Problems · by component
2003 Honda Civic structure problems
28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Honda Civic cite structure, 5% of all 525 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
28
5% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
Reported by owners
What owners say about the structure
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“CLEAR COAT FAILURE. NOTICEABLE CLEAR COAT FAILURE STARTED ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO. I CONTACTED HONDA AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY CLAIM IT IS ONLY AN ISSUE ON 2005 AND LATER CIVICS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ISN'T TRUE. CLEAR COAT FAILURE ON ROOF, TRUNK, AND ABOVE THE DOORS.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUCKEYE HONDA (2615 N MEMORIAL DR, LANCASTER, OH 43130). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AND THERE WAS ALSO AN OIL LEAK. ADDITIONALLY, THE HORN, FOG LIGHT SWITCH, AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN COVER WAS CUT. IN ADDITION TO THE FAILURES, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT DOORS WERE UNABLE TO BE OPENED WITH THE KEY. THE CONTACT WAS ONLY ABLE TO UNLOCK THE TRUNK WITH THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER FOR AN IGNITION SWITCH REPAIR WHERE THE KEYS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY 190,000.”
“THIS CAR WAS TOTALED IN A CRASH MANY, MANY YEARS AGO ! I HAVE FILLED OUT AND MAILED IN TWO RECALL NOTICES TO THIS AFFECT AND I AM STILL GETTING RECALL NOTICES FOR THIS CAR. FOR THE THIRD TIME, THIS CAR IS LONG GONE, UPDATE YOUR RECORDS AND DO NOT SENT ANOTHER NOTICE.”
“TAKATA RECALL PREVIOUS COMPLAINT IN FEB. 2018, AND NO ACTION TAKEN, COMPLAINT # 11079970, AIR BAG RECALL, RESULTING IN NO ACTION TAKEN FROM HONDA, HEAD-ON ACCIDENT OCCURRED, AND AIR-BAGS SHOULD'VE DEPLOYED, BUT DIDN'T. INJURIES INCURRED. HONDA HAS REFUSED ANY PARTAKING ON MATTER. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, IN THE TURNING LANE, CAR APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE, AND I HIT HER HEAD-ON TO THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BUMPER, LIGHT, TIRE. THIS WAS A NO-FAULT ACCIDENT ON THE POLICE REPORT.”
“THE PAINT HAS BEEN FADING AND PEELING SINCE ABOUT JANUARY OF 2014. CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND WASHED CLEANED REGULARLY (BUT NOT EXCESSIVELY) ITS WHOLE LIFE AND THE PAINT SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR HONDA'S MADE AROUND THIS TIME AND HONDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND PAY TO HAVE IT PAINTED. IT IS NOT FAIR TO CAR OWNERS WHO DO NOT HAVE THE RESALE VALUE THE CAR IS WORTH BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE COSMETIC ISSUE LIKE THIS.”
“I NOTICED A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT THE HOOD HAD STARTED TO BOUNCE SOMEWHAT WHILE CAR WAS IN OPERATION, UPON INVESTIGATING I FOUND THE SUPPORT THAT THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY IS ATTACHED ( BULKHEAD / CROSS MEMBER) HAD A HAIRLINE CRACK APPEARING. WITHIN A MATTER OF A FEW WEEKS THE ENTIRE LATCH ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN LOOSE. ONCE THIS HAPPENS EVEN THE SECONDARY LATCH IS USELESS, AT THIS POINT THE ONLY THING KEEPING THE HOOD FROM FLYING OPEN DURING THE COURSE OF DRIVING WHICH INVOLVES AIR TURBULENCE IS A VERY THIN GAUGE STEEL CABLE CONNECTED TO THE INSIDE HOOD RELEASE LATCH WHICH ISN'T MEANT TO RESTRAIN HOOD FROM FLYING OPEN. I'VE ALSO FOUND ONE DOCUMENTED CASE OF A HOOD FLYING OPEN WHILE CAR IS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE IN OHIO, THIS WAS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC AND THE TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT NUMBER IS 10-119-89. I'VE CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA CORPORATION AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS REGARDING THIS SAFETY ISSUE ON JANUARY 19, 2016 . SO FAR I'VE ONLY RECEIVED A CASE FILE NUMBER (04405315) AND A LOT OF RUN AROUND. I'VE BEEN TOLD IN DIFFERENT CONVERSATION MY CAR IS 13 YEARS OLD AND OUT OF WARRANTY. I KNOW THAT. THE CAR WAS ALSO OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN BOTH AIRBAGS PRODUCED BY TAKATA…”
Showing 6 of 28 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.