Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Honda Civic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
2005 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID CVT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 42,000 MILES. CAR WILL NOT SHIFT IN ANY GEAR. CONTACT HONDA AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE, AND HONDA WILL NOT COVERED THIS INCIDENT UNDER WARRANTY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. $4,500 ~ $5,200 REPLACEMENT JOB AT LOCAL HONDA DEALER. MOST HORRIBLE CAR I'D EVER OWN!!! VERY DISAPPOINT WITH HONDA. BUYERS BEWARE WITH HONDA HYBRID MODEL. *TR
WHILE ACCELERATING MODERATELY, OFTEN WHILE TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY OR EVEN WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN SPEED UP A HILL, OUR 2005 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY REV UP TO REDLINE RPM (IT IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT REPRODUCE THIS EVENT. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THIS STARTED HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN -- EVERY DAY IN PREDICTABLE LOCATIONS ON OUR DRIVING ROUTE. IN ADDITION, A JUDDER DEVELOPED WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP. THIS LATTER ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED BY HONDA AND A TECHNICAL BULLETIN WAS PUT OUT. THE JUDDER MADE THE CAR NEARLY UNDRIVABLE, SO WE AGAIN TOOK THE CAR IN. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS REPLACED AND THE CLUTCH PLATES WERE BURNISHED. THE TRANMISSION SLIPPAGE AND ENGINE REVVING DISAPPEARED. NOW, 5 MONTHS LATER, THE TRANSMISSION SLIP WITH ENGINE REVVING HAS RETURNED AS WELL AS THE JUDDER STARTING AGAIN. WE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, SO THE COST HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE SO FAR, HOWEVER OUR WARRANTY EXPIRES IN JUNE 2010. WE ARE MAINLY CONCERNED WITH THE REPEATED APPEARANCE OF THE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIP/ENGINE REVVING CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE ON AN ON-RAMP OR PASS A CAR ON A TWO-LANE ROAD. IF THE ENGINE SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE PASSING A CAR, IT MAY HAVE TRAGIC RESULTS.
CRUISE CONTROL DROPS OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR
HONDA RECALL FOR JUDDER IN CVT ON 2005 HYBRID. REPAIRED (I BELIEVE BY BURNISHING THE CLUTCH?); HOWEVER, CONDITION IS RECURRING, GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE. I HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER CVTS. MY SONS RECENTLY HAD THE SAME REPAIR DONE TO HIS. *TR
I HAVE A 2005 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. IT USUALLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT 40 MPH AND ABOVE. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS (LIKE WHEN YOU'RE COMING OUT OF THE TOLLS). I HAD THE BURNISH PROCEDURE DONE LAST IN THE FALL/WINTER OF LAST YEAR. WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, THE TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED A BETTER PART OF 10 TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE INCIDENT. JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND, BETWEEN 40 AND 60 MPH, IT SLIPPED 3 TIMES IN A ROW. THE NEXT DAY, AT ABOUT 68 MPH, THE RPMS STAYED AT 3000. IT'S NORMALLY AROUND 25-2600 RPM. AGAIN, THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME IF I BRING THE CAR BACK AGAIN, I WILL BE CHARGED $87 PER HOUR, EVEN THOUGH IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE HAS BEEN OCCURRING ABOUT 3-5 TIMES A WEEK. NEVER WHEN I AM AT THE HONDA DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN ONLY DO SOMETHING IF THEY CAN SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT IS HAPPENING CONSISTENTLY. *TR
MY 2005 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID STARTED TO EXHIBIT TRANSMISSION JUDDER WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE FROM A STOP AND SLIPPAGE WHENEVER I ACCELERATED WHILE MOVING WITH APPROXIMATELY 65,000 ON THE ODOMETER (MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THIS TIME). I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND PERFORMED NO ADDITIONAL WORK TO THE TRANSMISSION. I STARTED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AT 90,000 MILES AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER BUT MADE THEM AWARE OF MY CAR'S PROBLEM. MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED SINCE THEN BUT I HAVE LEARNED THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED FOR MY MODEL AND YEAR CAR. HONDA OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM UP TO 105,000 MILES. PROBLEM IS THAT I NOW HAVE 114,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. I FEEL THE PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED WHEN IT FIRST STARTED EXHIBITING SIGNS OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 65,000 MILES. THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THEY CAN CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT THEY SAID THE PROBLEM IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AGAIN. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A CAR COMPANY THAT KNOWS THEIR PRODUCT IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS EVEN ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX MY CAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AND WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT 65,000 MILES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND REMAINS THERE TO DATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT DUE TO THE MILEAGE THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE NEW TRANSMISSION. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 48,000. UPDATED 06/02/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AND EVEN THOUGH EDMUNDS.COM HAD A RUNNING BLOG APPARENTLY SIMILAR TRANSMISSION FAILURES. UPDATED 06/02/08 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA CIVIC. IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT PLACED HIS KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND STARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CLUTCH AND SINK ROLLS FAILED. THE CLUTCH AND THE SINK ROLLS WERE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH IN FIFTH GEAR, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL FOUR TIMES. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,560 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,813.
