Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Honda Civic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 44 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 44, in the owner's own words
While driving on the highway car engine shut off and completely lost power. After getting on to the shoulder car would not start, electric windows would not operate. Approximately 30 minutes later car started and made it home on city streets. Have not driven it since. Checked and did not find any recalls on this.
Air condition unit stop working the smell of smoke.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO (VANDERGRIFF HONDA 1104 W INTERSTATE 20 W, ARLINGTON, TX 76017) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.
ENGINE PERIODICALLY STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, ENGINE RE-STARTS, BUT MAY THEN STALL AGAIN. IT HAS HAPPENED ALL TIMES OF DAY [MORNING, AFTERNOON, ETC] AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS [ UNDER 20 MPH, AT 60MPH] . THIS IS NOW HAPPENING WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. WAS INITIALLY ONCE EVERY FEW MONTHS, AND IS NOW EVERY FEW DAYS.
CAR STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS HAPPENED TWICE, LUCKILY ON LOCAL STREETS AND AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS. BOTH TIMES CAR RESTARTED EASILY. HONDA HAD REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH ON RECALL BACK IN 2003 BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER--I'M THE SECOND OWNER-- BUT NOW WITH OVER 200,000 MILES THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE RETURNED. CALLED AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY SUGGESTED I HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AT A HONDA SERVICE CENTER AT MY EXPENSE. $110 COST. IF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS PROVEN DEFECTIVE, THEY WILL REIMBURSE ALL EXPENSES BUT ONLY AFTER APPROVAL FROM AMERICAN HONDA FOR A SECOND REPLACEMENT. DECIDED TO HAVE MY OWN MECHANIC FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEN SEND THE BILL TO HONDA WITH DOCUMENTATION. TO BE CONTINUED...
WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. AND REQUIRES MAINTENCE TO THE VEHICLE. JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF MY CAR IS UNDER RECALLS AT ALL. THANKS SOMETIMES MY TRANSMISSIONS SLIPS.
I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 HONDA CIVIC LX AND OUT OF NO WHERE IT STALLED COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN. NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON. IT ALSO GAVE A LITTLE SHAKE WHILE HOLDING ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL.IT TOOK A FEW IGNITION TURNS BEFORE IT STARTED BACK UP. THIS WAS THE START OF MANY TO COME STALLING OUT OR SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT STARTING THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. IT WILL START...IT WON'T START...IT STALLED...IT DID NOT STALL. THE CAR HAD A MIND OF IT'S OWN. NOW, WE TOOK IT TO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO NOT START. IT STARTED EVERYTIME WHILE AT THE SHOP. IN ORDER TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE VEHICLE IT WOULD NEED TO NOT START. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF STALLING OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND AT ANY SPEED WHERE A CRASH IS INEVITABLE. I RESEARCHED THIS VEHICLE AFTERWARDS TO FIND ANY RECALLS ON IT. SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS. IT HAD A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH CAUSES THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS.....STALLING OUT AND TROUBLE STARTING. I NEVER GOT A LETTER OR MAIL OF ANY KIND STATING THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS CAR'S IGNITION SWITCH. WHY? THERE ALSO IS ONE OTHER RECALL ON THIS CAR, A FUEL TANK THERMAL INSULATOR. NO NOTICE ON THAT RECALL. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET THESE FAULTY RECALLS DONE? BEFORE THERE IS A CRASH AS A RESULT OF THIS MANUFACTURER FAULTY EQUIPMENT.. *TR
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE JUST QUITS. THERE IS NO STUTTERING. IT SUDDENLY JUST QUITS. THE RADIO, HEATER FAN, BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING. WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO 'START', THE ENGINE STARTS BUT AS SOON AS YOU RELEASED THE KEY TO SPRING BACK TO THE 'RUN' POSITION, THE ENGINE WOULD QUIT. I JUST GOT THIS VEHICLE FROM MY FRIEND AND I AM THE 3RD OWNER. SHE TOLD ME THE CAR WAS NOT IN A GOOD CONDITION BUT DIDN'T GIVE ME A DETAIL. THE SYMPTOM HAS BEEN THERE AND I CHANGED SEVERAL PARTS BUT NEVER BEEN SOLVED. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSORS AND FUEL PUMP RELAY WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE DEFECT WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. UPDATED 06/17/14 MA UPDATED 8/22/2017 *CN
