Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
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).
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 Honda Civic. While driving up a hill and making a right turn into a parking space, the vehicle accelerated when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact crashed into a tree. The seat belt restrained the contact, but the front driver side air bag failed to deploy. The front passenger side air bag deployed. The contact sustained injuries to the left rotator cuff, sternum, and neck and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. Several months prior to the crash, the air bags were replaced per an unknown recall. The contact had an engineering report, which indicated that the air bags should have deployed, along with copies of supporting documentation and pictures. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN and failure mileage were unknown.
Driver attempted to stop for a stopped vehicle by putting on brake. Brake did not engage. Driver slammed brake, still did not work. Driver ran into stopped car at approximately 30 MPH. Airbag did not deploy. Driver suffered head, rib and leg injury from hitting steering wheel.
Vehicle in front suddenly stopped consumer applied the brakes and pedal went to the floor. Consumer was unable to maintain control of the vehicle, and it crashed into a concrete barrier. The vehicle bounced off the barrier. Driver's side air bag did not deploy, but the passenger's side air bag did deploy. Driver sustained head and back injuries, and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. Vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. This caused the vehicle to turned backwards facing traffic in the opposite direction, and was hit twice head on. The driver side air bag did not deploy, but the passenger side did deploy. The driver sustained head and back injuries and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. The vehicle was towed and totaled out by the insurance company. Please fill in additional information.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that when large amounts of morning dew were on the windshield and rear window, it was hard to remove. The failure only occurred on cold mornings. The contact used the windshield wipers, but the dew remained. The defroster would take a long time to activate and the interior glass would clear up, but the outside glass would remain fogged. The contact called Honda care and took the vehicle to the dealer, but neither could correct the failure. The current and failure mileages were 42,000. Updated 01-14-08. The brakes made a noise when the consumer applied the brakes, the suspension felt rough. The dealer was unable to duplicate the consumer concerns. Updated 12/12/07.
Traveling about 35-40 MPH on highway ramp, hit brakes to enter curve, felt traction slipping, car loss control & slid all over road. Hit side concrete barrier at about 20-25 MPH, air bags did not deploy, my husband smashed the windshield with his head and got a concussion. Road was wet but had no standing water, outside temp mid to upper 40's. This appears unexplainable based on conditions- we feel there must have been a mechanical failure, otherwise something wasn't designed properly. No car, especially with anti-lock brakes, should've reacted this way under the circumstances. We have no confidence in the vehicle and plan to get rid of it immediately. ****dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****769310
I suspect the parking brake for the 02 Honda Civic si is defective. With the engine running and my foot off the brakes but with the parking brake fully engaged, the car rolled forward on my driveway and rolled backwards while I was waiting for a traffic light changeover. Since these 2 incidents, I've always keep my foot on the brakes waiting for light changeover and when parked, I put the car in gear and use the parking brake as well. The times the car rolled, I was on a very slight incline. Several people on edmunds.com and ephatch.com forum have reported similar experiences.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that whenever the brakes were engaged, the vehicle would shake violently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the front calipers and rotors were defective and as a result, the front braking system needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 120,000...updated 05/08/13 updated 05/23/2013
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle failed to respond without warning. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the all the brake lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,000.
While applying the brakes vehicle vibrated. Consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the rotors needed to be replaced due to worn parts, and replaced them four times. However, problem recurred.
Windshield is cracked with no evident of debris from hwy. Dealer would not fix per the warranty! This is a 4 months old car. Also when apply brake. Loud noise from some kind of brake linkage system underneath the car. Dealer said it is normal for Honda...???
Brake complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2002 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the brakes of the 2002 Honda Civic, 3% of the model year's 702 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Honda Civic brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes 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 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to brakes 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.