Power Train Problems of Honda Civic - part 1

Honda cvt transmission fluid seal leak cause by failed torque converter. Car has a perfect maintenance history, all fluid changes done on time with allen Honda at bryan texas including filters associated. Car is garage kept, not driven hard. Always driven in economy mode for smooth efficiency. Failure occurred at 86,165 miles. Significant enough I am reporting this, as it is a safety issue, however don't know if other Honda Civics have had this issue. A normal cvt transmission should last 150,000 miles before issues start according to manufacturer (Honda) who built the car. Two photos attached displaying the leak and puddle on my driveway. Leak is a slow drip, fixing it in the morning at a shop which will put me out of almost $3000 not under warranty because car is 6 years of age instead of 5 years. Honda needs to be made aware this is a serious safety concern, had I not caught it, it could have led to crash possibly, or fire from overheating. Leaking areas circled in red. Car currently not drivable, having to tow it in the morning to replace failed parts.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Civic 🔎.

My 2020 Civic si had a total clutch failure at <32,000 miles matching tsb22-017 exactly. The vehicle failed to accelerate on a major interstate. The posted speed limit is 65 mph. While attempting to reach that speed the vehicle was revving at >6000rpm in all gears. I was able to reach 50 mph for short periods, but the vehicle would then slow to 45 or lower. An extreme safety risk on a busy highway. When the vehicle was pulled to the shoulder and stopped, the car would not go into 1st gear at all, leaving me stranded on the side of a busy interstate highway. This vehicle has been properly maintained with no modifications and no abusive driving.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? answer: the transmission is slipping or malfunctioning when driving the car, specifically when accelerating. Yes, it is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? answer: when the transmission slips or malfunctions, the acceleration of the car doesn't act as it should. For example, when waiting to join a flow of vehicle traffic, or when waiting to cross a busy intersection, the delay in acceleration or the slipping of the transmission is increasing the risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or causing my vehicle to block other vehicles. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? answer: yes. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? answer: no. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? answer: no. Additional information: I spoke with Honda in 2023 to see if there was a recall related to my cvt transmission. They took my information, but advised there was no recall. I had a similar conversation with them in 2024 because it seemed to be getting worse, but there still was no recall. Now in 2025, it still feels like it's getting worse and making it feel unsafe to drive the car.

See all problems of the 2015 Honda Civic 🔎.

On November 5, 2025 a few dash errors came on, they were: 1. Brake hold system problem 2. Vehicle stability assist problem 3. Emission system problem 4. Road departure mitigation system problem 5. Collision mitigation system problem 6. Lane keeping assist system problem 7. Adaptive cruise system problem 8. Hill start assist system problem 9. Tire pressure monitor system problem I called the dealership on 11/5/25 and made a service appointment for 11/6/25. The dealership looked over the car and stated that the code the car was throwing was "low fuel pressure". The dealership stated that they do not know why the code was present as the car showed signs of issues, they cleared the code and released the car back to me on 11/6/25. On 11/24/25 while driving on a major highway the car stalled about 8-10 times. I contacted the dealership and went right into the dealer on 11/24/25. The dealership kept my car and issued a loaner vehicle to me. On 11/25/25 I received a call from the dealership stating that the high pressure fuel pump would need to be replaced. The fuel pump was replaced on 11/26/25 and the service manager called me stating that they would keep the car to test drive and monitor it for further issues. On 11/28/25 I received a call from the service advisor stating that upon further checking the car they have located a transmission leak and found large chunks of metal in the transmission. The service advisor stated they would reach out to Honda and get the recommendations on fixing the problem. On 12/1/25 the service advisor reached out to me and stated that Honda recommended they clean the leak and release the car back to me. The service advisor stated that they were not happy with this outcome and then reached out to their district representative, the district representative recommended that they clean the leak, test drive the car for about 20-30 miles and send photos of the chunks of metal in the transmission. I am now waiting to hear back.

Car won’t go into gear. Unable to drive. Smoke smell inside cabin. Dealer states likely a clutch/clutch plate issue. Apparently, reported on previous year model with a TSB but not on the 2022 one. Need to tow car to dealership now.

See all problems of the 2022 Honda Civic 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly came to a stop. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 35 mph, and the contact pulled over. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a transmission center, and it was determined that the failure was linked to the cvt and pulley system. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the vehicle made an abnormal clunking sound and lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle felt like the transmission was in neutral(n), and the front wheels were locked. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message "check transmission" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was undrivable and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the pulley shaft and the drive belt were damaged. The mechanic determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 15v574000 (power train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 197,000.

See all problems of the 2014 Honda Civic 🔎.

