Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Honda Civic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 47 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 47, in the owner's own words
Changed entire braking system Booster, ABS Main, Calipers, ABS Module, rooters, pads and STILL BRAKES LOCK. Brakes get hot and car stops any where on the Road, until it COOLS down the BRAKES UNLOCK. 201 466 6198 Angelica
TAKATA RECALL, THE SRS LIGHT SIGNAL IS ON THE WHOLE TIME WHENEVER THE CAR IS MOVING, IT WONT GO AWAY. AND THE CAR BREAKS ISNT BREAKING FAST WHEN BRAKE PADS ARE BEING PRESS DOWN ALL THE WAY INSTEAD IT BREAKS SLOW TO STOP. ALSO HOOD NEEDS TO BE SLAM HARD IN ORDER TO CLOSE.
SINCE 2016 I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. WE FIXED THEM AND THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AT TIMES IT DOES NOT WORK. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT BEHIND THE BRAKES, THERE IS A HOSE THAT NEEDS TO BE PURGED, BUT EVERY TIME THEY TRY TO DO THAT, IT DOES NOT WORK. THERE IS NO FLEXIBILITY ON THE HOSE. WE'VE ATTEMPTED FIXING THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WORKS FOR A DAY AND THEN THE NEXT DAY IT DOES NOT WORK. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE IS A WAY WE CAN FIX THIS. I'M AFRAID THIS ISSUES HAS ENDANGERED MY LIFE SEVERAL TIMES. I CANNOT DRIVE IT ANYMORE, BUT I ONLY HAVE THIS CAR. THE LATEST ISSUE WAS TODAY. AFTER HAVING IT AT THE SHOP FOR OVER A WEEK, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR OUT OF THE MY DRIVE WAY AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT WORK. I'VE PARKED IT OUTSIDE MY HOME.THANK YOU, *TR
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE BRAKE LINE BLEW WHILE STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT. A PANIC MANEUVER WAS MADE AND ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. A REPLACEMENT LINE WAS INSTALLED AND WHILE AGAIN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC A CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, ANOTHER LINE BLEW. THIS TIME I HAD TO DIVE INTO THE SHOULDER AND APPLY THE E-BRAKE.
BRAKE FAILURE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED AND FLIPPED OVER. DURING THE CRASH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. DURING THE CRASH, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS AND BRUISES TO THE LEFT ARM THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,975. UPDATED 11/08/16*LJ UPDATED 11/17/16.*JB
I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED 3 MONTHS AGO, HAD A CERTIFIED MECHANIC INSPECT IT AND DO ALL THAT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE IT ROAD WORTHY AND SAFE. NEW TIMING BELT, HEAD GASKET, BRAKES, ENGINE MOUNTS, BUSHINGS, TIRES, AC COMPRESSOR, BELTS, ETC. ETC. SO AFTER SPENDING OVER $2500.00 IN REPAIRS I THOUGHT I HAD A PERFECTLY RUNNING SAFE VEHICLE. AND IT DID RUN BEAUTIFULLY UNTIL 2 DAYS AGO WHEN DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT AROUND 45 MPH WITHOUT ANY SIGN OR INDICATION OF TROUBLE I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK FROM UNDER THE CAR AND BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. LUCKILY, WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC AROUND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID PORING OUT FROM BELOW. I HAD AAA TOW THE CAR TO A RELIABLE SHOP AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. ROUGH ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR $2000. - $2600. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS SHOCKED AND ANGRY. AND NOW I FIND OUT THAT I'M NOT ALONE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS, PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF THE 2001 HONDA CIVIC. HONDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DESIGN FLAW FOR YEARS AND MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR LEAVING IT'S CUSTOMERS IN DANGER WITH A FAULTY TRANSMISSION.. *TR
I WAS DRIVING HOME, BACK COUNTRY ROADS, WHEN SUDDENLY MY VEHICLE REVVED UP TO OVER 5000RPM WHILE MAKING A VERY SLOW TURN. I BRAKE, IT STOPPED REVVING UP, BUT WHEN I STARTED AGAIN IT SHUDDERED AND THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED MOVING. I COULD NOT GO IN ANY GEAR, I TRIED WAITING A WHILE, CAR RUNS FINE BUT WON'T MOVE. SAT BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING FOR A TOW, HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDS REPLACED. OF COURSE, THIS WILL COST ALMOST THE VALUE OF THE CARE, BUT THAT'S NOT MY MAIN CONCERN. WHILE THIS DID NOT CAUSE ME PHYSICAL HARM, I WAS PLANNING ON LEAVING FOR BALTIMORE WITHIN THE HOUR. HAD THIS CAR WAITED 50 MORE MILES TO GIVE OUT I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ON 695S ALONG WITH MANY OTHER FRIDAY NIGHT COMMUTERS AND COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, MYSELF INCLUDED? THIS CAR SIMPLY STOPPED MOVING WITHIN 1 MINUTE - NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH, NO PRIOR NOTICE OF ANYTHING WRONG. I KEEP THIS CAR MAINTAINED PER THE MANUAL AND WAS PLANNING ON KEEPING IT FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS. I HAVE NOW FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN A WELL KNOWN ISSUE FOR HONDA FOR MANY YEARS AND STILL NOTHING IS BEING DONE. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS BY SO MANY CONSUMERS I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS. HOW MANY DOES IT TAKE? HOW MANY WILL NEED TO DIE IN ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THIS BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? *TR
