2003 Honda Civic Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
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
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.
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
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
FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW MY CAR HAS BEEN VIBRATING AND JOLTING WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING UPHILL. I TOOK IT IN TO A HONDA DEALER FOR REPAIRS AND WAS TOLD THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO "BURNISH" IT AND IT SHOULD HELP, ALTHOUGH ONLY TEMPORARILY. THE BURNISHING HELPED ONLY SLIGHTLY, AND BEFORE LONG MY CAR WAS BACK TO VIBRATING AND JOLTING JUST AS BADLY AS BEFORE. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT A HAZARDOUS CONDITION, SO I HAVE JUST LIVED WITH IT FOR AWHILE NOW, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO FIX! IT SEEMS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HONDA SHOULD ADDRESS IF IT IS IN FACT SUCH A COMMON CONDITION AND HAS BEEN ADDRESSED OVERSEAS. PLEASE HELP CONVINCE HONDA TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM!
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
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
MY 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAS A HISTORY OF THE TRANSMISSION/CAR SHUDDERING AND SLIPPING DURING ACCELERATION. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING REGULARLY SINCE JULY 26, 2005 AT 40,440 MILES. ON ONE OCCASION AFTER HAVING THE CLUTCH REPLACED, TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND MANIFOLD WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY OF MY SON DRIVING THE CAR HAD IT IGNITED. THE SPOKESMAN AT THE HONDA DEALER IN PORTLAND OREGON SAID MY SON WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO BE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE, THE SHUDDERING ISSUE HAS CONTINUED REQUIRING REGULAR TRIPS TO THE HONDA DEALER. EACH HONDA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE I HAVE COMPLAINED TO HAVE SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE HONDA OF AMERICA HAS NOT AUTHORIZED A FIX TO THE DEFECT OTHER THEN TO BURNISH THE START CLUTH AND CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THIS HAS ONLY BEEN A BAND AID FIX WHICH HASN'T WORKED FOR SOME TIME NOW, BUT ORIGINALLY USED TO WORK FOR ABOUT 2-3 THOUSAND MILES AT WHICH POINT THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND HONDA IS USING A BAND AID APPROACH TO MASK THIS SERIOUS DEFECT UNTIL THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, AT WHICH POINT, THEY QUICKLY SAY THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE (APPROX $3,400 TO $4,000 DOLLARS). HONDA OF AMERICA CLAIMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THEIR NEW TRANSMISSIONS BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO USE THIS FIX ON EXISTING CARS LIKE MINE UNTIL THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN TOLD THIS BY HONDA REPRESENTATIVES. ALL THIS IS DESPITE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM IN JAPAN, INDIA, AND INDONESIA. PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHY HONDA OF AMERICA HAS NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS SERIOUS DEFECT IN THEIR HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2003 CVT TRANSMISSIONS. *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
EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, MY VEHICLE MAKES A JUDDERING/VIBRATING NOISE. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED BY HONDA IN 2008 FOR THIS VERY CONCERN, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE START CLUTCH. HONDA BURNISHED MY CLUTCH TWICE AND THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, UNTIL THE SAME PROBLEM CAME UP ABOUT 15,000 MILES LATER. I AM NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY FOR IT. I HAD MY CLUTCH BURNISHED AGAIN TODAY (COST ME $150), BUT THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE START CLUTCH, WHICH WILL COST ABOUT $1500 WITH LABOR. IF THIS DOES NOT GET REPAIRED, MY TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL COMPLETELY, AND AT ANY TIME. LONG STORY SHORT, IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT THE START CLUTCHES IN 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRIDS ARE DEFECTIVE. *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
I HAVE A HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2003. I BOUGHT IT USED AT 63,000 MILES. FOR THE FIRST 10,000 MILES, I HAD NO PROBLEMS. THEN A SLIGHT SHUDDER STARTED TO HAPPEN EACH TIME I MOVED THE CAR FROM A STOP, ESPECIALLY WHEN ON AN INCLINED HILL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH THEY SAID WAS COMPLETELY BLACK. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THIS TIME THEY DID A TRANSMISSION FLUSH AND A "BURNISHING' PROCESS. THE PROBLEM RETURNED AGAIN IN A FEW MONTHS, AND I HAD THE PROCESS REPEATED. FINALLY I READ ONLINE THAT MANY OTHERS WERE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I GOT HONDA TO PARTIALLY PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT STARTER CLUTCH. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A FEW MONTHS, THEN RETURNED. NOW I AM PAYING FOR A SECOND STARTER CLUTCH BECAUSE THE SHUDDER IS WORSE THAN EVER. *TR
