After paying $1700 to replace the catalytic converter, which was suppose to solve the idling and engine light problems (it did not), suddenly, my car would not smoothly shift into 2nd gear. When shifting into 2nd, the car would rev, but not move. I could shift around 2nd gear. Honestly, I have had problems since the day I purchased this car, brand new, with cash, and drove it off the lot. I have dumped thousands of dollars into this car, each time thinking that since I own it outright, I've maintained it so well, and I've invested so much...surely it will be more reliable than a second car purchased from another. Not...so...much. I've owned Hondas all my life, and this is the only lemon I've purchased. All Hondas prior, and the Honda after, ran like dreams. My 2003 Honda Civic Coupe EX has been a nightmare.

Great little car, unfortunately disappointed to find out that the 2003 Hondas (many of them)had this problem.

Will definitely do a better job researching car before I buy another one.

Update from Oct 11, 2012: There was a bearing in the transmission that was making the nosie. The transmission still had to be removed but the repair by a long time service mechanic cost was just under $800. Great car, the clutch was checked and still had 1/2 life left. I would purchase another Honda.

My original auto-transmission died back in October 2009 with only 70K miles. Honda agreed to bring down the cost of the transmission replacement to $1,900. I got a Honda factory rebuild transmission installed and now I am currently have the following two issues with just 86,500 miles (16,500 miles on the new factory rebuild from Honda).

1) transmission whines while accelerating during the first 5-10 minutes of driving, or when cold

2) transmission stumbles while shifting from gear 2-to-3 while accelerating at slower speeds (regular acceleration, not a fast acceleration)

I find this to be completely unacceptable since this is a NEW transmission directly from Honda. What did they do? Put the same POS back into my car that they removed??!?!! I am going to take my car back to the dealership and leave it with them overnight so they can diagnose it in the early morning when the transmission is cold. I have a feeling that they will say they can't find anything wrong with it, and I will then be stuck with this POS transmission. Then, once the 3yr/36K warranty runs out, it will conveniently just cease to work and I will be screwed again.

Honda needs to own up to the problem and recall this generation of Civic for the designed-to-fail automatic transmission. I will never be purchasing a Honda vehicle ever again, and will switch to Hyundai for the stellar reviews that the Hyundai Elantra has received for reliability, safety, and interior comfort and room. Besides, Hyundai seems to be the only import brand that knows what they are doing these days. Seems that Honda is feeling the pinch from Hyundai's competition and instead of designing a better product, they are value engineering the quality out of their vehicles completely to the point they are losing their loyal customers to the very competition that is causing Honda to do the cost cutting in the first place. Seems idiotic to me, but I'm the one who feels like an idiot for spending $1,900 for another POS automatic transmission from Honda.