6.3

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$370
Average Mileage:
85,300 miles
Total Complaints:
46 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (23 reports)
  2. replace defective seat belt buckle (8 reports)
  3. SRS module needs to be replaced (8 reports)
  4. replaced seat belt component (3 reports)
  5. left front seat belt buckle switch fault under warranty (1 reports)
  6. replace seat belt tensioner (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Honda dealer.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #6

Aug 212007

(reported on)

Civic SI 2.0L 4cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 80,000 miles

At about the 80,000 mile mark SRS light came on and stayed on. I'm not too keen on messing with the SRS system myself (I. E. trying to reset with a paper clip) so I took my Si to the dealership and payed the $90+ for the diagnostic, which is in itself a rip-off just to plug in a cable and push a button. Dealer says SRS Module is shorted out and needs to be replaced. Quoted me over $900. Needless to say, this particular failure is not covered under warranty so I'm driving without Air Bags until I can dump this heap. Didn't realize that Hondas were such money pits to maintain and had so many common problems.

- Robert R., Raleigh, NC, US

problem #5

Sep 212006

(reported on)

Civic LX

  • 200,000 miles

SRS indicator light has come on, and refuses to go off, dealership has done reset once (at cost to owner), indicator stayed off for a few weeks and is once again on. Have been doing research w/ little result, found possible solution, but have yet to try. N. B. - http://www.autofan.com/forum_reply. asp?message=7364&replyid=36103&level=1&all=

- n7civic, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

problem #4

Feb 262007

(reported on)

Civic LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,800 miles

I bought a new Honda Civic 2 door in 2002 and haven't had too many problems but this week my SRS light went on and stays on. I don't want to go to the dealer because they will give me a list as long as my arm on what other stuff I should fix including the SRS issue and now reading the comments I don't really know what to do.

- minerva, Markham, ON, Canada

problem #3

Nov 282006

(reported on)

Civic EX 1.7L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles

I purchased my Civic used in July, 2006 with about 75,000 miles on it. A few months later, when starting up the car, the SRS light came on and stayed on. I drove it like this for a few weeks, then took it to my local Honda dealer. They said that the SRS error code being produced was "indeterminate" and that they couldn't pinpoint exactly what was causing the SRS light to come on.

However, the Honda dealer said that their technician had seen cases like this in the past where the cable reel assembly was the cause of the problem. (This is a coil of flat ribbon cable inside your steering wheel which is supposed to keep the airbag mechanism in constant contact with the airbag controller computer located elsewhere in your vehicle.)

I asked if there was any guarantee that replacing the cable reel assembly (a $330 proposition) would "cure" the SRS error light. The dealer rep said there was not, and suggested that they simply reset the SRS light and "see if it comes on again." Two days after they reset it, it came on again.

I'm currently trying to decide whether to spend $330 on the dealer's experimental fix. If I pay to repair this, it should be fixed once and for all. Honda corporate should bear any further experimentation costs--if they can't provide the dealer mechanic with the diagnostic tools he needs to repair this, neither I nor the dealer should have to keep spending money "guessing" which part of the SRS system needs replacing. At least that's going to be my argument if and when I escalate this to Honda corporate customer service.

- Joe N., Waukesha, WI, US

problem #2

Sep 022006

(reported on)

Civic EX

  • 52,200 miles

I bought this car used in April of 2005 from a Honda dealership. Other than this I haven't had any problems with it. My SRS (airbag) light started staying on longer and longer when I started the car up. Finally it just started staying on all the time. I took it into the dealership and they reset it for free but told me if it comes on again they'd have to replace it for...$480!!! Well guess what, 3 days later it came on and stayed on again. I have a friend who has this exact same car (but a 2001) and he had this same problem but was able to reset it himself because he's a mechanic. Well I have no warranty currently and I can't afford to replace it. They told me the reason that it stays on has something to do with the weight in the passenger seat. They said that if you have weight in the passenger seat but not enough to register (for example, the weight of a person), sometimes it will confuse the system and that's why it stays on. To me it sounds like a crock of ----. It should either register enough weight to activate the airbag, or not. Because you know, if there isn't enough weight in the seat, the airbag wouldn't go off (for safety reasons). This should've been recalled by Honda because it is a safety issue. I'm going to check another Honda dealership or talk to other repair shops before I shell out $480.

- Stephanie R., Marion, IA, US

problem #1

Apr 262006

(reported on)

Civic EX

  • 46,200 miles

Never Buying a Honda AGAIN. They are cheap as in not worth buying. I've spent so much money on trying to get this SRS light to switch OFF, Plus it's unsafe to drive a Car with NO Air Bags.

Honda SHOULD to a Recall!!! on all Honda Civic 2002 EX Models because I am not the only person with this issue....

- M B., Wilmington, DE, US