CarComplaints.com Notes: Yes, the Honda Civic receives a lot of complaints because so many were sold. And sure, car parts only last so long and things eventually break. But it's never good to see this many transmission complaints, especially when the average mileage at failure is just north of 100,000 miles.

Especially when you consider that it's predecessor also has a nasty history with transmission complaints.

1.6

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
103,009 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Honda Civic drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2002 Honda Civic Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #71

Aug 272021

Civic

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Drove my Honda civic through town today for about 15 minutes. Came up to a stop light. When the light turned green. I took my foot off the brake and the car jerked forward real hard and then there was grinding noise coming from the transmission. The car wouldn't go into drive or reverse. With my foot on the brake the transmission wouldn't go into park. Had to have the car towed home

- Mount Vernon, OH, USA

problem #70

Jun 032021

Civic

  • miles
SRS Light on for a while in Honda Civic, Contacted Dealer as this car was messed with by another dealership last year during light swsitch recall, so wanted only other Dealership to diagnose the issue with SRS but diagnosis alone is $157 and since my auto mechanic cannot read the diagnosis Honda has put or installed this restricted setting on the car. Seat belts and seat bekt sensors may be bad and seat belt cant stick on driver's side, indicating a safety issue, Transmission exhibiting trouble and revs up when shifting, hard to shift gears with automatic gear shift problems. This should not be happening and brand new engine had to be competely installed with new engine blocks, and new radiator and watter pump need due to failing.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #69

May 042021

Civic

  • miles
Transmission gave out all of a sudden at a light with 179,000 miles on it. When trying to give it gas, the transmission would whine. Had to get it towed home.

- Baytown, TX, USA

problem #68

Apr 202021

Civic

  • 125,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

One day all of the sudden without any prior slipping or any notice of all for that matter I was parked sitting in a drive thru when I went to put the car in drive it wouldn't engage or move at all there is a complaint of faulty poor quality tranmissons between 2000-2004 please help

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #67

Jul 182020

Civic

  • 170,000 miles
My 2002 Honda Civic is having an electrical problem to where my bran new just bought battery is draining withing 10 minutes of driving and all of a sudden my car just turns off while driving in traffic and cause it to where it is hard to stear and even to where I cant get out of the middle of dead traffic. The whole car just shuts off and won't let me start it again. This has now happend to me on the freeway and on a 55mph street as well.

- Riverside, CA, USA

problem #66

Apr 062019

Civic

  • 76,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. While attempting to reverse the vehicle, the transmission seized. Additionally, on several occasions while attempting to merge into traffic, the vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced or rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. Cambridge Honda (located at 275 fresh pond pkwy, cambridge, MA 02138, (866) 702-3190) was contacted by phone and notified of the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.

- Jamaica Plain, MA, USA

problem #65

Nov 122018

Civic

  • 199,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2002 Honda Civic that I purchased from the original owner as a commuter car two years ago suddenly had transmission failure. I have driven the car 30,000 miles over the past two years and have not had a problem. One day the car was placed in park while in a drive through with the engine running would not move when placed back into drive. None of the forward or reverse gears would move the car. I towed the car home and still looking for the fix. I thought the shift cable may have been the cause but that is not the problem as it is functioning at the shifter and at the transmission. Not sure if a shift solenoid is bad or if the transmission is shot. No warning, no erratic shifting, and no burnt transmission fluid. Very disappointed that this is a common problem with 02 Civics and Honda has turned I blind eye to a known problem.

- Murfreesboro, NC, USA

problem #64

Jun 212018

Civic

  • 176,000 miles
#1) overheats/boils reservoir lost 3 caps #2)water pump failure #3)trunk latch doesn't work all time #4)cruise control never worked #5) window washer motor fried #6) can't run ac sometimes heater causes to overheat it will idle for hours but once its driven down hwy it starts to over heat. #7) transmission failure while driving in to library to get my son it was like it went into neutral while I was driving no speed all rpms. #8) ignition keeps sticking won't always start feels like the key is going to break #9) all the windows are now manual drivers side wire frayed and messed up broke plastic pieces. It's held up by pvc the passenger is the only window still operable one motor stopped and never started the other is held up with a door stopper. #10) the seatbelts lock and won't let go even if the car is started but not mobile still in park.

