How to Check a Used Honda Civic (2016+) For Hidden Problems

Used Guide: Honda Civic (2016+)
Checks before you buy used

The latest-generation of Honda’s bread-and-butter compact is the tenth, and the latest Civic hit the road back in 2015, for model-year 2016. The latest Civic flaunted a few firsts, including the first use of a turbocharged engine in the lineup, as well as a laundry-list of advanced new safety equipment.

Key competitors to this Canadian-built favorite include the Kia Forte, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus, Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, Dodge Dart, and others. Sedan, coupe and hatchback models were available, and most owners say the Civic is roomier and more accommodating than you might thing from a mere glance.

Elsewhere, look for full smartphone connectivity with available wireless charging, heated seats and steering wheel, remote start, a sunroof, automatic lights and climate control, and more. Engines included a 2-litre four-cylinder or a punchy 1.5-litre turbo, the latter offering about 175 horsepower on regular-grade fuel.

Transmission choices included a six-speed manual or Continually Variable Transmission (CVT), which is the automatic transmission option.

Oil Dilution
Shoppers not dead-set on a Civic with the 1.5 litre turbo engine may be best to avoid it. Some owners have experienced well-documented problems caused in part by a situation in which engine oil and gasoline may mix inside of the engine, causing problems, a Check Engine Light, a strong gas odor near the vehicle, engine misfiring, and more. An over-full oil level reading on the dipstick is a great reason to avoid a model with the 1.5 litre engine. Frequent use of the vehicle in extreme cold, especially for typically-short drives, may exasperate the problem.
Honda has extended warranty coverage on parts of this engine, and many owners have noted no issue. The oil dilution dilemma appears to be ongoing at this writing. For best results, factor extended warranty coverage into the purchase price of a car with the 1.5-litre engine, or skip it.

Check the Condenser
The condenser is a part of a vehicle’s air conditioning system that requires a stream of cool outside air to pass through it. Usually it’s mounted in the lower air opening of a vehicle’s bumper—where some Civic owners say it seems curiously vulnerable to damage by rocks and other road debris.
Track down the condenser and look for signs of heavy damage and be sure to run the air conditioner through a workout on your test drive, being on the lookout for poor performance. Some owners have installed protective provisions, like screens or mesh, to help protect this pricey-to-replace component.

Multiple Warnings
You may not notice this rare problem on a test drive, but it’s worth noting: at any sign of difficulty or failure starting the engine, alongside the illumination of numerous warning and error lights, you’ll want to have the engine computer and battery checked over professionally. Often, the fix is a computer software re-flash, a new battery, or a re-calibration of one or more system sensors. Having this work performed in a dealer setting is best.

Trunk Leak
Remove all items from the trunk, as well as the cargo floor cover. You want to see bare metal beneath the Civic’s trunk, and check the area for signs of rust, mildew, or standing water. Some owners have reported a water leak in this area, that may stem from a defective weld around the trunk opening which should be easy to fix. If there’s a water leak like this, you’ll want to know before you buy.

The information presented above is gathered from online owner discussion groups and collaboration with a network of automotive repair professionals. The above information is not a comprehensive list of all possible issues with the vehicle in question and is instead intended to draw shopper attention to possible trouble spots they may wish to investigate before they buy. In most cases, problems listed above are reported with relative rarity in comparison to total sales volume. Shoppers are advised to have a dealer- performed pre-purchase inspection on the vehicle they’re considering for maximum peace of mind.

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[txmoney]

As a 10th gen 2018 Civic EX-T owner (bought new June 2018 in Westchester County, NY), I can say that this is my favorite Civic model/year. However, the model I chose does not have any of the Honda sensing features...which is a good thing imo. I have over 86, 000 miles of trouble-free ownership in just over three years. I’m averaging over 33 mpg with combined city/highway on its 1.5liter turbo CVT. No oil dilution issues whatsoever. No air conditioning problems. The rear and side view cameras work perfectly. No electronics issues.
I’m not a fan of the new 11th Civic so I plan on keeping mine for over 300, 000 miles.

[g-manprime]

I have a 2018 civic hatchback Ex and I absolutely adore the car. I put 10k miles on it in less than 6 months and I have loved every moment. Oil dilution is a thing but it doesn't seem to be a huge problem on my car. I just keep up with my oil changes. My advice is to learn how to do the basic fluid changes. The trans fluid needs to be changed every 25 to 30k miles and it is super easy to do. I did it a week ago and it took maybe 30 minutes(Way faster than a dealership). After a year of ownership I have ZERO regrets.

[John.]

2016 Ex-t no engine or transmission problems yet. I bought it brand new. Im sitting at 107, 000 miles now.

[themindset]

In Europe we didn't get any 2 liter, just the 1.5 and a 1.0 3 cylinder engine with a wet timing belt. It looks like that wet belt dipping in the oil not only reduces frictions and emissions, but also leaves residues in the oil that may clog the fine tube through which the oil goes up to lubricate the turbo, leading to blow-ups that can cost upwards of 20 grand to repair and of which Honda isn't taking care of. This as soon as 11000 miles!

[magichaircreationsbyjoey]

Great video. Very professional and informative for me, as I’m test driving one today! A quick question though, not car related, what kind of sunglasses are those??? They look like they’d really work for me. Thank you.

