KnownCarProblems2002 Honda Civic Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 702 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Honda Civic, most often about the air bags (34% of complaints, typically around 77,000 miles). It is 8th of 27 Civic model years by number of complaints and has 11 recalls.
Most common 2002 Honda Civic problems
Air bags
241 complaints · 34%Half of these problems showed up before 77,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal, side/window.
I have a 2002 Honda Civic ex sedan. Around 70,000 miles my SRS light turned on. I have taken it to the dealership and they say I have to replace the main unit at a cost of over $500 and it will not be covered under any warranty. I've read about many people having this same problem with the repair not always fixing the…
The SRS airbag light came on out of the blue and is on since then. I tried to contact Honda about this problem but did not get any answers. I took the car to a Honda dealer and the mechanic told me this is a common problem with this 2002 models, and that he's seen a lot of cars coming to the dealer with this problem.…
Transmission
185 complaints · 26%Half of these problems showed up before 102,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, manual transmission.
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…
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…
Lights
54 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 130,000 miles. Parts named most often: headlights, fog lights.
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the vehicle headlight low beam failed. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was not illuminating properperly with the low beam; the contact had to switch to the high beam. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic whom inspected the vehicle. The…
My passenger head light is out again. It hasn't happened in a year but in the past both lamps have went out multiple times. I saw there was a "silent " recall on the head lights in 2012, how do I find out if this is the problem? I'm the only owner.
Seat belts
51 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 67,000 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear/other.
For no discernible reason the electrical system momentarily failed upon start up and then the SRS indicator light came on. This is the computer that controls the air bags and seat belts. I took it to the dealer and was charged $80 for a "diagnostic" - basically, they reboot the SRS computer and told me if it happens…
The SRS (secondary restraint system) light came on. It originally happened while the was under warranty with the previous owner. Under 36,000 miles. The Honda dealer where the car was serviced reset the light, replaced the seatbelt buckle but were unable to determine the cause of the SRS light coming back on. Multiple…
Electrical
49 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 110,000 miles. Parts named most often: alternator/generator/regulator, ignition, wiring, 12v/24v/48v battery.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. While driving 3 MPH in reverse, the contact was able to pull the key from the ignition. The failure occurred three times. The contact called the dealer who stated that there were no related recalls and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000 and the…
When in haste I parked and got out of my car with the keys in my hand, it began to roll. I quickly entered the vehicle, stopped it, found the gear selector lever still in drive. Previously they key could.... Updated 08/19/13
Engine
48 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 75,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system, cooling system.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the ABS light illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle suddenly stalled and shivered before shutting off. The contact had to wait a couple of minutes before the vehicle would restart. The failure occurred intermittently. The dealer stated that a diagnostic…
Transmition went out at 74400 miles with no warning ⚠️ town driving took corner no 3rd or 4th gear on automatic transmition could only go20 miles an hour got it back home cost 2500 buck s to fix with hondas "good will " policy. Now it has blown cylinder head at 1400000 car loses coolant and comes out over…
Suspension
35 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 21,500 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear.
Loss of steering and control while driving due to defective struts. Dealer and manufacturer both aware of problem, however nation-wide back order on parts. No idea when parts will be shipped. Vehicles ability to drive safely diminishing each day. Honda does not seem to care.
Took my 2002 Civic to the dealer for road vibration, audible popping from front end when applying the brakes (includes feeling the "pop" through the brake pedal) clunking and popping when turning the steering wheel, clunking and popping when encountering any bumps. Symptoms are getting progressively worse. Advised by…
Other or unspecified
26 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 110,000 miles.
Entered only one date but has occurred at least 5 times over the last 6 years and had been so rare didn't believe it had happened. Just so happened it has occurred now 3 times in 6 week span and twice in one day. Motor revs up on it's on when sitting with foot on brake idling, most times I have stopped and getting…
Driving on freeway at approx. 50 MPH and notice car accelerating on it's own. Attempt to pull over but notice not able to stop. Pushing down on brake all the way and car still going approx. 50 MPH. Call 911 and was told to pull emergency brake. Get into shoulder lane and pull brake gradually as instructed. After doing…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2002 Honda Civic recalls
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began june 22, 2018. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are k1p, and m1o.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 honda accord and pilot, 2010 accord crosstour, 2001-2011 civic, 2002-2011 cr-v, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 element, 2007 and 2009-2013 fit, 2010-2012 insight, 2002-2004 odyssey, and 2012 ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
Air bags: inflator module
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
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Air bags
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengerâs 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.
Lights: switch
Risk: If the terminal ends melt within the wiring harness connector, the low beam headlights may become inoperative, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the low beam terminal harness or replace the lighting switch as necessary, free of charge. The original recall began in april 2012. Owners of vehicles involved in the september 2012 expansion will be notified in september 2012. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
Full defect summary
Honda is recalling certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v; model year 2003 through 2005 pilot; and model year 2002 and 2003 civic vehicles. In march 2012, honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v and certain model year 2003 pilot vehicles. In august 2012, honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 820,789 vehicles including certain model year 2004 and 2005 pilots and model year 2002 and 2003 civics. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,375,217. Due to tension from the combination switch wiring harness, wear on the surface of the electrical terminal can occur, yielding copper oxide, which increases electrical resistance. Increased electrical resistance may cause the terminal ends to melt within the wiring harness connector.
Fuel system: tank assembly
Risk: This could result in a tank rupture, explosion, and ejection of the tank from the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will install a heat insulator material to the rear seat back. An interim owner letter was mailed to owners beginning november 26, 2007. When parts are available, owners will be renotified asking them to bring in their vehicle for repair. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Full defect summary
On certain compressed natural gas (cng) vehicles, in the event of a severe interior fire in the area of the rear seat, the cng tank may be heated unevenly, preventing the pressure relief device from venting the contents of the tank as designed.
Lights: headlights
Risk: An unexpected loss of low beams could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the head light switch and coupler for signs of heat damage. If heat damage is present, the dealer will replace the switch and coupler. If no heat damage is present, the dealer will replace the head light switch and one mating pin in the coupler. Owner notification began on april 5, 2004. Owners should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Full defect summary
On certain passenger vehicles, the low-beam terminal on the head light wire harness can overheat and could cause the low beams to fail without warning.
Engine
Risk: If the plastic piece lodges in the throttle body, the throttle could stick in a partially open position. Although the driver can always stop the car by applying additional brake force, or by taking other actions (I.e., shift into neutral, turn off the ignition key, etc.), if the car continues to maintain speed when the driver is expecting it to slow, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the air cleaner box for damage. If damage is found, the dealer will locate and remove the broken plastic piece, and replace the air cleaner box lid. Owner notification began on october 25, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. During the assembly process, the air cleaner box cover may have been damaged, and a broken plastic piece could travel into the intake chamber.
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
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Low beam headlights stop illuminating
Summary
This investigation was prompted by preliminary evaluation (pe) 11-017, and was based on reports from consumers alleging that both low beam headlights stopped illuminating simultaneously.some complainants also reported that the combination switch (switch) that controls the headlights and turn signals, and/or its electrical wiring harness connector were damaged by overheating.odi's pe information request letter asked honda for certain data on model years (my) 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2008 pilot, 2003-2008 element, 2001-2005 civic, and 2000-2001 s 2000 vehicles.analysis of complaint and honda data show that a complete low beam headlight circuit failure occurs in models with 2-bulb headlight systems
Questions about the 2002 Honda Civic
- What are the most common problems with the 2002 Honda Civic?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (241 complaints, typically around 77,000 miles); transmission (185 complaints, typically around 102,500 miles); lights (54 complaints, typically around 130,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2002 Honda Civic have?
- 11 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 2002 a bad year for the Honda Civic?
- It is 8th of 27 Civic model years by number of complaints, with 702 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.