair to the steering is close to 4,000. 00. No warning lights are on the dashboard. . . . . Yet. My understanding is this problem only becomes worse in time. This constant swerving and erratic steering is not only tiresome I believe it can become dangerous.

We started having trouble keeping it on the road. Then on the highway, at about 73, I thought the car was going to go off the road. The steering felt sticky, and it's awful trying to hold it straight. You can also feel it when car is parked. Once parked and in park, keep it running and just turn the steering wheel. The steering wheel jerks either direction we turn it. We took the car over to our garage, so they can look at it. We were told it had to with the steering rack. Something regarding a magnet inside the gear box. Our mechanic stated they could not even do the work. With a look online we found a safety recall that my car matches all information, except, the VIN number. So our local dealership can fix it, but the cost is crazy at about $4200. My Civic has 49,000 miles, and to pay that amount is foolish. My VIN number had to have been overlooked. I don't know anyway to fight this, except this website. This car has become very dangerous.