Problems · by component

2004 Honda Civic power train problems

56 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Honda Civic cite power train, 16% of all 351 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
56
16% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATE. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WAS SKIPPING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY CVT SKIPPING OR AN EGR VALVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2020Power trainODI 11377505
“THIS MODEL CAR HAS A DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THE START CLUTCH PERFORMANCE. THIS ISSUE CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO THE UNPREDICTABLE ACCELERATION IT CAUSES. DESPITE RE-SURFACING PROCEDURES, THE ISSUE WILL RETURN. THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A WEAR ISSUE, THE PART(S) AND/OR DESIGN ARE FAULTY. THIS IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE AMONG HONDA MECHANICS WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS MODEL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED MORE INFO OR DETAILS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2020Power train, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11301870
“I HAVE A 2004 HONDA CIVIC EX. DRIVING TO GLENDALE (1 HOUR FROM WHERE I LIVE) IN THE CITY I STARTED NOTICING THE TRANSMISSION WAS JERKING. SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. GOING UP A HILL MY TRANSMISSION WASN'T WORKING ANYMORE AND WAS REVVING WITHOUT GOING INTO GEAR. I WAS IN MOTION ON A HILL ON A VERY TIGHT ROAD WHERE ONLY 1 CAR CAN PASS AT A TIME. AND CARS WERE PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET. I ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE PARKED CARS BECAUSE I COULD'T CONTROL THE JERKING OF THE CAR AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. I HAD CARS COMING TOWARDS ME AND HAD THE CAR STALLED ON THE ROAD AND HAD TO BLOCK THE TRAFFIC FOR 30 MIN BEFORE MY FRIENDS COULD COME AND HELP ME MOVE THE CAR. THERE WAS LITTLE AMOUNT OF SPACE AND PARKING AND HAD TO PUSH THE CAR FOR A WHILE BEFORE FINDING A PARKING SPOT. THE CAR HAS ONLY 123,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS FRESH AND CLEAN AND NEVER HAD ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WITHIN 15 MIN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP! I REALLY HOPE HONDA CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I SEE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT HONDA'S TRANSMISSION FAILING IN THESE HONDA CIVICS BETWEEN 2000 AND 2004.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2019Power trainODI 11240194
“THE CAR TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES THE ENGINE IS FINE, BUT WHEN I ACCELERATE THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD RIGHT AWAY. ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. IT HAS PLENTY OF FLUID, BUT THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2018Power trainODI 11124604
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2015Power trainODI 10733543
“WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, CAME TO A STOP LIGHT THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO. WHEN I HIT THE GAS ALL IT DID WAS REV UP. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT WAS ABLE TO START MOVING THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2014Power trainODI 10662306

Showing 6 of 56 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.

Other 2004 Civic problem areas