2004 Honda Civic Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATE. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WAS SKIPPING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY CVT SKIPPING OR AN EGR VALVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.
I HAVE A 2004 HONDA CIVIC EX. DRIVING TO GLENDALE (1 HOUR FROM WHERE I LIVE) IN THE CITY I STARTED NOTICING THE TRANSMISSION WAS JERKING. SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. GOING UP A HILL MY TRANSMISSION WASN'T WORKING ANYMORE AND WAS REVVING WITHOUT GOING INTO GEAR. I WAS IN MOTION ON A HILL ON A VERY TIGHT ROAD WHERE ONLY 1 CAR CAN PASS AT A TIME. AND CARS WERE PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET. I ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE PARKED CARS BECAUSE I COULD'T CONTROL THE JERKING OF THE CAR AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. I HAD CARS COMING TOWARDS ME AND HAD THE CAR STALLED ON THE ROAD AND HAD TO BLOCK THE TRAFFIC FOR 30 MIN BEFORE MY FRIENDS COULD COME AND HELP ME MOVE THE CAR. THERE WAS LITTLE AMOUNT OF SPACE AND PARKING AND HAD TO PUSH THE CAR FOR A WHILE BEFORE FINDING A PARKING SPOT. THE CAR HAS ONLY 123,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS FRESH AND CLEAN AND NEVER HAD ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WITHIN 15 MIN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP! I REALLY HOPE HONDA CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I SEE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT HONDA'S TRANSMISSION FAILING IN THESE HONDA CIVICS BETWEEN 2000 AND 2004.
THE CAR TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES THE ENGINE IS FINE, BUT WHEN I ACCELERATE THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD RIGHT AWAY. ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. IT HAS PLENTY OF FLUID, BUT THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.
WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, CAME TO A STOP LIGHT THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO. WHEN I HIT THE GAS ALL IT DID WAS REV UP. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT WAS ABLE TO START MOVING THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. *TR
THE TRANSMISSION DASH LIGHT CAME ON THEN THE CAR JUMPED HARD OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND INTO THIRD. THEN THE CAR WAS JERKING LIKE SOMEONE WAS PUMPING THE BRAKES HARD SO I TRIED SHIFTING TO 4TH AND THE JERKING GOT WORSE WITH A GRINDING NOISE CAUSING THE CAR TO BE EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL AND KEEP ON THE ROAD ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AT ABOUT 40 MPH IT ALL JUST HAPPENED WITH OUT WARNING OR ANY INDICATION VERY UNSAFE AND EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING. *TR
MY TRANSMISSION IN MY 2004 HONDA CIVIC 5 SPEED MANUAL EX MODEL IS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND CAUSING THE CAR TO DECELERATE FASTER THAN NORMAL , IT ALMOST CAUSED A LADY TO HIT ME IN THE READ END. IT IS CAUSING A JERKING , LURCHING OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS SOMETHING IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WAS ALSO CAUSING THE DRIVE AXES TO WOBBLE CAUSING THE ROTORS TO SHIMMY THE TIRES. TOOK THE CAR TO HONDA DEALER THIS MORNING AND THEY SAID FROM THE SOUND AND A TEST DRIVE IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT BEARING BAD. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THEY HAD RECALLS BUT NOT ON MY VIN NUMBER. THIS CAN CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING AND IS VERY UNSAFE. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AND HAVE PARKED IT. HONDA WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM BUT ONLINE FORUMS ARE LOADED WITH 200-2005 CIVIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES. *TR
MY CAR STARTED MAKING A GROWLING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. I CAME TO FIND OUT FROM RESEARCH THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT BEARING. I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD MANY OTHER HONDA CIVIC OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THEN WHILE ACCELERATING INTO TRAFFIC IT DECIDED TO STOP WORKING COMPLETELY AND LEAVE ME STRANDED ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND WITHIN 2 WEEKS THE NEW TRANSMISSION IS DOING THE SAME THING. *TR
STARTED HEARING NOISES COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN I SHIFTED INTO 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. SOUNDS LIKE A BAD BEARING POSSIBLY, I'LL FIND OUT WHEN I TAKE IT IN TO THE SHOP FOR SURE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT IS APPARENT THAT AT MY MILEAGE IT IS MORE THAN COMMON FOR HONDA'S TRANSMISSIONS TO START FAILING. DISHEARTENING TO FIND OUT HONDA DOESN'T HELP WITH GOODWILL REPAIRS FOR THIS WELL DOCUMENTED TREND OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THINKING THAT BUYING ANOTHER HONDA RECENTLY MAY HAVE BEEN A BAD IDEA. *TR