- Smithville, TX, USA

problem #63

Mar 192018

Civic

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 20 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the a cellular build up had occurred in the transmission and fluid leaked out. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

- West Hollywood, CA, USA

problem #62

Aug 112017

Civic

  • miles
I just bought a Honda Civic 2002 thinking it was a safe reliable care when all of a sudden the transmisson starts giving out in the path of cars causing my saftey to be a concern I think its for the best of Honda drivers that this car gets recalled for its transmission issues I almost dont even want a Honda anymore

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #61

Aug 022017

Civic

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I just bought a 2002 Honda thinking it was a safe reliable car. Then I found out it is a financial mistake because the transmisson is giving out. This experince is changing my veiw on Honda for the worst because now im having so many problems and not enough money to fix it this vehicle should be recalled for its transmisson issues

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #60

Nov 012009

Civic

  • 74,400 miles
Transmition went out at 74400 miles with no warning ⚠️ town driving took corner no 3rd or 4th gear on automatic transmition could only GO20 miles an hour got it back home cost 2500 buck S to fix with Honda "good will " policy. Now it has blown cylinder head at 1400000 car loses coolant and comes out over flow tank

- Ripon, CA, USA

problem #59

Apr 122017

Civic

  • 130,000 miles
My Honda lost power and was really sluggish on the highway with an 18 wheeler behind me.come to find out I had to put in a transmission.now, less than a year later I get a check engine light reading PO740 01/01 tcc circute malfunction.put in too much money to fix something else.my son was coming back from college with an hour left to get home when light came on second time.

- Denton, NC, USA

problem #58

Mar 112017

Civic

  • 173,240 miles
Transmission goes into gear then will not engage after 30 seconds. Reversed then put in drive and now it wont engage

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #57

Nov 232014

Civic

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the vehicle independently shifted out of gear while being operated at various speeds. The check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician flushed the transmission fluid however the failure recurred. The contact replaced the transmission however after being operated for 60,000 miles, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

- Lauderhill, FL, USA

problem #56

Jun 102014

Civic

  • 130,000 miles
Transmission went out at 130,000 miles. Seems like a lot of other people have same issue so I tried calling Honda but since the car is pretty old they refused to help.

- Aurora, IL, USA

problem #55

May 082016

Civic

  • 194,400 miles
I was driving my vehicle at approximately 45 mph and was entering a major intersection when the rpms reved up to approximately 4000 and I lost all control of the speed of the vehicle and this all happened with a sudden jerk. I then pushed my gear shiftier (car is automatic) into neutral then back into drive while trying to avoid cars in the intersection. The car finally engaged again and I was able to pull into a nearby gas station. I had to sit in the gas station with the car off for about 30 minutes before I could drive home. About 10 minutes later the vehicle did the same thing and almost rear ended another vehicle. I was pretty sure it was a transmission issue and couldn't call the mechanic till the next morning because this happened on a Sunday evening and shops were not open. I was able to take it in the next morning to a mechanic who of which experienced the same issue while test driving my vehicle unfortunately with my vehicle the transmission is encased and he gave me the number for a Honda transmission shop. Upon speaking to the Honda specialist he informed me that this was a common problem with Honda's and that the transmission would have to be rebuilt for the car to be salvageable. When asked how much it would cost I was told 2550 plus state taxes. Upon calling Honda I was told that they would not assist in covering the cost even though its a common problem for their vehicles and I could have been killed or my kids. This problem needs to be addressed before someone gets hurt or killed.

- Lincolnton, NC, USA

problem #54

Apr 252016

Civic

  • 122,676 miles
Takata recall replaced transmission $3,000 2014. Radiator 2015.. temp rising shut off 2 times on freeway same day $283. Towing fee on aaa plus ins.. blown gasket. April 2016. Done. Sitting in garage. Looking for Toyota prius, I see they also have lots of problems. What shall I do? can't find your Honda hybrid, I know they have them. Yes was in motion on the hwy.

- Dana Point, CA, USA

problem #53

Oct 092015

Civic

  • 137,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle failed to shift gears and stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted, but only shifted into the neutral position. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #52

Aug 032015

Civic

  • 121,426 miles
Without any warning or symptoms the engine light came on and stayed on. Dealer determined transmission has failed, based on dtc codes: P0700 A/T system P0730 incorrect gear ratio dealer says transmission needs to be replaced at a cost of (with a used transmission with 89,000 miles on it a a six month/6000 mile warranty) $2,700 installed. I declined. Car seems to be running fine but engine warning light remains on, causing MA vehicle safety inspection failure and I now have 60 days to repair it or take it off the road. The problem with Honda transmissions seems to be endemic, but a secret. Others have fared much worse with transmission failures on the road.

- Northfield, MA, USA

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