MotorDeets

2009 Honda Civic: Recalls, Problems & MPG

Here are the deets on the 2009 Honda Civic: 8 recalls, 395 owner complaints and up to 29 mpg combined.

8vehicle recalls
395owner complaints
42mention a crash
29best combined mpg
2009 Honda Civic
Photo: MercurySable99 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Representative photo of this generation; trim may differ.

Recalls

8 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.

Fuel system Vehicle recall #08V535000 · 2008 · 128 vehicles

What's wrong: A bracket that covers the fuel hose connector is secured with a bolt and nut, but during assembly the nut was not installed.

Why it matters: In the event of a crash, the bracket May become loose which could result in damage to the fuel hose connector. A damaged connector could lead to a fuel leak and increases the risk of a fire.

The fix: Dealers will install a nut on the fuel feed hose bracket. The recall began on October 13, 2008.

Airbags Vehicle recall #16V346000 · 2016 · 2,719,386 vehicles

What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Acura tsx, 2011 tsx wagon, 2010-2011 Acura zdx, 2008-2011 Honda accord, 2010-2011 accord crosstour, 2006-2011 civic, civic hybrid, and civic gx, 2007-2011 cr-v, 2010-2011 fcx clarity and insight, and 2009-2011 fit, and pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi,…

Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017.

Airbags Vehicle recall #17V030000 · 2017 · 977,708 vehicles

What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Acura tsx, 2011-2012 Acura tsx wagon, 2010-2012 Acura zdx, 2008-2012 Honda accord, 2010-2012 Honda accord crosstour and Honda insight, 2009-2012 Honda fit, 2009-2012 pilot, 2007-2011 Honda cr-v, 2012 Honda fcx clarity and 2006-2011 Honda civic, civic hybrid, civic ngv vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida,…

Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has mailed an interim notification, and will send a second notification when parts are available.

Airbags Vehicle recall #17V545000 · 2017 · 3,257 vehicles

What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain 2008-2012 accord, 2010-2012 accord crosstour, 2006-2011 civic, 2007-2011 cr-v, 2009-2012 fit and pilot, 2010-2012 insight, and 2009-2012 Acura tsx vehicles that received replacement passenger frontal air bag inflators. One dealership May have incorrectly installed the replacement air bag inflators.

Why it matters: In the event of a crash, an incorrectly installed passenger frontal air bag inflator May deploy the air bag improperly, increasing the risk of injury.

The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2017.

Airbags Vehicle recall #18V042000 · 2018 · 691,726 vehicles

What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura tsx, zdx, Honda accord crosstour, fit, insight and pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura tsx sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda accord,, 2010-2011 Honda civic, civic ngv, civic hybrid and cr-v vehicles and 2013 Honda fcx clarity and fit ev vehicles ever registered in the states of alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south…

Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018.

Airbags Vehicle recall #18V268000 · 2018 · 1,335 vehicles

What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda accord and pilot, 2010 accord crosstour, 2001-2011 civic, 2002-2011 cr-v, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 element, 2007 and 2009-2013 fit, 2010-2012 insight, 2002-2004 odyssey, and 2012 ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag May have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

Why it matters: An incorrectly installed air bag May deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018.

Airbags Vehicle recall #19V378000 · 2019 · 19,138 vehicles

What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura tsx, 2011-2013 tsx sport wagon, and 2010-2012 zdx and 2008-2012 Honda accord, 2010-2011 accord crosstour, 2006-2011 civic, civic hybrid and civic ngv, 2012-2014 crosstour, 2007-2011 cr-v, 2009-2013 fit, 2010-2013 insight, and 2009-2015 pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator May have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

Why it matters: An incorrectly installed air bag inflator May not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019.

Airbags Vehicle recall #19V502000 · 2019 · 9,555 vehicles

What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura tsx, 2011-2014 tsx sport wagon, 2010-2013 zdx, 2008-2012 Honda accord, 2010-2011 accord crosstour, 2006-2011 civic and civic hybrid, 2008-2010 civic gx ngv, 2012-2015 crosstour, 2007-2011 cr-v, 2009-2013 fit, 2014 fit ev, 2010-2014 insight, and 2009-2015 pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled…

Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019.

Most-reported problems

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 6 mention a fire, 39 injuries and 1 deaths were reported.

Airbags95
Body & structure45
Other / unknown36
Electrical35
Suspension31
Engine27
Tires25
Brakes (hydraulic)24

What owners describe

The 2009 Honda Civic has 395 owner complaints, ranking #15 of 37 Civic model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 432). Complaints peaked in 2010 (62 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 30,750 miles. Neighboring years: 2008 (916 complaints, 7 recalls), 2010 (397 complaints, 8 recalls).

Engines & fuel economy (EPA)

EngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyComb.Fuel
1.8 L 4-cylManual 5-spdFront-Wheel Drive263429Regular
1.8 L 4-cylAutomatic 5-spdFront-Wheel Drive253629Regular
2.0 L 4-cylManual 6-spdFront-Wheel Drive212924Premium

Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.

Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2009 Honda Civic.

eManualOnline Download (PDF), keep forever

Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.

Most $25–$78, one-time
Check 2009 Honda Civic manual
Mitchell 1 DIY Online access, factory-level data

Pro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.

From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yr
Check 2009 Honda Civic manual
ALLDATAdiy Online access, factory OEM info

OEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.

From $19.99/mo · $59.99/yr
Check 2009 Honda Civic manual
Haynes Print book or AllAccess online

Step-by-step photos written from a real teardown. Great for first-timers.

Books ~$30–$40 · AllAccess $34.99/mo
Check 2009 Honda Civic manual

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FAQ

Does the 2009 Honda Civic have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 8 vehicle recalls for the 2009 Honda Civic. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common 2009 Honda Civic problems?

Owners have filed 395 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (95), body & structure (45), other / unknown (36).

What gas mileage does the 2009 Honda Civic get?

EPA ratings run up to 29 mpg combined (1.8 L, Manual 5-spd), across 3 engine and transmission combos.

Where can I get a 2009 Honda Civic repair manual?

eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.

Other Civic years

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