FaultScore

2017 Honda Civic electrical problems

99 of the 764 complaints about the 2017 Honda Civic are about the electrical system — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 19,000 miles.

C

99

Complaints

0

Crashes

5

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Electrical System 96 97.0%
Body Control Module/Bcm 2 2.0%
Software 1 1.0%

Electrical System across every Honda Civic year

1989 12 0.8%
1990 19 1.2%
1991 24 1.6%
1992 29 1.9%
1993 28 1.8%
1995 13 0.8%
1996 18 1.2%
1997 33 2.2%
1998 96 6.3%
1999 122 8.0%
2000 41 2.7%
2001 61 4.0%
2002 49 3.2%
2003 51 3.3%
2004 32 2.1%
2005 26 1.7%
2006 101 6.6%
2007 70 4.6%
2008 51 3.3%
2009 36 2.3%
2010 23 1.5%
2011 15 1.0%
2012 59 3.8%
2013 39 2.5%
2014 39 2.5%
2015 27 1.8%
2016 119 7.8%
2017 99 6.5%
2018 61 4.0%
2019 37 2.4%
2020 34 2.2%
2021 17 1.1%
2022 38 2.5%
2023 15 1.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Chicago, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback and the dangerous issue related to its air conditioning (A/C) system — a problem affecting many Civic owners nationwide. I initially brought my vehicle to Honda City Chicago for a Honda “campaign” repair (a term they use instead of calling it a recall) in 2023 and again this year, related to the A/C system. I was told the issue would be resolved. However, after agreeing to an optional transmission oil change they recommended, I was later told the A/C still wasn’t fixed — and that I now needed to pay $400 for a diagnostic. That diagnostic revealed the actual problem: a locked A/C compressor. (Which they knew they just wanted the money) This defect is not just an inconvenience — it’s a serious safety hazard. When the A/C is turned on, the locked compressor causes the engine to shake violently and stall completely. This happened to me at a red light; the car shut off, became unresponsive, and I was stuck blocking traffic. If this had occurred while driving at higher speeds, the consequences could have been catastrophic. Many Civic owners have reported similar compressor failures leading to engine stalls and unsafe driving conditions. Honda is aware of this issue but continues to treat it as isolated rather than a systemic defect. I urge the NHTSA to open a formal investigation into this widespread and dangerous issue involving locked A/C compressors in 2016–2020 Honda Civics. A safety recall is warranted before more drivers are put at risk or harmed due to this known defect.

NHTSA complaint #11678446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Homestead, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The Body Control Module (BCM) is faulty and causes the alarm to go off on its own, lights inside the cluster glitch turning on by itself and drains the battery even with the key fob nowhere near its vicinity when off. Sometimes does not recognize the key fob.

NHTSA complaint #11677057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Whittier, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

After turning off the vehicle and locking it the vehicle continuously turns on to accessory mode on its own. On a few occasions I came out to a dead battery or have been woken up more than once to my alarm blaring in the middle of the nite and when I came out to check my vehicle it was usually turned on to accessory mode upon researching the internet I found that many owners with the 2016 and 2017 have the same problem which is a result of a faulty Body Control Module within the keyless entry system. I have taken my car to honda to be fixed it's been 3 days now with no solution on repairs yet.6/7/25

NHTSA complaint #11665904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Valencia, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving my Honda civic 2017, a loud static noise suddenly started coming from the vehicle’s audio system or speakers. The noise is persistent and does not stop unless I turn off the vehicle completely. This creates a significant distraction and could interfere with hearing emergency vehicles or other road sounds. This issue occurs randomly and is a serious safety concern.

NHTSA complaint #11664919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ranchos de Taos, NM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I drove home from work today like normal. Pushed the engine start/stop button before getting out of the car. The radio was still on, and the dash was still on, with Accessory Mode, push "start/stop" twice to turn off, or something similar to that. I pushed the button twice. It went to accessory mode. I started the engine, drove the car out of the drive way, came back, pushed the button to turn off the car... accessory mode. turned the car on, turned the car off.... accessory mode. Moved the keys all away from the car. Started the car (which i could do because it WAS STILL IN ACCESSORY MODE) and drove the car, meanwhile there was a big warning saying there was no key fob in the proximity. Parked the car, pushed the on/off button.... accessory mode. I have tried everything I can think of, the car wont lock. It wont exit accessory mode unless its in full on start. Someone could come along and steal my car because I cant turn it off. all i can do is disconnect the battery and after 2-3 days i connect it and it works just temporarily. This is not ok and unsafe especially when i have a new born and stranded in the middle of the wors place due to this issue.

