162 complaints reported

2002 Honda Civic Power Train

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

Reports
162
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2025

I recently purchased the car . I see on several forums , the transmission in this car for this year is prone to leaks and failures and Honda is aware . I’m having that issue .

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2025
Jun 2024

I bought this vehicle with only ~74,000 miles yet the transmission slips 100% of the time when the automatic transmission shifts from first to second gear, and also second to third gear.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2024
Aug 2021

Drove my Honda civic through town today for about 15 minutes. Came up to a stop light. When the light turned green. I took my foot off the brake and the car jerked forward real hard and then there was grinding noise coming from the transmission. The car wouldn't go into drive or reverse. With my foot on the brake the transmission wouldn't go into park. Had to have the car towed home

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2021
May 2021

TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT ALL OF A SUDDEN AT A LIGHT WITH 179,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN TRYING TO GIVE IT GAS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD WHINE. HAD TO GET IT TOWED HOME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2021
Apr 2021

ONE DAY ALL OF THE SUDDEN WITHOUT ANY PRIOR SLIPPING OR ANY NOTICE OF ALL FOR THAT MATTER I WAS PARKED SITTING IN A DRIVE THRU WHEN I WENT TO PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT WOULDN'T ENGAGE OR MOVE AT ALL THERE IS A COMPLAINT OF FAULTY POOR QUALITY TRANMISSONS BETWEEN 2000-2004 PLEASE HELP

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2021
Sep 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED. ADDITIONALLY, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. CAMBRIDGE HONDA (LOCATED AT 275 FRESH POND PKWY, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138, (866) 702-3190) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2019
Jun 2019

MY 2002 HONDA CIVIC THAT I PURCHASED FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AS A COMMUTER CAR TWO YEARS AGO SUDDENLY HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR 30,000 MILES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM. ONE DAY THE CAR WAS PLACED IN PARK WHILE IN A DRIVE THROUGH WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN PLACED BACK INTO DRIVE. NONE OF THE FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS WOULD MOVE THE CAR. I TOWED THE CAR HOME AND STILL LOOKING FOR THE FIX. I THOUGHT THE SHIFT CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE BUT THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM AS IT IS FUNCTIONING AT THE SHIFTER AND AT THE TRANSMISSION. NOT SURE IF A SHIFT SOLENOID IS BAD OR IF THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT. NO WARNING, NO ERRATIC SHIFTING, AND NO BURNT TRANSMISSION FLUID. VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 02 CIVICS AND HONDA HAS TURNED I BLIND EYE TO A KNOWN PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2018
Mar 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE A CELLULAR BUILD UP HAD OCCURRED IN THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUID LEAKED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2018
Dec 2017

I JUST BOUGHT A HONDA CIVIC 2002 THINKING IT WAS A SAFE RELIABLE CARE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRANSMISSON STARTS GIVING OUT IN THE PATH OF CARS CAUSING MY SAFTEY TO BE A CONCERN I THINK ITS FOR THE BEST OF HONDA DRIVERS THAT THIS CAR GETS RECALLED FOR ITS TRANSMISSION ISSUES I ALMOST DONT EVEN WANT A HONDA ANYMORE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2017
Dec 2017

I JUST BOUGHT A 2002 HONDA THINKING IT WAS A SAFE RELIABLE CAR. THEN I FOUND OUT IT IS A FINANCIAL MISTAKE BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSON IS GIVING OUT. THIS EXPERINCE IS CHANGING MY VEIW ON HONDAS FOR THE WORST BECAUSE NOW IM HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS AND NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO FIX IT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR ITS TRANSMISSON ISSUES

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2017
Dec 2017

TRANSMISSION GOES INTO GEAR THEN WILL NOT ENGAGE AFTER 30 SECONDS. REVERSED THEN PUT IN DRIVE AND NOW IT WONT ENGAGE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2017
Jan 2017

MY HONDA LOST POWER AND WAS REALLY SLUGGISH ON THE HIGHWAY WITH AN 18 WHEELER BEHIND ME.COME TO FIND OUT I HAD TO PUT IN A TRANSMISSION.NOW,LESS THAN A YEAR LATER I GET A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT READING PO740 01/01 TCC CIRCUTE MALFUNCTION.PUT IN TOO MUCH MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING ELSE.MY SON WAS COMING BACK FROM COLLEGE WITH AN HOUR LEFT TO GET HOME WHEN LIGHT CAME ON SECOND TIME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2017
Sep 2016

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 130,000 MILES. SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAME ISSUE SO I TRIED CALLING HONDA BUT SINCE THE CAR IS PRETTY OLD THEY REFUSED TO HELP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2014
Sep 2016

