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 2009 Honda Civic owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My clutch pedal bracket is poorly made after doing research I realized this is a common issue with these cars, the pedal brackets can break while driving and cause an accident if you are stuck in a gear and can't get out of it
My 2009 (automatic) Honda Civic ex slipped into neutral four during the night. For the first three times, the driver would allow the RPM's to drop causing us to sit in traffic for an undefined period of time before returning the car to the drive position. On the fourth time this happened, driver and I were in a large parking lot making a right turn with a building about a football field away. About halfway through the turn, the car was placed back into drive from neutral and it began to drive itself. As the car accelerated faster and faster the driver tried to slam on the brakes many times without the pedal even budging or the car slowing down in the slightest way. When we tried to turn the steering wheel it locked up in a straight away position, causing the car to hit at least two large curbed medians and go airborne each time. Driver and I braced ourselves as the building came closer. …
Drove 50 miles from montclair ca (home) to uci medical center orange ca, on highways 60 and 57. My wife, a stroke patient had an appointment with the uci neurologist. When arrived at the indoor parking entrance, I made a left turn slowly to enter the indoor parking facility of the medical center. Suddenly, the left axle shattered and the car came to sudden halt. Ball bearings and pieces of metal were on the floor. Towed to harding Honda, anaheim, ca facility. They replaced axle. On test drive, mechanic reported noise in the right hand axle as well. Fearing it might break on highway, I had it replaced also. I believe this problem to be a serious safety risk. If it had happened on highway, it would have caused a multiple vehicle accident. My car was driven only 54157 miles at the time of the accident.
I brought a Honda Civic 2009 in 2012,April 12. The Honda was supposed to be sold with a power train warranty to bring car up to date for 36000 miles/3 yr. Honda did not offer an extended warranty for these purposes. They called a year later to see if we would then extend the vehicle to 120 miles. We had already purchased an additional warranty called assurance pay to paylink approx 112.00 mo. We were one payment to the last and Honda finally called , we purchased their warranty too. The car should have been automatic from the sale date. Door locks and ignition/cylinder work and other repairs such as break work have been performed on vehicle since. I am reporting unfair selling practices. Details and repair work will be submitted upon request. Thus vehicle safety issues upon purchase.
I started my vehicle up after work and it was idling rough but then stabilized so I payed it no mind. Soon as I merged onto the highway when my check engine light started to flash. I immediately loss power and the vehicle started to decelerate. I turned on my hazards, pressed on the pedal to accelerate but the vehicle was bogging and wouldn't accelerate pass 50mph. I safely got off on the next exit and shut off the vehicle. I turned the vehicle back on and made it home safely. This is the second time this happened. I changed multiple parts on the vehicle since then, yet it continues to happen. I took the vehicle to the dealership and they could not figure it out.
Tl* the contact owns 2009 Honda Civic. The contact stated the ignition lock switch was defective. The contact stated that while parked on an incline, the vehicle rolled backwards. The contact took the vehicle to mcgrath Honda of st charles (1411 e main st, st. Charles, il 60174) however, a diagnostic test was not performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 90,000. Invalid VIN.
Sudden acceleration surge, to the point of having to completely hold the brake with both feet. At one point, after putting car into neutral, the engine revved to 7000 RPM before owner could turn car off. The initial surging resulted in the owner's wife hitting her passenger mirror against another vehicle when the engine surged while in reverse. There was no category for the vehicle ECU, which is quite suspect at this point.
While pulling into a parking space with foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle violently lunged forward into a block wall. The driver was unable to stop the vehicle by applying the brakes. The driver was hospitalized for 2 days.
I drive a 2009 Honda Civic lx 5 speed automatic transmission two problems need to be addressed and the dealership says they are completely normal, and I know they are not normal. Problem 1: transmission: when coming to a stop, usually under 10mph the transmission shifts very hard into first gear. So hard that it shifts hard and I have my foot on the brake pedal the car wants to launch me a little further.twice now I have almost hit somebody because when it shifts hard into first it wants to keep going, I have to sometimes pull emergency brake to make sure I don't hit anybody. It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it scares me. Second problem: brakes: the brakes in this car are horrible even with my foot completely down the car still has a hard time slowing down and again I seem to have to rely on the emergency brake to help me stop. …
I have a 2009 Honda Civic hybrid. After having the vehicle for less than 1 year I noticed that the battery began to suddenly drop it's state of charge (soc) during the first few miles of driving after the vehicle was parked for several hours. On sustained trips the vehicle will suddenly drop its charge about every 20 minutes. The safety issue is that when the vehicle suddenly loses it's state of charge (soc) there is a significant loss of acceleration. If the sudden loss of soc occurs at a time when you are pulling out into traffic, you find yourself being unable to accelerate to avoid the oncoming traffic. On several occasions I have pulled out into traffic with the soc reading 75% or higher, only to find that "at that exact moment", the vehicle decided to dump its charge. On several of those occasions I was nearly run into by the oncoming traffic. …
Transmission complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2009 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2009 Honda Civic, 6% of the model year's 396 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Honda Civic transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2009 Honda Civic, though it has 8 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 2009 Honda Civic transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 22,000 miles, and 60% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires 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.