NHTSA complaint #11654108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The air conditioning stopped working for the second time. So far the compressor bearing has been replaced as well as the condenser.

NHTSA complaint #11639990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Francisco, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

We are experiencing a technical issue with the vehicle, which appears to be caused by a software or component error, rather than user error. This situation has led to the car starting unexpectedly and presenting challenges that could compromise safety while driving. Unfortunately, there has yet to be a recall or resolution communicated by the authorities.

NHTSA complaint #11633785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Pablo, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The abs speed sensor on honda vehicles are placed in such a way that is breaks often. And when it breaks, it leads to multiple sensors going off which may cause the abs to lock up while braking normally, car accelerating unexpectedly.For me the speed sensor on the right wheel was broken. This lead the car to accelerate unexpectedly and then the sensors would go off. Car accelerating and braking in a weird way would definitely lead to some issues. And when you go to the dealership for this issue, first they won't be able to diagnose it. They will simple reset the codes and say uts an intermittent failure and charge you 100 dollars for nothing. Then you have to go again the other day with the same issue and then they tell you its speed sensor. I think that's a bad service and since honda knows of this beong common issue with how they have placed the sensor it should be recalled.

NHTSA complaint #11608573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Long Beach, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Abs module failure. Abs Cruce control Stability control Lights on dashboard.

NHTSA complaint #11607672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I’m having a problem with my steering . It’s like it’s sticky and jerky feeling when driving, causing me to have to overcorrect left or right when making slight adjustments to center. Obviously more noticeable with highway driving. Took to Honda they diagnosed it as VSA Module, got it fixed still having the same issue with sticky steering. I don’t feel safe driving my car

NHTSA complaint #11607162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chino, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

About a week ago my car began going into accessory mode on its own leaving my interior and exterior lights, my dash board lights and my head unit on until i noticed so my car couldve been dead if i wouldnt have seen. also since the car is locked and it goes into accessory mode on its own the alarm starts going off due to the security system thinking its being broken into. ive done my research trying to figure out what the issue is and ive found a huge amount of other people are also dealing with this issue. during my research i found that the cause for the car going into accessory mode and the alarms going off is the body control module. so many people are saying they filed complaints and tried to get a hold of honda to try and get a recall started but nothing has come of it and im hoping that you guys can change that. i looked into the body control module and you cant even get the part right now due to very high demand and the part being on back order indefinitely due to so many people dealing with this issue. i hope something can come of this thank you.

NHTSA complaint #11606011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Northridge, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

BCM module in the 2017 Civics seem to have constant Parasitic Battery Drain issues that are not being addressed by Honda. My battery died and was replaced, drain continue on a daily basis. Was able to trace to BCM module. checked online to find numerous other people having the same exact issue.

NHTSA complaint #11603798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marysville, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My vehicles Body Control Module has malfunctioned and now I have to get a new one. When driving my car will begin to flash all of the warning lights including the power steering, break system, TMPS system and the immobilizer light. This is distracting while driving and it makes me feel like I am going to crash and I could injure myself or others on the road when these lights are distracting and I am not in a safe place to pull over. Honda Marysville has inspected the vehicle and has confirmed that the Body Control Module has failed. A bunch of alerts began to pop up and I was unsure of which ones to fix. I checked all my tires and they were within normal range so I was confused why my car was showing me the warning light. There were no other warnings that were shown. My car alarm would go off and the lights on the dash would flash when I turned my car off.

NHTSA complaint #11602393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Napa, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Body control module/ECU had to be reset at dealership and possible replacement in near future. Glitch occurred and cut power to hazards, turn signals, lights, door locks, etc. during operation of vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11597311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Madill, OK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Steering wheel “sticking” no matter the speed.

NHTSA complaint #11587516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hanover, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

There is a short in the BCM (body control module). This causes massive parasitic drain on my battery of over an amp (roughly 1.2 amps typically). I have to pull the fuse for it (fuse 18 in the engine bay fuse box) every time I leave my car off for more than a couple hours. I'm extremely worried this short is going to cause either a fire or one of the important functional systems of my car to stop working while I'm driving. I have read MANY other reports of this happening to other 2017 Honda Civics yet Honda hasn't done anything about it.