MY MOTHER IS A VICTIM OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION INCIDENT FROM A HONDA CIVIC 2001. SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A SMALL STREET AND HAD PLACED IT IN PARK. THEN, SHE PLACED THE GEAR BACK INTO DRIVE AND BEFORE TAPPING THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR SURGED FORWARD IN HIGH ACCELERATION AND WENT OUT OF CONTROL. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES A FEW TIMES BUT IT FAILED TO STOP THE CAR. THE STEERING WAS ALSO OUT OF CONTROL AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ABOUT 30-40 MPH FOR AN ENTIRE BLOCK AND FINALLY, CRASHED INTO A TREE TOTALING THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS TAKEN AWAY BY AMBULANCE. AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH, SHE SUFFERED FROM A BROKEN ANKLE AND HEEL, DEEP GASH TO THE KNEE, SEVERE CHEST PAIN (FROM AIRBAG) AND HEART CONTUSION. SHE SPENT OVER A WEEK IN THE HOSPITAL AND IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF RECOVERING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2001. SHE STATED THAT THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE WARNING PANEL. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED IN 5 DAYS. SHE REQUESTED A RENTAL VEHICLE AT NO COST; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THE REQUEST. THE BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACED OVER FOUR TIMES IN A PERIOD OF 4 YEARS WHICH RESULTED IN THE STRUTS BEING DAMAGED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE FUEL PUMP, AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, ALTERNATOR HAVE ALSO BEEN REPAIRED AND THE POWER LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
BRAKES NEVER WORKED RIGHT, FELT LIKE NOT STOPPING QUICK ENOUGH, HAD REPLACED 3 OR 4 TIMES SINCE 2001, BUT TO THIS DAY, WHEN STOPPING SUDDENLY WITH BRAKE PEDAL FULLY TO FLOOR, CAR DOESN'T WANT TO STOP & IS SCARY. WAS REAR ENDED,RADIO & SPEAKERS QUIT WORKING, REPLACED & ALARM QUIT WORKING, HAD TO HAVE IT COMPLETELY REMOVED & HAD DAMAGED FLY WHEEL. ALARM MALFUNCTION WAS CAUSING CAR TO RUN IN "SAFE MODE" AND CAR WAS USING TOO MUCH GAS. THE GAS INDICATOR IS NOT ACCURATE, AND SLOW TO ADJUST TO EMPTY OR FULL LEVELS, EVEN WHEN IN PERFECT WEATHER. EVEN NOW I AM CERTAIN THAT I DO NOT GET GOOD GAS MILEAGE IN CITY OR HIGHWAY DRIVING & FEEL THIS CAR IS VASTLY OVERRATED IN EVERY WAY! SRS INDICATOR LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON FOR 3 YEARS NOW, RED IN COLOR, I NEVER KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM BEFORE READING BULLETINS ( BUT DO NOW). RIGHT FRONT WINDOW WAS SLOW TO ROLL DOWN FOR MONTHS, THEN WOULDN'T ROLL UP IN COLD WEATHER, AND NOW WON'T WORK AT ALL REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. IS STUCK, AND WHERE I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A SIMPLE FUSE ISSUE, NOW WE'RE FINDING OUT IT WILL BE A $600 WINDOW MOTOR ISSUE. NOT A VERY HAPPY HONDA CUSTOMER RIGHT NOW. IRONICALLY, I BOUGHT THIS CIVIC BECAUSE OF A PRIOR POSITIVE EXPERIENCE OWNING A HONDA CRX, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL. THIS HONDA CIVIC 2001 HAS CHANGED THE WAY I VIEW HONDA'S IN GENERAL, UNFORTUNATELY. *JB
DT: THE CALLER STATED THAT RUST HAS BUILT UP ON THE FRONT ROTORS AND SHE HAD TO HAVE IT REMOVED. THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT AND REMOVE THE RUST. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK *NM
2001 HONDA CIVIC CONSUMERS FOOT GOT CAUGHT UP BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A STOP.*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. *JB
DT: CONSUMER WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, SWERVED ,AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE. WHEN CONSUMER TURNED TO CHECK ON CHILD AFTER NEAR ACCIDENT HE FOUND THAT THE HARNESS THAT HELD THE CHILD IN THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS NOT BUCKLED. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS REAR FACING CHILD SEAT. IT WAS CONVERTIBLE. CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS LOCATED IN REAR MIDDLE SEAT OF 2001, HONDA, CIVIC. *AK
