9.3
really awful- Typical Repair Cost:
- $2,320
- Average Mileage:
- 104,800 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 682 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replaced transmission (261 reports)
- rebuilt whole transmission (154 reports)
- not sure (142 reports)
- get Honda to cover the cost (54 reports)
- buy a different car...can't afford the repair (24 reports)
- break down the transmission and fix (15 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Honda dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN HONDA. THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS COMMON AND THEY KNOW ABOUT IT. THE STATEMENT FROM HONDA IS IT IS NOT SAFETY RELATED SO THERE IS NO RECALL. SHAME ON YOU HONDA. IF THIS FAILURE OCCURS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IT CERTAINLY HAS A POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE DRIVER. I FEEL HONDA IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM AND HAS TAKEN A POSITION UNWORTHY OF THIS BRAND NAME. I WANT RESTITUTION FOR THIS FAILURE. NOTHING LESS. CLASS ACTION SUITE SHOULD BE STARTED ASAP. WAKE UP ATTORNEYS, THIS IS A BIG ONE!!!!
- Anthony T., Jeffersonville, PA, US
Transmission gave out at 125,751 miles. I've contacted American Honda (800-999-1009), and they will not do anything for this transmission failure (NOT EVEN A GOODFAITH DEAL). It's clearly a bad problem on Honda's behalf (just look at all the complaints posted all over the internet). Since Honda did not even try to assist in anyway, I will never never never buy another Honda product again...not even a Honda lawnmower!
- pletx, Sachse, TX, US
Being a Honda fan, it's been really frustrating to have something like this happen. Especially since I'm a college student with a family and this is our only car. How is it that the transmission has gone out and most everything in the vehicle is still from the factory?
- Josh B., Hurricane, UT, US
I bought this 2001 Honda Civic LE for my 16 year old daughter. It had 86,000 miles on it and I thought I did great buying a "reliable" Honda. At 95,000 miles, the transmission started slipping while accelerating causing the engine to rev high until it "caught". Brought it to Honda and they said the transmission needed to be replaced. They wanted $3,400 so I brought it to a local reputable transmission shop and it is being replaced for $2,600.
This is extremely frustrating! I asked the owner of the transmission shop why this transmission failed after only 95,000 miles. I was surprised to hear him say that this is a design flaw with Honda transmissions manufactured after 1998. I look online today and see this is a widespread problem, confirming what the mechanic said! I sure wish I would have researched this purchase better!
- bthomp9105, Lake Charles, LA, US
After the Transmission was replaced at the dealer for a whopping $3500, the transmission doesn't shift like it is suppose to. It feels very sluggish.
- Brandon P., Dallas, TX, US
I started to noticed a high pitched whine when I started the car but would disappear after the car had been driven a few miles. I thought it was a belt, no biggie right? One day on the way home on the freeway, my car started to act like it had been placed in to neutral. I hit the gas and the engine would rev up the tachometer would register the revolutions, but no power. I managed to coast to a safe place off the freeway (was lucky). I now looking at a repair cost of $1700 - $3300. Waiting for the Honda Dealer in Livermore to call me back. I will update this info as It comes in. Very disappointing as I've owned civics before and never had the transmission go out. I owned one civic for 16 years and put 225 miles on it with No Problem. Honda: Where have you gone wrong? and Why? Hey Toyota, you got any good deals over there? I'm thinking of a new xB right now. I'm afraid of the the Element cuz its got a Honda badge on it. Yikes!
- Al S., Pleasanton, CA, US
There is no way a transmission should fail in a car with only 115000 miles on it. There was only slight slipping of the transmission days before it went out.
- pergram, Weaverville, NC, US
My transmission failed 3 weeks before my wedding. A headache we didn't need. Luckily when it failed I was a mile from home on a Sunday night after a 2 hour drive. I had it towed to my local shop, got a quote, panicked since it was 3/4 of the blue book value on a good day.
I started looking at other cars and was ready to go on a new or used car but decided a repair bill was more in my budget than new car payments. So I had it towed to the dealership. They also gave me a quote and I asked for a break. They had me bring in the documentation of my maintenance to send on to Honda Corp. without much hope. Luckily, I think, the dealer rep was in town the next and OK'd a 15% ($850) discount on the repairs. So I did it. 3 year / 36K warranty on the new tranny.
Things worked fine for a short while. It seems to be slipping again now. Especially in the low gears. So will be making a new appointment with the dealership. It's a huge pain, being our only car. I am starting to regret my decision to repair it instead of parting it out or scrapping it and putting the money towards a new car.