THE CAR MAKES NOISE WHEN CAR IS PARKED ON NEUTRAL, THE CAR MANUAL IT ALSO MAKES THE NOISE LOUDER ON FIRST GEAR LIKE AT 2500 RPM. SOUNDS LIKE THE INPUT SHAFT BEARING. *TR
THE INPUT SHAFT BEARING OR THROW BEARING IN VEHICLE IS MAKING A LOUD CLICKING/RATTLING NOISE THROUGH ALL GEARS. I'M LEANING MORE TOWARDS THE INPUT SHAFT BEARING BEING GONE OR SHOT. A LOT OF TALK ON THE WEB ABOUT THESE GOING IN THE EARLIER CIVICS. MORE NOTICEABLE IN 1ST-3RD. I'VE FOUND THROUGH OTHER WEBSITES THAT THEY IS A RECALL ON VIN SPECIFIC HONDA CIVIC UP TO THE YEAR 2004. *TR
AT 6X,000 MILES MY HONDA SHOULD NOT BE MAKING THIS NOISE! THE NOISE IS A TERRIBLE CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE CLUTCH IS UP AND GETS EXTREMELY BAD WHEN ACCELERATING. I'M EMBARRASSED TO LET ANYONE DRIVE IN MY CAR. I BOUGHT THIS CAR TO SAVE MONEY NOT TO SPEND IT! IF I WANTED TO WASTE MONEY REPAIRING CARS I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT EUROPEAN! I GUESS I'M NOT TAKING ANY GIRLS OUT ON DATES. THANKS HONDA!! *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND HESITATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTING CLUTCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, I CHANGED THE OWNERSHIP INFORMATION WITH AMERICAN HONDA. I LATER CHECKED IF THERE WERE ANY OPEN NOTICES OR RECALLS. HONDA TOLD ME THERE WAS NONE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE HAD A NOTICE ALERTING OWNERS TO CVT BELT SLIPPAGE. HONDA SENT THIS NOTICE TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER. WHEN THE OWNER CHANGED, HONDA SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED THIS NOTICE OPEN AGAIN. SENDING A NOTICE TO A PREVIOUS OWNER DOES NOT INFORM THE OWNER AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS KIND OF NOTICE IS TO ENSURE THE OWNER HAS THE INFORMATION. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION FAILING IN OPERATION. HAD I RECEIVED THE NOTICE, I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE SLIGHT SHUDDER WAS A SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED SAFELY, RATHER THAN FAILING CATASTROPHICALLY ON THE ROAD. HONDA NEEDS TO FIX THEIR NOTIFICATION SYSTEM TO CONSIDER ALL NOTICES (UNLESS THE PROBLEM IS REPAIRED) RE-OPENED ON CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP. OTHERWISE, THE PURPOSE OF THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, POSSIBLY LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE FAILED (AS IT DID IN MY CASE) OR WORSE. I DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE WITH HONDA AND THEY MAINTAINED THAT ONCE A NOTICE WAS SENT ON AN ISSUE, THE NOTICE WAS CLOSED WITH RESPECT TO THAT VEHICLE. THIS MAKES NO SENSE. THE PURPOSE OF A NOTICE IS TO ALERT THE OWNER, NOT THE VEHICLE.
I HAD A CRACK THROUGH MY TRANSMISSION GEAR FROM THE INSIDE DIAMETER ALL OF THE WAY OUT AND 75% FRACTURED FROM ONE SIDE OF THAT COG CYLINDER TO THE OTHER. I REPLACED PART # 23451-PDM-A00 AND 23531-P24-J00 AT A COST OF $2241.75 AT THE SHOP AND ANOTHER $261.93 IN CAR RENTAL FEES. THE FAILURE WAS FIRST CHECKED IN AT THE SHOP ON 9/14/2010 AT 60,715 MILES BUT IT WAS CRACKED AND MAKING THE NOISE SINCE APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES. SHOP MANAGER TOLD ME HE HAD NOT SEEN A GEAR CRACK LIKE MINE HAD IN 15 YEARS AND ESPECIALLY AT 60,000 MILES AND THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION IT HAD BEEN A MANUFACTURES DEFECT. *TR
TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT BEARING FAILURE. NO SIGNIFICANT EVENT LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS $3500 TO REBUILD. IS A DAILY PROBLEM. NEVER GOES AWAY. A MECHANIC AT HONDA TOLD ME IT IS THE INPUT SHAFT BEARING AND I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. HE SAID THIS IS COMMON WITH HONDAS FROM MID 1990'S TO 2004. HE SAID IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF MAINTENANCE & GOOD DRIVING. HARSH GRINDING NOISE WHEN DRIVING CAR OR CAR IS IDLING. NOISE STOPS WHEN CLUTCH IS ENGAGED. DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO PUT INTO GEAR. I HAVE TO EASE IT INTO GEAR AT TIMES. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE FOR WHEN THE BEARING COMPLETELY FAILS AND THE TRANSMISSIONS FALLS APART. IF I AM DRIVING WITH OTHER CARS BEHIND ME, I MAY BE RAN INTO WHEN MY CAR COMES TO A STOP. I AM AFRAID TO LEAVE TOWN IN MY CAR. I GET ANXIETY EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. *TR
