19th Mar 2004, 10:49
I have Civic 2001 LX (Canadian version) and it is not as well made as I expected from a well known car builder.
The plastic panels inside the car (doors, back seats, dash-board, etc) are loose and rattle all the time. I had if 'fixed' a few times and still no improvement.
The driver seat was loose and it took forever to replace the seat attachments to the chassis. Steering is too light on higher speed. I tried to drive just around 150 km/h mark and it felt like total lack of control. I did well over 200 quite a few times in my life, so I can handle the speed.
Down shifting is a nightmare.
Wiper arms have been adjusted 5 times and windshield wiping still works poorly.
Setting the airflow to the windshield turns AC on. It drives me nuts. Even then it takes a lot of time to dry a foggy glass. When it snows, or the rain is too cold, some areas of the windshield are always foggy.
It burns a lot of gas for 1.7 liters engine, with not so impressive performance.
This is my last Honda. Ever.
20th Apr 2004, 23:28
I have a 2001 civic ex. The automatic transmission is terrible in it. it's got about 35,000 miles on it, but well maintained, and it already is slipping gears. I can't press the gas more than an inch down or else it just revs up like a manual. it does this in all gears. does anyone know whats wrong with this situation?
21st Jun 2004, 13:29
I have a 2001 Civic EX, and it's my first car. The brakes grab suddenly when I apply them, and after 3 years my transmission just gave out. It won't shift into gear at all anymore, and the windshield wipers have never seemed to work so well even after replacing them. I'm starting to think I should have gone with a Toyota.
21st Oct 2004, 22:57
Yes, I do agree with the comment above. I also have a 01 civic ex and my transmission also went out. My car is only 3 yrs old and the reason why I got a civic is because it used to be so reliable. I've also been looking around to find any recalls on tranny, but no luck. I've spoken to many people and they all had the same problems. Some of the people got their tranny reimbursed.
12th Nov 2004, 14:42
I have a 2004 EX civic, I've had several problems, the drives seat keeps getting loose, replaced the frame several times, windshield due to heat stress, squeaking noise in the front was the shocks needed to be replaced, noticed it when I took a sharp corner. Headlight switch would not turn on the lights. Front rotor became warped so I had to replace them when the car only had 24,000 miles on it, (Out of pocket). Everything in the engine compartment is rusty, I don't look forward to having to fix anything, I will break a lot of nuts. The metal in the car is so light that a light tap will cause an insurance claim. Not a lot to like here
28th Dec 2004, 08:28
I have a 2001 Honda civic ex. The problems I had are: the molding on the windows has to be replaces frequently, at 38,000 I had to have the transmission replaced due to revving, I have to have the brakes replaced and the system bleed every five months, I hear constant noises from the front end, but of course no reason is given from the dealer. The heat and the air conditioner works when it wants to. (TC)
22nd Apr 2005, 07:28
I have the Honda civic LX 2001. My lemon and me are still battling it out. Thank goodness for my 160 000km warranty as it will be well used. At 126 000 km these are my repairs: leaking shocks only covered up to 60 000km (front clunking noise) make sure they realign car properly (steering wheel "H" is straight when wheels are straight), all round new tires from wear of shocks and I use winter tires as car does not handle well in snow, power steering pump replaced twice (whirling noise on turn and backing up turning), engine mount replaced (vibration at idle), Fuel door release cable, drivers seat bushings, gas gauge metering unit, loose arm rest, plus the radio recall (code needed every time turn on car), fuel light would come on and then go off for 50 km, recall of ECU (computer)
Unresolved issues are: key gets stuck at times, at times when I turn the car on it buzzes, poor mileage, no power on hills, car lunges at slowing or speeding up at times or going from reverse to drive, trunk doesn't close unless you press down over latch.
Today I am going to get them to check my cv joints (pop on left turns), my struts (coil springs) potholes are not being taken well, my trunk release is broken (I locked it now it will not work), my car is vibrating at idle again.
My advise:
Make sure every complaint is on the work order if not they will be no report and no Help from Honda!!! Not that they have been helpful with out a large battle. Having the extra warranty has helped with influencing them.
Get the name of mechanic that worked on car, and service person who wrote up report.
If not getting results, request to talk to mechanic and take them out to car and do a road test: this was the best thing I did. Now granted, my brother and I already went over the car with a fine comb to the best of his knowledge. (hence how we found the engine mount cracked).
I am a female and was brushed off a lot, so know what you are talking about or talk to different service staff each time you go in, could have been a personality issue. I started complaining about my car at 8000km, Fuel mileage did improve some after 24 000km, break in period I was told. I have demanded a rental car, as I live out of town and 20min from a dealer. None who will drive me home even though when I bought the car this was a concern and they told me there wouldn't be a problem. But the sales rep. was gone and manager were new. So ask for these things in writing at first sign of problems or purchase.
I do love the room the civic has. Other wise it would be gone, well plus I cannot afford another car. I bought it hoping to get 15years as others brag, but I doubt it. I hoping to get 6 years or 160 000km.
I have been told that the 2001 problem is design change. So lesson is never buy a car in the design change year. They also went back to MacPherson struts and didn't keep the double wish bone they were using for a while.
Hope this helps others struggling.
Ali.
13th Oct 2003, 11:17
If it was made at the Alliston Ontario plant there's a good reason it's crap. The workers just don't care!!! Den.