10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
30,059 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Honda Civic brakes problems

brakes problem

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2009 Honda Civic Owner Comments

problem #19

Sep 242022

Civic

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

3 times my fooit has sliped off the brake pedal and on to the gas pedal. In all cases i was able to go back to the break pedal and stop. it seems the break pedal is slipery. In all cases the car lurched foward. This has never happened in any of the other cars that i have driven and continue to drive. Now with this honda it has happened 3 times.

- Wakefield, RI, USA

problem #18

Apr 132020

Civic 4-cyl

  • 68,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving approximately 33 mph when the brakes were being applied the vehicle accelerated to 54 mph. The contact stated she was unable to control the vehicle as the vehicle crashed into the guard rail, spinning around, crossing to the other side of the roadway, hitting the mountain side. The air bags did not deploy. The contact received injury to her right knee, shoulder, elbow, back and neck however medical treatment was not received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to freeway Honda (1505 auto mall dr, santa ana, ca 92705 phone: (714) 547-3555) whom was attempting to diagnosis the failure however, when the insurance company inspected the vehicle and deemed it a total loss, all diagnoses was seized. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 68,000.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #17

May 102019

Civic

  • miles
Takata recall

- Mclean, VA, USA

problem #16

Nov 062015

Civic

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The center (interior) brake light works intermittently. Many others have had same problem. Only affects ex model led light assembly. It is unsafe and costly fix. It should be recalled.

- Westlake Village, CA, USA

problem #15

Jul 312015

Civic

  • 50,000 miles
Went to stop and the brakes were useless. I slammed the brakes to floor and missed the tail end of car by swerving in to oncoming traffic. I had recently brought car in to check the brakes and Honda said they were okay and no need to have anything done. I don not like to brake on a bumpy road because the brakes do not do well on bumpy roads. I take caution when I have to brake on a bumpy road. Brought car to Honda on August 1, 2015 and told them change/fix the brakes. Honda said they were going to check everything. Is there a recall on this brake issue?

- Lynn, MA, USA

problem #14

Mar 052013

Civic

  • miles
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Civic. While driving at approximately 70 mph, there was smoke coming from the rear brakes. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brakes needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #13

Jul 012012

Civic 4-cyl

  • 20,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving on hwy at abut 65 mph on cruise control, I applied the brake to disengage the cruise control to reduce speed to exit, but the brake didn't work and the cruise control didn't disengage, couldn't exit and kept on going and kept on hitting on the cruise button till it finally disengage and was able to exit. The cruise button stopped working since then.

- Montevallo, AL, USA

problem #12

Jul 162012

Civic 4-cyl

  • 12,500 miles
I was accelerating to the posted speed of 55 mph, another vehicle suddenly changed lane and pulled in front of my car. I hit the brakes, but the brake pedal became stiff and the brakes could not be applied. I had to pump 2 or 3 times and tried different amount of force. I barely escaped accident. The problem becomes much worse in cold weather and on snow and ice. I encountered stiff brake pedal problem at least 100 times between December 2012 & March 2013 on rt 83 between oakbrook and willowbrook (suburbs of Chicago, il). The traffic at rush hour can be stop and go, and brakes need to be applied at least dozens of time in a distance of about 7 miles. I used all of my safe driving skills, and started keeping much greater distance from the cars ahead. It was scary. The problem still continues. At about 25,000 miles on the odometer, I had to replace brake pads & have rotors machined at a Honda dealer. The next day, in July 2014, on a clear day and dry road surface, with the normal braking at a traffic light stop, brake pedal became stiff. I am worried about the coming winter. I have never been informed by Honda to bring in my car for fixing this problem. My daughter bought this car in California in June 2009 (I was a co-borrower). She drove about 12000 miles in 3 years. My daughter also had encountered this stiff brake pedal problem, right from day one. In June 2012, the car was shipped by truck to my place, and I became the owner/driver of the car.

- Woodridge, IL, USA

problem #11

Aug 292013

Civic

  • 64,000 miles
My Honda Civic 2009 break pad need replacement every 6 months to one year. Honda Civic breaking sytem has defect and Honda is refusing to cover it under warranty. See this link blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/02/honda_civic_brakes_lawsuit.php

- Fremont, CA, USA

problem #10

Apr 062011

Civic

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 mph the ABS locked upon engaging the brake pedal. There was also the illumination of the brake warning indicator.the failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was maneuvered to a safe location. The failure had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

- Fortworth, TX, USA

problem #9

Jul 162013

Civic 4-cyl

  • 32,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Second time brake pad worn badly: First time was just over 20,000 miles on the car as filed in my complaint # 10525136. Now just over a year later and only 12,000 miles more (32,700) I find my left front outer brake pad is worn to 10% while the inner pad is at 85%. right tire pads at both at 90%. noise started abruptly two days ago sounding horrible. Have to spend nearly an additional $200 for new pads again. Noise continues even when not braking - leading one to believe there is no retraction of the pad against the rotor.

