169 complaints reported

2008 Honda Civic Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
169
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2021

The engine block was designed or manufactured in a way where certain 06-08 honda civics would crack. Many people experience this problem and it is extremely dangerous for honda to be allowed to manufacture an engine block that cracks.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2021
Sep 2021

My 2008 Honda Civic engine block cracked on 09-08-2021. Honda had a class action settlement for this issue and extended the warranty 10 years from first purchased date a couple years ago. Well mine finally cracked and its been 13years from the first purchased date. So the repairs are not covered under the extended warranty. I feel Honda should still fix this issue regardless if the extended 10 year warranty is expired.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2021
Aug 2021

Having a lot of problems, coolant leaking, when in park. Power steering, engine idles when in park and at a stop light.When passing on the brake the car idles so have to push really hard on brake. Passenger air bag light never turns on. Ac blows hot air then cold then hot again. The car makes a really loud noise from the engine and wants to go even in neutral or if my foot is on the brake. Windshield leaks when it rains, roof trip flaps all over the place. Passenger door locks will not unlock except if you manually push it. Head lights flicker and the growling noise from the hood is really scary

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2019
Apr 2021

THE BLOCK CRACKED CAUSING A ANTIFREEZE LEAK. HONDA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON 08 CIVICS AN EXTRA 10 YEARS FROM ORIGINAL WARRANTY WHICH WOULD ALLOW MY CIVIC TO STILL BE UNDER WARRANTY. I CONTACTED HONDA AND THEY TOLD ME THE WARRANTY ONLY PERTAINED TO FIRST OWNERS. I SUSPECT MY PROBLEM OCCURRED ON WEDNESDAY 4/21/2021 AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. IT HAS NEVER OVERHEATED SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2021
Dec 2020

ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED WHILE I STARTED DRIVING IT TODAY AND CAR OVERHEATED, TOWED TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS 2YEARS OUT OF WARRANTY, I HAD ASKED BEFORE IF IT WAS IN THE RECALL AND THEY SAID IF IT WASNT CRACKED IT WOULDNT BE UNDER WARRANTY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2020
Dec 2020

VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BY HONDA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT WITH A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. DEALERSHIP REFERRED ME TO HONDA CORPORATION REGARDING WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR MANUFACTURING DEFECT ON ENGINE BLOCK. HONDA CORP DENIED ME ASSISTANCE BECAUSE VEHICLE AGE IS PAST THEIR 10 YEAR EXTENSION PERIOD. I'M SECOND OWNER ON THIS VEHICLE AND DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS A POTENTIAL ENGINE MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR (FIRST OWNER DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS). ESTIMATED KBB VALUE WAS $4500-5000 WHICH NOW IS A NEAR TOTAL LOSS AND SALVAGE VALUE. COST FOR REPAIR IS EQUAL OR HIGHER THAN RETAIL VALUE. VEHICLE HAS WELL DOCUMENTED SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE RECORD. SEEMS UNFAIR FOR THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT TO PLACE ALL THE COST ON THE OWNER WHEN THERE IS NO OWNER CAUSE FOR THIS PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2020
Nov 2020

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR 7 MONTH AGO AND REPLACED BRAKES, ROTORS, A TIRE, REPAIRED A BROKEN LUGNUT, AND NOW THE ENGINE HAS OVERHEATED AND BLOWN AND IS EVIDENTLY NOT COVERED UNDER THE PREVIOUS WARRANTY BECAUSE IT IS PAST EXPIRATION (YEAR AND MILEAGE). PUTTING A USED ENGINE INTO THE VEHICLE IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND MY DEALERSHIP IS NOT WILLING TO PUT A NEW ONE IN. WHEN IT BEGAN OVERHEATING, I HAD JUST PULLED ONTO THE HIGHWAY (AVERAGE SPEED OF ABOUT 50) AND NOTICED THAT MY HEAT WASN'T WORKING (WHICH WAS WEIRD SINCE I HAD REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT ALREADY A FEW WEEKS PRIOR) AND THEN THE CAR READ AS HOT AS POSSIBLE. WHEN I SAFELY PULLED OVER, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND IT WAS TOWED TO A RELIABLE MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS THE COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK, BUT WAS NOT PART OF THE WARRANTY ANYMORE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2020
Nov 2020

PER HONDA TSB 10-048 ENGINE BLOCK LEAKING COOLANT, PAST 10 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2020
Oct 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR SERVICE ON THE WATER PUMP AND THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2020
Oct 2020

CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK DEFECT OCCURRED ONE YEAR OUT OF 10 YEAR WARRANTY, WELL MAINTAINED CAR ONLY OWNED FOR 1 YEAR, OVERHEATS VERY FAST DOES NOT HOLD COOLANT, WAS DRIVING WHEN THE TEMP GAUGE WENT UP I COULD SMELL COOLANT AND SEE LIGHT SMOKE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2019
Sep 2020

ON MARCH 5TH 2020 WHILE DRIVING MY ENGINE ON MY 2008 CIVIC JUST DIED ON ME, UPON DOING RESEARCH I SAW THAT HONDA HAD A EXTENDED WARRANTY I CALLED ON MARCH 9TH 2020 TO SEE IF MY CAR WAS UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT WAS TOLD THAT I WAS 2 YEARS LATE & IT WAS ONLY SENT TO THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THE CAR WHICH MADE NO SENSE...THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE & I AM OUT OF MONEY BECAUSE HONDA DOESN'T WANT TO ADDRESS ISSUES CORRECTLY...

