2022-2023 Honda Civic Hatchback Water Leak Investigation

Why This Matters

Water leaks in a vehicle can lead to significant problems beyond just a wet interior. They can cause mold and mildew growth, damage to electrical components, and corrosion, potentially affecting the vehicle's long-term reliability, resale value, and even safety.

What's Being Investigated

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is actively investigating reports of a Honda Civic water leak affecting certain 2022-2023 Civic 5-door Hatchback models. Customers have reported noticing "water leak in the cargo area" or an "excessive amount of water pouring out from the sides when opening the rear hatch."

This investigation, identified as "Request for Visit: 2022-2023 Civic 5 Dr Hatch Water Leak (ACTION REQUIRED)", aims to thoroughly understand the root cause of this condition. Honda's goal is to inspect affected vehicles before any repair attempts are made by dealerships.

How Honda Is Investigating

Honda is requesting its dealerships to identify specific vehicles that meet certain criteria for inspection. This proactive approach helps the manufacturer gather data directly from affected vehicles.

Qualifying conditions for inspection include:

• The vehicle's manufactured date on the driver's door jamb must be December 2021 or later.
• The dealership must be able to duplicate the issue or verify the presence of water in the cargo area.
• The vehicle must not have been involved in a collision.
• No repair attempts should have been made for this specific issue.

If a vehicle meets these qualifiers, dealers are instructed to contact Honda's Technical Information & Support (TIS) via email at [email protected] or by phone at 800-880-1072 (Monday-Friday, 7am-5pm PST). Dealers need to provide specific vehicle information, including the model year, model name, the issue (e.g., "Honda Civic water leak"), VIN, dealer number, technician's name, best phone number, current mileage, and DPTS#.

As an incentive, Honda is offering a Visa gift card to technicians whose identified vehicles are accepted as candidates for this investigation.

Important Warnings for Owners and Dealers

The manufacturer communication includes critical instructions for both dealership personnel and, indirectly, for owners:

• The message explicitly states: "This message is solely directed to Honda dealership personnel; please handle it accordingly. Print this iN message and provide a copy to the Shop Foreman and all Service Advisors." This highlights that this is an internal communication for dealers, not a direct owner notification.
• Dealers are also instructed: "To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind." This means that no repairs should be attempted on qualifying vehicles before Honda's inspection.

What Owners Should Do

If you own a 2022 or 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback and are experiencing a Honda Civic water leak in the cargo area or notice water pouring from the rear hatch, it is important to contact your authorized Honda dealership. Inform them of the symptoms you are observing and mention that Honda is investigating this specific issue.

Your dealership will be able to determine if your vehicle meets the criteria for Honda's ongoing inspection program and advise you on the next steps.

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Source: NHTSA Manufacturer Communication 10237167