[bunating]

Very valuable info for us Canadians thinking of buying a used Civic from this model year. Thanks for this well presented video!

[bojanjovanovic]

I bought a Honda Civic 2018 1.6 i-DTEC sedan with 9 speed automatic with 26k km from a Honda dealer . It is very nice to drive and rather comfortable car. However, I do see some issues with the overall quality which is not really up to Honda standards, such as rubber seals around the doors keep coming off the doors, as they are holding on with just a rubber lip on metal. As I had it only for a few months, I didn't notice issues you mention.

[travelguy]

Honda is going to hate this video! With that said, I am a Honda owner, bought a new 2018 Civic Hatchback LX 6speed manual, and, overall I can say that I'm fairly happy with my Civic 1.5 turbo - have 40, 000 miles on it now. I do not have the oil dilution problem, thankfully, but I did have 3 different air conditioning parts replaced while still under warranty. The service technician at the Honda dealer told me that they have had many, many air conditioning problems with this 10th gen civic air conditioning system. It's not just rocks or pebbles hitting the condensor or compressor! He said it was a bunch of poorly made parts. My repair bills would have been well over $2, 000 but, again, it was all covered under my original warranty. Other than that issue, I've been quite pleased. I like the 1.5 turbo - it has a great sporty feel when over 2500 rpms. I get very good gas mileage as well. I just hope it lasts many years, as I plan on taking care of it as well. Best of luck to all you Honda Civic folks!

[Yotaciv]

Get the turbo and drive it hard. It helps it evaporate the gas out of the oil. Drive it in sport in cold climate till it warms up. In really cold just keep it in Sport.
Its funner to drive and very fuel efficient.

[raging_carnut]

I just found out about this review. THANK YOU. I got a 17 civic with i bought in 2020. I just wanted an Accord stickshift but I didn't have enough to buy it privately. So I went to the dealership. I did not like the AC system on hot summer days. It's functionality was compromised by the ECO bottom as well as the acceleration. The clutch was hard and very uncomfortable if you do doordash on the daily but i just adjusted myself and it's much better now. I got the 2.0 which I change the oil every 5k miles religiously. It does deludes oil a bit. Nothing outrageous. It is slow. But with the fixed clutch and aftermarket short shifter and base bushings it makes up for a good car. And yeah the shifter in the LX model is sloppy as hell. The Bluetooth system wouldn't grab my phone back after i had to turn the bluetooth off but that's a dealer fix. The EXT 2.0 has a more solid shifter and good tech features. I'd have prefer the EXT. I certainly didn't even looked at the 1.5T. It really damaged the Civic image. I recently change the halogen low beam bulbs for LasFit led lights and it's so much better to drive at night.

[-DC-]

In Europe they also come with a 3 cyl 1.0 turbo, Warning to anyone looking at these check out the 75k 6 year timing belt service cost it will put you off considering one !

[egcruzer]

I’ve had a 2016 Honda Civic Touring since July of 2016. I’ve had a few problems with the car, mainly the air conditioning system. After about a year I started to hear from inside the car what sounded like a belt slipping in the motor, both while driving and when stopped at intersections. I later opened the hood with the car running but couldn’t hear the same sound. After dealing with it for a month I took it into my dealer and they said it the air conditioning condenser had several leaks and they needed to change out the whole system. Flash forward about a year ago I got a letter from Honda stating that all factory installed systems were now covered for a full 10 years. The only other issue I had was with the entertainment system, more specifically the rear speakers rattling the truck at any volume over 14, I took the car into my dealer and they fixed it though I couldn’t see any visible changes to the area. I can now crank it all the way up to max volume with no rattles.

[tony]

I bought a 2018 Civic Touring trim at 809 miles. The first four months of 2020, that is when the oil dilution occured. Subsequently in middle of thr year, the locks became inoperable, leading me to manually do it. Finally, the alternator and part of fuses went out at the end of the year until March 2021 when I sold it. I finished it off at <16, 000 miles and although I vowed to never buy a future Civic, I'll give it a second chance with a 2021 Sport Touring trim.

[tjones]

I have a 2016 Honda Civic Touring. Bought it back in 2019 it had 32, 000. a week after buying the car my ac started acting up. It ended up being my condenser which was covered by a warranty. since that issue almost 4 years later the car been perfect just hit 58, 000.

[saidul]

hi, I have one of these 988 cc, white, manual, UK edition. I think my turbo not working car feels heavy and slow, what could be the cause.

[rickjohansson]

Haha 😂 glad I cheaped out and got an LX sedan, as it’s the only one that seems to have none of these issues in base form (except for maybe the ac thing) but mine blows cold 5 years later- zero issues at all really and the horsepower difference is not that drastic anyway.

[rosayolcastillo]

Do 2018 hatchback models come with an engine cover ?

[urbinax]

i bought a civic 2016 ex with 0 light errors because the previus owner erased them. after a month a emissions "system problem appeared"! p422 valve stuck closed :(

[TonyKomaMusicSweden]

Thanks for this. (Hopefully) getting a 2017 Black Civic 1.0 tomorrow so I’ll check. 👍👍

[vicp]

2019 plus have the radio knob and oil dislusion problem is less reported. Don't do short drives, let her warm up. This only applies w the 1.5t.
Sp touring 6sp owner here and no mechanical issues, at 35kms, in Canada so we see snow.