2001 HONDA CIVIC Complaints

I JUST BOUGHT THIS 2001 HONDA CIVIC 1 WEEK AGO. IT HAS 54,715 MILES ON IT. LIKE A NEW CAR. 1 WEEK LATER I AM STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAVE IT TOWED TO HONDA & THEY TELL ME TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THIS CAR IS BASICALLY BRAND NEW. COME TO FIND OUT I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS COMPLAINT. ALMOST EVERY REVIEW I HAVE READ FOR THE 2001 HONDA CIVIC IS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THIS NEEDS TO BE THE HONDA TOP PRIORITY RECALL!! I AM OUTRAGED! *TR

I OWN A 2001 HONDA CIVIC LX. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE OVERSEAS FROM A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY. THIS PERSON HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. ON OR ABOUT 12 JULY 2009 MY WIFE AND I WERE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN I NOTICED THE DISTINCT ODOR OF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE NEXT DAY, MY WIFE SAW PUFFS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND A MUCH STRONGER ODOR ASSOCIATED WITH AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED BY A LOCAL GARAGE IN SCHERTZ, TX AND EXACTLY MATCHES THE SYMPTOMS OF THE FOLLOWING RECALL FEB 24, 2004 | RECALL ID# 75776. THE COMPLAINT GOES BEYOND THE INITIAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AS MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF BOTH A LOCAL HONDA DEALER, GILMAN HONDA IN SELMA, TX AND TO HONDA.COM VIA THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE. BOTH ENTITIES STATED WORDS TO THE AFFECT OF "THAT VIN DOESN'T EXIST." THROUGH INVESTIGATION, WE DISCOVERED THAT HONDA DROPPED THE VIN ONCE THE VEHICLE SHIPPED OVERSEAS AS PART OF THE MILITARY NEW CAR SALES PROGRAM. NEITHER ENTITY, EITHER THE LOCAL DEALER OR HONDA USA MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY MATTER. THIS IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FOR ANY MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER THAT PURCHASES AN AMERICAN CAR WHILE STATIONED OVERSEAS AND NEEDS SOME REGULATORY AGENCY TO MANDATE A FIX. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION MY WIFE'S 2001 HONDA CIVIC'S ENGINE DIED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN, DROVE IT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND IT DIED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. SHE CALLED AAA TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE ONLY HONDA DEALER ON OUR ISLAND. WE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK AND REPORT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALER REPORTED IT HAD A CODE OF "P1362" AND NEED A NEW CYLINDER HEAD AT A COST OF $5300.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THE CAR ALWAYS RAN FINE AND WAS REGULARLY SERVICED BY A DEALER. MY QUESTION IS: "HOW CAN A CAR WITH 58K MILES, RUNNING FINE SUDDENLY NEED A NEW CYLINDER HEAD? I HAD THE DEALER REINSTALL THE CAM COVER (THEY CHARGED US $100.00) AND DROVE IT OUT (YES IT WAS RUNNING). I'M WORRIED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE AND/OR EVEN LOSS OF LIVES. IF IT NEEDS A NEW CYLINDER HEAD HOW CAN IT NOW BE RUNNING? I WOULDN'T IMAGINE A CYLINDER HEAD PROBLEM TO BE AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE. WHEN LIVING ON A SMALL ISLAND (KAUAI) YOU'RE AT THE MERCY OF THE ONLY DEALER IN TOWN. *TR

THE SRS LIGHT IN MY 2001 HONDA CIVIC HAS BEEN ON FOR A MONTH, WHICH MEANS MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY. HONDA REFUSES TO COVER THE COST OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK OVER THE CAR FROM HIS AUNT IN 10/2005, AT 56,020 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE WITH PERIODIC OIL CHANGES AND SOME MAINTENANCE. ON 12/22/2008, WHEN IT WAS OF 82,409 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THIS TIME WE DID PAY SOME AMOUNT FOR OTHER SERVICES BUT DUE TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIP COULD NOT PAY FOR THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACEMENT, AS ADVISED AT KOLBE HONDA AT RESEDA. AFTER THE SERVICE PERFORMANCE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF. HOWEVER, ON 6/15/2009, WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER FOR $690.69 (ON THE 70/30 SPLIT). *TR