So as many have stated, the fix, doesn't appear to be a long term one.
- Lewis H., Milwaukee, WI, US
Same story... driving on the freeway... thankfully, there was road construction happening and so traffic was very slow but could start to feel a problem with the car as I braked and accelerated... and then really with no earlier warning (the car ran fine for about an hour before this began to happen), the car died. Could shift into neutral but engine would die once I shifted into drive. Pushed car off to the side and had it towed to Honda dealership. Next morning, they told me it was the transmission and that they had never seen anything like it, that Honda civic transmissions last forever... yep. Stumbled on this website when I was looking for price quotes on used transmissions... all the complaints mirrored the diagnostic results from the dealership and I was pissed off.
Called Honda's customer service and got some bs about how they could not offer any assistance with the cost of repairs because the car was older than 6 years and was over 100,000 miles. I'm filing as many complaints as I can and am looking into my legal options.
It is really unbelievable how much greed drives decisions to recall or not to recall... it's obvious Honda of America doesn't really give a flying f*** about the safety of it's consumers. I am thankful that my sister and I were not hurt when the transmission failed, but I agree with others that it's really sad that something like this might not be fixed until people begin dying and deaths due to defective manufacturing equals bad PR.
- Lina C., Davis, CA, US
2001 Honda Civic sucks. Transmission failure, we called honda cost. service with no help, called honda checkered flag Virginia Beach where we bought this junk, associate was so rude and no help at all.
- Victor P., Virginia Beach, VA, US
I thought that Hondas would last at least a few hundred thousand miles. Unfortunately, I've had several issues with my Honda. One of which was when my transmission died, two years ago, while making a left hand turn at a traffic light. The car literally died. I had to leave it in a nearby grocery store parking lot and have it towed to a mechanic. I called Honda for the replacement and they refused to replace it saying it had too many miles. I ended up paying $2800. Now my engine and radiator just died this past weekend, with no warning, while I was driving down the interstate. The only problem I had was that the night before it wouldn't start. After trying to get it to start, it eventually did and kept running long enough for me to make it to a nearby friend's house. The next morning when I left, and was on my way home to take it closer to a shop near my house, is when the engine light suddenly came on. However, the temperature gauge never moved, but what I thought was smoke started coming from the hood of the car. After pulling off the interstate, jumping out the car scared that it was on fire, I called 911 for help. The firemen showed up and found out that it was steam from the radiator blowing out. At 217,000 miles I expected more. I've had to get a timing belt, alternator, O2 sensors work (done twice), a transmission, and now the engine and radiator. (I may have left one or two more things out.) I wish someone would help us because most of these issues occurred at either under 100,000 or just over 100,000 miles. The blue book value of my car is only $1100. I don't see it being worth putting thousands of more dollars into it to fix it. I've literally had my car die 4 different times since owning it. All 4 times was while driving it on the interstate (twice), parking lot (once) and on a busy street (once). I bought it brand new off the showroom floor of a Honda dealership. I just thank the Lord that He has always protected me and never let me, or anyone else, get hurt while this car has died putting everyone at risk.
- Topeka J., Atlanta, GA, US
Transmission failed on my 2001 Honda Civic at 11pm an hour away from where I live. Awesome. After checking out consumer reports, this is apparently a major issue with the 2001 Civics because of an issue with the torque converter. The place AAA towed it to wanted $3K for a rebuild with factory parts and a 3-year warranty; the Honda Service Center wanted $4K!!! You would think they would offer a discount on this service since I need it because of their faulty parts, but no. Average cost after calling around was about $2600-$2700 for a rebuild. I found a place that could do it for $1800 and 1-yr warranty. Let's hope it holds out.
If you are the original owner and have maintained rigorous upkeep at Honda Service centers only, you can try to see if Honda will give you 10-20% of the cost. But if the cost is $4K, it's still going to be more expensive than an average rebuild.
- victoria_g, San Francisco, CA, US
well I hope to write to you is any help, sometimes I think I did spending when buying the car
- Juan T., Fajardo, PR, Puerto Rico
Transmission failure due to torque converter. Torque converter allowed debris into the transmission which in turn completely trashed the transmission.
