2003 Honda Civic Powertrain & Transmission Problems

WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IF I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND COAST, THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF 5TH INTO NEUTRAL. *TR

TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T RESPOND LOST CONTROL HIT TREE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CVT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE DRAINED AND BURNISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH WITH NO WARNING. WAS IN SLOW LANE AND ABLE TO GET ONTO SHOULDER WITHOUT GETTING HIT. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

WENT TO LEAVE WALMART AROUND 7 PM. CAR WOULDN'T MOVE...CVT TRANS, HYBRID.. *TR

MY HONDA CIVIC SUDDENLY WENT DEAD WITH NO INDICATION OF FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION WENT DEAD AND THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT IT WAS A INCORRECT GEARBOX RATIO. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND I FEEL THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR

I HAD TAKEN FOR A RECALL ON MY HONDA 2003 CIVIC EX AT MCDAVID HONDA OF IRVING. I RECENTLY HAD A OIL CHANGED AT MCDAVID HONDA OF IRVING. AFTER THE OIL CHANGE, THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN MY CAR'S PERFORMANCE. ITS TAKES A LOT TO THROTTLE THE CAR FROM START TO RUN, IF ITS ON INCLINE ROAD. THE GAS MILEAGE HAS GONE DOWN FROM 30MPG TO 27 MPG. WHEN ASKED TO HAVE A LOOK AT IT, THE SERVICE ADVISER SAID "$ 99 FOR DIAGNOSE." WHEN I TOOK THE DELIVERY AFTER THE RECALL WAS DONE, I NOTICED MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME-ON. I ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISER ABOUT THE LIGHT, HE SAID THE LIGHT WAS ON WHEN I DELIVERED THE CAR TO THEM. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT, AND THE LIGHT JUST CAME ON BY ITSELF. THEY TOLD ME, I HAVE TO PAY $99 TO HAVE HONDA TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I TALKED TO AMERICAN HONDA, THEY SAID "AS YOUR WARRANTY HAS FINISHED, AMERICAN HONDA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIR AND SERVICES PERFORMED BY ANY AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALERSHIP". *TR

TRANSMISSION SLIP FOR 20 MIN WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR THEN IT SHIFT HARD AFTER THAT . SEAT BELT LIGHT ALWAYS ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY AND CLUTCH FLUID IN AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DEFECT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHILE THE ENGINE WAS COLD, THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR WHEN THE ENGINE REACHED OPTIMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,400.

HAVE AN 03 CIVIC HYBRID WITH CVT TRANSMISSION. I GOT IT CERTIFIED USED AT ABOUT 36,000 MILES AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE FRESH TRANS FLUID AND I BELIEVE IT DID. THE POWERTRAIN IS WARRANTED TO 100,000 MILES SINCE IT WAS CERTIFIED USED. I AM AT 74,000 NOW. AT ABOUT 66,000, WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DUE FOR IT'S TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE, IT WAS MAKING A SLIPPING/GRINDING SOUND WHEN STARTING OFF, ESPECIALLY ON A HILL. IT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN VERY SMOOTH AND QUIET. IT GRADUALLY BECAME A PROBLEM. IT WAS NOT ALL OF A SUDDEN. IT WAS HARD TO KNOW FOR SURE THAT IT WAS NOT MY IMAGINATION, EXCEPT FOR IT BEING REAL OBVIOUS ON AN INCLINE AND IT WAS GETTING WORSE. THE DEALER'S MECHANIC HEARD THE SOUND, TOO, AND SAID LET'S START WITH THE FLUID CHANGE IT WAS DUE FOR. THE CHANGE MADE IT GREAT AGAIN, BUT ONLY FOR A FEW THOUSAND MILES. WHEN I WENT BACK THEY SAID THEY HAD LEARNED ABOUT A PROCESS CALLED BURNISHING THE TRANSMISSION BAND. I BELIEVE THEY PUT THEIR FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHILE PUTTING ON THE GAS, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF STALLING (I THINK) TO CLEAN UP THE BAND. MINE WOULD BE THE 2ND CAR THEY WOULD DO IT ON. IT ALSO REQUIRES A CHANGE OF FLUID AFTER BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE CRUD FROM THE PARTS AND PUT IT INTO THE FLUID. THEY DID IT FOR FREE SINCE I HAD ALREADY ASKED THEM TO WORK ON THIS PROBLEM, AND I HAD PAID FOR THE FLUID CHANGE TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM. AGAIN, AFTER THEIR WORK IT WAS NICE AND QUIET AND SMOOTH, BUT ABOUT 3,000 MILES LATER IT IS COMING BACK AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF THEIR PROCESS DID ANYTHING, OR IF IT WAS JUST THE FRESH FLUID THAT HELPED LIKE IT DID THE FIRST TIME. I AM CONCERNED REPETITIONS OF THE PROCESS MIGHT DECREASE THE LIFE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE BEST OUTCOME FOR ME WOULD PROBABLY BE A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 99,000 MILES BECAUSE THEN I CAN GET A NEW ONE. ANYBODY HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS? *TR

HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2003 WITH CVT TRANSMISSION, IT SHUDDERS AND VIBRATES ENTIRE CAR WHEN ACCELERATING SLOWLY. ALSO IN NEUTRAL IT HESITATES GOING IN REVERSE. I AM REQUESTING A RECALL AS I SEE MANY HAVING THIS PROBLEM ON THE WEB. HONDA CLAIMS THE CAR HAS NO PROBLEMS AND THAT IS THE ENGINE LURKING FORWARD. *TR

MY 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID WITH CVT TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY LOST ALL THE POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST CRASHED INTO MY CAR. SOON I FOUND OUT IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE PROBLEM WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION. I CALLED TWO DEALERSHIPS BUT THEY SAID SINCE IT'S A 8 YEAR OLD CAR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT FOR FREE. I BELIEVE IT IS A DRIVING HAZARD AS AN ACCIDENT ALMOST HAPPENED TO ME, AND HONDA IS LIABLE TO RECALL THEIIR CVT TRANSMISSION ON HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. *TR

DRIVE BELT IN MY 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID BROKE ALL OF SUDDEN WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING. COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF I WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED. LUCKILY WAS TRAVELING AT VERY LOW SPEED. VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT HONDA DEALERSHIP AND IS UP TO DATE, THEY HAVE NO EXPLANATION HOW THIS OCCURRED AND HONDA IS NOT WILLING TO HELP FIX THE ISSUE, I HAVE BEEN TOLD NEW CVT TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED. THEY HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BECAUSE SO MANY COMPLAINTS RECEIVED, BUT MINE EXPIRED 11 MONTHS AGO. HONDA SHOULD HAVE DONE A RECALL WITH THIS ISSUE! IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THEY ARE SWEEPING IT UNDER THE RUG AND WONT CORRECT THEIR FAULTY CVT TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUDDER / SHAKE, ACCELERATION WILL NOT OCCUR WHEN NEEDED. PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY BAD STARTING FROM 0 MPH UP A HILL, OR WHEN 2 OR MORE PASSENGERS ARE IN THE CAR. DEALER WILL NOT OFFER THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN JAPAN, AS THEY HAVE SENT OUT A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE OVERSEAS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILS EVERY 30-40K MILES CREATING A TRAFFIC HAZARD THAT WILL RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE IMA BATTERY DOES NOT HOLD A SUFFICIENT CHARGE CREATING A LOSS IN POWER AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. *TR

2003 CIVIC HYBRID WITH CVT HAS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP (EVEN SLIGHT ACCELERATION), THE WHOLE CAR WILL SHUDDER AND HARSH SLIPPING FEEL WILL START UNTIL THE CAR GETS MOVING A BIT. FAR WORSE WHEN STARTING ON AN INCLINE FROM A STOP. HONDA REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AT ABOUT 40K MILES, BUT IT QUICKLY BEGAN HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AT AROUND 70K MILES AND HAS BEEN HAVING THE ISSUE EVER SINCE. GETTING A TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE HELPED A BIT, BUT IT IS COSTLY TO CONTINUE CHANGING THAT FLUID AT EARLIER THAN THE MANUAL RECOMMENDED 30K MILE INTERVALS. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THERE IS A VIBRATION AND FORWARD JOLT DURING TAKE OFF FROM A STOP. HONDA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BUT I PASS IT BY ONE YEAR. THEY RECALLED THE TRANSMISSIONS IN JAPAN BUT FAIL TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY IN THE US. THEY SUGGESTED PERFORMING "BURNISHING" AND IT SHOULD LAST ANOTHER 20K MILES. I HAD THIS DONE TWO DAYS AGO AT THE DEALERSHIP AND CAN STILL FEEL THE VIBRATION AND JOLT. HONDA USED THIS TRANSMISSION FOR THE 03 AND 04 CIVIC HYBRIDS AND FAIL TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ERROR AND NOW THOUSANDS OF OWNERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WILL BE FORCED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE THE REPAIR COST IN $4500 AND THERE IS A 6-WEEK WAITING PERIOD. THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE OF HONDA TO PLACE THIS BURDEN ON THEIR CUSTOMERS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS RECESSION, BECAUSE THEY PUT OUT A FAULTY PRODUCT. IT IS SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE LIVES TAKEN, SUCH AS THE TOYOTA RECALL, FOR A US COMPANY TO ADMIT AND CORRECT A MISTAKE THEY MADE IN THEIR DESIGN. *TR

1. )I BOUGHT MY USED 2003 HONDA CIVIC LX ALMOST A YEAR AGO AND ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO HAVE ISSUES. I HEAR IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER TO FAIL. EVERY TIME MY CAR IS ABOUT TO SHIFT, THE RPMS JUMP VERY HIGH, AND THEN PULLS BACK HARD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. THIS OCCURS EVERY SINGLE TIME A DRIVE AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. I TRAVEL 2 HOURS EVERY WEEK TO VISIT MY GIRLFRIEND AND I AM AFRAID THE TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL WHILE I AM DRIVING 70MPH LEAVING ME IN THE DUST...OR WORSE. HONDA HAS RECALLED VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS AT OR AROUND THE YEAR OF MY VEHICLE, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON (MONEY) THEY DID NOT RECALL MINE. THE FAILURE HAS YET TO BE FIXED AS I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER AN INTERSECTION MY 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE DUE TO A SLIPPING TRANSMISSION. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHO WAS ABLE TO AVOID ME. *TR