Parts for your 2012 Honda Civic-Centre bearing

2012 Honda Civic centre‑bearing: what’s fitted and what isn’t

For the 2012 Honda Civic (FB/FG series) sold in Australia and New Zealand, a traditional tailshaft centre support bearing isn’t used. Honda’s own technical literature (2012 Civic Service Manual – Driveline/Axle) and the Honda Electronic Parts Catalogue for the FB/FG Civic show a front‑wheel‑drive transaxle with left and right driveshafts, but no propeller (tail) shaft and therefore no centre support bearing. Standard driveline engineering texts also note centre bearings are specific to two‑piece tailshafts found in rear‑wheel‑drive and many all‑wheel‑drive vehicles.

Why there’s no centre bearing on this model:

• It’s front‑wheel drive: the gearbox and differential form a transaxle at the front, driving the front wheels directly.
• No two‑piece tailshaft: without a long, split tailshaft running down the car, there’s nothing for a centre support bearing to hold up.
• Design intent: Honda engineered the Civic’s driveline to be compact and lightweight, cutting out components only needed on RWD/AWD layouts.

What it does have, and what people sometimes mix up: many Civics use an intermediate (right‑hand) driveshaft with a carrier bearing bolted to the engine block to help equalise shaft lengths and reduce torque steer. That bearing supports a front driveshaft, not a tailshaft, so it’s not a “centre bearing” in the usual sense. If someone’s chasing a vibration or humming noise at speed and assumes “centre bearing”, they’ll want to check the front wheel hub bearings, CV joints/boots, engine and gearbox mounts, and—if fitted—the intermediate shaft carrier bearing. Clicking on full lock points to CV joints, a road‑speed‑related hum often points to a wheel bearing, a steady vibration under load can be mounts or the intermediate shaft bearing.

Technical references: Honda 2012 Civic Service Manual (Driveshaft/Axle), Honda Electronic Parts Catalogue (FB/FG Civic), and standard driveline engineering guidance describing centre support bearings as components for two‑piece propeller shafts in RWD/AWD vehicles.

FAQs

Does a 2012 Honda Civic have a centre bearing?
No. The 2012 Civic is front‑wheel drive with no tailshaft, so it doesn’t use a centre support bearing. Honda’s service manual and parts catalogue list driveshafts, CV joints, and—on some variants—an intermediate shaft with a carrier bearing, but no centre bearing.

What part is often confused with a centre bearing on this model?
The intermediate (right‑hand) driveshaft carrier bearing on some variants. It supports a front driveshaft, not a tailshaft. It can wear and cause vibration or droning, but it’s different to a tailshaft centre bearing found on utes and larger RWD/AWD vehicles.

What should be checked if there’s a vibration or hum at highway speeds?
Inspect front wheel hub bearings, CV joints and boots, tyre condition and balance, engine/gearbox mounts, and—if fitted—the intermediate shaft carrier bearing. Road‑test to vary speed, load and steering input to help pinpoint the source.