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2020
Aug 2020

GOOD AFTERNOON, MY 2008 CIVIC (137,500 MILES) OVERHEATED WHILE ON HIGHWAY & AFTER PULLING OVER & CHECKING COOLANT SPILL TANK SAW IT WAS EMPTY. NEXT DAY REFILLED RADIATOR WITH COOLANT & AFTER STARTING CAR NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING ON GROUND AT FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE. I COULD NOT LOCATE LEAK. DROVE TO NEAREST HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT & AT SERVICE (VIA PRESSURE TEST OF ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM) A CRACK IN ENGINE BLOCK BETWEEN CYL. 1 & 2 WAS LOCATED. I WAS TOLD BY SERVICE TECH THAT HONDA IS AWARE OF ENGINE BLOCK CRACK/ DEFECT & INSTEAD OF ISSUING A SERVICE RECALL WHAT THEY DID WAS A WARRANTY EXTENSION OF 10 YEARS. HOWEVER, THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED 2 YEARS AGO. SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AMERICAN HONDA CORP. FOR GOODWILL ASSISTANCE TO TRY & HELP WITH REPAIRS BUT AMERICAN HONDA REJECTED/ DECLINED THE REQUEST & HAS LEFT ME WITHOUT A VEHICLE. I AM NOT ABLE TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE NO CAR FOR WORK, FOR MY MOM/ DAD DOCTOR VISITS/ FOR SUPERMARKET/ FOR LIFE. COSTS OF REPAIR ARE ARE ABOVE $5,000. I WAS THE 2ND OWNER OF MY 2008 CIVIC & WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY HONDA OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION OR OF A POSSIBLE RECALL NOTIFICATION OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I RECEIVED RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG (TEKATA), BUT DID NOT RECEIVE ANYTHING FOR A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. WHY IS THAT? HOW IS AMERICAN HONDA CORP. ALLOWED TO DO A "WARRANTY EXTENSION" TO RESOLVE A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM ONLY WHEN THE ENGINE CRACKS & ONLY WHEN YOU NOTICE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING, THESE VEHICLES CAN HAVE AN ENGINE FAILURE/ STALL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS, INCREASING THE RISK OF CRASH. AS A LIFELONG HONDA OWNER (20 YEARS '97 ACCORD AND '08 CIVIC) I AM BEYOND DISAPPOINTED. DISAPPOINTED NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT HONDA LEGAL DEPARTMENT DID VIA "LEGAL LOOP HOLES," NO. I'M DISAPPOINTED I WILL NEVER OWN OR DRIVE A HONDA AGAIN. GOOD DAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2020
Jul 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING WAS ABNORMALLY HIGH WHICH INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2020
Jun 2020

WELL MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR 2008 CIVIC. TOOK IT TO LOCAL HONDA DEALER FOR MAINTENANCE AND WAS TOLD IT HAD A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. TOLD ME I WAS OUT OF THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY. I'VE NEVER HAD ANYONE TELL ME THIS WAS A PROBLEM. TECHNICIAN SAID I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE MADE IT TO THE DEALER. NO ALERTS NO WARNING. WHY WAS THIS NOT RECALLED? *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2020
Feb 2020

CAR TEMPERATURE STARTED TO INCREASED RAPIDLY, SMOKE FROM ENGINE, REVVING BUT NOT ACCELERATING MUCH AND FINALLY IT OVERHEATED AND DIED. CAN TO FIND OUT THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED FROM RADIATOR LEAK THAT HONDA KNEW ABOUT AND DID NOT INFORM ME OF. MAINTENANCE DONE AT DEALERSHIP REGULARLY AND WAS THE ONLY OWNER OF CAR. BECAUSE I DRIVE SO LITTLE MILES PER YEAR, PROBLEM HAPPENED JUST AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THEY HAD TO 'RESOLVE' THIS PROBLEM FOR OWNERS. WHY WOULDN'T THEY TELL ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT. HAD TO MAKE TOO MANY PHONE CALLS TO FINALLY HAVE THEM REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $3500. IT'S UNSCRUPULOUS FOR A CORPORATION TO KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM BUT JUST EXTEND THE WARRANTY AND NOT RECALL IT AND THEN NOT HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE TIME WINDOW. VERY DISPLEASED WITH HONDA.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2018
Jan 2020

