HondaCivic Hybrid2009Overview/honda/civic-hybrid/2009/base/

2009 Honda Civic Hybrid

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 Civic Hybrid.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid is a passenger car equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission and an engine that takes 3.4 quarts of 0W-20 API oil, delivering EPA-rated fuel economy of 40 city, 45 highway, and 42 combined mpg. In the model's complaint history spanning 2004 through 2025, the 2009 model year recorded 423 total owner complaints — well below the peak of 1,457 seen in 2006 but far above the seven logged for 2025 — with air bags ranking as the top complaint area and eight recalls issued. This places the 2009 Hybrid in the middle of the generation's reliability curve, reflecting a notable improvement over the troubled early years while still carrying more reported issues than later iterations.

Model year201520132012201120102009200820072006

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy40/45/42 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51R U.S. · 310 U.S. CCA battery. Note the factory serpentine belt is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 51R U.S. · 310 U.S. CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-65R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rimN/A inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Serpentine belt56992RNAA04 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length176.8 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight2875 lb
Track (front / rear)58.3 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined40 / 45 / 42 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume91 cu ft
Cargo volume10 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.4 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.5-3.0
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.4 qt
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs8mm Bolts: 16 ft-lbs, 6mm Bolts: 9 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts33 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel BoltsAT: 54 ft-lbs, MT: 86 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts33 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Boltsin two steps: 17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts33 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug33.0-36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub134 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)820 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)670 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)710 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.80-.98 lbs
Oil TypePAG
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.83-0.95 lbs
Oil TypeSE-10Y or equivalent
Oil Capacity4.33-4.67 oz
Standard BCI Group Number51R U.S.

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature186-194 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)48.0-55.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)55.0

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket17 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle54 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket37 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.063; Rear: 0.060 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.079 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
17 ft. lbs., Step 2: 907 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
127 ft. lbs., 9027 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
151 ft. lbs., step 2: 9051 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
136 ft. lbs., step 2: 9036 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Measure the diameter of each cylinder head bolt at point A and point B. Point A = 45.00 mm from thread end and point B = 50.00 mm from thread end. If either diameter is less than 11.3 mm (0.445 in), Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

122.0.0 ft. lbs.
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4018 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 5718 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

At 160,000 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record for the Honda Civic Hybrid reveals a significant spike in complaints that peaked in 2006 with 1,457 reports, followed by a steady decline through 2008. The 2009 model represents a sharp downturn in this trend, with complaints dropping to 423 from the 979 reported in 2008. This improvement continued into 2010, which saw 408 complaints, suggesting the 2009 model sits at the beginning of a more stable era for the vehicle. For the 2009 model, the primary complaint areas were Air Bags (84) and Structure (30), though the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. With 8 recalls and 70 TSBs, the 2009 model's regulatory profile remains consistent with the years immediately surrounding it. Because it avoids the massive complaint volumes seen between 2006 and 2008, this is a good year to buy.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
70
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
423
Owner complaints
42 involved a crash · 6 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 423 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags84
Structure30
Electrical System25
Unknown Or Other21
Suspension20
Service Brakes, Hydraulic20
Visibility17
Power Train16

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V502000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 27/06/2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer…

19V378000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 16/05/2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 70 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
A18-0662026-06-30Air BagsService Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's…
A07-0782026-01-27SuspensionService Bulletin - There is a pop or clunk from the front suspension area when driving…
A21120B2023-06-13Electrical SystemService News - The navigation clock and date are incorrect. This is due to a limited GPS…
A21120B2022-01-29Electrical SystemServiceNews Article - The clock shows the incorrect time. This issue is due to a limited…
A11-0642020-12-22StructureService Bulletin - There's a gap between the A-pillar trim and the headliner. The…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Civic Hybrid. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 Civic Hybrid take?

3.4 qt of 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 Civic Hybrid have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Civic Hybrid get?

EPA figures are 40 city / 45 highway / 42 combined mpg.