2016 Honda Civic: Rats ate wires coils
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2016 Civic report: rats ate wires coils. CarComplaints.com lists 6 owner complaints, average mileage 13,100 miles.
NHTSA has 119 owner complaints for the 2016 Civic in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11759624 (filed 08/26/2026): “Failure of my electric power steering general assembly/steering rack and pinion in my 2016 honda civic ex sedan while driving at highway speeds. my steering wheel sticks or feels notchy at highway speeds requiring physical effort to overcome the binding. a hig…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11752474 (filed 07/23/2026): “With increasing frequency, at seemingly any condition or speed, a cluster of dashboard warnings, including power steering eps, abs, tire pressure tpms, and others, flash on and stay on. shortly after, the warnings appear power steering assist fails completely.…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: repair wires (2 reports) repair wiring (2 reports) engine harness and coils were replaced (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Moderate
Finding and splicing chewed wiring is doable with a multimeter and patience but can be time-consuming; harness replacement is pro work. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $840 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
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