Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid is experiencing a shudder with momentary loss of power upon acceleration from a stationary position. Vehicle has been taken to Honda dealership for a clutch burnishing procedure. This temporarily fixed the problem for approximately 3000-4000 miles. Problem has returned and has become a safety concern as there is momentary loss of acceleration power during the shudder event. Dealership insists on charging for another burnishing procedure though it is outlined in a technical notice. This shuddering happens upon every acceleration from a stationary position. It is not intermittent and can be felt every time I accelerate.
My air bag light constantly stays on. No codes come up when auto repair shop hooked it up so I can't even get a diagnosis and attempt to repair. The safety hazard aspect worries me immensely but it's my only vehicle so I'm forced to drive it regardless. All available recalls have been performed. My car hesitated to accelerate after I put it in drive or reverse when I'm at a complete stop. The transmission also hesitates to switch gears to accelerate at a normal rate to safely merge onto a road or interstate whether I'm stopped first or turn right in at a low speed and attempt to merge.
CVT transmission violently shakes at speeds 0-10 and causes auto stop to engage at all times extremely dangerous when driving through congested traffic on the highway. It performs poorly when in motion in any street or highway when driving very slow or after accelerating at a stoplight.
My car has what Honda calls a slip and judder that occurs from transmission failure upon acceleration from stop. Honda issued a recall for the first generation models of the Civic Hybrid ('03-'05) in Japan to address the issue, but only an extended warranty on the one's in the united states. The fix that Honda recommends will not actually remediate the transmission failure. They recommend burnishing the starter clutch and changing the transmission fluid. Independent mechanics have recommended a new starter clutch and new bearings, an obviously more expensive fix. The real problem is that Honda chose to use a CVT that cannot handle the load of more than one passenger in a car accelerating on a flat or decline road. The CVT fails when the load on the transmission is exacerbated by more than one passenger and uphill driving. …
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 trouble steering. I had several incidents after that when I had start-up/judder vibration and extreme grinding when accelerating from a stop. It felt like the car was slipping out of gear. Honda determined the CVT transmission was bad; it was classified as slip/judder in Honda's service bulletins 07-049 and 07-050 but I never received a recall notice. Honda paid 50% of the cost of replacing the clutch in September 2013 but the severe acceleration/slipping problems continued and within a week of having the clutch replaced I sold the car. …
My vehicle has what Honda has titled "a slip and judder" that occurs in the transmission and causes failure to accelerate from a stop or slow speeds. Honda issued a recall of 1st generation models of 2003-2005 Civic hybrids in Japan to resolve this issue. However, they only issued a limited warranty extension for these cars in united states. The resolution Honda recommends does not remediate this failure. Honda recommends burnishing the starter clutch and changing the transmission fluid. Independent mechanics recommend replacing the starter clutch and bearings which is substantially more costly. It would seem that Honda equipped these vehicles with a substandard transmission unable to accommodate the weight of the vehicle. The transmission fails with additional passengers not only during needed acceleration points, but also when driving on inclines. …
2005 Honda Civic Hybrid began juddering when taking off from a stop. The transmission also began slipping. Honda has acknowledged problem with the CVT transmission and extended the warranty to 105,000 miles or 7 years. However, they initially insist on attempting to fix the problem with a procedure called "burnishing". This procedure takes care of the problem temporarily, but juddering and slipping eventually comes back. This is not a permanent fix. The starter clutch needs to be replaced, a more extensive and expensive repair, but the only repair that fixes the problem for good. Honda has a known defect, and they have used a band-aid approach to the repair; forcing customers to burnish the transmission before they will replace the starter clutch. Customers have been forced out of the warranty period by burnishing and then having to wait for the problem to re-occur. …
I have tried on several occasions to have Honda honor its service bulletin to 'fix' the judder/slippage issue described in service bulletin TSB 07-049. Just like other complaints made here and on other forums online, the procedure that Honda America prescribes does not fix this problem. Most certified Honda service locations would suggest replacing the entire transmission at a substantial cost or continue driving with this issue until power train failure. This issue has notable safety hazards as it limits drivers' abilities to accelerate at low speeds, particularly to avoid a collision. This issue should be investigated as it still impacts many vehicles on the road in the us.
Since about 42,500 miles, this car has done something being called juddering when accelerating from stop. Sometimes it is more severe than others, which means I cannot predict how my car will accelerate. This is a very dangerous condition that I thought was unique to my car. Upon further reading, it is clear that Honda has an issue they need to fix. There have been times where the judder is so sever that it takes me up to 6 seconds to actually start to accelerate. That is extremely dangerous!! I will try (yet again) to see if the dealership will help get this taken care of once and for all, but I doubt they care.
This car has an automatic transmission. When in reverse it struggles to move and Honda says the transmission needs to be replaced but it only has 55,900 miles on it. Honda states that only they can work on the CVT transmission and of course can control parts and labor cost and they will not sell parts to outside mechanics. It seems like a scheme to make money off of customers off of a unreliable part. Checking the internet there seems to be a lot of complaints. A normal automatic transmission replacement charge parts and labor is around $1800 but Honda wants $4200 to $4900.
Transmission complaints in other Civic Hybrid years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 44% of the model year's 48 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.