I'M COMPLAINING AGAINST HONDA AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO, BECAUSE I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT IN 2006 THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM FOR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS ON HONDA AND ACURA BUT THE 2001 HONDA CIVIC WASN' T INCLUDED IN SETTLEMENT AND I HAD PURCHASED 2001 HONDA CIVIC BRAND NEW SINCE I THOUGHT IT WAS A RELIABLE CAR AND LASTED A LONG TIME AND A LOT OF MILES COULD BE PUT ON IT. MY CAR'S TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN IN 7/27/6 AT 158,643 MILES AND I COULDN' AFFORD GETTING DEALER TO FIX I HAD SOMEONE ELSE REBUILT IT. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE AND NEVER HAD ANY SINGS OF THIS IT JUST LEFT ME IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC. SINCE THEN I HAVE REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES I HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY UNSTABLE DUE TO MY VEHICLE. I COULDN'T AFFORD BUYING ANOTHER VEHICLE SO I HAD TO BORROW TO FIX TRANSMISSION I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THERE'S HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OR NO RECALLS IT'S NOT FAIR FOR ALL THE HARDWORKING PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT WAS A KNOW PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE DEALER COULD NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IF THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN, A DECISION WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE ON WHETHER TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG OR DRIVE WITHOUT ONE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE REGARDING THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. UPDATED 08/19/09 *BF THE DEALER RESET THE LIGHT, HOWEVER A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. UPDATED 08/20/09.*JB

WHEN MY CIVIC WAS AT ROUGHLY 98,000 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I HAD ROUND ROCK HONDA INSPECT THE VEHICLE, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WAS GIVING OFF A P0740 CODE, WHICH DENOTES INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. AS SUCH, THEY RECOMMENDED AN ENTIRELY NEW TRANSMISSION. THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THIS REPLACEMENT WOULD COST ROUGHLY $3,000, AND I HAD TO WAIT SEVERAL WEEKS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION TO ARRIVE. IN THAT TIME, I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM AN INDEPENDENT, HIGHLY REPUTABLE HONDA MECHANIC. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH WAS RUINED AND HAD BURNED UP THE FLUID. HE FURTHER INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN HONDA TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE EARLY 2000'S, ESPECIALLY FROM 2001 CIVICS. MY TRANSMISSION WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED, AT A COST OF $1467.48. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM HONDA CIVIC OWNERS FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM. INDEED, TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN OUT FOR YEARS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. GIVEN HONDA'S REPUTATION FOR RELIABILITY, I FIND IT EXTREMELY UNUSUAL THAT THE TRANSMISSION DIED THIS EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE CAR. INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS ABOUND WITH STORIES OF CIVIC OWNERS FROM SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS WHO RECEIVED PARTIAL OR TOTAL REFUNDS FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURES. SINCE SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS SHARED THE SAME 1.7 LITER ENGINE AND THE PARTS ARE VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL, I BELIEVE THAT MY CASE WARRANTS INVESTIGATION AS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *TR

PURCHASED A PRE-OWNED 2001 HONDA CIVIC IN 2005, CERTIFIED INSPECTION BY HONDA DEALER. THE SRS LIGHT WENT ON IN APRIL 2006. NEVER WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS OR ALIKE. THE SRS LIGHTS WAS RESET TWICE BUT THE LIGHTS WENT ON AFTER COUPLE MONTHS. IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN A YEAR NOW THAT THE SRS LIGHT IS ON AND I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT MY SAFETY. HONDA SHOULD REPLACE THE AIRBAG AND FIX IT FOR THE OWNERS SAFETY. *TR

2001 HONDA CIVIC LX DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED CAUSING INJURIES TO THE DRIVER IN WHICH THE INFLATOR MODULE RUPTURED CAUSING METAL FRAGMENTS TO PROTRUDE THROUGH THE AIR BAG CUSHION STRIKING THE CONSUMER IN HER NECK AS WELL AS HER CHEST. *NJ RECALL NUMBER 09V259000 WAS REFERENCED. (LAWYER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF CLIENT). *JB