2004 Honda Civic Hybrid Owner Complaints

WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE CVT TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO "LAG" OR DELY TO ENGAGE AND ACCELERATE. RECENTLY WHEN AT A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AND CAR JUDDERED, WAS VIBRATING THE WHOLE CAR, AND ALMOST GOT ME T-BONED. I KNOW THIS IS NOT A SPORTS CAR BUT WOULD LIKE TO DRIVE CONFIDENTLY TO WORK WITHOUT THE WORRY OF GETTING IN AN ACCIDENT. EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE NOW, THE RPM'S RAISE TO 1,500-2,000 RPM BEFORE THE CVT STARTER CLUTCH ENGAGES AND JERKS THE CAR FORWARD. THERE IS ALSO A WHINE COMING FROM THE CVT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR HAS 62,000 MILES CURRENTLY WHICH IS NOT A LOT. I JUST HAD HIGHER STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS FROM SUCH A REPUTABLE CAR MANUFACTURER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION LOOKING OVER THIS COMPLAINT AND HOPEFULLY TO HELP ME GET MY CAR SAFELY BACK ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11115032

Incident

Jul 19, 2018

Mileage

62,000 mi

SHUDDER AN SLIPAGE

NHTSA ID

11092042

Incident

Apr 18, 2015

Mileage

99,956 mi

TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AND ULTIMATE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11084848

Incident

Apr 12, 2018

Mileage

193,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD AIRBAG "WARNING LIGHT" SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN TRAFFIC MOVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DURING A WARM SUMMER AFTERNOON RAIN STORM.

NHTSA ID

11016476

Incident

Aug 18, 2017

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE FRONT MIDDLE PART BY HIS SON. THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V320000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER FRACTURED THE FIFTH VERTEBRAE IN HIS NECK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE DAMAGE OF THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED ITS VALUE, SO THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ...UPDATED 08/02/17 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 08/7/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

11000919

Incident

Jun 19, 2017

HELLO, WE HAVE THIS HONDA CIVIC 2004 HYBRID WITH CVT TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS AROUND 68K. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF ISSUES BUT HONDA SAYS THERE THEY ARE NOT LONGER ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. THE REPAIR NOW COST MORE THAN THE VEHICLE. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN HELP ME WITH ABOUT THIS ISSUE?

NHTSA ID

10992862

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

I WAS MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE FROM THE RAMP AND THE PASSENGER SIDE, SEAT SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. HONDA SHOWS NO CURRENT RECALLS FOR MY CAR. A RECALL FOR THE MAIN AIRBAGS HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE. FORTUNATELY THERE WASN'T ANYONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AT THE TIME, OR THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN INJURED.

NHTSA ID

10979281

Incident

Apr 19, 2017

Mileage

385,360 mi

BEARING FAILURE IN CVT TRANSMISSION, LEADING TO SEVERE VIBRATION AND IF NOT REPAIRED TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE COST FOR REPAIRING REPLACEMENT TO CUSTOMER $1700 . IN MY VEHICLE IS BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 130,000 MILES WELL FOLLOWING FACTORS RECOMMENDATIONS OF CHANGING TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERY 30,000 MILES. ALSO HUNDRED HYBRID BATTERY SYSTEM HAS A FLAW HYBRID BATTERIES ARE ONLY GUARANTEED FOR 80,000 MILES FOR THE FIRST BATTERY AND 24,000 MILES FOR REPLACEMENT BATTERIES AT THE COST OF $2700. WELL TOYOTA GUARANTEES THEIR BATTERIES FOR 150,000 MILES. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY PACKS THREE TIMES IN 130,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10969667

Incident

Mar 24, 2009

IN 2004 I PURCHASED A 2004 CIVIC HYBRID. IN 2011 THE IMF BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NOW 4 YEARS LATER THE BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE CAR IS LIKE NEW BECAUSE I TOOK SUCH GOOD CARE OF IT. IT HAS UNDER 70,000 MILES ON IT. HONDA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 11 YEARS FOR THAT BATTERY. SINCE THIS CAR IS A 2004 HONDA WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE 4 YEAR OLD BATTERY. THEY HAVE QUOTED A PRICE OF $2800 TO REPLACE THE BATTERY WHICH IS ABOUT THE BOOK VALUE OF THE CAR. MY CAR HAS BEEN SUPPORTING A YOUNG WOMAN, WHO IS PREGNANT AND WAS USING MY CAR TO GO TO WORK SO SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR HERSELF AND HER CHILD. ON HER 21ST BIRTHDAY I GAVE HER THE CAR. WITHIN DAYS THE IMF LIGHT CAME ON AND TODAY THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING. NOW SHE IS WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO WORK AND EARN MONEY TO SUPPORT HERSELF AND HER SOON TO BE BORN BABY. I GAVE HER THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A DEPENDABLE, WELL CARED FOR, MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.

NHTSA ID

10881307

Incident

Jun 28, 2016

Mileage

70,000 mi

OUT OF THE BLUE MY HONDA REAR BUMPER STARTED PAINT CRACKING. MY CAR IS IN PRESTINE CONDITION AND I'M REALLY PISSED THAT THE CLEAR COAT WOULD DO THIS! !!

