Honda’s trying to keep the wheels on its second-best-selling car.
On Friday, the Japanese automaker voluntarily recalled 406,290 Civics in the US over a manufacturing flaw that could cause aluminum alloy wheels to detach.
It’s the latest recall in what’s shaping up to be a record-setting year for automakers. By November 2025, 25.8million vehicles had been recalled in 821 NHTSA filings, a Daily Mail review of federal data found.
Honda’s latest recall covers 2016 through 2021 Civic models equipped with 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels sold as accessories.
The automaker said a small batch of accessory wheels — 3,276 in total — has the faulty issue.
The issue first surfaced in July 2024, when a Civic owner in Japan brought their car to a dealership.
A mechanic noticed the car’s four wheels were missing a critical bolt that keeps the wheel attached.
That discovery prompted wider inspections in Japan last November.
Honda warned the wheel issue could increase the risk of a crash – but expects very few vehicles will even have to get their wheels replaced (image of accident is not because of the recall)
After a year-long investigation, Honda traced the problem to a supplier in Italy that had mistakenly removed a barrier separating finished bolts from unfinished ones.
Some of those incomplete parts ended up at Civic assembly plants.
‘This could result in the wheel separating from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash or injury,’ the company said.
Honda said just 0.1 percent of vehicles are expected to have the defect — about 400 cars in the US.
No detachments have been reported in the US.
Dealers will inspect the wheels and replace hubs and wheels as needed, free of charge, according to NHTSA filings.
Drivers should expect a recall notice in their mailboxes in December.
So far this year, Civics have been selling fast. It’s Honda’s second-best-selling vehicle, with more than 203,000 sold across sedan, hatchback, and Type R models.
The Civic is Honda’s second-best-selling car for 2025, with more than 200,000 Americans snapping up the low-cost sedan
Honda first noticed the Civic issue in Japan when a driver brought their car to a mechanic in 2024
With a $25,000 starting price, it’s one of only 18 vehicles with a base price under $30,000.
Only the CR-V has outsold it in 2025, with over 300,000 SUVs brought back to American driveways.
Only the mid-size CR-V has outsold the Civic in Honda’s lineup for 2025, selling more than 300,000 SUVs.
Honda has issued 18 safety recalls in the US this year, with Friday’s being the largest.
Previous recalls affected headlamps, brake pedals, and electrical systems.
Other automakers have issued even more recalls: Ford leads the pack with 134, while Stellantis, the parent of Dodge and Jeep, has logged 44.
This year, backup cameras have been the largest pain point for automakers, with hundreds of software updates sent to vehicles across the US.
Multiple carmakers have issued federally regulated updates via the cloud to fix screens that won’t turn on or images that appear blurry.
