Honda Civic Common Faults & Problems (UK Buyer's Guide)
2012–2024 · Family hatch
This is an independent guide to the Honda Civic, written for used car buyers rather than sellers. The faults below come from owner reports, UK garage patterns and MOT history for this generation — not manufacturer marketing, and we take no commission from any dealer. Use it to spot the expensive problems before you hand over money.
Superb engineering and a huge boot — the 1.6 diesel is the economy pick.
Common Faults
Each fault below is drawn from real owner reports and UK garage patterns for this generation — not generic used-car advice.
1.6 i-DTEC DPF issues in town use
moderateAn efficient diesel that still needs motorway runs to clear the filter.
Check for: Oil level above max, DPF warning history.
Typical cost: £700–£1,400
1.0 and 1.5 VTEC Turbo fuel dilution
moderateShort cold journeys put petrol in the oil, which thins it and accelerates engine wear.
Check for: Smell the dipstick for petrol; check the oil is not overfilled.
Typical cost: Oil change now, bigger bills later if ignored
Rear suspension bush wear
minorBushes wear on the multi-link rear and show as MOT advisories.
Check for: Knocking over potholes.
Typical cost: £250–£450
What to Check Before Buying
Take this list to the viewing. Every point comes straight from the faults above.
- 1.6 i-DTEC DPF issues in town use: Oil level above max, DPF warning history.
- 1.0 and 1.5 VTEC Turbo fuel dilution: Smell the dipstick for petrol; check the oil is not overfilled.
- Rear suspension bush wear: Knocking over potholes.
MOT history red flags
If any of these appear on the last two MOTs, negotiate hard or walk away.
- Emissions failure on the diesel
- Repeat suspension bush advisories
Sharp questions to ask the seller
- How long is the average journey?
- Full Honda service history?
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