NHTSA complaint #11580541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Seabeck, WA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

car alarm going off for an extended period of time caused a short at the battery and caused a fire that destroyed the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11579014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bedford, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car fuel injectors will fail and cause misfiring. Dangerous to drive due to engine running rough. Unusual for fuel injectors to go out so soon especially when driven with care and using correct fuel octane.

NHTSA complaint #11571722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tolleson, AZ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2nd attempt. I went to download pictures and was kicked out of site. 2017 Honda Civic EX Sedan bought used 2021. So far I've needed 2 new batteries in a very short amount of time. Multiple warning lights are appearing when I start car. Charging System Problem, Power Steering System (EPS) Problem, Charging System Problem, Hill Start Assist Problem, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) Problem, Brake Hold System Problem. Yes, charging System Problem was showing twice. Available for inspection. Yes, my safety is at risk, I'm afraid and paranoid on what else could happen while I'm driving. I'm afraid to drive my car for my own safety. You know Honda, my Life matters too! I've went online and read others with similar problems from used to brand new, going into Limp mode not being able to drive over 40 mph and myself being severely inconvenienced with my JOB. Dealership appt this Tuesday. Occurances: Nov 13 12:32 pm 12.19 TWICE 12.21 Once 12.26.23 9:39am AND 11:23am AND 1:10pm 1.2.24 10:21 am 1.4.24 11:42 am AND 12:34 pm 1.5.24 11:13 am 1.6.24 11:37 am brake light came on, binging, then went away. 1.6.24 12:12pm. This is happening almost everyday now. Thank you!!

NHTSA complaint #11563943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tolleson, AZ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My apologies, I just filled out a form (Your Complaint Number: 11563943) and forgot to add problems with AC with my 2017 Honda Civic EX Sedan. My AC went out, went to local dealership, they recharged this around August 2023 I believe. Good now, but my point is I'd ask how long this will last. They said they don't know. I'm like a day, week, month(s)? Again they couldn't say. I live in a very warm area during the Summer, need AC and I need a cool AC environment when driving. I think I deserve to be comfortable. At the dealership, I had mentioned about a Honda recall letter I received about AC. It was either the Compressor or Condenser that is recalled, I forget. Well, they stated after looking at my car, that it was the item that isn't covered. Bill would be close to $1,000.00, I believe. Come on. I find this shady, confusing and concerning with Honda. Thank you again for your help!!! Yes my Life is at risk with this as well. Again, my Life matters also! This is my 4th Honda and I never had so many things go sideways with the last three Hondas as I'm experiencing now with this 2017 Civic EX. This is just ridiculous. Just about fed up with Honda.

NHTSA complaint #11563957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bentonville, AR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Keep getting LANE KEEPING and ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL errors randomly as well as BRAKE SYSTEM warning lights. Took to Honda and they said my camera and radar were functioning fine and recalibrated to be sure. I’m still receiving error messages daily.

NHTSA complaint #11554531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Broken Arrow, OK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car was draining battery because it would turn on randomly. They replaced the ignition switch, which didn’t work, then the alarm would go off constantly so I took it back to dealership. They said the part is backordered and they have NO idea how long it will be. It has been nearly 2 months, and I NEED my car for work and my 3 kids. I understand this is a well known issue, and the 2018-2019 models were recalled. Dealer says the have several similar issues with the 2017 models. I got a Honda for reliability, but instead I have had the worst car issues of any I have driven.

NHTSA complaint #11542520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Panama City, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

BCM Failed causing an electrical start problem and the car will not completely turn off. With BCM failed doors will not unlock with the remote and the car fails to start or starts and fails to turn off. This is a known problem with these cars that honda will not address and a safety concern for my family as the car has turned itself off while in motion.

NHTSA complaint #11538207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car has a faulty board control module. Car randomly starts itself in accessory mode, even when key fob is not present or batteries are removed. Other times, car will click and not turn on, or show random error messages. Car will intermittently not start; shows “keyless start system problem.” Car alarm randomly goes off. Car will intermittently not turn off once started. Internet search reveals multiple other individuals with the same problem, sometimes covered under warranty and other times not. Honda of America is sometimes helpful and other times, not. Problems are intermittent and difficult to reproduce, necessitating additional diagnostics by dealers. Among other problems reported are problems with door locks, windshield wipers, and headlights. I have concerns that the electrical problems will lead to serious safety issues, such as: lights turning on or off while driving; inability to turn off ignition in an emergency; wipers not working during rain (wet conditions seem to correlate to more problems, for other drivers and for me, suggesting an issue with corrosion), or getting locked into/out of the vehicle in an emergency.

