2011 Honda Civic Brakes
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Each time I applied brakes I would hear a scraping sound in sync with a point or span of tire rotation. Then as I was attempting to stop at a red light the brakes failed. The nearest place was OR automotive and they rebuilt rear braking system yet I could hear the same scraping sound. So I carried the car to Honda dealership. They adjusted brakes $237.00 and replaced $341.00 the two rear drums. The sound remains and is magnified. They are claiming it is because e brake cables stretch. Somehow the stretching can cause entire rear brake on that side to catastrophically fail.
HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS EVERY 6 MONTHS DINCE WE PURCHASED IN JULY 2012. THE CAR HAD VERY LIW MILES WHEN PURCHASED AND NOW HAS 90,000.MILES.THE MECHANIC SAYS IT IS NOT NORMAL TO NEED REPLACEMENT SO OFTEN. BRAKES BUCKLE WHEN COMING TO A SUDDEN STOP.
"TAKATA RECALL" I'VE HAD TO CHANGE THE BRAKES OFTEN ON THIS CAR. I DON'T DRIVE THE CAR LONG DISTANCES, BUT THE BRAKES WEAR OUT SO EASILY. I'VE HAD IT FOR 4 YEARS AND HAVE MILEAGE OF 30,000. I'M ALREADY TAKING IT TO MECHANIC TO CHANGE THE BRAKES AGAIN! IT'S NOT NORMAL! I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT BUT HAVE OFFERED NO SOLUTION! THEY JUST TELL ME TO KEEP PURCHASING NEW BRAKES.
I PURCHASE ME THE CAR IN JANUARY 2014 AND REPLACED THE BRAKES IN SEPTEMBER 2014. NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN BECAUSE THE PADS KEEP WEARING DOWN. MY ROTORS WERE ALSO AFFECTED. THERE IS A CONSTANT RUBBING SOUND WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING. *TR
HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ENCOUNTERS WHERE I ALMOST HAVE CAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE BRAKES WILL NOT GRAB. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I STOPPED GOING TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE BECAUSE EVERY TIME I TOOK IT TO GET CHECKED OUT THEY SAID IT WAS FUNCTIONING IN PERFECT CONDITION. I HAVE CHANGED MY BRAKES AND ROTORS AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT TIMES EVEN AFTER I BOUGHT CERAMIC BRAKES AND HEAVY DUTY ROTORS, AND TIRES ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. UPON COMPLAINING TO HONDA'S CORPORATE OFFICE I WAS GIVEN A $200.00 GIFT CARD THAT PRETTY MUCH WENT RIGHT BACK FOR REPAIRS.JUST FROM 3 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP HAVE SPENT OVER $3,000.00 IN REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE FEES. THESE CARS MIGHT CONTAIN A FACTORY DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE 22 YEARS EXPERIENCE OF DRIVING IN THE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AREA I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD MORE THAN ONE ACCIDENT ALREADY. *TR
CR INSPECTED IN DEC 27 2013 . INSPECTION VERIFIES BRAKES ARE IN GOOD SHAPE PASSES INSPECTION. TWO WEEKS LATER BRAKES BEGAN MAKING NOISES. TOOK TO HONDA DEALER AGAIN AND WAS TOLD BRAKES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT WITH ROTORS RESURFACED DEALER INDICATES VIRTUALLY NO BREAKS. UNSURE HOW CONDITION OF BRAKES WERE MISSED DURING INSPECTION. I FEEL BRAKES PADS WORE PREMATURELY. *TR
NEED NEW FRONT BRAKES AND ONLY 20,000 MILES; WAS TOLD IT'S MY IN-CITY DRIVING, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SAW THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR SAME PROBLEM FOR 2008, 2009 AND 2010 MODELS... *TR
THE FRONT BRAKES ON MY HONDA CIVIC HAD TO BE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME AT 17,000 MILES. IT HAD FAILED RIGHT AT THE END OF THE HONDA 1 YEAR WARRANTY (THE FIRST DATE IS ESTIMATED BUT I CAN DIG IT OUT FROM THE HONDA DEALER IF THIS BECOMES AN ISSUE) I HAVE ONLY THE ESTIMATED FIRST DATE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A FLUKE AND HONDA COVERED IT UNDER WARRANTY SO I DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, MY NEXT SET OF BRAKES FAILED AT 15,000 MILES. THE ACTUAL DATE WAS 7/8/2013 ON THIS FAILURE. AGAIN THEY HAVE WARANTIED THE BRAKES. I AM ON MY 3RD SET OF BRAKES AND THE CAR HAS NOT EVEN HIT 