🚗 AutoDefect IQ

2003 Honda Civic problems, complaints & recalls

Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (89) · Power Train:automatic Transmission (70) · Vehicle Speed Control (28)

🧭 Reliability snapshot

77 /100
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Compared against other Honda Civic model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →

🛣️ Complaints by mileage

<25k miles: 71 complaints 71 <25k 25–50k miles: 55 complaints 25–50k 50–75k miles: 50 complaints 50–75k 75–100k miles: 47 complaints 75–100k 100–125k miles: 55 complaints 100–125k 125–150k miles: 41 complaints 125–150k 150k+ miles: 48 complaints 150k+

367 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.

499
Complaints
10
Recalls
310
Service bulletins
90
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
13
Deaths

Safety recalls (10)

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 passenger’s 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.

Air Bags 2014-06-20 · campaign 14V353000 · 133,207 vehicles

Defect: American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with Takata-brand air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

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 vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. 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.

Electrical System:ignition 2010-08-05 · campaign 10V364000 · 551,498 vehicles

Defect: HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003 HONDA ACCORD, CIVIC TWO AND FOUR DOOR, AND MODEL YEAR 2003-2004 HONDA ELEMENT VEHICLES. THE INTERLOCK LEVER OF THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY UNEXPECTEDLY DEFORM, WHICH CAN ALLOW THE INTERLOCK FUNCTION OF A VEHICLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO BE DEFEATED.

Risk: REMOVAL OF THE IGNITION KEY WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR OF A VEHICLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS NOT BEEN SHIFTED TO THE PARK POSITION CAN ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE ORIGINAL INTERLOCK PIN AND LEVER WITHIN THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND REPLACE THEM WITH NEW, DESIGNED COMPONENTS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.

Service bulletins (310)

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 310 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.

What owners report

2024-09-25 · Air Bags · 154,311 mi · 💥 crash

“the contact owned a 2003 honda civic. the contact stated while driving at approximately 30 mph and attempting to proceed at a green light, the front passenger side of the vehicle crashed into the front driver-side of another vehicle. the air bags were not deployed. the contact noticed that there were bruises on both of her knees and endured neck an…”

2023-07-12 · Air Bags

“air bag light came on for no reason. [xxx]…”

2023-04-03 · Seat Belts · 💥 crash

“the contact owned a 2003 honda civic. the contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, a semi-truck unexpectedly crossed into his lane which caused him to crash the truck's land gear. the air bags did not deploy upon impact and the seat belt pretensioners failed to restrain the contact. the contact was taken to the hospital via ambulance and was tr…”

2023-03-05 · Air Bags

“both the side airbag and front airbag lights on the dashboard are on, and the mechanic i go to has no clue why the warning lights are on. i am concerned about my safety in the event of a crash, as i don’t know if they will deploy, or fail.…”

2022-07-28 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly · 💥 crash

“2003 honda civic. consumer writes in regard to defective seat belt buckle due to corrosion. the consumer stated the selt belt buckle failed latch after a roll-over crash. the sole occupant (driver) was ejected from the vehicle. the crash was fatal.…”

2022-06-15 · Engine

“2003 honda civic. consumer writes in regard to engine failure. the consumer stated the vehicle was not mobile and, unable to be transported to have the airbag inflator safety recall repair completed.…”

2022-05-19 · Air Bags

“the contact owns a 2003 honda civic. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v501000(air bags) and nhtsa campaign number 19v182000 (air bags) would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. the local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.…”

2022-05-14 · Air Bags

“my air bag light indicator light has come on and does not go off. my car is a 2003 honda civic lx module. i am the third owner of this vehicle. i bought it at kelly nissan on 248 e in easton, pa with 117,880 miles. it has 123,000 miles on it now. there were no other indicator lights on prior to this safety issue, air bag light indicator light comin…”

2022-04-12 · Air Bags · 140,000 mi

“the contact owns a 2003 honda civic. the contact stated that she had previously received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v499000 (air bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the front driver's air bag replacement; however, upon picking up the vehicle, she noticed that the air bag warning light was illuminated. the dealer was noti…”

2021-07-04 · Fuel/Propulsion System

“the car was not in an incident it has a lot of recalls i would like fixed …”

Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.

Other Honda Civic years