- David B., Metamora, IL, US
After reading numerous sites, I have come to find that many Honda Civic 2001 owners have experienced the transmission failing without much warning, and that Honda will not do a recall!!! This issues is very dangerous, I along with countless others have experienced the failure during a regular drive with traffic around. This is such a harmful situation and yet Honda does not see the danger of its consumers driving around town to have their cars suddenly give out or rev, and wishing they can pull over without causing anymore safety issues. We need a recall ASAP! Many of us in these bad economic times cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars to fix the tranny nor pay for a new car.
- Mecca H., N. Hollywood, CA, US
Driving down Atlanta major freeway in rush hour traffic. Without any warning I begin losing acceleration in my car. No warning lights, no sounds from the car. I have to coast over to the right hand lane. Putting the car in D, D2, D3 no acceleration is made, engine just revs. I had taken the car in for an oil change on Saturday, did not drive the car on Sunday or Monday, drove the car on Tuesday no problem, and then Wed problem occurs. 2 months prior had a major service for 100,000 miles and complete analysis of car....no problems with transmission found. I am the original owner of the vehicle and only had the vehicle serviced at a Honda dealership since I have owned it; including oil changes. I have owned a Honda my whole life via leases and buys. I planned on keeping this car til....125000 miles and then buying a new Honda. The cars blue book value is $5500 and the cost quoted to replace the transmission with a new one is $3300 for 3 year warranty. After market transmission are almost as much money and only warrantied to 6 months. Rebuilds are not even much less than that and are only guaranteed for 30 days and have 100,000 miles on them. My car was towed to the Honda dealership that did my oil change.....it is still sitting there. I called the Goodwill number and was told by the case worked Lilly that my car is no longer under warranty. They will not be providing any assistance. I was provided a corporate address to write a letter and she advised me she would get the letter and would then be responding to it. She was not very nice. She did not provide me any avenue to discuss the issue. I have always said Honda stands for quality but not anymore. It is a company that does not stand by its products.
But the greater concern here is the safety issue. I was on a major freeway going 60 mph and barely make it over to the shoulder coasting. Had I not made it....I could very easily been rear ended and could be in the hospital or dead. I can only thank god that my 2 kids were not with me at the time as they probably would not be here today.
For Honda to not acknowledge this in any way is a disgrace.
Perhaps I should buy from another company that has integrity.
- Amanda A., Alpharetta, GA, US
Bought this car from a lady in 2004 @12,500 KM on the board. I m retired, aged >70 years.I have pampered this car. Use this on long trips within /Canada and USA. Must say this car has given me an excellent service, just like my previous 1988 Honda Accord. I've not even had a puncture whhist drivibg through Canada& USA twicw in last five years , each time driving 18k KMs during summer.
In June I had to renew my Emmission Control Test prior to renewing my car license, which was done without hassle at the dealership.July renewd my licemse locked up the car and flew to Alberta in July returning in Sep.2010, then drove to Kingston some 250 KM away returning the next day. Three days later on Friday I was set out to go to a gathering. The car started fine but slipped back in to neutral and back into drive. his behaviour resembled a mannual trans sliiping clutch and pressure plate.I sttpooed and checked oils, everything was normal. I started the car .The "Check" lights came on. Within 2 KMs the trans went into neutral . The engine sang but no motion. Hat to call |CAA and had it towed back home.
The Owners manula says the check engine lights come on because of probable malfunction of Emmission Control system and I had just done the emmission control test in June? Is it possible that the dealership who did this test messeed up the system ? I am at a loss to understand. But reading all the complaints from your readers it seems the bottom line in $3000.And my car has done 93000KM. Which means another $1000 for 100,000 KM Service?
ny dvise apart from dump it......? Thanx listeneing to me
Sultan
- Sultan M., Toronto, ON, Canada
I'm not understanding Honda's position on not helping to fix these defective transmissions. They had a similar problem with their Odyssey ( 1999-2001 ) and extended the warranty. Evidently we need to file a class action law suit. I had a horrific experience when the trans went with no warning on a very busy highway at rush hour last friday. This problem is a dangerous situation !! And the NHTSA is doing nothing ?? What's it going to take...deaths.
- lrudderow, Philadelphia, PA, US
I complained to Honda during the first month I owned the car that I thought the transmission was slipping. When it failed completely they tried to charge me about 2K. I fought with them and eventually was able to get help from the corporate office, only because it was documented that I had complained about it. It was a real pain getting them to take care of it.
- Dora F., Tewksbury, MA, US
the transmission has failed on my daughter's car. I didn't realize until doing some research that this is a common problem.
- garycpo, Apex, NC, US