THIS IS A 2005 CIVIC HYBRID. A FEW TIMES THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO INCREASE ITS RPM'S TO A "REDLINE" LEVEL, THEN ENGAGES AND SURGES FORWARD. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED THUS FAR, BUT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS ON SURFACE STREETS. ALSO, I HAVE ISSUE WITH THE WAFER THIN WINDSHIELD. I HAVE 3 CRACKS IN IT FROM 18 MONTHS OF DRIVING FROM ROAD PEBBLES. I HAVE 6 OTHER VEHICLES, THEY ALL GET DRIVEN THE SAME FREEWAYS, AND GET HIT BY PEBBLES, BUT NONE GET THE DAMAGE AS THIS HONDA HAS. *NM
SINCE BUYING MY VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL THE CAR WILL STALL. WHEN PUTTING THE CAR BACK INTO GEAR IT WON'T START UP AGAIN UNTIL I PUT THE CAR BACK INTO NEUTRAL TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE CLUTCH AND THEN PUT IT BACK INTO GEAR AGAIN. SINCE THE 3RD DAY OF OWNING THE CAR THIS HAS HAPPENED . THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE BATTERY TERMINALS BUT IT CONTINUED. DOES THIS WHETHER IT'S RAINING OR NOT. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALER THE MECHANIC PUT MY CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND CALLED THE CODE NUMBERS IN TO THE COMPANY WHO TOLD THEM WHAT ELSE TO DO BUT IT STARTED DOING THIS AGAIN NOT TOO LONG AFTER. USUALLY, THE DEALER TELLS ME THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO DO IT FOR THEM SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *JB
I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN SHIFTING MY CAR FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, IT GRINDS GOING INTO GEAR. THIS USUALLY OCCURS WHEN THE RPMS OF THE ENGINE ARE ABOVE 4K. I HAVEN'T TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF IT YET, BUT PLAN TO SOON. *NM
REVERSE IN A HONDA CIVIC MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM IS ENGAGING REVERSE IN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHEN I NEED TO REVERSE I MOVE THE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE AND RELEASE THE CLUTCH. A GRINDING NOISE OCCURS AND THE GRINDING NOISE GETS LOUDER IF I GIVE IT MORE GAS WHILE THE CLUTCH IS NOT ENGAGED. IT TAKES ME A WHILE TO TRY AND GET REVERSE ENGAGED AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS EVERYDAY WITH THIS AND I JUST HAD IT IN FOR A SERVICE AND ASKED THE DEALER TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THE DEALER LOOKED INTO THE PROBLEM AND SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON IN EVERY HONDA CIVIC TRANSMISSION. REVERSE DOES NOT HAVE A SYNCHRONIZED GEAR AND I WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. EVEN IF THEY REPLACED MY ENTIRE TRANSMISSION, THE PROBLEM WILL STILL EXIST. I EVEN GOT A SERVICE TECH TO DRIVE MY CAR AND HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. HE SAID HE HAD A CIVIC AND IT DOES THE SAME THING. THE DEALER SAID WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS (FOR ME JUST ABOUT EVERYTIME I NEED REVERSE) I NEED TO PUT THE SHIFTER INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR AND THEN TRY REVERSE. IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THEN I HAVE TO TRY IT AGAIN. SOMETIMES I FIND MYSELF IN TIGHT SITUATIONS AND AM NOT ABLE TO GET THE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE FOR 30 SECONDS OR MORE. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND ANNOYING. HONDA NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS IF EVERY HONDA CIVIC TRANSMISSION IS LIKE THIS. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. IF I KNEW HONDA CIVICS WERE LIKE THIS, I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT ONE. *JB
LTR FM (TX) RE HIS WIFE NEW HONDA WHICH WAS TOTALED IN A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, HONDA WON'T ASSIST THEM OR RELEASE THE TITLE, CAR WAS PAID FOR. *TS THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *NM
