2008 Honda Civic Reliability
The 2008 Honda Civic has 987 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with other Civic model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Civic's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
987
NHTSA owner complaints
7
Recall campaigns
67
Complaints citing a crash
6
Complaints citing a fire
2008 Honda Civic complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 model year, filed between 2007 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 190 | 19% |
| Engine | 162 | 16% |
| Visibility / wipers | 137 | 14% |
| Suspension | 100 | 10% |
| Body structure | 89 | 9% |
| Electrical system | 70 | 7% |
| Engine & cooling | 64 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 58 | 6% |
2008 Honda Civic recalls
7 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2008 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08V535000 | Oct 14, 2008 | Fuel system — delivery / hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | Honda is recalling 128 my 2008-2009 Civic sedans. A bracket that covers the fuel hose connector is secured with a bolt and nut, but during assembly the nut was not installed. |
| 16V346000 | May 24, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 17V030000 | Jan 10, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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,… |
| 17V545000 | Aug 31, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 18V268000 | Apr 26, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 19V378000 | May 16, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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,… |
| 19V502000 | Jun 27, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
How the 2008 compares with nearby Civic years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Civic analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,463 | 17 | Visibility / wipers | Avoid |
| 2007 | 1,276 | 10 | Suspension | Avoid |
| 2008 (this page) | 987 | 7 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2009 | 426 | 8 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2010 | 413 | 8 | Air bags | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
The 2008 Honda Civic on the used market
- 84 of 510 2008 Honda Civic listings in CarWhere's lifespan study showed 200,000 miles or more.
What to check on a used 2008 Honda Civic
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Visibility: test the wipers at every speed, washers, defrosters and the climate system (fogging is a common complaint).
- Suspension: listen for clunks over bumps, look for leaking struts and uneven tire wear.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 7 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2008 Honda Civic can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2008 Honda Civic reliability FAQ
Is the 2008 Honda Civic reliable?
The 2008 Honda Civic has 987 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with other Civic model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Civic's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2008 Honda Civic problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Honda Civic are air bags (190), engine (162), visibility / wipers (137), suspension (100). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2008 Honda Civic have recalls?
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2008 Honda Civic, including 08V535000 (fuel system — delivery / hoses, lines/piping, and fittings) and 16V346000 (air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2008 Honda Civic compare with the 2007 and 2009 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2007 has 1,276 complaints and 10 recalls (avoid); the 2009 has 426 complaints and 8 recalls (caution). The 2008 has 987 complaints and 7 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2008 Honda Civic?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Honda Civic research
Other Honda Civic model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2008 Civic, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.