Steering wheel feels stiff while driving on the road and difficultly keeping car in lane
2023 Honda Civic complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2023 record →
When driving the wheels feels sticky and would sometimes get stuck in positions only when driving highway speeds above 30 mph. Making minor adjustments while driving feel harsh.
Steering is sticky in nature. Is not stuck but demonstrates small temporary resistance to steering wheel inputs. Steering wheel then snaps free and is easily moved about. Honda Dealer Reno, NV found no discrepancies with steering. No codes set. Problem seen is mostly freeway speeds and when moving steering wheel to stay in lane or to change lanes.
About 30 minutes into a drive the steering wheel or electronic steering will begin to malfunction. When driving at high speeds, you are unable to make small minor corrections to stay center in your lane due to the steering wheel feeling like it’s sticking in one direction. It takes a considerable amount of force in order to make the correction resulting in an over correction. When traveling at high speed this can put the driver and passangers at risk because an over correction can cause the car to lose traction with the road. I’ve taken the car into Honda and it is currently being inspected. They told me yesterday that they were ‘having trouble replicating the problem’ which doesn’t mean the problem isn’t there. As far as I know and seen there have no being any light indicators on.
On my 2023 Honda civic sport the steering wheel is sticking specially during freeways speeds. I took the vehicle to Stockton Honda in Stockton Ca . According to the tech he was unable to reproduce the sticky steering wheel. (To be noted the car had the same miles as when I dropped it off at Stockton Honda ) this vehicle is unsafe for me to drive.
Sticky steering at highway speeds. Seems to be worse when turning the wheels slightly to the right. Started right before 12k miles.
The issue typically occurs at highway speeds. When driving the steering wheel becomes very difficult to turn and binding or jerking when making minor corrections. Sometimes needing a lot of force to jerk the wheel back after it sticks. When making adjustments at cruising speeds, the steering wheel at times is difficult to turn away from the 12 o’clock position. Though no one has been injured at this time, there is serious concern that this issue could cause steering overcorrection resulting in a crash especially for my 17 year old daughter.
Having issues where the steering is sticking on my 2023 Honda Civic. When I'm at speeds of 40 MPH and above and I attempt to make minor steering adjustments the steering begins to stick. It takes a greater amount of force to move the steering wheel and often results in an overcorrection within the steering. Have not taken to the dealer yet as I've heard there is no immediate fix other than replacing the steering rack with the same faulty one. There have been no warning lights of any kind.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, and at various speeds, while turning the steering wheels, the steering wheel failed to return to center, and the contact needed to manually turn the steering wheel back to center. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electric power steering assist was failing and there was no fix available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Steering is sticking/notched at top dead center steering wheel position. Requires significant force to overcome and results in jerky steering control. Repeating issue causing difficult vehicle adjustments & control.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the steering wheel was sticky. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that it was a known failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: EA23003 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
While trying to make small adjustments to the wheel, such as while driving on the freeway, the steering wheel sticks and has to be moved more harshly to adjust. This causes the car to jerk and makes it very difficult to make steering adjustments.
Under multiple conditions, both intercity highways and two-lane country highways the cars adaptive cruise control with randomly slowdown/brakes extremely hard. In one specific instance I was driving home in the middle of the night with a vehicle behind me and with no other oncoming traffic or cars in passing lanes and the adaptive cruise "brake checked" the car behind me, I was able to react and cancel the adaptive cruise and avoid an accident. When adaptive cruise is set it will also aggressively approach the car in front, instead of gradually slowing down it will continue at the set speed until the car realizes it's to close and will slam on the brakes to slow down. When adaptive cruise is turned off the car will slam on the brakes if you attempt to accelerate to pass someone and coast back to set speed. in other words, the car will slam on the brakes to resume the set cruise speed. Fortunately, no cars have been behind me when this has happened. Nowhere does it say that this will happen when using normal cruise control? Speeds and conditions varied from city traffic going 20 - 40 mph, the highway going 55-65 and the interstate going 70-80 mph. some instances were at night others were during the day.
No warning lights. Around 10k miles my car began being hard to steer, requiring more force on the highway to maintain the wheel. It was sticking. I took it to the honda dealership who told me nothing is wrong with the car and did nothing about it. It is under warranty. I feel unsafe when driving at high speeds and being able to maintain my lane.
The steering in this car exhibits a kind of twitching. The steering wheel twitches very slightly as one travels along a smooth or grooved highway at posted speeds. It's feels like the system is always trying to auto-correct -- and NO lane holding or lane departure or auto-steer feature has been turned ON. It's almost as if something in the steering system is loose or that gears are not meshing as they should It's quite disconcerting. I've read your Honda Service Bulletin 23-037 and believe it described my issue.