40-50,000 MILES. THAT IS IF MY BRAKES WERE BEING RIDDEN HARD. AT SOME POINT I AM CONCERNED THAT HONDA WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM THAT APPEARS TO BE WELL KNOWN. THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE HONDA CIVICS. IT APPEARS THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THIS AND ARE LEAVING PEOPLE TWISTING IN THE WIND. I DON'T KNOW OF A MORE CRITICAL COMPONENT TO A VEHICLES SAFETY THAN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. IT CAN HARM BOTH DRIVER, PEDESTRIAN OR OTHER MOTORISTS AND CAUSE A FINANCIAL CALAMITY TO BOTH DRIVER AND OTHER PARTIES. PLEASE MAKE HONDA FIGURE OUT THIS PROBLEM AND PROVIDE A SOLUTION SO THAT WE CAN DRIVE A SAFE CAR. THERE IS A LAWSUIT FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH HONDA, I PREFER NOT TO GET INVOLVED INTO THIS BUT RATHER HAVE THEM FIX THIS PROBLEM. OTHER THAN THAT IT HAS BEEN A GOOD VEHICLE. I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A FINANCIAL REWARD I JUST WANT MY CAR FIXED AND PROPERLY ENGINEERED SO THAT THE BRAKES WON'T FAIL PREMATURELY. IT CAN BE COSTLY IF I HAVE TO REPLACE MY BRAKES ONCE A YEAR. *TR
ON 03-16-2013 I WAS DRIVING ON I-5 FREEWAY NORTH THROUGH ORANGE COUNTY CA. WHEN I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN, MY CAR`S BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AT ALL. BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE AND THE CAR DIDN'T SLOW DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY HITTING THE CURB. THERE WERE NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS LIT AT ANY TIME INDICATING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. I HAD CAR TOWED TO NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME I MUST HAVE DRIVEN OVER A PIECE OF RUBBER DEBRIS. THIS PIECE OF RUBBER DAMAGED RIGHT WHEEL EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE, CAUSING RIGHT REAR WHEEL TO DRAG AND BOIL THE BRAKE FLUID, THUS CAUSING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING AT ALL.I FOUND OUT BOTH REAR BRAKES WERE DAMAGED, EVEN THOUGH ONLY THE RIGHT EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE WAS DAMAGED. I HAD TO PAY$1300 FOR REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS UNDER FULL FACTORY WARRANTY. I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO AND ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION HOW IS THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON 2011 HONDA CIVIC DESIGNED IF A TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE CAN BE CAUSED BY A PIECE OF RUBBER DEBRIS. I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW, HOW A TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING. MY OTHER QUESTION WAS WHAT AMERICA HONDA MOTOR CO. WILL DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN ON MINE AND OTHER 2011 CIVIC MODELS. HONDA REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS.SHE STATED THAT SINCE THERE WAS NOT ANY ACCIDENT, EVERYTHING IS FINE WITH THEM. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE ENDED TRAGICALLY AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOU TO INVESTIGATE AND FOLLOW UP ON IT. *TR
I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH 10,000 MILES. ON A FEW OCCASIONS (MONTHS APART) WHILE APPLYING MY BRAKES, THE PEDAL COLLAPSES TO THE FLOORBOARD AND I FEEL GRINDING COMING FROM THE PEDAL. THIS USUALLY OCCURS AT A LOW SPEED AND ON A DECLINE/SLOPE.. FOR EXAMPLE, LEAVING A CONVENIENCE STORE PARKING LOT. UP TO THIS POINT, THE CAR HAS ALWAYS RESPONDED TO THE BRAKES, BUT IT IS AS IF I'M BLEEDING THE BRAKES.. BRAKE PRESSURE IS GOOD AND IN AN INSTANT, IT IS GONE. *TR
I LEASED THIS CIVIC ON FEBRUARY 2011 AND IN DECEMBER 2011 10 MONTHS LATER THE BREAKS AND ROTORS WERE GONE AND ONLY ONE SIDE. ODD AFTER HAVING HAD THEM SERVICED IN SEPTEMBER AND THE DEALER GIVING ME 100% LIFE ON THEM. HAD TO PAY TO FIX BRAKES AND ROTORS. TEN MONTHS LATER SEPTEMBER 2012 AGAIN BRAKES OUT HAS TO CHANGE AGAIN. NOW AGAIN SEPTEMBER 2013 BRAKES AND ROTORS. WITHOUT ANY SIGNALS THAT MY BRAKES WERE WEARING OUT. NOW MORE COSTS TO FIX THIS IN A 2011 HONDA CIVIC . RIDICULOUS CONSIDERING THIS WILL BE THE 3RD TIME TO CHANGE BREAKS WITHIN A 2.5 YEARS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE. I USE MY CAR TO TRAVEL TO WORK EVERYDAY AND RUN ERRANDS AND ONCE IN A WHILE DRIVE A MAX OF 100 MILES AT ONE TIME TO LA. I HAVE HAD MY TUNDRA FOR THREE YEARS NEVER HAVE HAD TO CHANGE BRAKES. NOW I HEAR THE ROTORS AND ITS CRAZY TO THINK MY BRAKES ARE GONE WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. *JB
