Problems · by component

2002 Honda Civic suspension problems

35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Honda Civic cite suspension, 5% of all 717 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
35
5% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the suspension

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“DURING LAST YEAR NY STATE INSPECTION, A TECHNICIAN SAID, THE TWO FRONT STRUT WAS LEAKED; LATER ON WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR, I CAN HEAR A NOISE AND FEEL IT UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNSAFE. SO THIS YEAR INSPECTION IN PEP BOYS (STORE ID # 1072), I WAS ASKED TO REPLACE THE TWO, BY MONROE PART # 71433/71434, $204.39 PER UNIT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2015SuspensionODI 10747158
“ROUTINE INSPECTION BY SERVICE PERSONNEL REVEALED BOTH FRONT STRUTS WERE LEAKING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. HONDA CIVIC HAD APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MILES, TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT IS RARE TO HAVE BOTH GO BAD AT THE SAME TIME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2010SuspensionODI 10300097
“I PURCHASED MY HONDA CIVIC BRAND NEW IN FEBRUARY OF 2002. I HAD MY RIGHT FRONT STRUT REPLACED THE FIRST TIME ON APRIL 8, 2003. I HAD TO HAVE THE SAME RIGHT FRONT STRUT REPLACED AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 22, 2004. MY CAR WENT OUT OF WARRANTY IN 2005, HOWEVER I STILL NOTICED THAT THE AUTOMOBILE DID NOT SEEM TO HANDLE BUMPS/HOLES IN THE ROAD VERY WELL, SHAKING AND RATTLING WITH EVERY ONE. BEING A FAIRLY YOUNG DRIVER, AND THIS BEING MY VERY FIRST CAR, I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THIS WAS AN ACTUAL PROBLEM - I JUST THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THE WAY THE CAR HANDLED. I HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT FOR ANOTHER REASON NOT TOO LONG AGO AND WAS INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AND WAS DUE TO YET AGAIN A SUSPENSION/STRUT PROBLEM. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL HONDA CIVIC OWNERS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THIS PARTICULAR GENERATION OF CIVIC THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE. I BELIEVE THE PARTS TO BE DEFECTIVE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 31, 2009Suspension, EquipmentODI 10297645
“I BOUGHT A 2002 HONDA CIVIC EX IN 2002. THE CAR ALWAYS SORT OF JUMPED WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CHANGED GEARS. I DID TELL THE SERVICE PEOPLE ABOUT THIS AT THE FIRST FEW REQUIRED SERVICES. THEY MADE OFF LIKE IT WAS JUST NORMAL SO I DROPPED COMPLAINING. THE CAR NOW HAS 130K MILES AND 4 DAYS AGO THE TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN. I FOUND THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FROM A NUMBER OF ISSUES FROM YOUR SITE. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MGR AT LEITH HONDA IN RALEIGH WHERE MY CAR WAS TOWED. HE EMPHATICALLY STATES THAT THERE IS NO SERVICE ISSUE WITH THE 2002 HONDA CIVIC TRANSMISSIONS. MY CAR WAS SERVICED AS REQUIRED IN FACT SINCE I USE SYNTHETIC OIL MORE THAN REQUIRED. I HAS BEEN TAKEN TO HONDA DEALERSHIPS FOR BIG MILE CHECK UPS OR OTHER REPUTABLE SERVICE PLACES FOR NORMAL OIL CHANGES. I HAVE HAD 3 OTHER HONDA CARS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS AND THEY ALL GOT WAY OVER 130K MILES BEFORE I TRADED OR SOLD THEM AND NONE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPLIANCE BUSHINGS IN THE FRONT. THIS IS VERY EARLY FOR SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2008Suspension, Power trainODI 10248456
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE HAS LEAKING STRUTS AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SHE HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE COMING FROM THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,142 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,062. UPDATED 05/08/08. *LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 14, 2008Suspension, StructureODI 10224405
“HONDA CIVIC 2002 MANUAL TRANS TO MCKEEVER AUTO BRADENTON, FL CHECK RATTLING SOUND IN ENGINE AREA, MAYBE AC? MCKEEVER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM WITH AC,TOOK TO BRADENTON HONDA TOLD COMING FROM TRANS,HONDA MECH NO IDEA WHY. HAD A TRANS FLUID CHANGE USING HONDA FLUID . NO SIGN OF DETERIORATION FLUID,TRANS WORKED FINE, BUT STILL NOISE. NOW HUMMING UNDER HOOD, TOOK TO TIRES PLUS GOT AXLE. DROVE 1200 MILES TRANS STARTS POPPING OUT OF 5 GEAR. TOOK TO MCKEEVER, USA TRANS SAID NEEDED TRANS. COULD REBUILD FOR $2500 NO GUARANTEE.HONDA SAID NO WARRANTY EXTENSION, BULLETIN, OUT OF WARRANTY; NEW TRANS 6000 TECH CAN NOT OPEN TRANS MUST GO TO FACTORY NO ONE WOULD FIX PROBLEM, OPTIONS REBUILD, GET ANOTHER. GOT USED TRANS LOW MILES MCKEEVER INSTALLED REPLACED HONDA SEALS AND FLUID, DROVE 400 MILES LIKE NEW SUDDENLY AT HIGH SPEED ENGINE RACED TRANS POPPED OUT 5 GEAR.RETURNED MCKEEVER?S. FOUND NUMEROUS BULLETINS,COMPLAINTS HONDA TRANS, INCLUDING SAME FOR 01. MCKEEVER?S PUT ORIGINAL TRANS IN CIVIC, TOOK TO HONDA CONTACTED TO REPORT CASE #N012007-10-1601112, TOLD NO BULLETINS ON TRANS FOR MY CAR. TOLD HONDA BULLETIN 01-081 FOR THE 01 CIVIC SAME PROBLEM.HONDA TOLD ME CAR NOT PART OF…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2007Suspension, Power train, EquipmentODI 10206409

Showing 6 of 35 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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