Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Honda Civic owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving on highway 101 in california in moderate traffic when there was an unexpected slowdown. I braked in time, but the vehicle behind me did not. I was rear-ended and my car was totaled. I was not injured. However, the person in the passenger seat, who was wearing her seat belt, was thrown forward. She struck her head on the dashboard (possibly the grill) and incurred a serious eye injury that required surgery to repair. I am reporting this because although the lap portion of the seat belt restrained her, apparently the shoulder portion did not. The accident is documented in traffic collision report #9360-2020-00053 issued by the california highway patrol, 6100 labath ave., rohnert park, ca. [phone]. The photo I've attached was taken about three days after the accident.
Takata inflators- the car was involved in a collision on the expressway. It sustained major front end damage, however the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was part of the major airbag recall. The recall was completed October 2015.
Takata recall- the car was involved in a collision on the expressway. It sustained major front end damage, however the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was part of the major airbag recall. The recall was completed October 2015.
Car's clearcoat has been flaking off the roof and the trunk lid. It first started with discoloration (lightened blotches) in June of 2010 (8 years after purchased new). Currently (feb., 2015), 30% of the clearcoat on the roof, and 10% on the trunk lid have flaked off. The car has never been exposed to snow, only to ca climate. I've read that the clearcoat issue is common with Honda automobiles since the late 1990's. I also have a 1993 Acura legend (236K miles) that was exposed to the exact same climate conditions, but the clear coat on it is still in excellent condition. Both cars are maintained the same way. All my cars are well maintained above & beyond what the manual recommended. I think I'm fairly knowledgeable about cars in general (mechanical, technology, industry trend, ..etc) because I read about it as a routine everyday, just like most people read the news everyday. …
#1) overheats/boils reservoir lost 3 caps #2)water pump failure #3)trunk latch doesn't work all time #4)cruise control never worked #5) window washer motor fried #6) can't run ac sometimes heater causes to overheat it will idle for hours but once its driven down hwy it starts to over heat. #7) transmission failure while driving in to library to get my son it was like it went into neutral while I was driving no speed all rpms. #8) ignition keeps sticking won't always start feels like the key is going to break #9) all the windows are now manual drivers side wire frayed and messed up broke plastic pieces. It's held up by pvc the passenger is the only window still operable one motor stopped and never started the other is held up with a door stopper. #10) the seatbelts lock and won't let go even if the car is started but not mobile still in park.
The hood prop rod's locking mechanism became faulty. The hood prop rod would no longer stay in place. While accelerating, decelerating, or making turns, the hood prop rod would come into contact with the battery. This would cause huge sparks, and sometimes, would cause my car to stall if I accelerated or decelerated too fast. There was one fender bender as a result of this at a traffic light, but there was no damage. Also, when I would do heavy deceleration, my car's braking power was significantly decreased. Fortunately, I never crashed into anyone as a result (but had to drive into the shoulder to avoid an accident) the solution to this was a very simple quick fix after my mechanic identified the problem - just keep the hood rod in the trunk. However, the locking mechanism should not fail after 8 years.
The paint is fading and peeling very badly on my 2002 Honda Civic...almost to the point where the truck, roof, and other areas of my red vehicle are almost white!!! I know the car is old but I have a silver 2003 Lincoln navigator with double the miles on it and no paint issues whatsoever. From all the information available on the internet, there is a known issue with inferior quality paint jobs that Honda refuses to correct. I have washed and waxed the vehicle regularly and do not understand why the paint would fade and peel like it has. To top it off, the vehicle was kept in an inside storage facility for three years while I was stationed in Japan. I really feel that Honda needs to stand by its products and restore the quality that their name was built upon.
My daughter (18 yrs. Of age) recently purchased a 2002 Honda Civic and was involved in an automobile accident. In this accident the unfortunate thing was her air bag did not deploy and her chest hit the steering wheel. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. X-rays were done and she was just bruised and no broken bones. She May have not sustained any injuries if the air bag would have deployed. I know Honda has had law suits filed against them because of air bags deploying and causing injury, but in her case it caused injury that maybe could have been avoided if it had deployed. Thanks
2002 Honda Civic ex 4 door the indoor door handles are peeling very sharp metal that cuts your hand when you try to open the door. I have cut my hand several times. Once almost needing stitches. Honda informed me that there were recalls for other models for this problem, but not this year/make/model. This is surely a safety defect, though not life threatening.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the door locks failed and locked on their own while the contact's child was in the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and they stated that they could not change the lock design. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 142,000.
Body complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2002 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the body & structure of the 2002 Honda Civic, 3% of the model year's 702 complaints. The component named most often is body (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Honda Civic body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2002 Honda Civic, though it has 11 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 2002 Honda Civic body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 108,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 9 injuries to body & structure 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.