NHTSA ID

10876639

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

TAKATA RECALL - I WAS HEADING STRAIGHT TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND GOT IN A HEAD ON AUTO ACCIDENT WITH THE SIDE OF A SEMI TRUCK THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I COULD NOT SEE THE SEMI TRUCK TURNING IF FRONT OF ME BECAUSE MY VIEW WAS HIDDEN BY ANOTHER SEMI TRUCK AND MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAD THE AIR BAGS RECALL SERVICE ABOUT A YEAR AGO BECAUSE OF THE TAKATA RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10871203

Incident

May 16, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN ACCELERATING OVER 10 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BURNED OIL AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

NHTSA ID

10861181

Incident

Apr 7, 2015

Mileage

117,000 mi

RECALL WAS NOT NOTIFIED , I HAVE THREE TIME ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE TIME MY AIR BAG POPUP TO SAVE GLASS OR ANYTHING, ADDRESS WAS WRONG IN DEALER'S DATABASE MANY TIEM CORRECTED BUT ITS STILL MIXUP NO NOTICE RECEIVED UNTIL SEE IN THE NEWS, IN VENDOR INVOICE METER SHOW 160000 IN REAL ITS 139685 THEIR COMPUTER SHOW MORE IN INVOICE WHERE MY WARRANTY DENIED , 3 TIME TRANSMISSION FAIL PAID BY US, 2 TIME BIG BATTERY FAIL COST ME 4500+4800 LIKE NEW CAR, DEALER TOLD ME ITS WILL COVER AND I END UP PAYING ALL DUE TO THEIR ERROR , SCAM IN METER AND ITS SHOW ONLY 32/GAL IT WAS SHOW 48/GAL PROGRAM CHANGE RECENTLY

NHTSA ID

10812060

Incident

Jan 23, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FUNCTION AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND IT RESUMED TO NORMAL HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED, HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS TOLD TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE FLUID WAS CHANGED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10806555

Incident

Jan 1, 2012

Mileage

135,000 mi

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE SRS LIGHT HAS COME ON WITH CODE 4-1 WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED BY TO BE THE RIGHT FRONT SEATBELT TENSIONER FAILURE. EACH TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT SEATBELT ASSEMBLY. THE FIRST SEVERAL TIMES, HONDA COVERED THE COST UNDER ITS LIFETIME SEATBELT WARRANTY. THE LAST TIME THIS OCCURRED, HONDA REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY AFTER THE DEALER REPLACE THE SEATBELT ASSEMBLY. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HONDA ISSUED NOTICE TO DEALERS SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HONOR HONDA'S LIFETIME SEATBELT WARRANTY. I OPENED A CASE WITH HONDA (N012015-04-0301347) AND HONDA REFUSED TO HONOR ITS WARRANTY AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY EXPLANATION FOR WHY THE REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY IS NOT COVERED UNDER ITS LIFETIME WARRANTY ON SEATBELTS.

NHTSA ID

10781081

Incident

Sep 3, 2014

Mileage

139,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING CAR JERKS AND JUMPS FROM START. CAR HAS STOPPED IN PLACE AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED. CAR IS DANGEROUS TO OPERATE. CVT TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10761912

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

116,000 mi

THE CAR WAS SHUDDERING WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A STOP. IT NEEDED THE CVT CLUTCH IN THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MANY OWNERS OF 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAVE REPORTED AND HONDA REFUSES TO RECALL THE PART. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE BUILDING OF THE CVT TRANSMISSIONS AND HONDA WON'T ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704407

Incident

Dec 30, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID FROM EFFICIENCY MOTOR CARS ON 5 MAY 2013, PAYING $4600 UP FRONT AND THE FINAL $200 LESS THAN A MONTH LATER. THE CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS (STARTING PROBLEMS, BATTERY REPLACED TWICE, WRONG WHEEL SIZE WHEN BOUGHT, BROKEN WHEEL STUD, SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN HARD TO FIND AND FINALLY THE CARS WHEEL ROLLED OFF THE CAR WHEN I WAS LEAVING ARREST AREA) SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THERE HASN'T BEEN A STRAIGHT MONTH WHERE THE CAR HAS BEEN RELIABLE I RAN INTO PROBLEMS THIS WEEK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO GET THE CAR INSURED. EVERY INSURANCE COMPANY THAT I APPLIED TO WILL NOT INSURE MY CAR BECAUSE OF A SALVAGE/REBUILT TITLE OF WHICH I WAS PREVIOUSLY UNAWARE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE TITLE, THOUGH I HAVE ASKED EFFICIENCY MOTOR CARS FOR IT SEVERAL TIMES. AFTER BECOMING FRUSTRATED WITH EFFICIENCY MOTOR CARS, I MADE AN ATTEMPT AT GETTING THE CAR'S TITLE MYSELF FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DRIVER SERVICES. WHEN INQUIRING ABOUT MY CAR?S TITLE I DISCOVERED THE TITLE WAS BEING HELD BY THE DDS BECAUSE EFFICIENCY MOTOR CARS HAD REPORTED THE WRONG ODOMETER READING. THE FORMER READING BEING 159,XXX FROM THE PREVIOUS TITLE HOLDER AND 148, 074 WHEN SOLD TO ME. (MAYBE A FRAUDULENT ROLL BACK?) THIS IS ALSO HOW I DISCOVERED THE CAR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SALVAGED, WHICH WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO ME. SO, WHEN I FINALLY GET MY TITLE, THE TITLE WILL BE SALVAGE/REBUILT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10700785

