Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. 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. 90 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 90, in the owner's own words
I recently bought a 2001 honda civic, 5speed. It was driving fine, until it suddenly started making grinding or weird noises. I couldn't shift and now the gears are locked up. It happened suddenly after no problems.
2001 Honda Civic stopped moving in the middle of the road. While in the middle of driving vehicle lost power but remained running. A whining noise was observed which turned out to be the transmission pump. The vehicle would not go into forward or reverse and I was left stranded in the middle of the highway. Vehicle was transported to the closest repair shop and was diagnosed with a failed transmission. A TSB was issued for these transmissions but no recall. Due to no recall being issued despite Honda knowing these transmissions were built with bad clutches that were known to fail which is the reason they issued the tech service bulletin, many transmissions in these car are still defective and can lead to someone being unable to move out of traffic and get into a collision.
I RECEIVED A 2001 HONDA CIVIC LX FROM MY DAD AS A GIFT AROUND THE END OF APRIL, 2018. WHICH HE HAD SPENT ABOUT 2000 IN THE MOTOR BEFORE GIVING IT TO ME. THE ISSUES OCCURRED WITH THE CAR OVER HEATING RIGHT WHEN WE LANDED INTO LAS VEGAS WHICH WE WERE COMING FROM SAN DIMAS CALIFORNIA, IT TOOK ABOUT 3-4 HOURS TO GET BACK HOME. I HAD ISSUES WITH MY CAR OVER HEATING A LOT WHICH HAD TO DO WITH THE SENSORS AT FIRST WHICH HAD GOTTEN REPLACED. THAN AFTER THE FAN TO COOL DOWN THE RADIATOR WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY TO WHERE ONLY ONE FAN WOULD KICK IN. NOW OUT OF NO WHERE MY CAR HAD ISSUES ACCELERATING WHICH SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEBODY REALLY GETS HURT. FROM ALL THE REVIEWS THANK GOD IN THE LONG RUN EVERYBODY IS OKAY BUT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE RECALLED IT'S LIKE PEOPLE NEED TO BE INJURED OR DEATHS NEED TO REALLY OCCUR BEFORE WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE FIXED SO SERIOUS PROBLEMS DON'T OCCUR IN LEADS TO DEATH. I ALMOST GOT SIDE SWIPED WHEN I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TRY TO MOVE TO SAFTEY REALLY SLOW WHICH I DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE CAR MOVING AT THAT PASTE WHEN IT WOULDN'T MOVE ANY FASTER THAN WHAT IT WWAS.SINCE I FOUND OUT MY CAR HAVING ISSUES ON ACCELERATING AND BEING ABLE TO MOVE AROUND I FIND OUT THERE IS THE AIR BAG RECALL WHICH I RECEIVE A PAPER IN MAIL TO FIX BUT HOW WHEN I CAN'T EVEN GET THERE. IT'S THE END OF JULY 2018 IN WHICH MY CAR IS OFFICIALLY UNABLE TO BE MOVED. SO MANY PROBLEMS WITHIN 3 MONTHS AND SO MUCH MONEY WASTED IT'S RIDICULOUS.
TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS FAILURE TOOK PLACE WHILE DRIVING TO WORK (18.5 MILES). THERE WAS NO WARNING OR NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE. ONCE PARKED THE ENGINE WOULD RUN BUT WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. *TR
TAKATA RECALL; THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCORDING TO HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAD JUST GOTTEN BACK FROM PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. I HAD STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN THE LEFT TURN LANE,AND THERE WAS TRAFFIC STOPPED BEHIND ME, THANK GOODNESS. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I TRIED TO PULL OFF, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVED. A MAN HELPED ME TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC ONTO A PARKING LOT . AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN DIFFERENT GEARS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON. I CALLED A WRECKER TO PICK IT UP AND DELIVER IT HOME. SINCE THEN I BOUGHT A CODE READER AND THE CODE IS A P0740. I HAVE READ WHERE HONDA HAS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ON RECALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND DID NOT MOVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY AAA AND WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO EITHER BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILING AT 74000 MILES AS DIAGNOSED BY HONDA AND INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION REPAIR TECHNICIAN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION. CODE: P0470. WAS ADVISED WILL NEED COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT VERY SOON HOWEVER HONDA DEALER RELUCTANT TO ADMIT IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, RESTARTED, AND PLACED IN GEAR WITH NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
MY DAUGHTER PURCHASED A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED . SHE WAS OUT DRIVING AND WAS GOING UP A HILL AND THE CAR STOPPED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. SHE GOT SCARED AND PUT IT IN REVERSE TO GLIDE DOWN THE HILL AND PULL TO THE SIDE. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT IS THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE FOR ANY RECALLS PERTAINING TO THE TRANSMISSIONS FROM HONDA . I CAME ACROSS THIS SITE AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE AND YEAR. I PLAN TO CONTACT HONDA TO SEE IF THEY CAN REPLACE IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. MA 10/26/2015 *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY HONDA CIVIC SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING. WE WERE DRIVING ON A NARROW, CURVY, HILLY HIGHWAY IN THE SNOW, SO THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT LUCKILY DID NOT. THE CAR WAS GOING AT ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN IT SUDDENLY LOST ALL ACCELERATION AND CAME TO A STOP. A PASSERBY KINDLY HELPED US PUSH THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC WHILE CARS WERE WHIZZING BY, ANOTHER DANGEROUS SITUATION. WE WERE 60 MILES FROM HOME, AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE CAR IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WANTS $2,200 TO REPLACE THE BAD TRANSMISSION. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE CAR WAS NO LONGER ACCELERATING. WHILE STEPPING ON THE GAS THE ENGINE WAS REVVING BUT THE SPEED WOULD NOT INCREASE. AS I WAS ONLY A SHORT WAY FROM AN EXIT, I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF OF THE INTERSTATE, DOWN THE EXIT RAMP, AND TO THE STOP LIGHT PRIOR TO THE LOCAL ROADS AS THE CAR WOULD STILL DRIVE BUT ONLY LESS THAN 40 MPH. UPON GETTING TO THE STOP LIGHT, THE CAR NO LONGER RESPONDED TO THE GAS PEDAL GOING FORWARD, I WAS ABLE TO BACK UP TO A SPACE IN BETWEEN TURN LANES. I PLACED MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND CALLED TRIPLE A FOR A TOW TRUCK. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY WHERE I WAS INFORMED THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION HAD GONE, TO THEIR SURPRISE AS THE CAR IS IN "GREAT CONDITION". *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON A BITTER COLD DAY, AND SOON AFTER I LEFT IT DID NOT SEEM TO BE SHIFTING CORRECTLY AND THE RPMS WERE NOT RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY. HOWEVER, IT SOON "NORMALIZED", AND I FIGURED IT WAS DUE TO THE COLD, WHICH HAD HAPPENED BEFORE. NOT BUT A FEW MILES INTO MY DRIVE, WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL IN A SCHOOL ZONE, MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING/MOVING. THE ENGINE REVVED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, AND I COULD NOT ENGAGE INTO ANY GEAR - NOT EVEN REVERSE - SO I WAS STUCK ON THE MIDDLE OF THIS HILL. I TURNED ON MY 4-WAY FLASHERS AND HAD TO COAST BACKWARDS DOWN A HILL, WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AND MANEUVERED MY CAR INTO EXIT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHILE BUSES WERE TRYING TO LEAVE. THANK GOODNESS THERE WERE NO KIDS USING THE CROSSWALK. THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO INDICATION LIGHTS, NO WAY TO PREPARE FOR THIS SCARY EVENT. ON THE COLDEST DAY EVER RECORDED IN HISTORY, I HAD TO WAIT OVER AN HOUR FOR IT TO BE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE SAID THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED ON ME AND IN HIS OPINION, WAS NOT WORTH THE MONEY TO POUR INTO THIS PROBLEMATIC 2001 HONDA CIVIC, APPARENTLY THE MOST RECALLED CAR. I AM THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS CAR, AND PURCHASED IT AFTER COLLEGE WITH THE HOPES OF HAVING THE RELIABLE HONDA STAY WITH ME FOR THE LONG HAUL. *TR
IT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET BUT MY CAR IS SLIPPING GEARS BETWEEN 1-2, 2-3, AND 3-4. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO THE HONDA DEALER BEFORE SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN. *TR
MY CAR STATED HAVING PROBLEMS SHIFTING IT WOULD REV UP WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1 TO 2 BROUGHT IT IN TO HONDA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND WOULD NEED A NEW OR REBUILT ONE. WENT HOME AND STARTED LOOKING ONLINE AND FOUND LOTS OF PEOPLE COMP. ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE 2001 CIVIC. LOOKED AT THE HONDA WEBSITE AND CALLED AND WAS TOLD THAT I COULD NOT GET AND HELP. WELL EVER SINCE THEN I TELL ALL EVERYONE NOT TO BUY A HONDA CIVIC BECAUSE THEY DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. A WARNING TO ALL DO NOT BUY THIS KIND OF CAR. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING IN NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS (30 MPH SPEED LIMIT), AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE THE ENGINE AGAIN. PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL WOULD ONLY RESULT IN REVVING THE ENGINE, MUCH LIKE IN NEUTRAL SETTING. THE MAJOR KEY PROBLEM HERE IS THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR SIGNS OF DISTRESS, FAILURE, WARNING AND ETC. I WAS LUCKY IN THAT I WAS TRAVELING ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AND COULD EASILY PULL OVER TO THE CURB; THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE FOR ME AND OTHERS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 80 MPH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY... THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED ON SITES SUCH AS THIS: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/HONDA/CIVIC/2001/TRANSMISSION/TRANSMISSION_FAILURE.SHTML. *TR
ON MY WAY TO LAX, ABOUT TWO HOURS FROM HOME, MY CAR FAILED ON HIGHWAY 101. WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED. WE WERE NEAR THOUSAND OAKS ON HWY 101 SO CAR TAKEN TO PEP BOYS WHICH WAS OPEN (IT WAS A SUNDAY). THEY COULD NOT FIX TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, SO MONDAY THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO LEON TRANSMISSION. THEY HAD IT FOR A WEEK, REPAIRED IT AND CHARGED ME $2920. I HAD TO RENT A CAR THAT SUNDAY BECAUSE I NEEDED TO GET TO LAX TO PICK UP TWO UNACCOMPANIED MINORS ARRIVING FROM PORTLAND OR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR TROUBLE CODES P0740 TC AND P0700 TRANSMISSION FAULT. REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND CONVERTER INSTALLED. WHEN I PICKED UP THE REPAIRED VEHICLE ON SATURDAY JUL 27, I DROVE IT FOR A LITTLE OVER 30 MILES AND IT FAILED AGAIN. TOWED THE CAR BACK TO LEON'S TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THERE IS ANOTHER ERROR CODE, P1361, TDC SENSOR WHICH THEY COULD NOT FIX BUT ANOTHER MECHANIC WAS OPEN AND REPLACED THE TCD SENSOR. THIS REPAIR COST $306. FINALLY, AFTER A WEEK AND $3226, I DROVE MY CAR BACK HOME,150 MILES FROM WHERE I LEFT THE VEHICLE A WEEK EARLIER. I NEEDED A CAR SO HAD TO RENT A CAR FROM ENTERPRISE FOR A WEEK. *JS