Exact problem was recalled for same year for 143,000 vehicles but my VIN was not in the recall. I was diving and vehicle made a loud noise and all the sudden stopped accelerating. It was like my car was in neutral. Put my car in park when I stopped and car started rolling backwards like it wasn’t in park. It finally went into park and I shut car off and restarted tried putting in drive again. It made a loud grinding noise and would not go in drive still acted like in neutral. Had to have car towed from scene. Looked up transmission issues and saw there was a recall for this exact issue.

The vehicle has 42,070 miles on it. It was being driven and suddenly the clutch started to slip. Then, when trying to pull away after a stop, the vehicle only was able to travel at 8 miles/hour in first gear. No messages were received before the clutch failed. Vehicle was towed to a local repair shop and we were given a quote to replace clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate. We then had it towed to a Honda repair center to seek assistance from Honda on the repair because the clutch failed at such low mileage and they diagnosed the cause as premature wear and tear. We know that a bulletin was put out in September 2022 regarding clutch failures with certain Honda Civic sport models from 2020 and 2021, so we asked Honda for support. They declined because the 2022 model was not covered by the bulletin, even though our Honda had already been produced before that bulletin was released. We believe that our issue is related to the issues with the 2020 and 2021 models and have found that other 2022 and 2023 owners have experienced similar failures. We have included our request letter and escalation request, as well as the repair quote from zeigler Honda racine, WI.

The cvt transmission causes the car to stall when gaining acceleration past 20 mph-40 mph from a complete stop and when slowing down and then trying to gain rpm with flow of traffic whether on streets or highways. This can cause a safety concern for the driver if the car stalls out in the middle of oncoming traffic in the streets or highways that could potentially lead to death of owner and others. The car was taken to the dealership and no warning lamps were on. The tech had mentioned that they see this problem a lot with this model containing the cvt transmissions.

See all problems of the 2016 Honda Civic 🔎.

I was driving up a hill and all of a sudden, my transmission gave out, and I was rolling backwards on a hill. It was terrifying since the brakes barely worked as well. I was rolling down the hill and almost crashed, it was emotionally damaging and hope I never have to live through that again. I had aaa take the car to Honda, and they said that they needed to replace the transmission after only 10,000 miles. I could not believe it and they replaced the transmission since it was covered under warranty.

See all problems of the 2024 Honda Civic 🔎.

While driving, my 2012 Honda Civic hybrid suddenly loses power and steering ability. The vehicle stalls and the steering wheel locks up, making it impossible to safely maneuver. This has happened multiple times, including in traffic, creating a serious risk of collision. When the failure occurs, warning lights illuminate on the dashboard, including the ima light, anti-lock brake light, and others. In some cases, all dash lights flash before the car stalls. When scanned with an obd tool, the vehicle shows power inverter-related fault codes. The symptoms are consistent with the ima motor power inverter defect described in Honda recall h98 (2012–2015 Civic hybrid inverter recall). However, my VIN does not currently show as part of that recall. Despite this, the vehicle is clearly experiencing the same safety defect. This defect causes sudden loss of propulsion and steering assist, placing myself, passengers, and other drivers at serious risk. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

See all problems of the 2012 Honda Civic 🔎.

Cvt transmission unknown if can be inspected. Safety reason is I went to do a lane change on the interstate and pressed the throttle I hear the transmission make a loud noise and would not speed up even with me pressing more on the accelerator. Then 5 seconds later car finally started to speed up no I have brought car in prior to be looked at for the car jumping on slow acceleration they can’t get it to do it when I bring it in. Vehicle has been inspected was advised to change transmission fluid I did issue is still present. No there was no warning lights.

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while attempting to park and the vehicle was shut off, and the vehicle unexpectedly began to roll away. The vehicle was stopped by the tow truck, and the parking brake was engaged to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the front axle had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact also stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle vibrated and the contact heard a weird noise coming from the vehicle, the contact also stated that the accelerator was depressed, and then the vehicle unexpectedly lunged forward with no warning light illuminated. An independent was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 156,000.