Incident

Mar 4, 2015

Mileage

148,074 mi

ON 12/11/14, APPROXIMATELY 11:00 A.M., I STARTED MY 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID AND ALLOWED IT TO WARM UP FOR A COUPLE MINUTES DUE TO COLD WEATHER (APPROXIMATELY 25 DEGREES F). I THEN DROVE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT, STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN, TURNED RIGHT, ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. THE ACCELERATION DID NOT FEEL NORMAL SO I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR AT ABOUT 20 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR HOWEVER THE ACCELERATOR STAYED IN PLACE AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. I HELD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO TRY TO REDUCE SPEED HOWEVER THE ACCELERATOR CONTINUED TO STICK. I BRIEFLY TRIED PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND SHAKING IT WITH MY FOOT TO RELEASE IT HOWEVER IT CONTINUED TO STICK AND WAS NOT HELPING AT ALL. THE CAR WAS GAINING TOO MUCH SPEED SO I WENT BACK TO HOLDING THE BRAKE. I HELD THE BRAKE WHILE REACHING MY PHONE TO CALL 911 AND PLANNED TO REPORT THE SITUATION, NOTIFY THEM I WAS ABOUT TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, AND THAT THERE WAS AN INFANT IN THE VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT, IT HAD BEEN OCCURRING FOR A LITTLE OVER A MILE AND AS I WAS UNLOCKING MY PHONE, THE ACCELERATOR FINALLY RELEASED. IT SLIGHTLY STUCK A LITTLE MORE OFF AND ON BRIEFLY BUT DID FINALLY FULLY RELEASE AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR. I TURNED OFF THE HIGHWAY, AND AS I WAS PREPARING TO PULL OVER AT A SAFE LOCATION, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AGAIN. AGAIN, I HELD THE BRAKE AND AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE ACCELERATOR RELEASED AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE EVER GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THIS CAR AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663707

Incident

Dec 11, 2014

Mileage

139,000 mi

HONDA REFUSES TO INCLUDE MY 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN SOUTH CAROLINA, IN THEIR AIRBAG RECALL. THEY ARE CITING THE TECHNICALITY THAT IT WAS NOT REGISTERED IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA (THE ORIGINAL OWNER LIVED ACROSS THE BORDER IN NORTH CAROLINA). IT IS UNKNOWN HOW LONG THE CAR SAT ON THE LOT IN SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE IT WAS PURCHASED. THIS IS EVIDENCE THAT HONDA DOES NOT ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS, JUST LIMITING THE COST OF ITS RECALL. PLEASE FORCE THEM TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS ON MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651528

Incident

Oct 16, 2014

Mileage

84,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE BECAME INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A VOLUNTARY RECALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REMEDY WAS COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT IT COULD BE AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION THAT HAD CAUSED THE ACCELERATION FAILURE AND THE AIR BAG SWITCH HAD CAUSED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO BECOME ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ID

10615998

Incident

Sep 15, 2005

Mileage

25,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAS HAD THE SAME SHUDDER/JUDDER ISSUE THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF EXTREMELY SLOW TO KEEP IT TO A MINIMUM AND IT STILL SHAKES AND JUDDERS. IT IS OBVIOUS THERE IS A SEVER ISSUE WITH THESE CVT TRANSMISSIONS AND MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. MY CIVIC HYBRID STARTED THIS ISSUE A LONG TIME AGO AND HONDA SAID JUST CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT THAT ONLY HELPS FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. VERY DANGEROUS GOING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. *JS

NHTSA ID

10608648

Incident

Dec 11, 2013

Mileage

130,000 mi

TRANSMISSION SHUTTERING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607943

Incident

Jun 10, 2013

Mileage

140,000 mi

TRANSMISSION JUDDERS/SLIPS WHEN ACCELERATING. HAD CLUTCH KIT REPLACED LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO AND 20,000 MILES AND SAME PROBLEM IS BACK. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN SLIPPAGE OCCURS, AS CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS MOVE WHEN ACCELERATOR IS PUSHED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604285

Incident

May 1, 2014

Mileage

139,000 mi

3 YEAR OLD TRANSMISSION SYSTEM BEGAN TO FAIL AT 40,000 MILES. IT WAS SERVICED WITH SERVICE BULLETIN 07-049. IT DID NOT LAST AND EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER I HAD RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE BATTERY BEGAN TO FAIL AND CAUSED INCREASING PROBLEMS FOR THE TRANSMISSION UNTIL THE BATTERY FAILED COMPLETELY AND THE TRANSMISSION THEN FAILED ALSO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10596371

Incident

Sep 6, 2007

Mileage

40,681 mi