THE CAR ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING SOON AFTER STARTING. IT WILL HAPPEN TYPICALLY WHILE THE CAR STARTS HOT, EITHER IF THE WEATHER IS HOT OR IF THE CAR WAS ALREADY WARM FROM DRIVING. THE ENGINE WILL ALSO FAIL TO STAY STARTED UNLESS I TURN THE STARTER ENGINE OVER A FEW TIMES EXTRA. I BELIEVE THIS IS A RESULT OF THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH WAS RECALLED FOR SIMILAR VEHICLE MODELS. *TR
ON 7/27/13, MY SON WAS DRIVING AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. PRIOR TO DRIVING EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. WHEN HE PULLED OFF FROM THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE CAR GOT TO ABOUT 25 MPH THE ENGINE LINE FLASHED AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE INTO A PARKING LOT, POPPED THE HOOD AND TAKE A QUICK LOOK TO SEE IF ANYTHING WAS WRONG. HE COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING AND OF COURSE HE'S NOT A MECHANIC. HE TRIED STARTING THE CAR AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THE CAR WORKED FINE FOR A WEEK AND THEN ON 8/5/13 HE LEFT WORK TO QUICKLY GET LUNCH AND WHILE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE CAR DIED AFTER THE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF. HE WAITED A FEW SECONDS AND TRIED RESTARTING THE CAR AND IT STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. HE TOOK THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND AUTOZONE AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY ISSUES WITH THE CAR BECAUSE THE COMPUTER DIDN'T IDENTIFY A PROBLEM/ERROR. THEN HE TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE AND THEY TOLD HE AND MY HUSBAND IT WAS AN IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM ($350.00). HE FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ISSUE. I'M THE 2ND OWNER OF THE CAR AND I'M UNCERTAIN IF THIS PROBLEM WAS EVER FIXED. HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF THIS IS REIMBURSABLE IF IT WASN'T FIXED IN THE RECALL. I NOTICE A NUMBER OF THE MORE RECENT COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE ARE CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUE THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BUT CLEARLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS??? *TR
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT NOTICE, CAN'T ACCELERATE ANYMORE WHEN IT HAPPENS, HAVE TO THROW HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND PULL OVER INTO EMERGENCY LANE. IF NOT IN MOTION, CAR WILL JUST STALL, AND CARS BEHIND WILL REAR END MY VEHICLE IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I BROUGHT THIS UP TO AMERICAN HONDA, BUT, MY VIN DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL THEY HAD ON THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SWITCH. THEY DIRECTED ME TO HAVE NHTSA ADD MY VIN TO THE RECALL SO THAT I MAY THEN QUALIFY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE NEXT MONTH DURING AN OIL CHANGE I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND INSPECTED MY EXHAUST AND INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THIS MODEL THAT CAUSES THE OXYGEN SENSOR TO BE TRIGGERED. SINCE THE OXYGEN SENSOR IS PART OF THE SAME ASSEMBLY AS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, THE COMPONENT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SIMILAR HONDA VEHICLES OF SIMILAR YEARS AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT HONDA TO GET IT FIXED. AFTER MANY CALLS WITH HONDA, THEY REFUSED STATING THAT MY YEAR AND MODEL WAS EXCLUDED, DESPITE HAVING IDENTICAL ISSUES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HONDA CIVIC LX. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH OR MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. SOMETIMES IT WOULD RESTART RIGHT AWAY AND OTHER TIMES, IT WOULD TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO BEFORE IT WOULD RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS AND TO TAKE HER VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000. UPATDED 3/9/11 *CN UPDATED 06/24/11
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AS IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED SPORADICALLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY HIMSELF BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 170,000.
