Parking Brake Defect in 2016 Honda Civic Recall Might Affect Later Models

Consumers who own or lease Honda Civics are reporting their parking brakes have failed, even in later model-year vehicles that were not covered by a 2016 Honda Civic recall.

In the fall of 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a Honda Civic recall because more than 350,000 Civics had a potential electronic parking brake defect.

Civic sedans and coupes had issues with software that regulated the electronic parking brakes. The computer software issue caused the electronic parking brake not to fully engage if it was turned on immediately after the vehicle’s power was turned off.

As a result of the Honda Civic parking brake failure, the vehicles sometimes roll away, potentially causing an accident.

The 2016 Honda Civic recall affected Honda two-door and four-door Civics with 1.5L and 2.0L engines. Consumers have reported this same Honda Civic parking brake defect is affecting the 2017 and 2018 models as well.

Honda Civic Recall Covers Only 2016 Models

According to Honda, the Honda’s brake warning light on the instrument panel flashes if the parking brake malfunctions. Continental Automotive Systems Inc. was the supplier of the electronic control unit that somehow mixed signals between the electronic parking brake and the tire deflation warning system.

The Honda Civic parking brake problem in the 2016 models was supposedly fixed with a software update in the vehicle stability assist electronic control unit. Once the software update was complete, the electronic parking brake was to engage when the vehicle was in park and prior to the driver exiting the vehicle.

The Honda Civic recall has prompted customer complaints and class action lawsuits.

The owner of a 2017 Honda Civic EX hatchback claims her car rolled backward after she parked in her driveway, and it hit a neighbor’s tree. In her lawsuit, she says she had “shifted the vehicle into park, push the ignition button to turn off the car, and stepped out of the car.”

Another owner reported pulling into a parking spot and putting the car in park, but the car continued to move forward, over a sidewalk and into a building. The panicked driver placed the car in reverse, but it still didn’t stop until it hit another object.

Two Honda Civic customers who leased their vehicles filed a class action lawsuit in November of this year because they claim their cars rolled away after they had placed the vehicles in the park position.

Customers say even though the Honda Civic recall only covers 2016 models, they are seeing the identical Honda Civic parking brake problems in the 2017 and 2018 versions. Although no reports of injuries or deaths have been linked to the parking brake failures, there is that danger if the vehicle rolls away without a driver being inside to control the vehicle or if the software doesn’t allow a driver to regain control of the rolling vehicle.

So far, owners and lessees report Honda Civic parking brake failures have resulted in property damage and damage to the Honda Civics themselves.

Join a Free Honda Civic Parking Brake Lawsuit Investigation

You may qualify to file a Honda Civic class action lawsuit under the following circumstances:

• You owned or leased a 2016, 2017 or 2018 Honda Civic.
• The vehicle rolled away after it was put in “park.”

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