2001 HONDA CIVIC BRAKES WENT OUT ON VEHICLE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.*MR THE INCIDENT HAPPENED 1 DAY AFTER THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. *JB
PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE EQUIPMENT ON 2001 HONDA CIVI LX.*MR THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE BRAKES GRABBING. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT HE VEHICLE NEEDED A REAR WHEEL CYLINDER BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDER'S WERE REPLACED. EIGHT MONTHS LATER THE VEHCILE WAS STILL EXHIBITING BRAKE PROBLEMS. THIS TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER TESE REPAIRES THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS 2000 MILE LEFT UNDER THE WARRANY. *NM
1) NO ACCIDENT YET, BUT FREQUENTLY THE SIDE OF MY RIGHT FOOT HITS THE ACCELERATOR WHILE PUTTING THE BRAKES ON; PART OF MY LARGE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE - PART LANDS ON THE ACCELERATOR. (I AM 6' 1" TALL). DEALER HAS SAID THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. I DO FEEL THIS REPRESENTS A HAZARD TO MY CAR AND OCCUPANTS, AS WELL AS TO OTHERS. MY ONLY SOLUTION IS TO GET RID OF THE CAR TO A SHORT PERSON. (THE REQUIRED DATE BELOW IS INVALID AND IRRELEVANT.)*AK
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH FOR THE AIR BRAKE WAS GONE. *AK
THE BRAKES WOULD SQUEAK WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. CONSUMER THOUGHT THAT THE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE BRAKES AND PADS BY THE DEALERSHIP, THEY NOTICED THAT THE CALIPERS HAD LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR OF THE BRAKE PAD AND UNEVEN WEAR OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE CALIPER LOCKING UP HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NM
ROTORS RESURFACED AND MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED AT 20,000 MILES IN OCT 2002. ROTORS RESURFACED AGAIN IN APRIL 2003 AT 32,000. NOW ROTORS AND MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT 42,000 MILES. HONDA REFUSES TO REPLACE STATING THAT THE WARRANTY WAS UP AT 36,000 MILES. THEY HAVE BLAMED ME FOR RIDING MY BRAKES WHICH I DONT... I PUT 24,000 MILES ON THE CAR A YEAR AND USE MY CRUISE CONTROL 90% OF THE TIME. THEY BLAMED PEOPLE WHO ROTATE THE TIRES FOR TIGHTENING THE LUG NUTS TOO TIGHT... I HAVE NEVER ROTATED MY TIRES SO THAT IS NILL. THEN THEY ASKED IF THE CAR IS PARKED NEAR A SPRINKLER BECAUSE IF THE ROTORS GET WET THEY WILL RUST. THEY ARE BLAMING ANYTHING THEY CAN SO THEY DONT HAVE TO PAY. WELL.. THE LEMON LAW IS ON MY SIDE AND THEY WILL PAY. THIS IS MY 5TH BRAND NEW HONDA AND WILL BE MY LAST. ATLEAST KIA STANDS BY THEIR VEHICLES.
A/C DOESN'T GET COLD, CAN'T GET HONDA TO FIX AS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE NEW. BRAKES WENT BAD WITH ABOUT 15000 MILES ON THEM. WERE BAD BEFORE THAT, STILL DOES NOT STOP RIGHT, AND HAS A VIBRATON WHEN STOPPING TRANSMISSION HAS A THUMPING LIKE NOISE SOME TIMES WHILE IDLING. HAD TO REPLACE STRUT ON PASSANAGER SIDE, COULDN'T GET HONDA TO PAY FOR ALL OF IT. I THINK ONE ON DRIVER SIDE IS BAD ALSO. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HONDA CIVIC
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SKID AND REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
ROTORS RESURFACED AND MASTER CYLINDER REPLACE AT 20,000 MILES, ROTORS RESURFACED AGAIN AT 32,000, NOW NEED TO BE REPLACED AND MASTER CYLINDER GOING OUT AGAIN. HONDA REFUSES TO FIX BECAUSE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. BLAMED EVERYTHING FROM ME, TO TIRE ROTATIONS, TO GETTING THE ROTORS WET. WILL BE FILING A LEMON LAW SUIT. ROTORS AND MASTER CYLINDERS DO NOT WEAR OUT 3 TIMES IN 42,000 UNLESS THERE IS A DEFECT. I DON'T RIDE MY BRAKES AND I DON'T EVEN ROTATE MY TIRES SO THOSE CAUSES ARE NILL. *LA
I HAVE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES. AFTER GOING IN REVERSE, AND THEN PROCEEDING FORWARD, AT THE FIRST APPLICATION OF BRAKES THERE IS A POPPING NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE METAL SHIFTING OR BINDING. IT WILL NOT MAKE THE NOISE AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT OCCURRENCE OF GOING INTO REVERSE AND THEN COMING TO THE FIRST STOP. AFTER BEING TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THE NOISE WILL DIMINSH FOR A DAY OR TWO, AND THEN RESUME AS NORMAL. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY ARE NOT ADJUSTING ANYTHING ON THE BRAKES. THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKES FOR THE 2001 MODEL YEAR THAT CAUSES THIS NOISE. IT SOUNDS BAD, AND I'M AFRAID IT WILL LEAD TO A BRAKE COMPONENT FAILING.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. CONSUMER HAS MADE CONTACT WITH DEALER. *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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