HondaCivic Hybrid2011Overview/honda/civic-hybrid/2011/base/

2011 Honda Civic Hybrid

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2011 Civic Hybrid.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2011 Honda Civic Hybrid is a passenger car built on Honda's established compact platform and powered by a hybrid drivetrain that achieves EPA-estimated fuel economy of 39 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 41 mpg combined, paired with an automatic transmission featuring variable gear ratios; it requires 3.4 quarts of oil with a 0W-20 API viscosity specification. This model year arrived mid-way through the Civic Hybrid's production run, which began in 2004 and extends through 2025, placing it chronologically after the model's most problematic period—the 2006 model year generated 1,457 owner complaints—and well before its most reliable iteration, the 2025 model year with just 7 complaints. The 2011 model itself recorded 166 total owner complaints with the air bags cited as the primary concern among nine total recalls, positioning it as a transitional year that had already moved significantly past the early production issues but still carried the legacy of those early challenges in terms of overall reliability perception.

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 economy39/43/41 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 Note the factory serpentine belt is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 / combined39 / 43 / 41 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 Oil0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-20 · 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 three steps: 17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 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)With EPS: 670, Without EPS: 750 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.83-1.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity2.50-3.00 oz
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.83-0.95 lbs
Oil TypeSE-10Y or equivalent

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)38.0-46.0 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
Brake ApplicationWITH FN3 (16 inch) CALIPER PR NOS. 1LH/1ZG
Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs

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 Civic Hybrid shows the generation’s highest complaint and recall volume concentrated in 20062008, with complaints falling from 1,457 in 2006 to 166 in 2011 and TSBs declining from 107 to 51 over the same span. Against that arc, 2011 is the low point for owner complaints in the main 2004–2015 series, yet its nine recalls are higher than the eight recorded for both 2009 and 2010 and well above the four in 2012, so the lower complaint count does not translate into the lowest recall exposure. The 2011 model’s top complaint areas are Air Bags (38), Service Brakes (16), Unknown or Other (13), and Visibility/Wiper (9), with 21 crash-related and 5 fire-related complaints; the data does not specify root causes. While later years saw complaints rise again and investigations climb to three per year from 2012–2015, 2011 still carries a meaningful recall burden relative to its immediate neighbors. A buyer should treat a well-documented 2011 Civic Hybrid as a comparatively quiet year for complaints but verify that all recalls, especially those touching air-bag and brake systems, have been completed before purchasing.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
51
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
166
Owner complaints
21 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 166 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags38
Service Brakes16
Unknown Or Other13
Visibility/Wiper9
Engine6
Visibility6
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Structure5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V661000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 27/09/2018

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer…

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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 51 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
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…
A20-0162020-03-10Air BagsService Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating…
19-003-12019-08-13Air BagsWarranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator for…

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 2011 Civic Hybrid take?

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

Does the 2011 Civic Hybrid have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Civic Hybrid get?

EPA figures are 39 city / 43 highway / 41 combined mpg.