Automatic Transmission Torque Converter Problems of Honda Civic - part 2

The check engine light came on 2 days ago on my 2001 Honda Civic lx. My dealer said it is a transmission problem (needs torque converter) and will cost over $1700. I suspect that Honda has premature transmission failure on this model and do not think I should pay for this repair even though the warranty expired on this 4,000 miles ago. I currently have 84,000 miles.

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I am filing this complaint on behalf of Honda Civic drivers everywhere. It is very clear from doing research that there is an inherent problem with the Honda Civic 2001-2003 transmission. From speaking to professionals who have been rebuilding Honda transmissions for years, it is a problem with materials flaking off the torque converter and the clutch clogging things up. I drive at 2001 Honda Civic and the p0740 error code has come up, but the car is still running fine, but until I get the transmission supposedly repaired I will not be able to pass aircare even though my emissions are perfectly above average. Incidents vary from total transmission failure while driving on a high, stalls, to accidents. If you just google search 2001-2003 Honda Civic transmission you can see for yourself. I can understand that wear and tear over-time does happen, but it is clear that this is not a coincidence and feel that Honda should bear some of the responsibility for building a faulty transmission.

My husband and I took over the car from his aunt in 10/2005, at 56,020 miles. The car has been well taken care with periodic oil changes and some maintenance. On 12/22/2008, when it was of 82,409 miles, the check engine light was on. This time we did pay some amount for other services but due to financial hardship could not pay for the torque converter replacement, as advised at kolbe Honda at reseda. After the service performance, the check engine light was off. However, on 6/15/2009, we had no choice but to replace the car's transmission and torque converter for $690. 69 (on the 70/30 split).

One day my automatic transmission had some issues shifting gears and there was a noise coming from the front end when starting the car. After the car was warm, it didn't seem to be as big of an issue. This happened for a few days and one day driving home, it just died. I had it towed to a local transmission shop and before the mechanic took a look at it he mentioned the torque converters going bad in the 2001 Civics. Same in my case and oil leaked into the transmission. Only a few parts were able to be saved so he is rebuilding the rest for $2300. I filed a complaint with Honda but from what others have said it does no good. Something needs to be done. There are so many similar stories out there. Carcomplaints. Com is loaded with them.

Torque converter clutch circuit/open.

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The transmission slipped the torque converter failed and the transmission burned up.

There has been no wreck or fire---this is a complaint for your TSB compilations. . . . We have an 08 Civic the transmission shifts roughly, and with delays. Slowing down and then re accelerating lightly causes a delay----as if the transmission/control module can't figure out which gear to get into--- and then a rough engagement. From d to reverse, there is a harder engagement than should be. It's as if there is a problem with the control module or the torque converter. My dealer says all these things are normal in a Civic auto transmission. We have an 07 accord exl and it has none of these problems, nor did any other vehicles I've had in the past with a. T. It seems there should be some control module reprogramming or software patch for this transmission. Also, as a safety problem, it is harder to see out of this windshield during rain, esp. At night, than any car I've driven. Possibly the extreme slant of the glass? as a safety problem, as well, the brakes have a soft pedal, as well, and require more force than our accord(much much more)or than any car I am used to, except one with air in the lines. . . . Dealer says this soft pedal is normal, as well.

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I was leaving my home and driving about 1 mile to my destination. My car had been functioning normally earlier in the day. I noticed that the transmission slipped as I went up a small hill. Within 1/4 mile the torque converter failed (transmission failure) and I had power to the engine but no forward power. I was stuck in the middle of the road and could only get to safety at the side of the road by coasting. Had I been on a more heavily traffic road, or on a steep hill of which there are many here, the outcome could have been many injured or deaths as I was a sitting duck in the road.

2002 Honda Civic. Within a month or so of the failure, I started to experience the trans slipping when starting. The car clicked 100,000 miles on Tuesday and on Thursday the transmission fails! I was driving and I wanted to pass a vehicle, I made a lane change and stepped on the gas. The car suddenly felt funny and wouldn't go any faster. I came to the next stop light. When starting again the engine revved up and the car would barely make it across the intersection. I pulled into a side street and called for a tow truck. Aamco transmission told me the torque converter was part of the trans failure. $3200 later I drive my car home and now the engine is idling rough. I thought Honda's were supposed to last forever?!!.

