20 complaints reported

1996 Honda Civic Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
20
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 2016

MY 1996 HONDA CIVIC'S ENGINE TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS JUST A RECALL FOR THE NEWER VERSIONS(2016 HONDA CIVICS) FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I CANNOT FIND ANY RECALLS ONLINE ABOUT 1996 HONDA CIVICS SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING THOUGH. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2016
Nov 2008

CAR SHIFTS HARD INTO NEXT GEAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) ALSO DRIVES ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS A 420 CODE (CATALYTIC CONVERTER). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2007
Feb 2006

WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHES THE OF 75 MPH THERE IS A BURNING SMELL THAT COMES FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE IS SERVICED ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. SERVICING INCLUDES AN OIL AND FLUID CHANGE AND A TRANSMISSION CHECK. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2005
Sep 2004

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2004
Feb 2004

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE STALLEED. CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2004
Oct 2003

KEY MOUNT FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO MOVE OUT OF PLACE AND THE CRANKSHAFT TO BE DAMAGED. *TT *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Jun 2003

MY ENGINE STARTS TO OVERHEAT WHILE IDLING FOR PERIODS LONGER THAN A FEW MINUTES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HOT OUT. USING THE A/C TREMENDOUSLY SPEEDS UP THE OVERHEATING PROCESS. TURNING ON THE HEATER COOLS IT DOWN BACK TO NORMAL. I HAVE CHECKED THE FLUIDS AND PERFORMED A RADIATOR FLUSH, AS WELL AS CHECKING BELTS AND THE FAN. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2003
Aug 2002

VEHICLE WAS IDLING ROUGHLY AND EXPERIENCING VIBRATION. THE BELTS WERE ADJUSTED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE MADE A HORRIFIC SOUND. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCE SCREW HAD COME OUT AND DAMAGED THE BALANCER WITH POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CRANKSHAFT. THE BALANCER WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER, STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEFECT, BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CHARGED FOR CLEANING THE FUEL INJECTORS, HAVING A VALVE ADJUSTMENT AND FOR REPLACEMENT OF SPARK PLUGS. A MONTH LATER THE PROBLEM REOCCURED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES WITH THE NEW ENGINE, THE VEHICLE DRIVES BETTER THAN IT EVER HAS. *JG

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2001
Sep 2001

CAR SUDDENLYU DIED WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2001
Feb 2001

HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT HAS BROKEN IN HALF AND CAUSED ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN; DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMERTHAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL, AND WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2001
Jul 2000

CAR WOULD NOT START. TOLD BY AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE ENGINE WAS FLOODED. THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR 2 DAYS WITHOUT AN ATTEMPTED START SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE ENGINE COULD BE FLOODED. WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2000
Jun 2000

CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD UNDER HEAT SHIELD- HONDA DID COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2000
Jun 2000

WHILE DRIVING COULD HEAR NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE THEN IT WOULD STALL. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND OUT THAT ENGINE HAD A HOLE AT THE BOTTOM, AND THAT CAUSED IT TO FAIL. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2000
Feb 2000

DONT UNDERSTAND WHY I NEED A NEW ENGINE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE, I KEEP GOOD C ARE OF MY CAR TOO! *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Feb 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 1999
Feb 2000

CAR LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES IT CAN JERK . IT WILL STALL WHEN IDLING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE CAUS EOF THE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 1999
Jan 2000

WITH ONLY 32,808 MILES ON MY VEHICLE, I AM REPLACING BOTH THE FRONT AND THE REAR OXYGEN SENSORS. THIS REPAIR CARRIES A PRICE TAG OF OVER $500. I AM OUT OF WARRANTY AS THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL OF 1996. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM, BUT WHEN I RESPONDED TO THE RECALL AND VISITED THE HONDA DEALER IN MY AREA, I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT BACK BETWEEN THE MILEAGE RANGE OF 50,000 TO 75,000 MILES. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 1999
Oct 1999

ENGINE SHUTS DOWN THEN WHEN RESTARTED, IT KNCOKS LOUDLY. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 1999
Jan 1999

WHILE DRIVING MUFFLER MADE LOUD NOISES WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED AND PRESSURE WAS RELEASED FROM THE CLUTCH. DEALER SAID MUFFLER HAD CRACKED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Jul 1998 Fire

RECALL NOTICE SENT FOR EXHAUST MANIFOLD, DENIED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1996 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 1998

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1996 Honda Civic has 20 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.