I HAVE A HONDA CIVIC 2011, I DON'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE THAT MUCH. I ONLY HAVE 24800 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I GOT IT NEW. I ALSO HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS NEW. NOW I'M TOLD I NEED FRONT BRAKES THEY ARE METAL TO METAL. I'M SORRY BUT I'VE HAD OTHER CARS, I'VE HAD TOYOTA'S ALL THE TIME AND IT WAS A 2008 COROLLA. I DIDN'T NEED BRAKES TILL IT HAD ABOUT 60,000 MILES ON IT. I DON'T DRIVE CRAZY DON'T DRIVE FAST NOR BRAKE ALL THE SUDDEN SO MY BRAKES WOULD BE METAL TO METAL THIS FAST. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY OTHER THAN THEY ARE DEFECTIVE OR THEY ARE VERY CHEAP BRAKES. I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR LIKE THEY SAY. I WORK WITH MECHANICS AND THEY SAY IT'S NOT NORMAL UNLESS MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE ALL THE TIME WHEN I'M DRIVING AND IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. I DON'T HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE LIKE THAT. I ALSO DON'T DRIVE FAST, I NORMALLY LET THE VEHICLE SLOW DOWN ON IT'S OWN FIRST BEFORE EVEN BRAKING. SO I WOULD LIKE SOME HELP WITH THIS. I'M HAVING THE DEALER IN GARDENA CA. DO THE BRAKES I NEED MY VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT MYSELF. I WILL PAY BUT I DO NEED AN INVESTIGATION FOR IT. I DO WANT A REFUND ON THIS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 61 MPH, THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,968.
BRAKES WORE COMPLETELY DOWN AT 18K MILES ON A BRAND NEW LEASE WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE LASTED ABOUT 30K MILES. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE WAY I WAS DRIVING AND IT HAD CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD BECAUSE I ONLY APPLY THE BRAKES GENTLY AT APPROPRIATE TIMES. I FOUND THEIR EXCUSE TO BE A LITTLE FISHY AND WITHIN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME OF ONLINE RESEARCH I HAD REALIZED THAT THIS SCAM BY HONDA HAS TAKEN EFFECT ON MANY OTHERS SOME AT EVEN 10K MILES! THIS MATTER SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF IN A TIMELY MANNER AS THIS IS A BIT RIDICULOUS. *TR
FRONT BRAKE PADS COMPLETELY BARE. I AM AN OLDER WOMAN DRIVER WHO DOES NOT ENDURE MUCH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. NEVER OWNED A CAR WHERE BRAKE PADS FAILED/WORN IN JUST 1 1/2 YEARS OF DRIVING. ALL OTHER CARS OWNED BY FAMILY HAVE BRAKE PADS LAST 80K MILES. REPLACING PADS TODAY, BUT WAS TOLD BY HONDA REP THAT IT IS MY FAULT DUE TO MY DRIVING HABITS. HAD I KNOWN WHAT I NOW KNOW. OR SEEN THE ONLINE CUSTOMER/OWNER'S COMMENTS REGARDING THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BRAKE ISSUES THAT DATE BACK ALMOST A DECADE, I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS CAR. *TR
SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. I HAVE REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS 3 TIMES IN ONE YEAR! TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM I MUST BE RIDING ON THE BRAKES. THE COST IS $ 200.00. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR... A 2011, HOW THE NECK CAN BRAKE PADS NEED TO BE REPLACED THIS MANY TIMES??!! SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG, I HAVE OWNED VEHICLES AND I NEVER RECALL HAVING TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS MORE THAN ONCE OR A MAXIMUM OF TWO TIMES DURING OWNERSHIP. THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING A NEW CAR... 4 TIMES??!!! RIDICULOUS! *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Honda Civic has 16 Brakes complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.