NHTSA complaint #11753123

Owner complaint summary

Vehicle: 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback Current Mileage: ~24,400 miles Component: Steering / Electronic Power Steering (EPS) Gearbox / Steering Rack Summary of Issue: Vehicle is experiencing severe "sticky steering" (mechanical binding) in the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) assembly while driving, most noticeably at highway speeds. The steering wheel feels stuck when trying to make minor lane adjustments, requiring noticeable extra force to break free, which causes the vehicle to over-correct and weave. This is an active safety hazard that interferes with normal vehicle control. The vehicle has only ~24,400 miles. A Honda dealership diagnosed the issue as a faulty steering rack/gearbox requiring full replacement at a quoted cost of $5,000. This behavior matches the known defect detailed in NHTSA Campaign 24V-744 (gearbox worm gear binding/sticky steering) affecting millions of Honda vehicles sharing this same EPS architecture for 2022-2025 models. Requesting an investigation to expand coverage to 2021 models.