Problems · by component
2001 Honda Civic power train problems
405 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Honda Civic cite power train, 37% of all 1,089 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
405
37% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I recently bought a 2001 honda civic, 5speed. It was driving fine, until it suddenly started making grinding or weird noises. I couldn't shift and now the gears are locked up. It happened suddenly after no problems.”
“2001 Honda Civic stopped moving in the middle of the road. While in the middle of driving vehicle lost power but remained running. A whining noise was observed which turned out to be the transmission pump. The vehicle would not go into forward or reverse and I was left stranded in the middle of the highway. Vehicle was transported to the closest repair shop and was diagnosed with a failed transmission. A TSB was issued for these transmissions but no recall. Due to no recall being issued despite Honda knowing these transmissions were built with bad clutches that were known to fail which is the reason they issued the tech service bulletin, many transmissions in these car are still defective and can lead to someone being unable to move out of traffic and get into a collision.”
“I RECEIVED A 2001 HONDA CIVIC LX FROM MY DAD AS A GIFT AROUND THE END OF APRIL, 2018. WHICH HE HAD SPENT ABOUT 2000 IN THE MOTOR BEFORE GIVING IT TO ME. THE ISSUES OCCURRED WITH THE CAR OVER HEATING RIGHT WHEN WE LANDED INTO LAS VEGAS WHICH WE WERE COMING FROM SAN DIMAS CALIFORNIA, IT TOOK ABOUT 3-4 HOURS TO GET BACK HOME. I HAD ISSUES WITH MY CAR OVER HEATING A LOT WHICH HAD TO DO WITH THE SENSORS AT FIRST WHICH HAD GOTTEN REPLACED. THAN AFTER THE FAN TO COOL DOWN THE RADIATOR WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY TO WHERE ONLY ONE FAN WOULD KICK IN. NOW OUT OF NO WHERE MY CAR HAD ISSUES ACCELERATING WHICH SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEBODY REALLY GETS HURT. FROM ALL THE REVIEWS THANK GOD IN THE LONG RUN EVERYBODY IS OKAY BUT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE RECALLED IT'S LIKE PEOPLE NEED TO BE INJURED OR DEATHS NEED TO REALLY OCCUR BEFORE WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE FIXED SO SERIOUS PROBLEMS DON'T OCCUR IN LEADS TO DEATH. I ALMOST GOT SIDE SWIPED WHEN I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TRY TO MOVE TO SAFTEY REALLY SLOW WHICH I DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE CAR MOVING AT THAT PASTE WHEN IT WOULDN'T MOVE ANY FASTER THAN WHAT IT WWAS.SINCE I FOUND OUT MY CAR HAVING ISSUES ON ACCELERATING AND…”
“TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS FAILURE TOOK PLACE WHILE DRIVING TO WORK (18.5 MILES). THERE WAS NO WARNING OR NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE. ONCE PARKED THE ENGINE WOULD RUN BUT WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. *TR”
“I HAD JUST GOTTEN BACK FROM PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS. I HAD STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN THE LEFT TURN LANE,AND THERE WAS TRAFFIC STOPPED BEHIND ME, THANK GOODNESS. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I TRIED TO PULL OFF, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVED. A MAN HELPED ME TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC ONTO A PARKING LOT . AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN DIFFERENT GEARS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON. I CALLED A WRECKER TO PICK IT UP AND DELIVER IT HOME. SINCE THEN I BOUGHT A CODE READER AND THE CODE IS A P0740. I HAVE READ WHERE HONDA HAS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ON RECALL.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND DID NOT MOVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY AAA AND WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO EITHER BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.”
Showing 6 of 405 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 5, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.