2003 Honda CIVIC problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
499 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
76,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 367 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 120 of 499 complaints (24.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 100 | 20.0% |
| Braking behavior | 63 | 12.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 33 | 6.6% |
| Steering behavior | 25 | 5.0% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 3.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 120 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 72 |
| Electrical System | 37 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 |
| Unknown Or Other | 20 |
| Exterior Lighting | 19 |
| Structure:Body | 19 |
| Power Train | 17 |
Air Bags: 120; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 72; Electrical System: 37; Vehicle Speed Control: 28; Unknown Or Other: 20; Exterior Lighting: 19; Structure:Body: 19; Power Train: 17
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 71 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 55 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 50 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 47 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 96 |
| 150,000 and above | 48 |
Under 25,000: 71; 25,000 to 49,999: 55; 50,000 to 74,999: 50; 75,000 to 99,999: 47; 100,000 to 149,999: 96; 150,000 and above: 48
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (96). 132 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 43 |
| 2004 | 43 |
| 2005 | 30 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 45 |
| 2008 | 35 |
| 2009 | 21 |
| 2010 | 47 |
| 2011 | 27 |
| 2012 | 25 |
| 2013 | 19 |
| 2014 | 29 |
| 2015 | 44 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 12 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2002: 2; 2003: 43; 2004: 43; 2005: 30; 2006: 18; 2007: 45; 2008: 35; 2009: 21; 2010: 47; 2011: 27; 2012: 25; 2013: 19; 2014: 29; 2015: 44; 2016: 9; 2017: 13; 2018: 12; 2019: 12; 2020: 7; 2021: 9; 2022: 5; 2023: 3; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 100 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 63 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 33 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10008923 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)
THE TRANSMISSION WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING.*JB *TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008923 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018506 · 2003-05-10 (May 10, 2003)
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014584 · 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *JB THE WAS NO WAY TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME, AND WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW SPEED WHEN THE BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE ENGINE HAD GONE UP TO OVER 3K RPM'S. THE DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021134 · 2003-06-06 (June 6, 2003)
AFTER BEING STOPPED FOR A FEW MINUTES AT A STOP LIGHTTHE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD. WHEREAS, I MIGHT BELIEVE MY FOOT LIFTED OFF THE BRAKE A LITTLE THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL FORWARD AND NOT SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. AS A RESULT, I DID REAR END THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021134 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023626 · 2003-06-23 (June 23, 2003)
2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID ON A SNOWY ROAD, COMING OVER A SMALL RISE WHILE GOING AROUND A MODERATE CURVE UNDER 40 MPH, THE BATTERY CHARGING FUNCTION, ACTIVATED BY DRIVER TAKING FOOT OFF THE GAS BEFORE CRESTING THE HILL, PRODUCED PROGRESSIVELY STRONGER ENGINE BRAKING EFFECT ON THE FRONT WHEELS, EQUIVALENT TO AN UNWANTED DOWN SHIFT AND CAUSING FISHTAILING AND POOR RESPONSE TO CORRECTIVE STEERING, SO THAT THE CAR SLID ACROSS THE ROAD AND INTO A SNOW BANK AND CONCRETE ABUTMENT. $6000 DAMAGE. IF ONCOMING TRAFFIC, COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS INJURIES OR F…
Owner-reported narrative. 780 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023626 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038207 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)
WITH THE USE OF A GAUSSMETER, AN INSTRUMENT USED TO MEASURE ELECTRO MAGNETIC FIELDS, THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT VEHICLE HAD A HIGH ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD. MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OCCURRED WHEN THE ENGINE DRAWS POWER FROM THE BATTERY VIA THE INTEGRATED MOTOR ASSIST OR WHEN THE BATTERY WAS CHARGING. *TS *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 4,416 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038207 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022618 · 2003-07-11 (July 11, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD COME TO AN INTERSECTION, HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, SUDDENLY THE STEERING LOCKED, AIMED THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT, WENT OFF THE ROAD, OVER THE CURB AND ALMOST REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE DRIVING LANE. THE CONSUMER WAS ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED OUT ALONG WITH THE REMOTE STARTER WHICH ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN WITHOUT KEYS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR A BRAKE DEFECT. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022618 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026888 · 2003-07-09 (July 9, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10026888 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039823 · 2003-09-11 (September 11, 2003)
AFTER A COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE STALLS AND HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039823 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10379434 · 2011-01-28 (January 28, 2011)
OUR 2003 HONDA CIVIC'S GAS TANK CABLE THAT LOCKS THE FILLER SNAPPED MAKING IT UNABLE TO UNLOCK OR RE-FUEL THE VEHICLE. HAPPENED AS WE WERE ON HIGHWAY AND NEEDED GAS AND WENT TO GAS STATION, UNABLE TO PUT ANY GASOLINE IN THE VEHICLE AND WE WERE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. WENT TO OPEN ROAD HONDA WHO HAD TO ORDER CABLE AND INSTALL IT. WAITED 5 HRS FOR THEM TO GET THE PART AS IT WAS NOT IN THEIR STOCKROOM. THEY INSTALLED NEW CABLE AND WE WERE THEN ABLE TO RE-FUEL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 63,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10379434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10456718 · 2012-04-27 (April 27, 2012)
I HAVE HAD HORRIBLE HEALTH ISSUES THE PASSED YEARS. IT CAME DOWN TO LONG TERM CHEMICAL EXPOSURE. MY HONDA CIVIC 2003 WAS LEAKING GAS FUMES FROM THE FUEL PUMP UNDER THE BACKSEAT. I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CONFIRMED THE FUEL PUMP LEAK. IT WAS CRACKED ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP, ITS EXACTLY THE SAME RECALL ISSUE OF THE 2011 FUEL PUMP FROM THE HONDA CIVIC 2011. I HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF GAS ON A BLOOD TEST OF ETHYLBENZENE AND M,P, XYLENE, - GASOLINE CHEMICALS. I THINK ALL HONDA CIVIC OWNERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE CRACKING OF THE FUEL PUMPS, THAT C…
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456718 at NHTSA ↗