NHTSA complaint #11525750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saint Louis, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My 2017 Honda Civic Touring, has had two major issues in the past two months. So far, I have put about $3,000 in these issues. Issue 1:Two months ago, they found a leak in the front seal of the compressor, and it had to be replaced. There is no extended warranty on the compressor (only the condenser), though it seems to be a big issue for the Civic. This expense was approximately $2000. Issue 2:Long story short, a few weeks ago, my car alarm started going off about every four hours and had killed my battery by the next morning. During this time, my key fabs no longer worked and we had to jump the car to take it to the shop. The Body Control Module had gone out with no pervious warnings. Honda told my mechanic they’re on backorder and it will be nine months to a year before they could get a replacement. They located a used one and installed it. Though they were told it was a match, it was missing certain elements that my car had – back seat windows, auto lock when you exit your car, and front led blinkers. My front blinkers no longer work, and the previous Honda was probably bulbs. Needless to say, this can only be a temporary fix because it’s dangerous and won’t pass inspection. So far this expense has cost approximately $900. I’ve emailed Honda, and my issue has been ignored. They haven’t offered to help for either case. These things should not be happening to civics with this low mileage and age. So I now have a new BCM on backorder with a Honda dealer, and some time down the road, I will be paying for this expense again.

NHTSA complaint #11525495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Montebello, CA 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

These cars have horrendous AC issues. A spotlight needs to be on put on it. Broken AC can subject drivers to dangerously high temperatures in the cabin, even if the windows are rolled down in some climates. Honda, the maker of these vehicles, is still answerable for the supplier of the compressor/ac system, Keihin's, failures. There are many of us, but we haven't been able to connect the dots to see how many have truly been affected. I nearly suffered heatstroke driving this car. Was dizzy the night of at home, with outdoor temperatures reaching triple digits (Fahrenheit).

NHTSA complaint #11520818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,500 miles Toms River, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the rear door locks were making squeaking sounds and the alarm would inadvertently be engaged at night. The contact stated that the vehicle would fail turn off and would go into ACC mode. The contact was unable to lock the doors. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the BCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V771000 (Electrical System, Back Over Prevention, Visibility/Wiper, Visibility, Exterior Lighting) because the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 39,500.

NHTSA complaint #11519114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arlington, WA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

After a sever rainstorm and ice storm a code that causes BCM (Body Control Module) fault code to show up. It affected systems such as Intermittent lock or unlock trunk and door while vehicle is in operation, Failure to start and Security alarm active at random times. An independent service found the "B12D1" code that indicated the BCM has failed during the prescribed process by the manufacture. The problem was reproduced during an ice storm in 2019 and 2022 causing this error code while vehicle is exposed to weather.

NHTSA complaint #11499471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Diego, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Wiring harness was "damaged by rodents" twice due to the swap to soy-based, edible wiring. No other vehicles have this issue in my area and I have lived here 5 years. This damage causes all electrical systems to fail, including power steering, and will eventually result in a fatality - if it has not already. Honda will not cover this under warranty and has done nothing to resolve the issue! The alleged "spicy tape fix" does not deter rodents.

NHTSA complaint #11499266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Raleigh, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

19-033 19-038 honda sb Extended powertrain warranty. Included dtc codes for misfire. Dealer refuses to honor warranty Still have code for misfire. It's not fixed Honda has multiple issues across all model lines w fuel injectors It causes all warnings lights to go off on dash. Honda has case number already. Cylinder 4 misfire Cylinder 1-3 injectors bad. When did cars work with out injectors? It's a powertrain product. No where on sb does it state or imply certain conditions Also Honda in 2019 sent all owners 2016-2018 letters extending warranty. Especially w the misfire codes Per sb. To e ensure customer confidence i in our product, Honda IS extending ther powertrain warranty from the original 5 years/ 60,000 miles to 6 years with unlimited mileage from the original sale date This warranty extension applies to any engine 6 components, such as camshafts , rocker arm assemblies, or spark plugs, requiring repair due to damage resulting from hose concerns identified in the first paragraph. The ECU and TCM software is covered under the vehicle's emissions 5 warranty beyond 6 years. Irony same motor family is in the fit. Exact same code sb is....replace injectors 20-002

NHTSA complaint #11495693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2017 Honda Civic problems

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