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The contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. While driving approximately 65 mph with the accelerator pedal depressed, the vehicle lost torque power and would not move forward. The contact had to shut off the vehicle momentarily and then restart it in order for it to move forward at a slow pace. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle as having torque converter failure. There are no recalls for this failure. The current mileage was 72,000 and failure mileage was 71,000.

My 2001 Honda Civic lx started to rev on a cold day when it tried to go into gear at 30 mi/hr. It happened in the same spot for three mornings in a row, but no other time (yet). Then on the 4th day, it was happening going into 1st and 2nd. I checked the tranny fluid and it was full. I was trying to be gentle with shifting. . . Releasing the gas when the car tried to shift. That worked for the day. On my way home from visiting my mother, I stopped at the local Honda dealer. I told them the tranny was slipping. They ran a diagnostic test, charged me $105 and told me the tranny was slipping (I told them I already knew that!). They wrote on the paper that the car was drivable but the tranny would need to be replaced in the future at a tune of $2,600+tax. Well. . . On the way home from that Honda dealer, the tranny failed. I got stuck on the side of the road.

2001 Honda Civic, complete transmission failure while driving. Transmission slipped while driving up hills and then completely failed while driving in the middle of the street. Nothing was done by Honda, but I had to have the entire transmission replaced for a total cost of 2,400. But according the Honda this is the only possible fix for the problem, an entire replacement of the transmission.

I purchased the car used in 2006 with 21,000 miles. The transmission failed at 56,000 miles (1/27/08). Told needed transmission overhaul. The transmission also failed again at 89,000 (2/4/09) miles, requiring another transmission overhaul. 6 months later experiencing similar symptoms (shuddering/shake/vibration between 30-50 mph) as before took it to aamco to get an outside opinion and I am told the torque converter is failing and if not replaced will cause transmission failure once again. The car currently has 124,000 miles on it. So much for Honda reliability.

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For 2001 Honda Civic at 62,000 miles, the check engine light came on suggesting a failure of the transmission (code p0740) according to the dealer. The car drives fine. This was in January of 2008. The light came on again 8 months later at 70,000 miles. Dealer says transmission torque converter clutch is failing. There is no noticeable problem with driving or as the car shifts. The dealer recommends replacement of the transmission.

Transmission went out before 90,000 miles on Honda Civic. Repaired through aamco for over $2200. 00 no warning. Vehicle just would not go over 20 mph. Saw on internet Honda had known problems with Civics in 2001 model year.

Car engine shudders and feels like it wants to stall. Sometimes feels like it stays locked in a gear. Diagnostic check shows "torque converter clutch" problem. According to multiple websites many, many people have this problem. Some have engine failure while driving. Is Honda doing anything to help us with this dangerous problem? this is not a rare problem. It seems quite common for 2001 Civics. This definitely discourages me from buying another Honda. Everyone says Honda's are built to last, well not anymore. Please help.

I was on my way to DE from NJ and I started to drive up the hill of the delaware memorial bridge. . . I put my foot on the gas but my car stopped accelerating, the check engine light came on and my speedometer started to decline! I was in the middle lane on the bridge so I tried my best to get over to the far right lane while I was afraid the car would stop on the bridge and someone would hit me. . I got to the top of the hill and then I was able to coast down the hill towards the toll booth where my car stopped and had to be pushed to the shoulder. I was relieved to not have stopped on the bridge where there is no shoulder. It turns out to be the transmission failed. There was no warning. No leaks, no unusual behavior. I was just driving along as normal and the transmission failed. The check engine light didn't even come on until after it happened. It was very scary b/c I t happened out of no where. Something like this is a scary and unsafe type of failure b/c it could have been potentially even more dangerous if I had not been able to get to a shoulder since I was on a bridge. My car was well maintained, had its oil changes and had been serviced with Honda transmission fuel at the appropriate times. After having it towed to my mechanic's shop, it needs a new transmission torque converter went bad according to my mechanic. The complete randomness and no warning is what has upset me the most.

2001 Honda Civic lemon transmissions my check engine light came up at 35000 miles. It showed up 2 codes related to transmission and torque converter. The same problem has been reported widely by customers of 2001 Honda Civic but Honda is refusing a recall. . Read more...