MY 2004 TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN A TURN THROUGH A NON STOP LIGHT CONTROLLED INTERSECTION. I WAS ALMOST BROADSIDED BY AN UPCOMING CAR, THAT WOULD HAVE MISSED ME IF THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T FAIL. I FOUND A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME MODEL YEAR THAT WAS PUT OUT WHILE MY CAR WAS IN THE DEALER'S POSSESSION. I AM BEING TOLD THAT IT IS MY PROBLEM, AND UNLESS I COUGH UP $8,000 TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION I AM SCREWED. FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION THE COST WOULD BE $2,000, BUT IT IS ONLY GUARANTEED FOR 1 YEAR. ON TOP OF ALL THIS HONDA WON'T RELEASE THE PATENTS SO THAT YOU CAN BUY THE PARTS NEEDED TO FIX IT ON YOUR OWN. SOUNDS A LOT LIKE FRAUD TO ME! WHY WONT NHTSA FORCE HONDA TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES? DOES SOMEONE REALLY HAVE TO BE KILLED, MAIMED OR INJURED TO MAKE COMPANIES REPAIR FAULTY VEHICLES? *TR
WE HAVE HAD BOTH THE BATTERY AND THE TRANSMISSION FAIL. THE BATTERY FAILED AT 82K MILES, JUST PAST THE 80K MILE WARRANTY. NOW, AT 91K MILES, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IN REVIEWING OUR RECORDS, IT SEEMS THAT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BEGAN AT 51K MILES, AS A "SURGING" WHEN WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE SUCH THAT THE ENGINE WOULD REV WHILE WE WERE COASTING. THE DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE AND THE STOPPED (FOR WHATEVER REASON). TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BEGAN AGAIN AT 71K MILES AS THE SHUDDERING. DEALER BURNISHED, AND THEN WE GOT THE RECALL NOTICES AT 74K MILES. IT BEGAN AS "SURGING" WHEN WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE, THE ENGINE REVVING EVEN WHEN WE WEREN'T ACCELERATING AT 51K MILES. THEN THE SHUDDERING STARTED AT 71K MILES. WE RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICES AT 74K MILES. SHUDDERING STARTED AGAIN AT 91K MILES & WE ARE BEING TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER SAID THAT HONDA AMERICA WILL PAY FOR THE RECALL IF THE CAR IS UNDER 100K MILES, BUT ONLY ONCE. IF THIS PROBLEM REOCCURS, ISN'T IT OBVIOUS THAT IT'S BY FAULT OF HONDA? AND THAT THESE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS OCCUR EVERY 20K MILES? THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO DEMAND A RECALL ON THE PART OF HONDA AMERICA. *KB
2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID, THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT. I'VE ALREADY REPLACED THE STARTER KIT, THE CV AND SOME OTHER STUFF. NOW, AT 113,000 THE TRANSMISSION IS WHINING AND JUTTERING. THIS CAR IS A LEMON. I HEAR THAT HONDA HAD A RECALL ON THE HYBRID TRANSMISSION IN JAPAN, SO THEY SHOULD HAVE ONE HERE, TOO. *LN
I HAVE HAD ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, STARTED AS A JUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING BUT AFTER THE DEALERSHIP BURNISHED THE TRANSMISSION A FEW TIMES AND CHANGED SOME PARTS AS PER SERVICE BULLETIN BECAUSE THIS YEAR CAR IS KNOW TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. THE JUDDER HAS NOW BECOME A HESITATION WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND SOMETIMES WILL DO IT MULTIPLE TIMES CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. NOW THAT THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO IS CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION HONDA SAYS THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I AGREE THAT IT HAPPENS ONLY OCCASIONALLY BUT IT IS STILL DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN YOU EXPECT THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AND IT DOES NOT IT CAN BE DANGEROUS. ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR MODEL BUT HONDA WILL NOT DO A RECALL, I GUESS SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE.
2004 HONDA CIVIC ROLLS BACK IN PARK. *TR
MY 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAS 65K PLUS MILES. THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITH A SLIGHT HESITATION UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. I CHALKED IT UP TO MINOR WEAR. THE HESITATION HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. NOW IT SHUDDERS (OR 'JUDDERS' AS I'VE HEARD IT CALLED) ON A REGULAR BASIS;THE SEVERITY AND DURATION HAVE INCREASED. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I DON'T FEEL SAFE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC WITHOUT MORE ROOM BETWEEN CARS THAN I'VE TYPICALLY NEEDED. *TR
CONTINUOUS TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AND RELATED ISSUES WITH MY HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT INCREASE IN SPEED AND BEGAN JERKING. THE DEALER ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,000.
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Quick Summary
The 2004 Honda Civic has 47 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.