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 2001 Honda Civic owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
2001 Honda Civic stopped moving in the middle of the road. While in the middle of driving vehicle lost power but remained running. A whining noise was observed which turned out to be the transmission pump. The vehicle would not go into forward or reverse and I was left stranded in the middle of the highway. Vehicle was transported to the closest repair shop and was diagnosed with a failed transmission. A TSB was issued for these transmissions but no recall. Due to no recall being issued despite Honda knowing these transmissions were built with bad clutches that were known to fail which is the reason they issued the tech service bulletin, many transmissions in these car are still defective and can lead to someone being unable to move out of traffic and get into a collision.
I recently bought a 2001 honda civic, 5speed. It was driving fine, until it suddenly started making grinding or weird noises. I couldn't shift and now the gears are locked up. It happened suddenly after no problems.
I received a 2001 Honda Civic lx from my dad as a gift around the end of April, 2018. Which he had spent about 2000 in the motor before giving it to me. The issues occurred with the car over heating right when we landed into las vegas which we were coming from san dimas california, it took about 3-4 hours to get back home. I had issues with my car over heating a lot which had to do with the sensors at first which had gotten replaced. Than after the fan to cool down the radiator wasn't working properly to where only one fan would kick in. Now out of no where my car had issues accelerating which should be investigated before somebody really gets hurt. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the vehicle independently rolled backward from her residential driveway and into a gutter in a neighbors front yard. The vehicle was not turned on and was not occupied upon the failure. In addition, the emergency brake was engaged during the failure. The vehicle was towed from the ditch and sustained damages to the trunk and the rear body. The vehicle was repaired by her insurance company. The contact stated that she advised the dealer of the failure and they responded that it was impossible for the vehicle to roll backward while in park. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 120,000.
I had just gotten back from port arthur, texas. I had stopped for a traffic light in the left turn lane,and there was traffic stopped behind me, thank goodness. When the light turned green I tried to pull off, but the vehicle did not moved. A man helped me to push the vehicle out of traffic onto a parking lot . After putting the vehicle in different gears, the check engine light finally came on. I called a wrecker to pick it up and deliver it home. Since then I bought a code reader and the code is a p0740. I have read where Honda has problems with their transmissions. I called them and they said that my transmission was not on recall.
The automatic transmission on my Honda Civic suddenly failed while driving. We were driving on a narrow, curvy, hilly highway in the snow, so the incident could have resulted in an accident, but luckily did not. The car was going at about 45 MPH when it suddenly lost all acceleration and came to a stop. A passerby kindly helped us push the car out of traffic while cars were whizzing by, another dangerous situation. We were 60 miles from home, and had to be towed. The car is no longer drivable. The local repair shop wants $2,200 to replace the bad transmission.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. While driving 70 MPH, the service engine light flashed on and off and the vehicle began to shake, decelerate, and smoke. The contact found numerous complaints for this year, make, and model vehicle; however, there was no recall. The contact feels that the vehicle is unsafe due to the transmission, and the manufacturer should be responsible for the repairs since there are several complaints about the vehicle. The failure and current mileages were 55,304. Updated 05/06/09. Updated 05/07/09.
My daughter purchased a 2001 Honda Civic. It has been well maintained . She was out driving and was going up a hill and the car stopped and would not move. She got scared and put it in reverse to glide down the hill and pull to the side. Needless to say it is the transmission. I have looked online for any recalls pertaining to the transmissions from Honda . I came across this site and I couldn't believe how many transmission problems with this make and year. I plan to contact Honda to see if they can replace it.
When consumer shifted the gears, the engine surged and vehicle suddenly accelerated, resulting in a collision, consumer applied brakes hard, but car would not stop. Related recall 01V329000, consumer's v.I.n. Not included. Ts upon impact the air bags did not deploy. It is also noted that the technican experienced the same condition when entering the vehicle to be serviced. It was determined that the transmission was faulty. Consumer sustained minor injuries and there was front end damage...
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Civic. While at a traffic stop, the vehicle stopped and did not move without warning. The vehicle was towed by aaa and was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the torque converter failed and the transmission needed to either be rebuilt or replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 153,000.
Transmission complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2001 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 403 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2001 Honda Civic, 37% of the model year's 1,079 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (289 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Honda Civic transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2001 Honda Civic, though it has 14 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 2001 Honda Civic transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 1 fire and 3 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.