Recall 18V266 covers 69 2017 Honda Civic vehicles with replacement seatback pads that block side airbags. Repair is free at any franchised Honda dealer.
Honda is recalling 69 2017 Civic vehicles because replacement driver and front passenger seatback pads were made without slit openings for the seat-mounted side air bags. In a crash, the pads can interfere with air bag deployment and increase injury risk; the repair at a Honda dealer will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The front seatback pad on the 2017 Honda Civic sits under the seat cover on the driver and front passenger seats. It shapes and cushions the seatback, and it also has a slit opening where the seat-mounted side air bag is supposed to break through during deployment. That opening is part of the air bag path.
On affected Civics, replacement front seatback pads installed during service were made without those slit openings. Honda traced the defect to service part drawings that left the slit out, so the replacement pad blocks the path the side air bag needs in a crash. If the air bag has to deploy, the pad interferes with deployment and reduces air bag performance under the federal side-impact standard.
There is no warning sign before failure. The seat can look and feel normal because the missing slit is inside the seatback pad, under the seat cover.
Who's affected?
The seat assembly and air bag system are tied to the same group of 2017 Civic vehicles.
| 2017 Honda Civic | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2017 Honda Civic | air bag system |
| Units affected | 69 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.
What's the safety risk?
A seat-mounted air bag that deploys incorrectly in a crash gives the front-seat occupant less protection and increases the risk of injury. The 2017 Civic name alone is not enough to confirm coverage, the VIN decides whether this recall applies. Repair will be free at any franchised Honda dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2017 Honda Civic is included in this recall.
- Contact Honda customer service or a franchised Honda dealer to confirm repair timing before scheduling.
- Schedule the free front seatback-pad replacement once Honda opens the repair; the new pads include the slit openings needed for the seat-mounted side air bags.
- Reference recall number 18V266 and Honda recall E1D, U1B, or X1C when you call.
- Bring the recall notice if Honda mailed one to you.
What happens at the repair
Honda's listed dealer remedy is replacement of the front seatback pads that were sold as service parts without slit openings for the seat-mounted side air bags. Once the repair is available, a Honda technician will replace the affected front seatback pads, free under the recall. Honda has a general reimbursement plan on file for this campaign. If you already paid for a related seatback pad repair, contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 and ask what documentation is needed for reimbursement.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| April 26, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| April 27, 2018 | Dealer notification began |
| April 27, 2018 | Dealer notification ended |
| June 1, 2018 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| June 1, 2018 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| June 15, 2018 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V266?
Recall 18V266 covers 69 2017 Honda Civic vehicles with replacement front seatback pads that were built without slit openings for the seat-mounted side air bags. In a crash, the pads can interfere with side air bag deployment and increase injury risk.
What should I do if my 2017 Honda Civic is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific Civic is included in recall 18V266. If it is, contact a franchised Honda dealer and reference recall 18V266 plus Honda recall numbers E1D, U1B, and X1C. Honda began this recall on June 15, 2018.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Honda dealers will replace the front seatback pads free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at any franchised Honda dealer handling this recall.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is reduced side air bag performance in a crash. The replacement seatback pads lack the openings the seat-mounted side air bags need for deployment, so the air bags can fail to deploy correctly and injury risk increases.
What if I bought my Honda Civic used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the VIN, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific 2017 Civic is included, then call a franchised Honda dealer and give them recall 18V266.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V266000 |
|---|---|
| Honda customer service | 1-888-234-2138 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V266 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V266000 |
Source documents
-
Download Misc. Document (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →