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2005 Honda Civic Hybrid Problems and Recalls

Owners filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, most often about the transmission (44% of complaints, typically around 90,000 miles). It is 5th of 14 Civic Hybrid model years by number of complaints and has 6 recalls.

Complaints48
Recalls6
Crashes reported7
Fires reported0
Injuries reported6

Most common 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid problems

  1. Transmission

    21 complaints · 44%

    Half of these problems showed up before 90,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.

    Multiple failures of the continous variable transmission dealership just changes transmission fluid until now, since vehicle is out of warranty they now recommend a transmission replacement. American Honda motor will not cover the repairs.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2011, at 90,000 miles
    Several months ago, I notice my car would shudder/ judder when it starts to drive/go. Then I read online that it is happening to quite a few cars from 2003 to 2005 experiencing this problem. I bought a extend warranty (7 years) but the Honda dealership will not honor anything anymore. I recommend there just be a…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 88,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    15 complaints · 31%

    Half of these problems showed up before 122,000 miles.

    We received a recall letter and immediately called and scheduled and appointment to have the recalled part replaced. We went to our local Honda dealer - Honda world in westminster, ca. The parts had to be ordered. As of today, saturday april 11 we have not heard anything from the dealer about receiving these parts and…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2015, at 113,694 miles
    Takata recall. Honda did a safety recall in 2015 but in 2017 I got the airbag sign again in Civic Hybrid and it's not going even mechanic tried to remove it with OBD. Other problem is with ima system, it works often sometimes and sign stays at the dashboard. Honda should recall for airbag and ima system and fix it…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2018, at 130,000 miles
  3. Electrical

    11 complaints · 23%

    Half of these problems showed up before 122,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery.

    On 26 february 2013, Honda of poway, ca performed california department of motor vehicles (dmv) mandated service #r83 required to register my car for the 2013 year. The mandated service was a software upgrade for my vehicle's ima battery. The vehicle was driven directly home from the dealership approximately 20 miles.…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 122,000 miles
    Takata recall. Honda did a safety recall in 2015 but in 2017 I got the airbag sign again in Civic Hybrid and it's not going even mechanic tried to remove it with OBD. Other problem is with ima system, it works often sometimes and sign stays at the dashboard. Honda should recall for airbag and ima system and fix it…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2018, at 130,000 miles
  4. Other or unspecified

    5 complaints · 10%

    Half of these problems showed up before 68,000 miles.

    Takata hear replacements are defective how do you find out if replacement is defective have only right eye and if injured may not be able to drive new headlights are a menace some now with 8 lights and one where all green. They are not aimed on road but so strong in car can read some set so they are higher that…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2016, at 68,000 miles
    My 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid has experienced the judder/shudder problem for years, and still Honda dealerships say there is no fix. There are a few complaints on this website, but there are thousands on the internet. This is a real issue that Honda has avoided. I had full confidence in Honda's safety until owning this…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2015, at 45,000 miles
  5. Engine

    4 complaints · 8%

    I received a recall update from Honda on my 2005 Civic Hybrid. They performed the update then my hybrid batter died and my car would not function correctly. While driving, my headlights would dim greatly and my instrument panel would should down. My car would also surge forward when the tachometer would race up and…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2011, at 150,000 miles
    It lurches for it will accel when you don't want it to. Has trouble to shift into another gear loud noises. Was driving down the highway and I turned on the cruise control an accelerated faster than when I program data entry of the RPM's up. Had to step on the brakes a couple times to get it to stop doing that almost…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 189,000 miles
  6. Speed control

    4 complaints · 8%

    A friend was driving US back home on the highway at speeds of 55-65 miles per hour, getting on an off ramps. She is an experienced driver and it was the first time she had driven my car. She told me that the steering wheel was very wobbly, the car was shaking and she felt she had no control over the vehicle; she had…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 40,500 miles
    On numerous occasions this car has accelerated dangerously when I was applying the brakes, including at intersections. I understand that this has been reported before.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 95,000 miles

Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

2005 Honda Civic Hybrid recalls

  1. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 19V499000 · June 27, 2019 · 3,947 vehicles

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began august 12, 2019. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are q5a and y58.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2003 acura 3.2cl, 2002-2003 3.2tl, 2003-2006 mdx, 2001-2007 honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot and 2006 ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  2. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 19V501000 · June 27, 2019 · 1,657,752 vehicles

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began august 12, 2019. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are e5d and x5c.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 acura mdx, 2005-2012 rl, 2003-2007 honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007-2008 fit, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, and 2006-2014 ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  3. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 19V182000 · March 6, 2019 · 1,101,534 vehicles

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began april 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is o41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is u40.

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling specific 2003 acura 3.2cl, 2013-2016 ilx, 2013-2014 ilx hybrid, 2003-2006 mdx, 2007-2016 rdx, 2002-2003 3.2tl, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 tl, 2010-2013 zdx and 2001-2007 and 2009 honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007 fit, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, and 2006-2014 ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

  4. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 15V370000 · June 15, 2015 · 3,498,481 vehicles

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2015. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are ju4, ju5, ju6, and ju7. Note: vehicles that have already received a replacement passenger air bag inflator as part of the recall remedy for an earlier campaign such as 14v353 or 14v700 (honda recall numbers s95, jh6, jh7, jh8, jh9, jj0, jj1, jj2, jj6, jm5 and jm6) are not included in this recall. However, this recall does supersede 13v132 and 14v349. Note: on december

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 honda civic vehicles manufactured march 21, 2000, to january 20, 2005, 2001-2004 honda civic gx vehicles manufactured june 14, 2000, to august 19, 2004, 2003-2005 honda civic hybrid vehicles manufactured february 24, 2002, to january 18, 2005, 2003-2007 honda accord vehicles manufactured february 21, 2002, to august 28, 2007, 2002-2004 honda cr-v vehicles, 2002-2003 honda odyssey vehicles manufactured june 19, 2001, to july 12, 2003, 2003 acura mdx vehicles manufactured september 19, 2002, to june 19, 2003, 2003 honda element vehicles manufactured june 25, 2002, to july 31, 2003, and 2003 honda pilot vehicles manufactured november 26, 2001, to august 21, 2003. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupt

  5. Air bags: inflator module

    NHTSA 15V320000 · May 28, 2015 · 6,281,043 vehicles

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2015. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to september 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after september 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag inflator recall already rec

    Full defect summary

    Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2001-2004 honda civic gx, 2003-2005 honda civic hybrid, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, 2006 ridgeline, 2003 acura 3.2cl, 2003-2006 acura mdx, and 2002-2003 acura 3.2tl vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

  6. Air bags

    NHTSA 14V700000 · November 4, 2014

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengerâ’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began january 26, 2015. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

    Full defect summary

    American honda motor co. (honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 honda civic, 2003-2004 civic cng and element, 2002-2005 cr-v, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2005 accord, pilot, civic hybrid, and acura mdx, 2005 acura rl and 2006 honda ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in alabama, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, u.s. Virgin islands, saipan, guam, and american samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.

NHTSA defect investigations

Questions about the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid?
By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (21 complaints, typically around 90,000 miles); air bags (15 complaints, typically around 122,000 miles); electrical (11 complaints, typically around 122,000 miles).
How many recalls does the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid have?
6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 27, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
Is the 2005 a bad year for the Honda Civic Hybrid?
It is 5th of 14 Civic Hybrid model years by number of complaints, with 48 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.

Other Honda Civic Hybrid years

Honda Civic Hybrid problems by year