I am reporting a serious safety concern with my 2012 Honda Civic hybrid. What component or system failed and is it available for inspection? the hybrid drive system and regenerative braking system are malfunctioning. The hybrid battery recharging system including the mpi have failed, causing the vehicle to operate solely on the gasoline engine. This results in degraded braking performance due to the loss of regenerative braking. How was safety put at risk? when the hybrid system fails, braking performance is noticeably reduced, increasing stopping distances. This creates a high risk of collision, especially in sudden-stop situations or heavy traffic. Additionally, the sudden loss of hybrid power assistance can cause unsafe changes in vehicle acceleration and handling. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes. The issue has been confirmed by pearson Honda in midlothian, virginia. They state the mpi needs to be replaced and state my VIN is outside their "factory warranty extension". Multiple calls to Honda America state that I am responsible for all repairs and that this is not their problem and will not clarify how they decide what VIN's are included in the extension. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by others? the vehicle has been inspected by pearson Honda in midlothian, va and documentation is available. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives at this time. Warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to failure? yes. Warning lights for the hybrid system and/or ima (integrated motor assist) illuminate promptly as you start the vehicle. These first appeared last week (8/4-8/8/2025) and have occurred multiple times since.

The clutch system in my 2024 Honda Civic sport touring (VIN: [xxx]) failed completely at 8,126 miles, consisting of flywheel (#22100-5cd-018), friction disk (#22200-5cc-003), pressure plate (#22300-5cc-003), and release bearing (#22810-57a-006) - the exact parts Honda identified as defective in TSB 22-017 due to supplier production issues causing premature friction disc wear. The failure created immediate safety hazards including complete loss of power transmission in traffic, inability to accelerate or maintain speed, unpredictable gear engagement, and risk of being rear-ended when the vehicle suddenly lost power on busy san diego roads, forcing an emergency roadside stop and towing. Mossy Honda lemon grove confirmed the failure (ro# [xxx]), documenting excessive heat causing excessive wear with hot spots all around pressure plate and clutch disc measuring only 5. 24mm. Honda denied warranty coverage claiming user error without evidence, and Honda customer relations (case #[xxx]) has provided no substantive response despite these being known defective components. Warning signs first appeared at approximately 4,000 miles with clutch slippage during uphill parking, progressively worsening to include burning smell, difficulty engaging gears, and slippage under normal acceleration before complete failure at 8,126 miles, though no warning lights appeared as manual transmissions lack clutch monitoring systems. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I am the owner of a 2023 Honda Civic sport equipped with a cvt transmission (Honda m-cvt). While the transmission has not yet failed outright, I am reporting a serious safety and consumer risk created by the design and business model surrounding these units. Honda cvts are sealed, non-serviceable by design. Dealerships and third parties are unable to replace individual internal components or inspect wear inside the cvt without replacing the entire unit. The fact that Honda refuses to sell parts for these cvts essentially makes them disposable powertrains. This creates a dangerous precedent ans owners cannot plan for long-term ownership or safety. Cvts in these cars often fail outside of warranty with no prior warning, and consumers are left without options other than full replacement, which many cannot afford. I am reporting this as a safety issue because when these cvts degrade, they: hesitate when accelerating from a stop (which has happened to me) cause unpredictable power delivery create unsafe situations during merging or turning Honda’s refusal to allow proactive service or repair (such as belt inspection or internal cleaning) forces owners to operate on faith, which is not acceptable for a mission-critical safety component like a transmission. This is compounded by the fact that these cvts are installed across Honda’s most affordable trims, affecting working-class people disproportionately. Dealerships confirm no individual repair options exist. The issue is “normal” until failure. Transmission fluid changes are the only service allowed. Occasional hesitation and inconsistent acceleration. No dashboard warning lights have been triggered. This is a case of planned obsolescence leading to unavoidable safety risk. This design forces cars to enter the used market with a major mechanical failure already ticking down. This is a case of planned obsolescence leading to unavoidable safety risk.

See all problems of the 2023 Honda Civic 🔎.

While driving on interstate vehicle lost power had to weave through traffic to get to pull off lane. Honda dealership states replace the flywheel, pressure plate, friction disc (clutch), and release bearing. Car has 40k miles.

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Civic 🔎.

Upon a quick right turn into traffic, the right front drive axle shaft snapped in two, leaving the vehicle without propulsion.

I took my vehicle to the dealer after receiving the first recall notice. They inspected it and informed me that my car was not part of the recall, so they returned it to me. However, I continued to receive recall letters and communications from attorneys regarding the issue. According to the dealer, my car was in good condition. Despite this, I recently noticed unusual movement in the steering wheel, which ultimately caused me to crash into a concrete pole.

Researched and found this has been a common issue with this make and model. Clutch slippage at random times when accelerating, reported to Honda dealership multiple times, stated there wasn’t any issue with vehicle and denied this was a common issue even though it has been reported by multiple owners of this year/make/model. 3-4 days ago, clutch started disengaging while driving and constantly had the burning friction smell. Fortunately I was able to get my vehicle to the dealership without having to be towed but it was a slow with lots of praying to the car gods. Now the dealership is charging me an outrageous amount to repair, even though I reported this months ago (prior to it getting this bad) and was told there wasn’t nothing wrong with it. My estimate for repairs came to just under $5k for something that should’ve been fixed when it was first reported (which probably would’ve been way less in cost to fix at that time). And…I had to tell them what the issue was in detail because they treated me like I was stupid. This should’ve been a recall a long time ago with all the reports and complaints from so many people instead of Honda treating people like they’re stupid.