THE ENGINE RANDOMLY STALLS WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE STREET. IT STALLS WHEN IT'S CRUISING, OR WHEN IT'S ON IDLE AND TAKES AT LEAST MINIMUM OF 5 MINUTES TO RESTART. *TR
TL*- THE MANIFOLD OF A 1999 HONDA CIVIC WAS CRACKED, AND THERE WAS NO WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN THE MODEL YEARS: 1996 TO 1998. THE MANIFOLD'S CRACKWAS NEAR THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THE CONTACT CALLED HONDA CORPORATION ,WHO STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY WOULD NOT SPEAK WITH HER. SHE SHOULD CALL AMERICA HONDA CUSTOMER RELATIONS. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEMS THAT SHE WAS HAVING WAS VIN SPECIFIC AND THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO THIS VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE STARTED IN 2005, AND SHE REPLACED THE CRACKED MANIFOLD. NOW, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH A DEFECTIVE CVT TYPE TRANSMISSION. COMPLAINED TO AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IF I PAID $504 IN LABOR COSTS. ONE YEAR LATER THE TRANSMISSION DIED AGAIN, I NOW BELIEVE THEY ONLY FLUSHED OUT THE OLD TRANSMISSION I DOUBT THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. I COMPLAINED AGAIN AND HAD IT REPLACED. NOW THE PROBLEM IS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT COST $80 JUST FOR THEM CHECK THE COMPUTER WHICH HAS BEEN DONE TWICE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S COMPUTER WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING SERIOUSLY WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. HAD THE COMPUTER REPLACED AFTER SPLITTING THE COST WITH AMERICAN HONDA SO IT COST ME $396. TWO WEEKS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON, I WENT TO ADVANCED AUTO PARTS AND HAD THE COMPUTER CODES READ FOR FREE THEY SAID IT WAS A MALFUNCTIONING O2 SENSOR, NOW THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ANOTHER $260 EACH SENSOR PLUS LABOR TO CHANGE BOTH SENSORS. *JB
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE O2 SENSOR HAD GONE OUT. UPON FURTHER REVIEW, THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE MANIFOLD AND THAT I WOULD COST ABOUT $1000 TO REPAIR. MY HUSBAND PAID $190 TO HAVE THE O2 SENSOR REPLACES BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE O2 SENSOR MAY FAIL AGAIN DUE TO THE CRACK. THE MECHANIC STATES THAT WHEN HE PHONED A LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP TO OBTAIN A PRICE QUOTE ON THE PARTS THE LADY WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE FINISHED HIS SENTENCE. THE MECHANIC ALSO SAID TO ME THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE SEEN IN HONDA VEHICLES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AS THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AT DEALERSHIPS AS WELL AS OTHER MECHANIC SHOPS. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE CORRECTED AT HONDA'S EXPENSE. *JB
ON 4/12/06 AT 153,000 MILES MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY HUSBAND TOOK MY VEHICLE TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE O2 SENSOR HAD GONE OUT. MY HUSBAND PAID $300+ TO HAVE THE O2 SENSOR REPLACED. UPON FURTHER REVIEW, THE MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE MANIFOLD AND THAT IT WOULD COST ABOUT $1000 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THEY SEE WILL HONDAS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT WHEN HE CALLED A LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP TO GET A PRICE ON THE PARTS REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THE LADY WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE FINISHED HIS SENTENCE. APPARENTLY THEY HAVE HAD OTHER CUSTOMERS BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY HONDA AS $1000 IS A LOT TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT HONDA SHOULD FIX. *NM
MY O2 SENSOR FAILED 1/9/2004 WITH 80,500 MI ON MY HONDA CIVIC LX 1999. I REPLACED THE O2 SENSOR. AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD, I HAD MY MANIFOLD CHECKED AND SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS CRACKED. I HAVEN'T REPLACE THE MANIFOLD BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL REASONS. THE HONDA SERVICE STATED THAT IT WILL EVENTUALLY GIVE AND WILL NEED REPLACING.
VEHICLE EXHIBITS A NOTICEABLE KNOCKING NOISE WHEN FIRST STARTED UNTIL IT SUFFICIENTLY WARMS UP. USUALLY ABOUT 5 MINUTES. *JB
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON; INITIAL REVIEW O2 SENSOR ($200) PART + LABOR; FURTHER REVIEW INDICATED EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED, NOT WARRANTIED; COST TO RPLC MANIFOLD $500 + LABOR; AND STILL HAD TO RPLC O2 SENSOR. CRACK APPEARS TO BE A STRESS CRACK / POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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