The brakes slam on there own causing all safety features to go out and the car to go out of control. This is the 3rd time this has happened in 3 months. The dealership is telling me they won’t look at it for 3 months I could be killed in that time my car is dangerous
At high speeds (60-70) the steering wheel has resistance making micro adjustments. The common “sticky steering” issue that many have complained about. This started happening at 4000 miles.
Sticky steering. Look at many online forums and there is ton of complaints about it. You can be driving straight down the highway and as soon as you want to make a little adjustment, it feels like you have to fight the steering wheel. By the time you overcome the force necessary to "break" the steering wheel from its stuck position, you're already headed into the other lane. It is even more dangerous when this occurs on curves and ten times more dangerous when this happens and the road is wet due to rainy conditions.
Power steering has begun to require more effort to make fine adjustments with at highway speeds. Often sticking in one place and requiring more force than normal to make the adjustment. This can create an over correction situation which can result in an accident/loss of control of the car.
While operating the vehicle on roadways the steering feels sticky and unresponsive.
After about 15 minutes of highway driving, wheel feels stuck when trying to make small lane adjustments. It requires much more effort to move the wheel for a small increment, then releases. This process continues until turning off the highway. This was dangerous, as it was difficult to steer the vehicle properly without overcorrecting while traveling 40-60mph. Dealer was able to reproduce the issue and has since replaced power steering rack. Issue occurred under 3000 miles.
UNKNOWN. Steering wheel problem on a left turn after a stop sign that veered offroad into a culvert crash.
While driving on the freeway at normal freeway speeds, after 5-10 miles the steering gets sticky. When attempting to make minor steering adjustments to stay within the lane, it takes an extra measure of force to move the steering wheel. It is necessary to concentrate constantly in order to not overcorrect.
Steering in a straight line has become virtually impossible. The Steering Wheel feels "stuck" in position when driving straight or even at a slight curve, with no self-centering or smooth motion. In order to correct, I have to push the steering out of its stuck position and as a result, it over-corrects, requiring another correction - i.e. zig zag motion. Every movement of the steering wheel near its center position requires extra effort and a "push" or "click" out of its stuck position. This has made navigating difficult and inaccurate, with 12-15 of this small "un freeze" movements per mile. The problem has gotten progressively worse, starting around 28,000 miles. I am now at 32,320 miles. Voss Honda in Tipp City performed a front end alignment and wheel balance to try to address the problem. This did not address the issue. I commute from Dayton to Cincinnati for work which is 140 highway round trip. This steering issue requires all of my focus just to maintain any sort of centering in my lane, without any smoothness or micro-adjustments. I am finding it particularly difficult in construction zones that are narrow. The problem is present every time I drive the vehicle, at highway speeds and even lower in the 35-45mph zone. It often sticks in position and will guide me off the road or into another lane unless I FORCE it out of its stuck position.
The steering is the issue. After driving down the highway at highway speeds for about 30 miles, the steering becomes "sticky" or takes extra effort to pull the steering from its position. There were no warning lamps. The issue is getting fixed under warranty, but I had to do research and take the Honda Service Bulletin in on the issue for them to fix the problem. Before that the dealership stated they had never heard of the problem. There are obvious safety issues attributed with extra steering effort such as not being able to avoid collision.
At about 7,000-8,000 miles, I noticed after driving several miles at highway speed, the steering starts to feel sticky, The steering wheel no longer moves smoothly. This makes minor steering adjustments more difficult. The problem seems more pronounced in warmer weather (50F or above). The lane assist is NOT on. I talked to my dealer and they claimed they have no reports of this type of problem. I told the dealer it is all over the internet of hundreds of reports of this steering issue in Civics. The dealer wants to test drive the car overnight but the issue is not as obvious since colder weather has moved in.
Steering feels sticky. Almost where it feels like it locks up when making minor adjustments.
Transmission constantly jerking and feeling rough while shifting especially at lower speeds.
The steering wheel jerks at highway speeds. It has been to the dealer for steering rack recall from Honda and they said the part number did not qualify for replacement. All systems checked out as working properly. The problem still exists. New tires have been placed on the vehicle and the steering problem still exists. The dealer has been of no help in resolving this issue. Attached is the service receipt and the day they checked the recall for the vehicle.
Sticky steering at highway speeds
The steering wheel "sticks" when I am driving straight down a road, at both high and low speeds. It is more noticeable at high speeds.
Steering wheel feels stickey when I am driving on the highway. I need to apply extra pressure to keep the vehicle in the proper lane. I just completed a four hour trip and became very tired due to having to make constant corrections
Driving on freeway on 12/2/2023 and the steering became difficult to handle. It felt that I lost my power steering. I exited the freeway and the car's steering seemed ok after all. The steering was fine for the remainder of the day. The next day, the problem happened again on a freeway. I can steer the car, but it requires more effort and it seems a bit jerky.