- Burbank, CA, USA

problem #8

Mar 122012

Civic 4-cyl

  • 20,700 miles
Uneven wear on the brakes to the point the left side of the car had very loud noise. Still have original tires on the vehicle with proper tread; car maintenance maintained. Paid $165 for new bendix brakes (high quality) and rotor repair. Once noise started, brake pad went quickly!!! this happened again only 12,000 miles later (July 2013). Left outer brake pad at 10% while inner pad of left tire at 85%. right tire, both pads at 90%. still same original tires with a lot of tread, car maintenance maintained. Very little wear and tear on the car at all for other areas.

- Burbank, CA, USA

problem #7

Nov 122012

Civic 4-cyl

  • 33,035 miles
I purchased the vehicle as certified pre-owned in June 2012 with 23834 miles. In November 2012 at 33035 miles the front brake pads needed to be replaced and the left front rotor needed to be resurfaced. I figured the brakes had never been replaced since I expect approximately 30000 miles of usage from front brakes. In July 2013 at 46216 miles the front brake pads were replaced again. To my frustration the dealership said normal wear and tear but I have never heard of brakes on a small light car needed to be replaced. I've had numerous prior cars that had breaks last longer than 13000 miles. I have seen numerous complaints on forums and even a pending class action lawsuit over this specific issue. This should be addressed and if necessary a recall issued since early brake failure is a major safety issue!

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #6

Jun 202013

Civic 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
Parking brake failure - parking brake was fully engaged when the car rolled backwards into a neighboring yard striking another vehicle. Police and other witnesses indicate parking brake was engaged at the time the vehicle came to a stop.

- Madison, NC, USA

problem #5

May 142013

Civic

  • 33,878 miles
Noticeable metallic sound coming from front left side when driving. Dealership says the inner brake pads are worn away (down to the wear indicators), but the outer brake pads still have 50% life and the rotors do not appear to be warped, cracked, or worn. Calipers and pistons are also fine. Dealer can offer no reason why brake pads wore out so quickly. Nearly all mileage is highway mileage, so the dealer's explanation of "driving habits" and "stop and go traffic" do not seem likely.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #4

Dec 112012

Civic 4-cyl

  • miles
Factory brakes are defective, wearing out the rotor with only 36,000 miles on the car.

- Mount Juliet, SD, USA

problem #3

Nov 242012

Civic

  • 63,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the front brake pads were wearing out prematurely. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The brakes were replaced. The manufacturer was contacted about the issue. The failure and current mileage was 63,000.

- Peoria, AZ, USA

problem #2

Mar 072011

Civic

  • 20,000 miles
When applying the brakes and the vehicle hits a bump or rough patch on the road, the brakes fail almost entirely. As a reactionary measure, I usually release and re-apply the brakes and then it works but there have been times where I apply the brakes as hard as I can without letting up because I'm about to read end the vehicle in front of me. In total since purchasing the car brand new, I'd say this happend over 30 times since September 2009.

- League City, TX, USA

problem #1

May 162012

Civic 4-cyl

  • 29,000 miles
My wife was driving a 2009 Honda Civic (purchased new all repairs/servicing since purchase made by the dealer at reading piazza Honda) with my 13 year old daughter on a 2 lane highway at approximately 8:45 pm may-16-2012, no other vehicles were on the road at the time in her front or rear view when suddenly she reported that the engine unexpectedly revved up to high RPM's, where she states that she lost the ability to steer the 2009 Honda Civic, she tried to apply the brakes as soon as she realized the steering control was not working, however; the brakes did not work either. Her vehicle careened to the left side of the road hitting the median divider then the car careened to the right hitting the guard rail at which point the side airbag deployed and the motor shut off. Thankfully they are both alive. My daughter stated that she felt someone was pushing the vehicle from behind suddenly. I am still looking for answers to this unexplained scenario my wife and daughter reported to me, the 2 lane road was devoid of any vehicles at that time and as she stated this to me, the engine revved high, she had no ability to steer and the brakes did not work when she applied them. I contacted american Honda and have asked them to help investigated what may have happened and am waiting to hear from them on what may have caused this in a 2009 Honda Civic.

- Sinking Spring, PA, USA

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