The 2019 Civic is generally solid, but the 1.5T engine has documented oil dilution issues and the CVT needs watching. The fuel pump recall affects many units and shouldn't be ignored.
1.5L Turbo Fuel in Oil / Oil Dilution
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 30,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Oil level rising on dipstick between changes, Gas smell from oil cap or dipstick, Check engine light with misfire codes in cold weather, Rough idle especially after short trips in winter
Fix: Honda issued TSB and extended warranty to 6yr/80k for severe cases. Early-stage: software update and oil changes every 5k. Severe cases require piston ring replacement or short block — 12-16 labor hours for engine tear-down and rebuild with updated rings.
Estimated cost: $3,500-6,000
CVT Transmission Shudder and Judder
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 40,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Vibration or shudder during light acceleration 20-40 mph, Hesitation when merging or climbing hills, Occasional slip or flare between simulated gears
Fix: Usually starts with CVT fluid flush using Honda HCF-2 fluid — 1.5 hours labor. If that doesn't solve it, torque converter or valve body replacement needed — pulls transmission, 8-10 hours. Some need full CVT replacement at severe stage.
Estimated cost: $400-5,500
Fuel Pump Failure (NHTSA Recall)
Common · high severity
Symptoms: No-start condition with crank but no fire, Engine stalling at highway speed without warning, Intermittent hard starting or long cranks, Loss of power while driving
Fix: Covered under recall 20V-490, 21V-384, and related campaigns. Dealer replaces fuel pump assembly in-tank — 2.5-3 hours labor. Do NOT ignore this; it's a legitimate safety issue. Free at dealer if recall applies to your VIN.
Estimated cost: $0 (recall) or $600-900 if out of scope
AC Compressor Failure
Occasional · low severity
Typical onset: 60,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: AC blows warm air only, Grinding or squealing noise from engine bay with AC on, Compressor clutch not engaging, Intermittent cooling
Fix: Compressor seizes or loses internal lubrication. Requires compressor replacement, flush condenser and lines, new receiver-drier, full evacuate and recharge — 4-5 hours labor. Must use PAG oil compatible with R-1234yf refrigerant.
Estimated cost: $1,200-1,800
Engine Mount (Transmission Mount) Collapse
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunk or thud when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Excessive vibration at idle in Drive, Engine rocks visibly side-to-side during acceleration, Harsh engagement into gear
Fix: Front or rear engine mount (often transmission-side mount) degrades. Replacement requires supporting engine/trans from above or below, remove and replace mount — 2-2.5 hours per mount. If multiple mounts are shot, do them together.
Estimated cost: $350-700
Headlight Condensation / Moisture Intrusion
Occasional · low severity
Symptoms: Water droplets or fog inside headlight lens, Reduced light output at night, Bulb or LED failure from water damage
Fix: Seal failure or clogged vent tube. Sometimes resolvable by clearing drain tubes and resealing with butyl tape — 1 hour labor. Persistent cases need headlight assembly replacement — 1.5 hours per side including aiming.
Estimated cost: $150-900
Owner tips
Change CVT fluid every 30k miles regardless of Honda's 'lifetime' claim — cheap insurance
Check for fuel pump recall by VIN before buying; stalling at speed is dangerous
On 1.5T, avoid excessive short trips in cold weather and do oil analysis at 5k intervals
Replace engine mounts proactively around 60k if you feel any clunk — prevents worse damage
Buy the 2.0L naturally aspirated if you can find one; otherwise budget $1,500-2,500 for likely 1.5T oil dilution fix down the road.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER · 26V332000
2026-05-21
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Consequence: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Fuel economy (EPA)
City
29mpg
Highway
36mpg
Combined
32mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
Capability & size
EPA class
Compact Cars
Fuel economy figures are EPA data via fueleconomy.gov (median across matching trims). Performance figures are compiled estimates for the 2019 Honda Civic 2.0L I4 and can vary by trim.
🔧 Database maintained under the daily editorial review of Chris Hackleman · Master Technician · 20+ years and Jeff Moore · Master Lexus & Toyota Mechanic · 20+ years.