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD DEFICIENCIES TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *JB
OUR NEW 2005 HONDA CIVIC HAD BOTH FRONT WHEELS LOCK WHILE MY WIFE WAS GOING TO WORK, DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY IN FORT WORTH TX. THE CAR WAS TOTALED, CRASHING INTO A GUARD RAIL, BLOWING THE AIR BAGS, SPINNING AROUND, STARTING A FIRE AT THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND STARTING MY WIFE'S COAT ON FIRE AS SHE WAS GETTING OUT. WE HAVE AN EYE WITNESS WHO HAS A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING, PHOTOS, A POLICE REPORT AND THE CAR ITSELF. THE CAR STARTED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT BY ITSELF AND MY WIFE WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT IT SINCE THE FRONT WHEELS WERE IN A COMPLETE SKID. THE CAR HAD 2113 MILES ON IT AND EVEN THE POLICE COMMENTED THAT IN HER TWELVE YEARS ON THE FORCE SHE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING SO STRANGE AS THIS. THERE ARE TWO SOLID BLACK LINES THAT SHOW WHERE THE SKID STARTED IN THE CENTER OF THE LANE ENDING AT THE GUARDRAIL. BOTH TIRES ARE TORN UP AND MELTED IN ONE SPOT. THE ROADS WERE DRY, NO TRAFFIC, NOTHING IN THE ROAD. THE TRANSMISSION JUST LOCKED UP SOLID, CAUSING A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED THE HONDA CORPORATION @ 800-999-1009 AND THE DEALER BANKSTON HONDA OF LEWISVILLE TX @ 866-507-6355. HONDA SAID IT WAS AN INSURANCE PROBLEM, BANKSTON REFERRED ME BACK TO HONDA. FINALLY HONDA SAID THEY WOULD COME OUT AND TAKE PICTURES "ONLY" CAR WOULD NOT BE MOVED. THE DAY THEY WERE TO COME OUT AND TAKE PICTURE THEY SAID "DUE TO SAFETY REASONS THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO BANKSTON HONDA TO TAKE PICTURES, BREAKING OUR AGREEMENT. WE HID THE CAR AND ARE SEEKING LEGAL MEANS AS OUR INSURANCE IS HAVING TO PAYOUT DUE TO A DEFECT. I HAVE A CASE AT HONDA #[XXX]. THE POLICE REPORT IS FILED IN FORT WORTH TX, LOC.05148069 AND OUR WITNESS SAID SHE WOULD GLADLY TESTIFY WHAT HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE VIN# IS [XXX]. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER STANDARD NEW HONDA CIVIC 2005 HOME FROM THE DEALER ON MAY 9TH. SHE HAD 60 MILES ON THE CAR AND WAS CRUISING IN 4TH SPEED AT 45 MILES AN HOUR ON I5 SOUTH IN THE SEATTLE AREA WHEN THE CAR CAME INSTANTLY TO ALMOST A COMPLETE HALT CAUSING AN INTENSE JERKING OF THE CAR. SHE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND COAST TO THE SHOULDER WITH WHAT MINIMUM MOMENTUM SHE HAD LEFT. AS THERE WAS NO IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH MOST LIKELY INTENSIFIED THE NATURE OF HER INJURY. CURRENTLY HER RADIOLOGY REPORT STATES SHE HAS A FRACTURE OF THE T-11 VERTEBRAE AND TO DATE SHE IS UNABLE TO SIT, THEREFORE DRIVE, WORK, OR FINISH HER COLLEGE PROGRAM. HONDA HAS DIAGNOSED THE CLUTCH AS DESTROYED AND SAYS THAT SHE MUST HAVE INTENTIONALLY DOWNSHIFTED FROM 5TH TO 1ST GEAR WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH AND DESTROYED THE CLUTCH HERSELF. THEREFORE THEY ARE TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE CURRENTLY TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER TO HAVE THE CLUTCH REPLACED OR JUST HAVE THE TRANSMISSION PUT BACK IN AND EITHER WAY TOW TO CAR TO MY DAUGHTER'S CONDO AND WAIT OUT OUR NEXT MOVE. HONDA IS CHARGING US $500.00 JUST TO PUT THE CAR BACK TOGETHER AND THE TOW WILL BE OVER $200.00 BUT IF WE LEAVE IT AT THE DEALER IT IS $50.00 PER DAY. OUR SERVICE ENGINEER HAS THE DESTROYED CLUTCH STORED IN EVIDENCE. THESE 2 YOUNG PEOPLE WILL NEVER DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN EVEN IF THE CAR IS REPAIRED. SHE DIDN'T SHIFT AT ALL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN IMPACTED AND INJURED EVEN MORE. SO WE HAVE A NEW CAR NO ONE WILL DRIVE AND SO FAR 2 ATTORNEY'S HAVE REFUSED TO TAKE THE CASE.
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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