Transmission failure of the Civic lx 2001.

My 2001 Honda Civic recently died on me on a major highway. My 6 year daughter was a passenger as well. As I drove down the highway the car's engine revved up but the speed declined. This almost caused a serious accident. I have been informed by my mechanic it was my torque converter that failed. I have been looking online and I see that several if not all 2001 Honda Civic owners have had the same issue. Had I not been able to maneuver as quickly as I did at a decreasing speed me and my daughter could have been killed! Honda needs to make a recall on the 2001 Honda Civic transmission immediately; before someone is seriously injured. With all the complaints filed about this car and this issue Honda should make a recall order. My estimated price for repair is $2000 for a new transmission. My car has 118k miles.

Transmission failure on 2001 Honda Civic. It failed for me around 30k once and again around 58k. The first time I was asked to change the torque converter and the next time I was asked to change the transmission. When I researched the web it was a very common failure for transmission on this model with transmission failing at low mileage. No recall was issued by Honda.

On 3/21/07 my 2001 Honda Civic ex with 109k miles displayed on engine light reporting a p0740 torque converter failure. This was diagnosed by willet Honda in morrow, GA and two other independent shops. A transmission repair/replacement of $2400 was the recommendation. The car was running fine then and now, 35k miles and two yrs later, the car is still running fine with the engine light on. American Honda has offered no help. I cannot pass an emission test with the light on and I am very confident something else is wrong like a sensor. A research of this problem shows it is quite common among Civics and other may have paid for unnecessary transmission repairs.

After pulling out on to road after oil change, car was fine for about 100 ft and then when trying to accelerate would redline rpms. Will not go into gear, transmission failed at 61k.

To start off this car was bought with a salvaged title, however all work was done by a shop to make it new again. I have owned the car for almost 2 years and have not had any problems until this spring. I was pulling out of the parking spot at my bank and got half way into the lane when all of a sudden my transmission just let go and started making a real bad grinding and clinking sound. I stopped immediately and the car wouldn't move. I had my car towed to a local transmission shop and they did a full diagnostic and mechanical check on the car. They told me that the differential had just fallen apart on the inside and had torn apart the passenger side axle, and the torque converter, along with leaving a lot of little pieces of metal shards and clutch material everywhere. When the grand total was figured up it was $490 labor, $2,373 parts, plus taxes which came to a grand total of $3,006. Let me explain that this is my 2nd Civic and 1 of 4 in my family. I truly believe that Honda's are very dependable cars. How ever when this happens and it is not because of anything I could control it is very disheartening. This car only has 48,000 miles on it and doesn't show any signs of wear. I have read many other complaints about the transmissions in this year and I would like to know what Honda is going to do about it. I have talked to the dealer and they said they couldn't do anything for me. So, I called the customer service for Honda USA and the lady said she couldn't do a thing because of the salvaged title, when asked to speak to her supervisor she replied, "fortunately I don't have a supervisor. " I am still in the process of talking to Honda so I can get this matter solved. I have no choice I am a college student who works full-time just to pay the bills and rent, to have this happen is a real blow.

Check engine light came on with a code of p0740. Had car checked and told nothing was wrong, reset light. Mil came on again and took car to brown's Honda in glen burnie. Charged me another $90 to tell me the light had the same code p0740 and they changed the transmission fluid. They said not sure if it is fixed. If light comes back on brown's Honda said I would either have to replace the torque converter or the transmission, they are not sure. Car drives fine but brown's Honda can't tell me if there seems to be a problem with the torque converter or transmission. They told me to wait and see if the light comes back on. Asked brown's if they have seen torque converter failures in 2001 Civics. Chris responded rudely "do you know how many Honda Civics are out there". I repeated my questions and was told "yes" she has seen torque converter failures on the 2001 Honda Civics.

Transmission would periodically stop shifting into third and fourth gears. Vehicle would not move at a speed faster than 40 mph. Dealer has advised consumer that transmission could not repaired, but must be replaced. Vehicle has been taken to dealer on three different occasions. Another dealer determined torqe convertor as a cause and replaced it. There was no transmission problem since then.