What's Wrong with the 8th Generation (2006–2011) Civic?

Civic owners have made 2,948 complaints about the 2006–2011 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it 55th out of 58 Honda generations in overall reliability, with real body and interior concerns.

Compare With Other Civic Generations

Common 2006-2011 Honda Civic Problems

Some of the worst issues 8th generation Civic owners have to deal with.

  1. Civic Visor Keeps Falling Down

    A federal court has approved a class action lawsuit settlement against Honda after the popular automaker failed to fix or warn owners about defective sun visors. The settlement affects over 2 million Honda Civic and Civic Hybrid owners and …

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  2. Civic Rapid and Uneven Tire Wear

    The Internet has been abuzz with complaints about uneven and rapidly wearing tires on the 2006-09 Civic. These uneven tire problems can quickly turn into braking issues and also lead to reports of difficult to control vibrations, giving som…

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  3. Peeling Paint and Clear Coat

    Is your Honda shedding clearcoat and peeling off paint at an alarming rate? You're not alone. Far from it actually. Even the most ardent, wax-happy, electric car polisher wielding owner can find their paint tearing off in sheets. So what gi…

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  4. Civic Cracked Engine Block

    A manufacturing defect allows the 2006-2009 Civic's engine block to develop a crack, allowing coolant to leak out and cause the engine to overheat and eventually fail. Although never recalled, Honda did extend the Civic's engine warranty to…

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What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

8th Generation (2006–2011) Civic Key Numbers

  1. 6 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 2,948 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 55th in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 58 eligible generations.

Recent 8th Generation (2006–2011) Civic News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. The 4th phase of Honda’s Takata airbag recall is set to get underway next month.

    Honda says it has made a lot of progress with existing recall repairs because plenty of replace airbag inflators are available. The 77.7 percent completion rate out of nearly 13 million recalled vehicles has allowed Honda to issue the recall now instead of waiting until December. An automaker that’s actually ahead of schedule on a recall? What world is this?…

    keep reading article "The Next Phase of Honda’s Massive Takata Recall is Ahead of Schedule"

What Civic Owners Say About This Generation

Cracked Engine Block and Coolant Leaks in 8th Generation Civic

On some 2006–08 and early production 2009 Civics, the engine (cylinder) block may experience engine coolant leaks, resulting in engine overheating and cracking. It was a Service bulletin 10-048, not a recall. This saved my life. I got my engine for free under this bulletin. It wasn't a recall because the first bulletin stated that these engines MAY or MAY NOT crack.

2008 Civic Owner in TX

Cracked Engine Block and Coolant Leaks in 8th Generation Civic

Suddenly noticed the heat gauge rise quickly. Stopped car right away and checked coolant. Coolant was extremely low and noticed leaking from what i thought was the water pump. Took it to my mechanic only to be told the block was cracked and needed an engine that would cost $2500.

2008 Civic Owner in OH