2001 Honda Civic Headlight Problems

Which parts fail

• Headlights
  17
• Headlights › High/low beam dimmer switch
  6
• Headlights › Switch
  3
• Fog lights
  2
• Tail lights
  1
• Turn signal
  1

Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  37%
• 25k–50k
  12%
• 50k–75k
  1023%
• 75k–100k
  818%
• 100k–150k
  920%
• 150k+
  1330%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Honda Civic owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the high-beam headlights failed to function as needed. The contact stated that the running lights and low-beam headlights were operable. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that they needed to take the vehicle apart in order to get the correct part number to repair the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V086000 (Exterior Lighting) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 218,000.

Vehicles of this type were subjected to a recall back in 2012 due to a safety issue where the low beam headlights would unexpectedly fail while the vehicle was being driven at night. The recall work has been performed previously by Honda on this specific vehicle. However, a similar problem has recently started occurring on this vehicle even though the recall work has already been done to it. I am an air force veteran with an extensive background in aviation electronics. I also have professional experience doing electrical and electronic engineering. I also have a lot of experience repairing automotive electrical systems. I have analyzed the current problem in my wife's Civic, which involves unexpected failures in the nighttime lighting system where all the lights suddenly shut off. I have also studied the information from the previous recall. …

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic dx. The contact was driving approximately 5 MPH when the low beam headlights failed. A deer ran in front of the vehicle and the contact crashed into the deer. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that her vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign id number: 04V086000 (exterior lighting: headlights). The manufacturer advised that the recall repair was performed in 2005. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired in 2005. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 67,000 and the current mileage was 67,124.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving approximately 57 MPH, the high beam headlights were activated and suddenly became inoperative. The headlights failed to illuminate after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection, who stated that the headlight switch had melted. There was a recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 04V086000 (exterior lighting) however, the contact's VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 205,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. The contact stated that there was an electrical short that caused the low beam headlights to fail. The contact had to apply the high beams due to the failure, which was progressing. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V086000 (exterior lighting). Prior to the contact owning the vehicle, it was repaired according to the recall, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000.

In July 2017, the low beam headlights failed (were inoperable), but the high beam and all other external lights were operational. These are the symptoms of a Honda safety recall service bulletin 04-015. This car had the safety recall repairs in September 2009, but the same symptoms reappeared in July 2017. Dealer made the repairs (it took two tries to get it right as shown on the invoices attached) and charged me for the repairs because they said the company will pay for the first recall repair but not subsequent ones.

We were driving from reno nv to antioch ca and were in the sierra mountains at about 2:30 am and all of the sudden we lost our low beam head lights in which we couldn't see the road and we went off the road we avoided an accident because I knew how to steer the vehicle to avoid hitting anything we got out and attempted to see why we didn't have the low beams and could not see why we clicked the high beams and they worked and we proceeded to drive with the high beam headlights on

We got into a head on collision with a SUV receiving damage to the front of the car. None of the airbags deployed, but both deployed in the other car (SUV). There were two recalls for our Honda Civic airbags in 2010 and 2013. In both recalls our Honda Civic was serviced and the "driver airbag inflator" was replaced. We were told the repairs were made, but the airbags never deployed. We do not want this to happen to anyone else.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 04V086000 (exterior lighting). A year later, the low beam headlights failed to function. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the low beam headlights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

The instrument panel lights have failed to work. The fuse and connections have been checked and are in good repair. The problem lies in the multiplex control unit (mcu). There was a recall on 1998-2000 Honda accords for the same issue. The problem occurred at night while I was driving. I could no longer see my speed and cannot see any instruments at night.

Related recalls

Headlight complaints in other Civic years