2008 HONDA CIVIC GOT A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK 2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING. FOUND OUT THIS WAS A DEFECT THAT AFFECTED 2006-2009 HONDA CIVICS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS AND NOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. BEING THAT A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS THERE WAS SO MUCH SMOKE POURING OUT I COULD NOT SEE IN FRONT OF ME THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION ON THESE ENGINES. I WAS ON A CITY STREET WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND IT IS HAPPENING OVER 100000 MILES TO MOST PEOPLE. BEING THAT MOST PEOPLE DRIVE 8000-10000 MILES A YEAR IT IS HAPPENING RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY ENDS FOR MOST. THIS IS NOT FAIR TO THE SAFETY OF US ALL. PLEASE RECALL !!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2020
Dec 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE APPEARED AND COOLANT LEAKED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND FOUND THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED AND EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE ENGINE BLOCK FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO ADVISED THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FOR THE WARRANTED REPAIR, WHICH WAS FOR TWO YEARS. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 10080302. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PARAGON HONDA (5702 NORTHERN BOULEVARD, WOODSIDE, NY 11377, (877) 343-9132) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,230.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2019
Nov 2019

ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2019
Nov 2019

HONDA NEEDS TO BE VERY CONSIDERATE AND MAKE SOME TYPE OF EXCEPTION TOWARDS WHAT PEOPE GO THROUGH WHEN THEY SELL CAR THAT HAVE A PROBLEM. I BOUGHT MY CAR BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND I HAVE HAD SOME ISSUE EVERY SINCE. BACK IN FEBURWRY OF THIS I NOTICED THAT I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR STARTED SMOKING I LET IT COOL DOWN AND MY CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP WHO INITIALLY DIAGONOSED IT AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET THEY TOLD ME IT WOUL BE $1500 TO FIX. I TOOK IT A HONDA REPIAR SHOP WHO DID SEVERAL TEST AND CAME TO THE FINAL CONCLUSION THAT BLOCK IS LEAKING. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT HONDA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST RELAIBLE CAR. PLEASE TRY TO MAKE SOME TYPE OF EXCEPTION THIS IS RIDICULIOUS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2019
Nov 2019

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND I NOTICED THE CAR WAS STARTING TO OVERHEAT. I PULLED OVER INTO A LOCAL BANK PARKING LOT AND OPENED THE HOOD TO INSPECT THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK THAT THE COOLANT WAS SEEPING OUT OF. TSB 10-048

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2018
Oct 2019

KNOWN CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK ISSUE BY AUTO MAKER ON SOME 2006-2009 MODELS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2019
Oct 2019

AT 85,000 MILES, MY ENGINE BLOCKED CRACKED IN ONE OF THE 4 SPOTS IDENTIFIED BY HONDA ENGINEERS IN THEIR OWN SERVICE BULLETIN (10-048). MY CAR HAS BEEN GARAGE-KEPT AND RELIGIOUSLY MAINTAINED IN TERMS OF SERVICE. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. MY PRIMARY ISSUE (AS THE ORIGINAL OWNER) IS THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2019
Oct 2019

CAR HAS 100,000 MILES AND IS LEAKING COOLANT. FOUND OUT THAT HONDA HAS A RECALL ON THIS, BUT THE RECALL EXPIRED FEBRUARY OF 2018.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2019
Sep 2019

ENGINE BLOCK HONDA CIVIC 2008 147000 MILES BEGAN LEAKING COOLANT AFTER DRIVING ON CITY STREET

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2019
Sep 2019

WAS THE PROUD OWNER OF A HONDA CIVIC(2008) UNTIL RECENTLY. IN JANUARY 2019, MY HONDA UNEXPECTEDLY STARTED OVERHEATING WHEN I WAS WAITING IN LINE IN MCDONALDS. THE OVERHEATING OCCURED VERY FAST AND I I QUICKLY PULLED OVER AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO NEAREST HONDA DEALER (HONDA OF NANUET). I LEARNED THE NEXT DAY THAT THE CAR HAD SUFFERED A ENGINE COOLANT LEAK WHICH HAD THE MADE THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE ENGINE BLOCK (HTTPS://HONDA.OEMDTC.COM/340/WARRANTY-EXTENSION-ENGINE-BLOCK-2006-2009-HONDA-CIVIC) WHICH IS A KNOWN DEFECT ON 2006-2009 HONDA CIVICS. MY CARS SITUATION IS SAD BECAUSE IT IS OVER THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY BUT HAS VERY LOW MILES ON IT FOR A CAR OF ITS AGE. YOU CAN SEE MANY ENGINE BLOCK FAILURES LIKE THIS FOR 2006-2009 HONDA CARS AT HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/HONDA/CIVIC/2006/ENGINE/CRACKED_ENGINE_BLOCK.SHTML CURRENTLY ANYBODY HAVING THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE THEIR ENGINE OVERHEAT, STALL VERY QUICKLY AND HONDA IS NOT REFUNDING OR ACKNOWLEDGING THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND REFUNDING OWNERS FOR THE COST OF THE CAR. I ASK THAT HONDA ISSUE A RECALL INSTEAD OF A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THIS SERIOUS ISSUE CONSIDERING THAT THIS WOULD MAKE THE ENGINE INOPERABLE AND OVERHEAT VERY QUICKLY WITH THIS ISSUE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2019

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2008 Honda Civic has 169 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.