2017 Honda Civic

2017 Honda Civic experiences random reduced steering maneuverability while driving. Steering wheel becomes briefly stuck in one direction while turning, usually requiring over-steering to correct the issue. Steering wheel becomes less responsive and difficult to turn. Vehicle is available for inspection. Problem has not been confirmed by dealership. No lights or messages displayed on dash or digital console.

At high speeds (over 55mph) the steering feels notchy and sticky. While making a long highway turn my steering wheel will stick turning in that direction until I correct. I do not have lane assist tech on board but this needs to solved. It’s inconsistent which could potentially proved to be dangerous or fatal. I just noticed this at 117k miles but have seen reports of some lower mileage. I’m scared to drive my vehicle.

1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? ANS: The steering sticks. Yes, it is available for inspection upon request. 2) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? ANS: By overcompensating when changing lanes. This condition arises on Interstate driving. It has happened since I bought the car. Would have to research dates and mileage. Date/mileage shown below is approximate. 3) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? ANS: Not to my knowledge. I mentioned it to Honda Cars of Katy 6/1/23. 4) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? ANS: No. Honda does not acknowledge a problem. 5) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? ANS: No. There are no warning signals when this occurs.

The steering on my 2017 Honda Civic frequently sticks while driving making it difficult to steer. I purchased the used vehicle along with an extended warranty from Carvana in 2020. I noticed the stickiness in the steering after having the vehicle for a week and I took the vehicle to an independent service center to have the issue repaired in 2020. They were unable to diagnose the problem and the stickiness persisted intermittently (about 50%- 60% of the time while driving). Since then, the frequency of intermittent stickiness in the steering has increased (about 90%-95% of the time while driving). I am concerned about the risk of an accident on an interstate or highway while traveling at speeds in excess of 55 mph. When steering around an extended curve or corner on the road, the steering will stick and I have to jerk the steering wheel in the opposite direction to unstick the steering and course-correct. This causes the vehicle to swerve a bit and affects the handling of the vehicle. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

I have noticed that the electronic power steering catches from time to time. This causes a safety hazard because more force is applied to get the steering back to normal when the steering catches. I have read that this is an issue with many Honda vehicles, but no recall has been made. I feel like this is a huge safety issue, and Honda should replace all electronic power steering that has this issue.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Steering, yes available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes, the steering gets "stuck" in position while driving and takes extra force to "break" it free and regain control. At first it was only noticeable ay highway speeds but now it is noticeable on regular road ways. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Has not been seen by dealer because out of warranty and I feel this should be a recalled item. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights or messages appear.

At highway speeds and after longer periods of driving (>20-30 minutes) the steering becomes stuck in position until excess force is applied, leading to over-correction, and I believe this is a safety concern. This problem has been observed widely when searching online. The vehicle has not been inspected, is out of warranty, is available for inspection upon request, and no messages or other symptoms appeared. This problem first appeared in 2020 and persists when different tires and wheels are mounted.