COMPONENT SPOTLIGHT

Honda Civic transmission problems

845 distinct owner reports with a transmission-specific component in this snapshot.

General power-train reports are not automatically counted as transmission problems. Related recalls and investigations must also name this component; they are not linked by narrative keyword alone.

28 crash reports6 fire reports11 injury reports

Reports by model year

Recall and investigation columns show each year’s full history. A report naming several years can appear in more than one row.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

624 reports with mileage · 221 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What owners actually said

845 reports
2000 model year · 36,498 miles · Aug 15, 2003
Electrical SystemPower TrainSteering

THE PROBLEMS I RECENTLY FACED WITH MY 2000 HONDA CIVIC VP MODEL:1. TRANSMISSION SPONTANEOUSLY SKIP GEARS AND CAUSES MY CAR TO JERK AND LOOSE CONTROL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. 2. WHEN THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS/SLOWS DOWN THE TRANSMISSION ALSO SKIPS OR DO NOT DOWNSHIFT SMOOTHLY, THUS CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK. CAUSES MINOR STRAINS TO THE PASSE…

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THE PROBLEMS I RECENTLY FACED WITH MY 2000 HONDA CIVIC VP MODEL:1. TRANSMISSION SPONTANEOUSLY SKIP GEARS AND CAUSES MY CAR TO JERK AND LOOSE CONTROL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. 2. WHEN THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS/SLOWS DOWN THE TRANSMISSION ALSO SKIPS OR DO NOT DOWNSHIFT SMOOTHLY, THUS CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK. CAUSES MINOR STRAINS TO THE PASSENGER'S AND THE DRIVER'S NECK. 3. WHENEVER I OR MY FAMILY GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE WE GET STATIC SHOCK. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR A FAMILY WHO HAVE A BABY OR CHILDREN. 4. CAR DIES WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND I LOOSE POWER STEERING AND OTHER PRIMARY CAR FUNCTIONS. THIS UNCERTAIN EVENT CAN CAUSE POTENTIAL FATALITY OR SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10032866

1998 model year · 70,000 miles · Aug 12, 2003
Power Train

I HAVE A CLUTH PROBLEM WITH MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS UNUSUAL AT 70,000 MILES. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. I NOW WONDER IF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ERROR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10032644

1997 model year · 20,000 miles · Aug 7, 2003
Power Train

I FOUGHT FOR 2 YEARS ABOUT A BAD CTV TRANSMISSION IN A 1997 HONDA CIVIC HX WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP AT MY EXPENSE ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. THEY FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AFTER MANY VISITS AND MUCH MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR RENTAL CARS AND UNNECESSARY SERVICES THAT NEVER CORRECT…

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I FOUGHT FOR 2 YEARS ABOUT A BAD CTV TRANSMISSION IN A 1997 HONDA CIVIC HX WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP AT MY EXPENSE ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. THEY FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AFTER MANY VISITS AND MUCH MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR RENTAL CARS AND UNNECESSARY SERVICES THAT NEVER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. HONDA DID AGREE TO GIVE ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 7 YEARS OR 75,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION IN JULY 2001. I DID NOT WANT A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION OR A CTV TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE, BUT I WAS GIVEN NO CHOICE. IN MAY 2002 I STARTED REPORTING PROBLEMS WITH THIS REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION -- LESS THEN A YEAR AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED. LIKE THE FIRST TRANSMISSION, THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, THE DEALERS COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. I JUST HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT GOT SO BAD THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD MISS THE PROBLEM -- JUST LIKE WITH THE FIRST TRANSMISSION. WELL, FINALLY AS OF AUGUST 1, 2003, THEY CONFIRMED THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE PROBLEM AND THAT SEVERAL PARTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WAITING FOR THE PARTS, I'M STUCK DRIVING A CAR OVER 100 MILES A DAY TO COMMUTE TO WORK. ULTIMATELY THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD. PERIOD! IT'S A BAD DESIGN OR I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TWO OF THE SAME TRANSMISSION TYPE FAILING IN THE SAME CAR. WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THIS CAR TO PURCHASE THE SALESMAN TOLD ME THIS CTV TRANSMISSION WAS SO GREAT THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE IN ALL OF THE HONDA ACCORDS STARTING THE NEXT MODEL YEAR. THAT NEVER HAPPENED, I WONDER WHY! I FEEL VERY STRONGLY AFTER READING MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FILED WITH THE NHTSA THIS MODEL YEAR TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE UNDER DEFECT INVESTIGATION. IT WON'T TAKE MUCH TO SHOW THAT THE DESIGN ITSELF IS DEFECTIVE AND HONDA HAS HUNG OWNERS OUT TO DRY AND REFUSES TO ADMIT THEIR ERROR.

