general problems of the 2018 Honda Civic - part 2

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly and was sticking, requiring the steering wheel to be manually returned to center after making a turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the steering rack. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Lots of play on the steering wheel (at all speeds). Car swerves driving down the road. Took it to the Honda dealership. They informed me that the rack and pinion binding need to be replaced (at a $4305. 02 estimated cost, with a $139. 05 re-alignment). Link to Honda diagnostics: [xxx] I am not sure how this is possible when my car is approximately 20,000 miles. I drive mainly to work which is under 5 miles a day. I rarely drive on a highway. I have not been in an accident. I distrust these diagnostics. My research shows that 2017-2018 are known to have steering issues: a Honda steering gearbox magnet, specifically related to the electronic power steering (eps) system, has been identified as a potential issue in certain Honda Civic and cr-v models (2017-2018). The magnet, which helps control the steering assist, may not be properly secured and could dislodge during a full lock turn, potentially causing the steering to apply assist in the opposite direction. This recall is part of a larger effort to address a steering defect in several Honda models. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was jerking to the left or the right. Additionally, the contact stated that after making a turn, the steering wheel was sticking and failed to return to center, requiring the driver to forcefully return the steering wheel to the center. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the eps gearbox control unit assembly needed to be replaced, an alignment needed to be performed, and the steering angle neutral position learning procedure needed to be performed. The vehicle was also taken to sons Honda (105 sons dr, mcdonough, GA 30253), where the same assessment was made. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

Steering wheel sticks, creating an issue to keep vehicle driving in a straight line. Alignment is not out, having to bump the steering wheel back and forth to stay in lane. Feeling of "dropout" in the steering driving at higher rates of speed. No warning lights or other symptoms prior to the failure. Issue has continued since first noticed. Service center can recreate the issue easily and says that the steering rack needs replacing. Not wanting it to further to where the steering wheel is unable to turn.

At first when driving highway speeds small adjustments to stay in lane steering wheel sticks. It has now progressed to any speed. When making adjustments to stay in lane steering wheel sticks causing over corrections, and repetitive correction. The vehicle has been inspected by two private shops. The first shop indicated there was a recall on the steering box. Second shop found two “soft codes” c0051-62 and uo416-68, and also suggested a recall that has been placed on other 2018 Honda Civics for a faulty magnet in the steering gearbox could be the issue and suggested connecting with Honda. Called Honda customer service who stated there is no recall on my car, therefore suggested placing report to NHTSA.

The steering constantly sticks in warmer weather. Have reported to the dealer several times and they can not replicate or have any idea what I'm referring to (even though its very well reported to be an issue/recall). It is scary to drive at times because you are forced to jerk the wheel just to get it to respond making you almost swerve.

Steering gear box does not return to center.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to complete a turn, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, and the steering wheel seemed to be sticking, requiring the steering wheel to be manually returned to center. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly and seemed to be sticking, requiring the steering wheel be manually returned to center after making a turn. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.

For the past year anytime I drive my vehicle above 40mph I notice the steering feels “sticky” and often you have to use additional effort to turn the wheel which cause the wheel to jerk to whatever side you attempting to turn the wheel. Apparently this is common on the same year Civic but the dealership stated my vehicle VIN is not included on the list of vehicles that need the repair. The vehicle feels unsafe to drive as it is hard to maintain in the lane and shift lanes.

2018 Civic ex-t has sticky steering wheel, yes it is available for inspection upon request. The sticky steering wheel which seems more severe during warmer creates severe handling problems on all roadways, especially the highway. Not sure why Honda hasn't included this year of Civic in their sticky steering recall? VIN# [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Driving at moderate speeds causes steering wheel to become sticky, notchy and stiff. Gets stuck to the left or right when turning. Causes car to go out of lanes and overall hard to adjust the wheel.

Steering is sticking causing car not to stay in lane properly. . .

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated that the vehicle was still drivable; however, the contact stated that the steering wheel locked occasionally. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

When driving at highway speeds, a slight turn to left causes to steering wheel to get "stuck" where it takes more than normal force to get it back to center. It's hard to keep car going straight. Reported to Honda and they say there is a steering recall to some 10th gen Civics but not mine. It's 3300 to fix and this issue has been happening since 50k miles. Plus turning steering wheel to left "clicks". This should be part of a recall and not force people to pay for an expensive repair that is a manufacturer defect. Plus it's a safety issue.