2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID PURCHASED AT 66,000 MILES AT 90,359 MILES SLIGHT SHUTTER/JUDDER WHEN MOVING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. HONDA DIAGNOSED (04/08)CVT FOR JUDDER. ADDED ONE START CLUTCH BURNISHING PROCEDURE/ADD TWO START CLUTCH BURNISHING AS A RECALL SERVICE. NOW SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. NOW AT 120,000 MILES EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM VEHICLE SLIPS, SHUDDERS ON TAKE OFF FROM FULL STOP. REPAIR WILL BE $1200 TO REPLACE START CLUTCH. WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP I HOPE THE VEHICLE WILL MOVE. I HAVE TO REALLY PRESS DOWN ON THE GAS PETAL TO GET THE VEHICLE GOING AND I DO THINK THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WITH MY VEHICLE. HAD THE EGR VALVE CHANGED AT $400 REPAIR(0708). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING TRANSMISSION FAILURES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR LOCATE ANY FAILURES WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED EXHIBITING SIGNS OF TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CLUTCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSING THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
HONDA CIVIC HYBRIDS WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION DEVELOP WHAT HONDA REFERS TO AS A JUDDER. WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IS THE "START CLUTCH" IN THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS DURING TAKE OFF FROM A STOP AND CAUSES THE CAR TO JUDDER OR SHAKE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IN ANY CONDITION OTHER THAN PERFECTLY DRY ROADS YOU CAN TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE AND THE FRONT WHEELS CAN LOSE TRACTION AND SPIN. I HAVE EVEN HAD THIS HAPPEN WHEN THE FRONT TIRES ARE SITTING ON THE PAINTED WHITE LINE FOUND AT MOST INTERSECTIONS. HONDA IS VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS DOCUMENTED ONLINE, YET HONDA HAS BEEN VERY RELUCTANT TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE SITUATION. HONDA CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT I HAVE TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR ON WET ROADS SEVERAL TIMES. I CAN'T IMAGINE TRYING TO DRIVE ONE IN THE SNOW. HERE ARE A COUPLE OF LINKS THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO DISCUSSION GROUPS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/ VIEW/.F0B3259/262 HTTP://WWW.CNGCHAT.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP? 266-2001-2005-CVT-TRANSMISSION-WARRANTY-EXTENSION-FOR-SLIP-JUDDER HONDA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN MY SPECIFIC CASE THEY KEPT IGNORING MY REQUEST TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION UNTIL I WAS BEYOND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. IN MY CASE I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HONDA AMERICAN AND NEGOTIATED TO SPLIT THE COST WITH THEM. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN SO LUCKY AND HAVE HAD TO PAY IN FULL FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR
2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID- STARTER CLUTCH HAS FAILED AT 57,000 MILES. CAR SURGES UNEXPECTEDLY. MUST HAVE IT REPLACED OR WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT SAFE DRIVING OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
THE TRANSMISSION FOR MY HONDA CIVIC HYBRID IS FAILING. IT'S NOW AT ABOUT 170,000 BUT THE PROBLEMS I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING HAVE BEEN OCCURRING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE PROBLEMS HAVE TO DO WITH BUCKING ON ACCELERATION, JUDDERING ON ACCELERATION, AND THE CAR MOVING IN REVERSE WHEN THE GEAR IS IN DRIVE AND NOW A NOISE IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. I PURCHASED THIS CARE NEW IN 2003 AND HAVE BEEN TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE EVERY 10K MI. THIS IS MY FIRST CAR SO I THOUGHT THE "BUCKING", JUDDERING AND "REVERSING WHILE IN DRIVE" WAS BY DESIGN, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL YEARS LATER THAT I GOOGLED MY CAR AND NOTICED OTHER PEOPLE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. JUST GOOGLE "CIVIC HYBRID TRANSMISSION". I'M NOW FACED WITH PAYING ALMOST 4000 TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. INTERESTINGLY, THERE HAVE BEEN TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS FOR OTHER HONDA PRODUCTS OF THE SAME YEAR (ACURA TL, HONDA ACCORD). I REALLY THINK THERE'S A FLAW IN TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS OF AT LEAST SOME HONDA MODELS FROM THE 2002-2006 PRODUCTION YEAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY LUNGE FORWARD. THE DEALER BURNISHED THE CLUTCH AND THE FAILURE WAS RESOLVED. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER MADE THE EXACT SAME REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE DEALER THEN ADVISED REPLACING THE CLUTCH. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THEY WOULD TAKE THE LIABILITY FOR A PERCENTAGE OF THE REPAIR COSTS BUT THE CONTACT DECLINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
I FEEL A BIG JERK WHEN DECELERATE MY CAR FROM 70MILES/HOUR WITH MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT BUT I FEEL THAT IF THE CAR BREAKS DOWN AS A RESULT OF THIS JERK OR IF THE JERK IS STRONG ENOUGH, THEN I MAY RUN INTO SOME ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. I TOOK THE CARE TO HONDA DEALER, BUT THE PROBLEM DIDN'T HAPPEN DURING TEST DRIVE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. IT LOOKS LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. CAR DETAIL: HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2003. IT'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Honda Civic has 82 Power Train complaints on file. 4 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.