AFTER HAVING MOTHERS DAY BREAKFAST WITH MY FIANCE OUR CHILD AND ME. I WAS DRIVING ALL OF US HOME WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN WITH NO WARNING THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER AS WE WERE ON A MAJOR ROAD AND 4 CARS HAD TO AVOID HITTING MY VEHICLE THANK GOD I HAD QUICK THINKING AND PUT MY HAZARDS ON SINCE I DID HAVE MY THREE YEAR OLD IN THE BACKSEAT. I ALMOST MADE IT OFF THE BUSY HIGHWAY BEFORE I HAD TO GET OUT OF MY CAR AND MY FIANCE HAD TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL AS I PUSHED MY CAR OFF THE ROAD THANKFULLY A GENTLEMAN GOT OUT OF HIS TRUCK AND HELPED US AS WE NEARLY ALMOST GOT HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE COST ME OR MY FAMILY TO BE EXTREMELY INJURED AND THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HONDA NEGLECTS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BAFFLES ME. IF THE EXECUTIVE'S AT HONDA HAD THERE FAMILY IN A CAR AND GOT IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE PART THAT THEY SEEM TO BELIEVE IS FIT TO PUT INTO THEIR VEHICLES I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME OUTLOOK ON NOT ISSUING A RECALL FOR THIS PART. HONDA NEEDS TO WISE UP BEFORE THIS FAULTY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM CAUSES SOMEONE TO GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR CAUSES THEM TO LOSE THEIR LIFE. PLEASE HONDA ISSUE A RECALL. IT'S MONEY IT'S NOT WORTH PEOPLE GETTING HURT DRIVING YOUR VEHICLES. *TR
BOUGHT A 2001 HONDA CIVIC EX IN THE END OF SUMMER OF 2013 FOR MY DAUGHTER SINCE SHE HAD STARTED COLLEGE. I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD AND BEEN RECOMMENDED TO BUY A HONDA. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER THE TRANSMISSION WENT-OUT. SHE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO HESITATE AND STUTTER ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD TO PULL OVER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SHE ALMOST HAD AND ACCIDENT. WE TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT AND IT WAS GOING TO COST $2,652. I HAD TO USE MY INCOME AND PART OF MY DAUGHTER'S LAST FEW DOLLARS TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. NOW THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED THE CAR AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. I FEAR FOR MY DAUGHTER'S SAFETY. THIS MANY COMPLAINTS ON A SPECIFIC ISSUE (TRANSMISSION FAILURE) SHOULD HAD BEEN RECALLED AND FIXED, INSTEAD THEY ARE STILL POSING A THREAT TO NOT JUST OUR SAFETY, BUT TO ALSO THE PUBLIC. THIS TRANSMISSION IS STILL HURTING THE PEOPLE'S WALLETS AND CAUSING ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SOME PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINT THAT EVEN AFTER FIXING THE TRANSMISSION THE PROBLEM PERSIST. I BELIEVE IT MIGHT BE A DESIGN PROBLEM. I FEAR THAT ONE DAY MY DAUGHTER MIGHT NOT GET SO LUCKY AND HAVE AND ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM CAN BE EASILY FIXED BY IMPOSING A RECALL. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS CARS ARE STILL ON THE ROAD POSING AND THREAT TO THE PEOPLE'S SAFETY. *TR
DRIVING AT 50 MPH ON ROAD, HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DROVE TWO MILES, THEN CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, I STOPPED, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE GEARS WERE GONE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. HAD CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CAR HAD TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH FAILURE (CODE P0740) AND INCORRECT GEAR RATIO (CODE P0730) AND NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION (APPROX. 1800 TO BE REBUILT). I DID NOT NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
DRIVING MY CAR WITH ONLY 78,000 MILES THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES THE CAR LOST POWER TO MOVE FOREWORD/BACKWARD ETC.........TOOK TO THE GAS STATION GLENDALE MOBILE BROADWAY, EVERETT,MA, THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF,,, I KNOW IT IS OLD BUT ONLY 78,000 . HE PUT IN A USED TRANSMISSION FOR 1900.00., THERE WAS NO WARNING ONLY MINUTES FROM THE TIME CHECK ENGINE WENT ON UNTIL COMPLETE FAILURE ON HIGHWAY. *TR
CAR DRIVE LIGHT FLASHES AND REAR GEAR STOPPED WORKING TRANSMISSION FAULTY. *TR
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
Data on this page last refreshed .