There is an issue with my steering. There is a cranking/clicking noise and the wheel gets stuck when turning or switching lanes. There was a recall for the steering gear box but I my car wasn’t part not included but not sure why. I took it to the dealer when I first got it but they couldn’t mimic it. It’s not safe when driving if I can’t fully control the steering wheel. I took it to a mechanic who stated the issue was the gear box but was hoping I was part of the recall. No warnings just gradually sticking more and cranking more.

My steering wheel was sticking. At speeds above 45 it was much more noticeable. When I was driving in a strait line and had to move the steering slightly the steering wheel would stick. It would cause the car to pull to one side and when you adjust the wheel to in the opposite side it would do the same thing. You where driving in a straight road constantly over correcting , playing ping pong to keep your car in the lane. When I looked on the internet this seems to be a common problem. I had my car looked at a Honda dealership. They told me there was no recall. My only choice was to get it repaired. It cost me 4,546. 35 to be repaired. I bought a Honda for dependability and feel they should take responsibility for this before someone gets seriously injured.

We purchased the vehicle in Jan 2025. As the weather or the car warmed the steering gets stiff and hard to maneuver, making it difficult to stay in the center of the lane. There are times when it gets so bad I think a cop could pull me over for swerving. As I researched the symptoms I found that recall sb18-102 matched the symptoms and was for the same year, make, and model; however, my car’s VIN wasn’t included. I took the vehicle to a local Honda dealership on 6/16/25 who confirmed it was a power steering box failure and gave an estimate of $3,990. 46 to fix it. That same day I called Honda customer care and submitted a case to try to get the costs covered due to their being a recall out on the same year, make, and model and issue as mine. They advised me to go back to the dealership and request my car be submitted for Honda’s goodfaith assistance. I requested this on 7/9/25 and was told on 7/10/25 it was denied with no reasoning. The car has no warning signals however the issue persists. My fear is that it will lock up or not straighten up and I or my son (whom the car was purchased for) will run off the road or cause an accident. This is obviously a known issue but Honda is not taking ownership and declined to help with the cost, which is almost a third of the cost of the vehicle we paid.

Eps gear box every time I drive vehicle it was recommended by Honda dealership to replace. The steering wheel catches while going into curves and changing lanes. This is a know problem on other 2018 Honda Civics. Some have been recalled. No warning lights.

Steering is notchy, when making a turn at highway speeds, the steering will lock in the position of the turn. Takes force to get it to free up and allow you to straighten out the wheels. It also causes the car to wander and is notchy in the 12 o'clock position. Feels like it is sticking, then releases. The issue becomes worse the longer the drive time is.

Sticky/notchy steering - this issue is the same as what is widely reported and already recalled on 11th generation Honda Civic and Acura models. Very widely reported in online forums and message boards. Acknowledged by dealer service departments with recommended action of replacing steering rack. Usually after warmup, the steering wheel is "sticky" or "notchy' when trying to make small inputs from a center orientation or "12 o'clock" position. This results in too much movement when the steering "breaks" from the sticky/notchy condition, often resulting in necessitating an overcorrection back to center. This results in swerving on the road and causes unpredictable and erratic steering action.

Steering sticks and makes it difficult to correct or straighten the car. Feels jerky and hard to handle.

I am driving south into warmer weather and the steering is suddenly sticking while driving at highway speeds. It takes more pressure that normal to overcome the resistance and results in awkward swerving.

Steering wheel is becoming sticky, meaning it’s not returning back to the center as any car does. It tends to stick either left or right , you cannot make minor adjustments to keep your car center in the highway. You have to constantly keep fighting it either moving the steering wheel hard left or right back and forth. There has been numerous and countless people having the same issues with these cars and more models as well. With no solution the only solution is to replace the steering rack and it’s a $2,000 price tag, not cheap and not something americans can pay up right away.

The steering wheel sticks when it is at center while driving down a straight road or a slight bend and I have to push the steering wheel past the center. But I mostly experience this issue when driving down a straight road and the steering wheel is in the center position and I have to turn the steering wheel slightly to the right or left to bring the car back to the center of the lane due to car moving left or right of lane because of road crown, wind, etc. My safety is at risk when I adjust the steering wheel to the left or right of center and get resistance (sticky). When I push past the resistance the steering wheel goes further to the left or right than desired and jerks the car in that direction causing an erratic motion in the direction I'm pushing the steering wheel. The erratic motion could be a safety issue if the road conditions are not good. This could put the safety of others at risk, specifically other drivers who see the erratic movement of the vehicle and react to it. I called the Honda dealership and scheduled a service for next week. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to this. This issue appeared several months ago and seemed to go away and then returned.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to steer to the left or the right. Additionally, the steering wheel failed to return to the original position as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v663000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Steering sticks while trying to stay in lane, makes driving tedious and uncomfortable Honda tech test drive found that steering sticks at 38 and 48.

