Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
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).
First week I purchased the car in tallahassee I had a major oil leak loose screws and and couldn't steer . First week I ran into the back of a safety police office while on campus at tallahassee community college we did the initial insurance report but she claim she wasn't hurt , I couldn't stop and when I hit her rear end I got whiplashed , this was my first car I didn't know anything about cars , the man just sold I to me with no warnings months later start receiving mail about a recall I squeduled but they never came and got the car so years later I just sold it to pick and pull cause it was in operability. On school campus
Tl contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal noise and the steering wheel vibrated. The failure recurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the brakes failed. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 Honda Civic. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that there was a loss of steering control and the vehicle crashed into a cement barrier. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent mechanic. The VIN was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle veered to the left and caused the contact to crash into a barb wire fence. The vehicle rolled over. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a bruised neck that required medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Steering locked up on 2002 Honda Civic two days in a row. On a right turn, the steering would not turn back (straighten out) and kept going right. The second incident resulted in an accident which totaled the Honda.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact stated the power steering hose was defective and leaked power steering fluid. The contact stated while doing a routine maintenance on his vehicle he noticed a the hose was very dirty and a puddle of fluid under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic, who inspected the failure and advised that the power steering hose needed to be replaced. The parts needed to complete the repairs were on backorder and would take some time before the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 67,000.
I was driving today and suddenly the SRS light came on. The radio shut off for a few seconds while the light came on. When the SRS light shut off, the radio went back to working properly. A few minutes later, the SRS light came on again when I was at a red light and the vehicle stalled. I brought the vehicle to my mechanic who ran a diagnostic test. He stated that the problem I had experienced did not register; thus, he couldn't find an underlying cause. After researching this topic further on google.com, I discovered that many other people have had similar problems with the same make and model.
Tl* - the contact was driving at about 10 MPH when she heard a loud noise and the steering failed. She was able to stop the car without incident. The contact had the car towed to the Honda dealer (south motors Honda), and they told her that she had a rack and pinion failure. The contact said that she can have dealer save the part with the repaid order. The contact said that she had taken the car to service the steering because she felt a lot of play in the steering; she will also try to get the repair order for that as well.
Dt: contact stated that vehicle had its steering changed twice .the passenger seat would not work. She took the vehicle to the dealership ,they fixed the seat. The passengers side seat was broken. The safety restraint system light came on the dashboard. She took the vehicle to the dealership to have the lights reset. The light was on again. The contact's vehicle was involved side impact crash . Upon impact,side airbags did not deploy.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Honda Civic. While accelerating, the contact hears a loud clunking noise in the steering column. He also experiences difficulty steering when turning the steering column. The contact noticed that the steering unit felt loose. He is in the process of having the vehicle inspected by a dealer to determine the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,000 and current mileage was 50,000.
Steering complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2002 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the steering of the 2002 Honda Civic, 3% of the model year's 702 complaints. The component named most often is steering wheel/handle bar (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Honda Civic steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering 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 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to steering 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.