The contact owned a 2024 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 mph, an abnormal loud explosion sound was coming from the vehicle. The contact managed to pull over to the shoulder of the road, and upon inspection, the dashboard began to emit black smoke. The contact stated that as he and a nearby pedestrian had backed away from the vehicle from opening the vehicle door, it had caught on fire. The local fire department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire and filed a report. In addition, the fire department stated that the fire may have occurred in the transmission. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it remained. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The contact was seen by ems and sought medical attention for migraines/headache's, loss of hearing in his right ear for several days, panic attacks, anxiety, and loss of sleep. The local dealer was contacted however, no assistance was obtained. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.

Had to have transmission replaced at 114,000 miles in 2023 in June of 2024 warning on screen flashing multiple warnings hillside assist,power steering and abs turned car off and wouldn't restart. Took to mechanic and they said it was faulty start button was replacef and in June of 2025 transmission plug was popped out and all lights started throwing warning signal again and car died won't restart.

Clutch failed at 45000 miles due to early wear. Clutch failed on interstate and resulted in full power loss of vehicle requiring a tow. Honda had previously identified a manufacturing defect with the friction plate as noted in sb-22017 issued in sept 2022 covering my 2020 and 2021 vehicles. My vehicle was built in late 2021 and was equipped with the same part as identited as failing in sb-22017. Per Honda dealer, repair of my vehicle is not currently covered by sb and therefore all costs are responsibility of owner. As the sb was issued months after my vehicle and transmission were built, the failed part is likely in my 2022 vehicles as well.

In a Honda cvt when the filter becomes clogged, pressure will build and the fill cap will come off the transmission on its own to relieve the pressure. There is no warning indication system to tell you when it happens but it seems to be a persistent issue in their cvts. After the cap blows off fluid will start leaking on the casing and dirt and other contaminates will make their way into the transmission. This poses a massive safety issue as it can cause the transmission to lock up. When going to use professional service websites such as pro-demand and all data Honda gives no information about this issue or even how to fix it.

Failed tramission.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. Upon attempting to shift the vehicle into park, the contact observed that the gear shift lever was loosened and was moving freely back and forth. The “service transmission” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 15v574000 (power train), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 100,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The check emission system and check transmission system warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 65 mph, the vehicle was losing motive power, jerking, and was slow to respond. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who removed and replaced the speed sensor. The vehicle was then taken to another independent mechanic who sprayed the wires and thought it would repair the vehicle; however, the warning light illuminated again. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,156.

See all problems of the 2013 Honda Civic 🔎.

Transmission failed while driving. Car slipped out of gear and propulsion power was lost. Vehicle could not be moved out of road way. Doing a quick easy internet search yield hundreds of complaints about cvt rubber plug problems. Honda cvt's have a transmission plug that routinely "pops out" allowing transmission fluid to spray out and sediment to fall into the transmission reservoir. This undoubtedly led to my daughter's car transmission failing in a very dangerous situation.

Transmission failure. Known problem on these vehicles. Why did they only recall a certain number from this year? and now my transmission has failed just like many others.

My car has 105,000 miles on it, and I experienced a transmission failure. There were no warning signs beforehand. No sensor lights going off, no alarming sounds or feelings from driving the car. It just happened randomly. The mechanics who looked at my car said they have never seen this before. I am told my car is not affected by the recall, but that is hard to believe since the 2015 Honda Civic has a history of faulty automatic transmissions.

While changing gears on the road my axel shaft broke due to rust from PA roads leaving me stuck in the middle of the road.

I recently purchased the car . I see on several forums , the transmission in this car for this year is prone to leaks and failures and Honda is aware . I’m having that issue .

See all problems of the 2002 Honda Civic 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Honda Civic si. The contact stated that there was a burning chemical odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The odor went away but had since returned. The contact stated that while depressing the clutch, the vehicle was vibrating, and the engine revved up, but the clutch felt as if it was slipping. The failure was most persistent between 1st and 2nd gear. The contact found a technical service bulletin related to NHTSA id number: 10219641 (power train); however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who determined that the clutch failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact had not spoken with the persons advised to speak with for assistance yet. The failure mileage was 26,900.

See attached document for complaint.