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND WAS ENTERING A MAJOR INTERSECTION WHEN THE RPMS REVED UP TO APPROXIMATELY 4000 AND I LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AND THIS ALL HAPPENED WITH A SUDDEN JERK. I THEN PUSHED MY GEAR SHIFTIER (CAR IS AUTOMATIC) INTO NEUTRAL THEN BACK INTO DRIVE WHILE TRYING TO AVOID CARS IN THE INTERSECTION. THE CAR FINALLY ENGAGED AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A NEARBY GAS STATION. I HAD TO SIT IN THE GAS STATION WITH THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE I COULD DRIVE HOME. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING AND ALMOST REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WAS PRETTY SURE IT WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE AND COULDN'T CALL THE MECHANIC TILL THE NEXT MORNING BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY EVENING AND SHOPS WERE NOT OPEN. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT IN THE NEXT MORNING TO A MECHANIC WHO OF WHICH EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE TEST DRIVING MY VEHICLE UNFORTUNATELY WITH MY VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION IS ENCASED AND HE GAVE ME THE NUMBER FOR A HONDA TRANSMISSION SHOP. UPON SPEAKING TO THE HONDA SPECIALIST HE INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA'S AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REBUILT FOR THE CAR TO BE SALVAGEABLE. WHEN ASKED HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST I WAS TOLD 2550 PLUS STATE TAXES. UPON CALLING HONDA I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST IN COVERING THE COST EVEN THOUGH ITS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THEIR VEHICLES AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR MY KIDS. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2016
Feb 2016

TAKATA RECALL REPLACED TRANSMISSION $3,000 2014. RADIATOR 2015.. TEMP RISING SHUT OFF 2 TIMES ON FREEWAY SAME DAY $283. TOWING FEE ON AAA PLUS INS. . BLOWN GASKET. APRIL 2016. DONE. SITTING IN GARAGE. LOOKING FOR TOYOTA PRIUS, I SEE THEY ALSO HAVE LOTS OF PROBLEMS. WHAT SHALL I DO? CAN'T FIND YOUR HONDA HYBRID, I KNOW THEY HAVE THEM. YES WAS IN MOTION ON THE HWY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2016
Oct 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT ONLY SHIFTED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2015
Aug 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2015
Jun 2015

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 30 MPH IN MODERATE TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR STOPPED RESPONDING TO MY GAS PEDAL AND THE RPMS JUST STARTED TO SPIKE UP. THIS PUT ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST REAR ENDED ME BUT SWERVED AWAY. LUCKILY MY CAR MANAGED TO GLIDE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY. AFTERWARD I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED. I WAS QUOTED AT VARIOUS DEALERSHIPS THAT THE REPAIR WOULD BE EXCESS OF 3000, SO NOW I'M STUCK WITH REPAIRS THAT EXCEED THE VALUE OF MY CAR. APPARENTLY, HONDA DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB OF CREATING A RELIABLE TRANSMISSION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2014
Apr 2015

WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR SYMPTOMS THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DEALER DETERMINED TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, BASED ON DTC CODES: P0700 A/T SYSTEM P0730 INCORRECT GEAR RATIO DEALER SAYS TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF (WITH A USED TRANSMISSION WITH 89,000 MILES ON IT A A SIX MONTH/6000 MILE WARRANTY) $2,700 INSTALLED. I DECLINED. CAR SEEMS TO BE RUNNING FINE BUT ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ON, CAUSING MA VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION FAILURE AND I NOW HAVE 60 DAYS TO REPAIR IT OR TAKE IT OFF THE ROAD. THE PROBLEM WITH HONDA TRANSMISSIONS SEEMS TO BE ENDEMIC, BUT A SECRET. OTHERS HAVE FARED MUCH WORSE WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURES ON THE ROAD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2015
Feb 2015

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNS ON 2001 HONDA CIVIC. MANY OTHER USERS HAVE HAD SAME ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2015
Mar 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2014
Dec 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE RPM'S BEGAN TO INCREASE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2013
Dec 2013

I AM A VERY ANGRY OWNER OF A 02 CIVIC EX, ONLY WITH 80K ON THIS CAR IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. I RESEARCHED ONLINE THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA TODAY, THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT WILL NOT HELP SINCE THIS IS AN 11 YEAR OLD CAR WHICH IS [XXX]. YOU WILL HAVE TO BE THE ORIGINAL OWNER FOR THEM TO TAKE IT IN CONSIDERATION. THEY SHOULD STAND BEHIND SOMETHING THAT THEY MADE THAT IS PUTTING US AT RISK OF ACCIDENTS OR EVEN DEATH. EVERY ONE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, OBVIOUSLY ITS A DEFECT. GEARS ARE SLIPPING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, CAR WAS WILL MAINTAINED AND WAS SERVICED BY HONDA DEALERSHIP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2013
Nov 2013

MANUAL TRANSMISSION STARTED REVVING LOUDLY NOVEMBER 2010 AND GEAR SHIFT WAS EASILY KNOCKED OUT OF PLACE. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BAD BEARING IN TRANSMISSION AFTER DRAINING THE FLUID AND FINDING METAL SHAVINGS; REPLACEMENT WAS RECOMMENDED. OVER TIME, SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR AND REVERSE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT (OR SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE) AND THE NOISES HAVE BECOME LOUDER. COSTS HAVE DELAYED REPLACEMENT UNTIL NOW, BUT IT WILL BE DONE IN LATE APRIL (2013). I FEEL LUCKY TO HAVE AVOIDED COMPLETE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2010
Oct 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, HE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE BUT IT FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,808. UPDATED 11/21/13*LJ

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 HONDA CIVIC, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2013

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2002 Honda Civic has 162 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.