Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Honda Civic Hybrid problems

Owners filed 35 complaints about the 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid with NHTSA between Jan 2012 and Jul 2018. The most-cited component is power train (18).

Complaints
35
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train18
  2. Air bags9
  3. Engine8
  4. Fuel/propulsion system6
  5. Vehicle speed control4
  6. Electrical system3
  7. Structure1
  8. Service brakes1
  9. Seat belts1
  10. Wheels1
  11. Steering1
  12. Fuel system, other1
  13. Engine and engine cooling1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20125
20134
20148
20156
20164
20175
20183

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

18 reports1 crash
“WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE CVT TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO "LAG" OR DELY TO ENGAGE AND ACCELERATE. RECENTLY WHEN AT A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AND CAR JUDDERED, WAS VIBRATING THE WHOLE CAR, AND ALMOST GOT ME T-BONED. I KNOW THIS IS NOT A SPORTS CAR BUT WOULD LIKE TO DRIVE CONFIDENTLY TO WORK WITHOUT THE WORRY OF GETTING IN AN ACCIDENT. EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE NOW, THE RPM'S RAISE TO 1,500-2,000 RPM BEFORE THE CVT STARTER CLUTCH ENGAGES AND JERKS THE CAR FORWARD. THERE IS ALSO A WHINE COMING FROM THE CVT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR HAS 62,000 MILES CURRENTLY WHICH IS NOT A LOT. I JUST HAD HIGHER STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS FROM SUCH A REPUTABLE CAR MANUFACTURER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION LOOKING OVER THIS COMPLAINT AND HOPEFULLY TO HELP ME GET MY CAR SAFELY BACK ON THE ROAD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2018Power trainODI 11115032

Air bags

9 reports4 crashes6 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE FRONT MIDDLE PART BY HIS SON. THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V320000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER FRACTURED THE FIFTH VERTEBRAE IN HIS NECK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE DAMAGE OF THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED ITS VALUE, SO THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ...UPDATED 08/02/17 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 08/7/2017*JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2017Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11000919

Engine

8 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FUNCTION AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND IT RESUMED TO NORMAL HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED, HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS TOLD TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE FLUID WAS CHANGED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2015Power train, EngineODI 10806555

Fuel/propulsion system

6 reports1 crash
“BEARING FAILURE IN CVT TRANSMISSION, LEADING TO SEVERE VIBRATION AND IF NOT REPAIRED TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE COST FOR REPAIRING REPLACEMENT TO CUSTOMER $1700 . IN MY VEHICLE IS BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 130,000 MILES WELL FOLLOWING FACTORS RECOMMENDATIONS OF CHANGING TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERY 30,000 MILES. ALSO HUNDRED HYBRID BATTERY SYSTEM HAS A FLAW HYBRID BATTERIES ARE ONLY GUARANTEED FOR 80,000 MILES FOR THE FIRST BATTERY AND 24,000 MILES FOR REPLACEMENT BATTERIES AT THE COST OF $2700. WELL TOYOTA GUARANTEES THEIR BATTERIES FOR 150,000 MILES. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY PACKS THREE TIMES IN 130,000 MILES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 31, 2017Power train, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10969667

Vehicle speed control

4 reports
“THE TRANSMISSION IN MY HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAS HAD THE SAME SHUDDER/JUDDER ISSUE THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF EXTREMELY SLOW TO KEEP IT TO A MINIMUM AND IT STILL SHAKES AND JUDDERS. IT IS OBVIOUS THERE IS A SEVER ISSUE WITH THESE CVT TRANSMISSIONS AND MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. MY CIVIC HYBRID STARTED THIS ISSUE A LONG TIME AGO AND HONDA SAID JUST CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT THAT ONLY HELPS FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. VERY DANGEROUS GOING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2014Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10608648

Electrical system

3 reports
“SHUDDER AN SLIPAGE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2018Electrical system, EngineODI 11092042
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.