NHTSA ODI #10031027

1997 model year · 62,500 miles · Aug 6, 2003
Power Train

NOT EVEN THIRTY DAYS AGO I PURCHASED A NEW/USED VEHICLE FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP IN BRATTLEBORO, VT. MY 30 DAY/1,000 MILE WARRANTY JUST ENDED A FEW DAYS AGO, AND I AM NOW HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY AUTOMATIC HONDA CIVIC EX. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME ITEM IN THE 97 CIVICS. MY WHOLE FAMILY OW…

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NOT EVEN THIRTY DAYS AGO I PURCHASED A NEW/USED VEHICLE FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP IN BRATTLEBORO, VT. MY 30 DAY/1,000 MILE WARRANTY JUST ENDED A FEW DAYS AGO, AND I AM NOW HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY AUTOMATIC HONDA CIVIC EX. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME ITEM IN THE 97 CIVICS. MY WHOLE FAMILY OWNS HONDAS AND THEY ARE USUALLY RELIABLE CARS. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING WITH ONLY 62,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. THIS IS REDICULOUS AND I AM VERY UPSET. I HAVE JUST STARTED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM, BUT ASSUME I WILL END UP PAYING FOR IT MYSELF. HONDA REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE WITH THIS TYPE OF CAR. SINCE IT HOLDS IT'S VALUE I PAID A GOOD AMOUNT FOR THIS CAR AND IT'S TRADE IN IS PRETTY HIGH, TOO. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! *AK

NHTSA ODI #10030929

2003 model year · Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2003
Power TrainSeats

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH, FIRST GEAR LUNGES OUT TO NEUTRAL, SHIFTING GEARS IS NOT SMOOTH AND HAS ROUGH GRINDING FEEL, CLUTCH DOESNT ENGAGE AND DISC ENGAGE PROPERLY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10029050

1996 model year · Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2003
Power TrainCrash

GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK AFTER VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON WHILE SITTING AT A RAILROAD CROSSING. WHEN THE MOTOR WAS TURNED ON, THREE MINUTES LATER, THE GEAR SHIFTER JAMMED. THE CONSUMER THEN PLACED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BOLTED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTI…

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GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK AFTER VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON WHILE SITTING AT A RAILROAD CROSSING. WHEN THE MOTOR WAS TURNED ON, THREE MINUTES LATER, THE GEAR SHIFTER JAMMED. THE CONSUMER THEN PLACED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BOLTED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE GEAR SHIFT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. *SCC JB

NHTSA ODI #10026162

2003 model year · 240 miles · Jun 26, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

GEAR SHIFT FAILED TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. THERE WAS ALSO A LOUD TICKING COMING FROM THE ENGINE. PH *JB

NHTSA ODI #10026151

2003 model year · Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2003
Power Train

THE ENGINE SHUT OF WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED OR SLOWED DOWN AT 10 MPH. ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART UNLESS CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. *TT *JB

NHTSA ODI #10020135

2003 model year · 8,000 miles · May 10, 2003
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10018506

2002 model year · 100 miles · Apr 7, 2003
Power Train

VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE CAR TO GRAB.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10014083

Related Official recalls

3

15V574000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Sep 15, 2015

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Civic vehicles manufactured January 16, 2014, to November 6, 2014 and 2015 Fit vehicles manufactured March 12, 2014, to May 12, 2015. The software settings that control the transmission operation may result in damage to the transmission drive pulley shaft.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the transmission drive pulley shaft is damaged, it may break, and the vehicle may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock up while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 30, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU2 (Civic) and JU3(Fit).

94V063000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Apr 10, 1994

A RETAINING CLIP THAT CONNECTS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE TO THE SHIFT LEVER ACTUATING ROD CAN HAVE INSUFFICIENT RETENTION PRESSURE AND MAY EVENTUALLY COME OFF AFTER REPEATED SHIFT LEVER OPERATION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE POSITION OF THE SHIFT LEVER MAY NOT MATCH THE ACTUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN UNANTICIPATED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED RETAINING CLIP.

90V163000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Sep 4, 1990

DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED INTERNAL SHAFT IN THE TRANSMISSION, THE PAWL MECHANISIM MAY NOT FULLY ENGAGE WHEN TRANSMISSION IS IN THE PARK POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: VEHICLE COULD ROLL WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS IN THE PARKPOSITION AND A CRASH COULD RESULT.

Remedy: INSTALL AN IMPROVED PARKING PAWL SHAFT.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Related NHTSA investigations

0

No component-matched exact-year investigations in this snapshot.