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PPV / cars / honda / civic / gen-8-2006-2011

Honda Civic Gen 8 (2006-2011) (2006–2011)

What ownership is like, what breaks at what mileage, what the repairs cost, and what to check before you buy one.

← All Honda Civic generations

2006–2011

Gen 8 (2006-2011)

US model years 2006 through 2011 (Silko Honda, Rensselaer Honda). PulsCar puts the cracked engine block on 2006-2009 cars with the 1.8L. The Civic Hybrid, Si and CNG variants sit in the same years; we count them here.

NHTSA complaints per catalog listing fall from 9.77 for 2006 (1,466 complaints across 150 listings) and 5.52 for 2007 (1,276 across 231) to 1.74 for 2010 (413 across 237), against a generation median of 2.79. 2006 is 3.5 times the median. 2007 is 1.98 times, just under the 2.0 cutoff, and its ad share (14 of 145 enriched ads, 9.7%) is below the 10.4% median, so it is not flagged. NHTSA owners name the engine, visibility and air bags most often for 2006.

What happens at what mileage

MilesItemCostNotes
about 84K-98K (CarComplaints averages) Cracked engine block (1.8L, 2006-2009) $2,640-$2,910 average repair (CarComplaints: 2006, 183 complaints, $2,910 at 98,250 mi; 2007, 79 complaints, $2,640 at 84,000 mi). One owner quote of $8,500 for a dealer engine replacement (VehicleHistory). The range is wide because the repair depends on whether the shop fixes the block or swaps the engine. PulsCar says Honda issued a warranty extension for the block. That coverage has probably run out, so ask for proof the work was done and look for coolant loss.
any Recalls on file: rear wheel speed sensor O-ring (07V399000, 2006-2007), accelerator pedal mounting (05V509000, 2006), fuel system bracket (08V535000, 2008-2009) Free at a Honda dealer when open Confirm each by VIN. 08V535000 covers 128 model year 2008-2009 sedans (Honda's count in the NHTSA record).

Buying one — check these

Years flagged

A year is flagged by our rule only when all three hold: (1) its NHTSA complaints per catalog listing is at least 2.0x the median for its generation, (2) the share of ads that mention a problem is above the generation median, and (3) we track at least 30 listings for that year. The cutoff was fixed before we looked. Ad mentions are not failures, and a flag is a reason to inspect harder, not a verdict on any one car.

  • 2006 — flagged by our rule: NHTSA complaints are more than twice the generation norm, and ads mention a problem more often than the generation median, including with the 'rust' flaw left out of the ad count. PulsCar and CarComplaints tie the engine block cracking to 2006-2009 1.8L cars. Check for coolant loss and ask for records. complaints 9.77 complaints per listing (1,466 NHTSA complaints / 150 listings) vs generation norm 2.79 (Gen 8 median) · ad mentions 7 of 98 enriched ads = 7.1% (Gen 8 median 5.6%) with the 'rust' flaw excluded; counting rust, 11 of 98 = 11.2% (median 10.4%) · n=150

Complaints add up over a car's whole life, so older years in a generation can look worse here than they are. Read this flag next to the complaint details below.

2006 to 2011 Civics in our catalog clear around $3,995-5,475 depending on year (1,034 cleared sales). The lowest yearly median is 2006 and the highest is 2009. 2011 rests on 72 cleared sales, so read it loosely.

Federal complaints, 2006–2011 model years (NHTSA)

YearComplaintsTop components
2006 1,466 Engine, Visibility, Air Bags
2007 1,276 Suspension, Visibility, Engine
2008 987 Air Bags, Engine, Visibility
2009 426 Air Bags, Structure, Electrical System
2010 413 Air Bags, Service Brakes, Visibility/wiper
2011 172 Air Bags, Service Brakes, Unknown Or Other

source: NHTSA complaints database (api.nhtsa.gov). Complaints are owner reports, not confirmed failures.

Other Honda Civic generations

Own a Honda Civic, or pricing one? See what they're actually selling for →

Questions people actually ask

What Honda Civic years should you avoid?

We don't tell you to skip a year; we flag by a fixed rule, and two Civic years trip it: 2006 and 2016. 2006 has 9.77 NHTSA complaints per catalog listing (1,466 across 150 listings) against a 2006-2011 median of 2.79, and 7 of 98 enriched ads (7.1%) mention a problem against a 5.6% median with the 'rust' flaw excluded. 2016 has 4.57 (1,083 across 237) against a 2016-2021 median of 1.94, and 6 of 165 ads (3.6%) against 1.2%. 2001 has the highest rate of the 2001-2005 years (19.80 per listing, 1,089 across 55) but only 2 of 31 ads (6.5%) mention a problem against a 26.0% median, so it is not flagged.

Do Honda Civics have engine block problems?

PulsCar ties cracked engine blocks to 2006-2009 cars with the 1.8L. CarComplaints counts 183 complaints for the 2006 Civic with an average repair of $2,910 at 98,250 miles, and 79 for the 2007 with $2,640 at 84,000 miles. One owner reported an $8,500 dealer quote for an engine replacement (VehicleHistory). Those are complaining owners' costs, not shop quotes.

What is the Honda Civic A/C condenser problem and is it covered?

Condensers on 2016-2021 Civics have been failing. Honda's warranty extension 19-091 covers the condenser for 10 years from original purchase with no mileage limit on 2016-2020 sedans and coupes and 2017-2021 hatchbacks (Avturo, NHTSA TSB). Outside coverage, RepairPal lists $586-$728 for a condenser replacement, and owners report about $1,100 for the condenser and $1,840 for compressor and clutch work. Ask a Honda dealer to check coverage by VIN.

What is the 1.5L turbo oil dilution problem?

Fuel can get into the oil on some 2016-2018 Civics with the 1.5L turbo. Consumer Reports and WardsAuto report that Honda extended the warranty on certain cars to six years with no mileage limit, and Honda calls the problem rare. A 2020 settlement added reimbursement and a cold-weather software update (LawsuitWatch). We found no source that priced a repair, so we show none.

Are 2001-2005 Civic automatic transmissions reliable?

PulsCar names the 2001-2005 automatic as that generation's weak point. CarComplaints counts 683 complaints for the 2001 Civic with an average repair of $2,320 at 104,750 miles, and 15 for the 2005 with $2,900 at 101,950 miles. Ask for transmission service records and test it hot and cold.

Does NHTSA count the Civic Hybrid, Si and Type R separately?

Yes, NHTSA files them under separate names, and many complaints are listed under more than one. For 2007, CIVIC HYBRID holds 1,268 complaint records against 1,204 for plain CIVIC, but they overlap, so the union is 1,276. We count each complaint once, which is why our totals can be lower than adding the name lists.