2002 Honda Civic problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (133) · Power Train:automatic Transmission (99) · Power Train (64)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Honda Civic model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
483 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (8)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V499000 · 3,947 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term e
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V501000 · 1,657,752 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-03-06 · campaign 19V182000 · 1,101,534 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2018-04-26 · campaign 18V268000 · 1,335 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2015-06-15 · campaign 15V370000 · 3,498,481 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to Ju
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU4, JU5, JU6, and JU7. Note: Vehicles that have already received a replacement passenger air bag inflator as part of the recall remedy for an earlier campaign such as 14V353 or 14V700 (Honda recall numbers S95, JH6, JH7, JH8, JH9, JJ0, JJ1, JJ2, JJ6, JM5 and JM6) a
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2015-05-28 · campaign 15V320000 · 6,281,043 vehicles
Defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or a
Air Bags 2014-11-04 · campaign 14V700000 · 0 vehicles
Defect: American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch 2012-03-30 · campaign 12V136000 · 1,375,217 vehicles
Defect: HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2004 CR-V; MODEL YEAR 2003 THROUGH 2005 PILOT; AND MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 CIVIC VEHICLES. IN MARCH 2012, HONDA FILED A DEFECT REPORT TO RECALL CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2004 CR-V AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003 PILOT VEHICLES. IN AUGUST 2012, HONDA INFORMED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL 820,789 VEHICLES INCLUDING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 PILOTS AND MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 CIVICS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES BEIN
Risk: IF THE TERMINAL ENDS MELT WITHIN THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE, REDUCING DRIVER VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: HONDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE LOW BEAM TERMINAL HARNESS OR REPLACE THE LIGHTING SWITCH AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE ORIGINAL RECALL BEGAN IN APRIL 2012. OWNERS OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE SEPTEMBER 2012 EXPANSION WILL BE NOTIFIED IN SEPTEMBER 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-999-1009.
Service bulletins (316)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Air Bags 2020-03-10 · A20-014 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
Air Bags 2020-03-10 · A20-009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Equipment 2018-05-25 · A18-049 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects to the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
Equipment 2018-05-24 · A18-046 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects to the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Forward Collision Avoidance 2017-12-19 · ACC12192017901 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
dealer message - on december 19, 2017 following a joint inspection, american honda and the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) confirmed that a takata driver?s airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2004 honda civic on july 10, 2017 in baton rouge, louisiana, resulting in the
Fuel System, Other:storage 2017-02-10 · A13-022 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
"service bulletin - for vehicles with sci compressed natural gas (cng) fuel tanks, honda is no longer replacing the fuel tank and solenoid valve altogether. if you replace the fuel tank solenoid valve, you must now reinstall the original fuel tank."
Showing the 6 most recent of 316 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-04-04 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2002 honda civic. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v501000(air bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. the local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.…”
2025-02-28 · Air Bags · 💥 crash · 🔥 fire“the death investigator's decedent owned a 2002 honda civic. the contact stated that after the decedent stopped at a stop sign, they attempted to make a left turn and struck another vehicle on the passenger side. the decedent's air bag was deployed which caused trauma to the decedent's neck. the decedent's vehicle caught fire shortly after impact. t…”
2025-02-10 · Power Train“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 . …”
2025-01-15 · Air Bags“srs light came on. vehicle didn’t have any change in driving performance.…”
2024-06-23 · Power Train“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.…”
2024-04-29 · Air Bags“the contact owned a 2002 honda civic. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 15v370000 (air bags) and 15v320000 (air bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. the local dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not contacted.…”
2023-03-29 · Exterior Lighting“automatic high beams, etc. potentially very dangerous to other drivers. place a limit on the intensity of headlights. ultra bright lights tend to interfere with me knowing where my own vehicle is on the road.it's getting to be almost a constant anxiety attack driving at night with both on coming and following vehicles with ultra bright lights, incl…”
2023-02-02 · Seat Belts · 76,000 mi“the contact owns a 2002 honda civic. the contact stated while trying to fasten the driver’s side seat belt, the seat belt failed to release, not allowing the contact to fasten the seat belt. the vehicle was not diagnosed. the dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. the manufacturer was contacted and also stated that…”
2022-10-28 · Fuel/Propulsion System“for many months, i have been smelling gas inside the car even when the car has been stationary for an extended period. i recently did a google search and found many reports and youtube videos related to fuel leaks caused by a cracked fuel pump housing or module located under the rear seat. it can leak enough to leave a puddle of fuel where the hous…”
2022-05-25 · Air Bags“srs light is on. upon resetting, light comes back on in a couple days. mechanic says the airbags will not fire with the srs light on.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.