My vehicle has a jerk in the electronic power steering. The exact same year make and model vehicles already have a verified recall. I understand my VIN number says my vehicle isn’t affected. But it’s having the exact same issue and its exact same year make and model. I do not have the 170. 00 dollars to get it diagnosed and Honda is saying they will not upfront cover the cost the diagnose the exact same issue the other same year make and models are already verified to be having and have already been recalled.

I’m having a problem with my steering, the steering wheel is sticky and jerky feeling when driving, the wheel more often on highway driving will get stuck to one side causing you to have to yank and jerk it to dislodge it. I checked with a few local mechanics and do not see anything with tie rods or anything and point to the steering rack, I did some research online and saw multiple others having similar issues due to faulty steering rack magnets.

I was told by the Honda service team that my electric power steering rack could be failing. I went in with the complaint of my wheel not returning to center and jerking when turning left -> center. Upon further research, it seems this issue is wide spread and extremely common in the '16 - 19' models of the Honda Civics. Despite this however, Honda has yet to recall the issue, and I was denied on my goodwill claim for assistance resolving the issue. There were no warning lights or signs regarding this issue before it started occurring, and the vehicle has been properly maintained.

My 2018 Honda Civic started more than a year ago having sticky steering. When looking online, it is a known problem with later Honda's, but the dealer will not help on a 2018 model. The issue was felt by the Honda dealer sitting still. Though their head mechanic said they could try an "experimental" gearbox lube for approx. $450. At 50 mph on curves the problem feels downright dangerous. Steering noticeably sticks, then lets loose under pressure. At freeway speeds getting difficult to keep car straight and is very tiring to drive. My worry is it's not going away and seems to getting worse.

Two components failed safety inspection: 1. Replace steering wheel assembly. Steering gear is faulty. 2. Alignment- 4 wheel alignment- required with steering gear replacement. Yes, available for inspection upon request. Diagnostics ran 12/9/2024. This is a repeat problem as this occurred in 1/2023, as well. Safety concern: I am a single mom and three instances while my child was in the vehicle the car has self corrected it’s steering towards other vehicles in traffic. Yes, problem has been reproduced. Both codes received from service center 12/2/2024 and diagnostics ran by dealer 12/9/2024 (first available appointment. ) Honda dealership has diagnosed (can provide documentation) and Honda corp has been made aware of this 12/3/2024 initial contact to NHTSA & Honda corp with suspected issue and called both 12/9/2024 with confirmation upon receipt of diagnostics. This occurred in January 2023 and the entire steering system was replaced. Upon replacement the issue has not acted up again until around 11/29/24. The replacement did not make a full two years before reoccurring failure.

Sticky steering on highways. Takes effort to make micro adjustments on the wheel. Steering wheel makes a sound when trying to turn or change lanes, especially on the highway.

When I’m driving at highway speeds the steering wheel feels stiff like the power steering isn’t working then it kicks in and over steers so you are going back and forth in your lane. If you don’t use both of your hands the car can get away from you and you will end up in the next lane.

The steering has suffered from a sticky or notched feeling off an on for the last 3 years. It seems to happen whenever the car is warm/in hot weather. It feels like the steering gets stuck in place, so you can't smoothly make adjustments. It's worst when you're driving straight or in gradual sloping turns in warm weather. It feels like it sort of clicks out of the rut it's stuck in, generally only to get stuck feeling again immediately. I just gifted the car to my son, and I'm concerned that this will continue to be a problem, since it's never cleared up while I've owned the vehicle. I am the original owner. The mileage is currently 56,220. If I had to guess, the problem has been occurring probably for the last 20k miles? I have asked 2 different Honda dealerships in the dfw area (Honda grapevine and vandergriff Honda) to see if they could figure it out, and both times, they said they couldn't replicate the problem. I saw the recall affecting newer models of these cars and it exactly matches the problem my Honda has been having.