The component / system failed is steering, and it is available for inspection. My safety (and others safety) was put at risk because the steering is sticky - it forces me to overcorrect when I am driving straight at highway speeds. While driving the car on the highway on mostly straightaway stretches, my steering sticks and forces me to correct to stay on a straight course. When I try to do that it overcorrects and forces me to move in an unexpected and unsafe way. I almost hit the car next to me when this first happened because it was so unexpected. I brought the car into Plaza Honda dealership at 2700 Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn NY 11210 on 9/28/23. We told them about the recall info and problems we were having with the car. We were told there were no current recalls on the car, and they advised that the car was "operating as designed". (See attached documents) There are no warnings, no warning lamps and no other symptoms - just sudden inability to control my vehicle The first time this occurred earlier in 2023 when the car hit about 10,000 miles
My steering is very stiff/sticky when traveling at highway speeds. A lot of other cars of the same year, make and model are recalled for faulty steering rack. However, mine is not included in the recall therefore I’m stuck with a brand new car that is unsafe to drive.
FOR THE 2023 HONDA CIVIC WHEN YOU TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE FRONT AND REAR DEFROST BUTTONS ARE NOT ILLUMINATED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. AT NIGHT IF YOU HAVE CONDENSATION ON EITHER THE FRONT OR REAR WINDOWS YOU ARE UNABLE TO SEE THE BUTTONS FOR DEFROST SINCE THEY ARE NOT ILLUMINATED. HONDA OF AMERICA TELLS ME THIS IS STANDARD CONDITION AND NOT A DEFECT. I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS IN ANY OTHER CAR I'VE OWNED.
My vehicle was giving me the “you’re going to collide with something warning which is a loud alarm. I wasn’t even close to anything. I called and they said they had people stopping by all day with the same complaint. Then he told me that it can even do it when there is a hard rain.
Steering becomes sticky when driving over 50 mph. It is difficult to make minor adjustments when driving.
Periodically when traveling at 30 MPH and higher, the steering becomes difficult to make adjustments when going straight or negotiating curves. There’s a sticky sensation which requires higher efforts to overcome. I’ve taken my car into the dealer on two occasions, but they were unable to replicate the problem. The problem is often but sporadic.
•Problems occurring with steering. Even when assisted living keeping is off, the steering will try to throw me out of the lane where i have to constantly have a good grip to try stopping it from swerving the vehicle I tend to notice it more on highways especially in areas where the black line is on the road from lanes shifting over due to construction. •I believe it can be a huge safety risk that can cause an accident if someone isn’t fully attentive to the problem and not holding the steering wheel hard enough. •no warning lights or messages regarding parts affected by the problem. • The problem has not been reported , inspected, nor confirmed by the dealer and/or other parties. •I noticed the problem start around or before 1000 miles (my first month having the car)
Sticky steering wheel, lock steering, clicking sound, Terrible rear seats buckle, hard to click it. i have a 2023 Honda Civic, with all the recall issues, but my Vin number didnt make it to the recall. I've taking my car to Honda of Long Beach, Ca. They didnt find or fix anything. please help! I don't know what to do!
When the car is warmed up, the steering becomes a little more difficult. Turning the wheel slowly is not smooth, feels sticky. This started occurring around 8000 miles on the vehicle.
Sticky steering when travelling above 25mph--both driving straight and in a turn. Must over-correct to compensate for sticky electronic steering. Trunk/hatch leaks water
Sticky steering when travelling above 25mph--both driving straight and in a turn. Must over-correct to compensate for sticky electronic steering.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving at various speeds exceeding 45 MPH, the steering wheel was jerking and sticking while adjusting and correcting the steering wheel to keep the vehicle in the proper lane. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V704000 (Steering) and the vehicle was taken to the local dealer. After inspecting the vehicle, the recall was completed with no repairs performed. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 20,000.
Experiencing sticky or notchy steering at moderate and highway speeds. Started when odometer hit 4500 miles. I called the dealer and referenced Service Bulletin 23-037. Dealer informed me I would have to pay a $148 diagnostic fee for them to even look at it.
The steering intermittently sticks. While driving, both at speed and slow speeds, there is a noticeable sometimes unnerving sticking that occurs, where I have to push the wheel to get it to return to wheels straight. I can reproduce while stopped when it occurs. When driving at highways speeds it makes keeping the car driving straight difficult and i have to be careful to not over push the wheel for fear of losing control.
The steering wheel is getting stuck in the original position while traveling over 45 mph, requiring a hard jerk to get it unstuck.
My steering has started to feel “notchy” when making small adjustments while driving. Almost feels as if the steering is binding a little bit at highway speeds. Struggling to keep it centered inside the lane while driving. This been happening more often every time.
While driving at highway speeds the steering wheel becomes what feels like locked and becomes very stiff. Almost as if the power steering is no longer working. This in turn causes me to have to forcefully steer the steering-wheel sometimes over correcting.
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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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