2021 Honda Civic Master Cylinder Recall (23V458)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · 124,077 vehicles · Reported June 29, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling 124,077 2021 Honda Civic; 2021-2023 Honda Passport; 2021-2022 Honda Pilot; 2021-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly. Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 23V458 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 23V458000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | VEU, AEV, ZET |
| Date reported to NHTSA | June 29, 2023 |
| Manufacturer | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
| Vehicles | 2021 Honda Civic; 2021-2023 Honda Passport; 2021-2022 Honda Pilot; 2021-2023 Honda Ridgeline |
| Units affected | 124,077 |
| Component | Service Brakes, Hydraulic > Foundation Components > Master Cylinder |
| Safety risk | Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Honda Civic in recall 23V458?
The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Civic with recall 23V458?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Civic shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the master cylinder, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 23V458?
Recall 23V458 covers 124,077 vehicles: 2021 Honda Civic; 2021-2023 Honda Passport; 2021-2022 Honda Pilot; 2021-2023 Honda Ridgeline.
NHTSA lists 124,077 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Honda | Civic |
| 2021-2023 | Honda | Passport |
| 2021-2022 | Honda | Pilot |
| 2021-2023 | Honda | Ridgeline |
What is the fix for the Civic master cylinder recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge.
Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.
Manufacturer recall number: VEU, AEV, ZET.
When was recall 23V458 announced?
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) reported recall 23V458 to NHTSA on June 29, 2023. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as August 7, 2023.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| June 29, 2023 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 23V458000. |
| August 7, 2023 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 39 months ago. If your Civic was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Civic is part of recall 23V458?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 23V458 is open on your Civic, it will be listed there.
Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 23V458000 is open on your Civic, it will be listed there, along with Honda recall number VEU, AEV, ZET. You can also ask any Honda dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.
What should Civic owners do about recall 23V458?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 23V458000 applies to your Civic.
- Call a Honda dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
- Keep a simple log of any master cylinder symptoms with dates and mileage. Video of a warning light or the problem happening is strong evidence.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Civic owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 1,326 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 120 of them about the brakes.
Since recall 23V458 was reported on June 29, 2023, owners have filed 95 complaints with NHTSA about the brakes on these vehicles. 13 of them (14%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the brakes and were received on or after June 29, 2023, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related brakes issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 1,326 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 120 of them involve the brakes. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Honda Pilot: 435 complaints in total, 27 about the brakes
- 2022 Honda Pilot: 158 complaints in total, 20 about the brakes
- 2021 Honda Civic: 145 complaints in total, 18 about the brakes
- 2021 Honda Passport: 142 complaints in total, 22 about the brakes
- 2023 Honda Ridgeline: 127 complaints in total, 5 about the brakes
- 2022 Honda Ridgeline: 117 complaints in total, 6 about the brakes
- 2021 Honda Ridgeline: 101 complaints in total, 3 about the brakes
- 2022 Honda Passport: 62 complaints in total, 9 about the brakes
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
On 11 Apr 2025, I was driving my 2023 Honda Passport at night on a toll road in clear weather when my infant son began screaming in distress. I pulled over onto the shoulder, partially onto a dirt area with bushes for more space.
2023 Honda Passport owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11654865, filed April 15, 2025
I already took my car to honda dealer to fix the brake from shaking when it was around 10k miles. It is now happening again.
2023 Honda Passport owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11743491, filed June 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle was shimmying and rattling abnormally. The brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle was slow to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated.
2023 Honda Passport owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11526958, filed June 14, 2023
Can recall 23V458 make my Civic a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Owners often ask whether this master cylinder recall means their Civic qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
If the 2021 Honda Civic brakes have needed more than one trip to the dealer, keep every repair order. Brake defects are treated as serious safety problems under California law.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Civic went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Civic been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Honda Civic recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 23V458
Did the recall 23V458 fix work?
Since recall 23V458 was reported on June 29, 2023, owners have filed 95 complaints with NHTSA about the brakes on these vehicles. 13 of them (14%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed August 7, 2023.
Is the 23V458000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Civic is part of recall 23V458000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 23V458000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Honda. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.