2001 Honda Civic ex from North America - Comments

Honda recall for fuel system safety hazard. Dealer repaired for free.

Shift gate on manual transmission fell apart and needed to be replaced. Dealer repaired for free.

The car failed an EPA air emission test because of faulty gas fill cap. Had to purchase one new.

Struts on front end failed. Dealer repaired for free, but forgot to align the front end. Another trip back to the dealer for alignment.

Front passenger door panel fell apart. Replaced by dealer for free.

Honda headlight switch recall. Dealer repaired or free.

Front seat "rocks". Dealer repaired for free.

Car difficult to start runs rough at idle. Dealer refused to fix as there was no computer signal stating a problem.

Rattle in back of car that cannot be identified.

Rattle in dash which cannot be identified without total dismantling by dealership.

We thought Honda produced a quality care-free product which would provide years of service. The car is definitely an adventure, you don't know what will go wrong with it next.

To date it has less than 35,000 miles and had all regularly scheduled maintenance performed by the Honda dealership.

I too have had issues with my 2001 Civic as far as rough idling goes. In fact, one day it was idling quite rough, the odometer showed the engine had rpm's at dangerously low levels, like close to 0 rpm's. The engine actually shut down because the rpm's were so low.

This problem only happens after running the car hard. This car does not like to be driven hard. When I redline it, it's a lot of fun, I like the whoosh of moving very quickly. However, shortly afterwards, (it might not be immediate) the engine starts to idle funny. On some days, it might not occur until after I have started up my car on the next day. On other occasions, it has occurred within minutes of revving the car hard.

My advice: don't run the car hard. Keep it under 4000rpm's!!!

At 50,000 my front struts went and cost $350 to fix. In all the cars I have owned I have never had that problem including the Chrysler minivan with 75,000. Overall the car feels tinny and does not like to be driven hard especially in cornering. Go over a bump in a corner and you fell like you have no grip on the road. I bought this as a low cost commuter car and it feels more and more like a commuter box each day... great on the gas mileage, but yuck.

I purchased my first Honda in 2001 and chose the Civic EX. I thought it'd be a great car, but it seems to have more than its share of problems. The mileage is currently 55,000 and although I have been meticulous about maintenance (regular oil change and all service issues handled exclusively through the Honda dealership where I originally purchased the car), the problems I've experienced and the number of times I've had it serviced for various issues are way too excessive in my opinion.

When I confronted the dealer with my concerns, he said that the 2001 Honda Civic EX was a brand new model and so there are bound to be several glitches; he also mentioned that most of my problems were covered under the warranty. So what - that's beside the point. There have been far too many irritating problems with this car and regardless of whether they've been covered by the warranty, I never would have expected this much trouble from a Honda - especially a new one!

-The car has had the SRS light go on and off intermittently which began at about 45,000 and which I paid Honda to replace

-Since day one, when I exit the vehicle and close the door, it gives me an electrical shock - an issue the dealer said was "common" and suggested dryer sheets under the floor mats which didn't help

-the headlight had to be replaced (recall)

-the a/c is not very efficient and doesn't cool the car very rapidly and the temperature is subpar

-the door panels in the rear continue to fall off (repaired several times)

-the front driver seatbelt sticks

-my window regulator has to be repaired (sticking began with right rear window at around 35,000 and Honda dealer never experienced it until recently when I drove it in while the window was sticking)

-the right passenger door rubber lining fell off (within warranty)

-the side airbag light has been going on and off intermittently since about 30,000 (issue that has been supposedly corrected)

-vehicle makes a heavy clicking noise when slowing down and going into first gear (supposedly normal - brake ball bearings sliding forward when coming to stop)

-radio has now been showing "code"

-right strut has been replaced and work was done on the left side without authorization (supposed cv boots issues)

-car paint chips/rusts extremely easily

-recently the mph was showing double the speed and when parked, said I was traveling at 30mph...an issue that hasn't been resolved as the vehicle stopped displaying this when I took the car in to be serviced

The list continues... I queried the dealer about other 2001 Honda Civic EX manuals with the same amount of mileage, similar driving conditions, etc and asked if thet had experienced similar problems because if not, then my car was definitely having an unusual number of problems--too numerous to be believed... I even questioned the fact that having all service done by them including regular maintenance, if it wasn't a bit far fetched to think it odd for a new Honda to experience so many issues. As a female, it leads me to think that perhaps my ignorance of car repairs/etc has led Honda/or at least this particular dealership to find themselves in a position where I could easily be taken advantage of. Honestly... the problems I've had seem to be excessive for a new, well-maintained car. I want a report based upon my model that details all the issues reported by consumers and haven't had much help regarding where I might obtain such a report... at least then I can make a fair assessment and determine whether or not it's just this year/make/model of Honda that stinks or my car in particular.

My 2001 Civic has never had any problems until now. In January I had surpassed 105,000 miles, so the dealer did a major service on it for $800. Then in March, my check engine light came on. I took it in and they said it needed $700 worth of parts and labor to fix something to do with emissions, otherwise my car would not pass emissions. Since the time for me to renew my car registration was coming up, I went ahead with the repairs. After they replaced the parts, the car still would not test right, so they kept it another day. Turns out that their mechanics -- two of them with 20 years' experience -- had reassembled the car with a hose loose. Got the car back, and four days later the check engine light came on again. I decided to ignore it and went and had my emissions inspection done, and the car failed. I took it back to the dealership, and they said it would be another $300 parts and labor for a new problem, but that they would give me the $200 labor for free. I said go ahead, because I needed my car to pass emissions. I waited four days for the part to come in, then waited two hours for them to replace it, only for them to say the car still would not test properly. Now they still have my car and are trying to figure out what else they should replace or tinker with (and how many more hundreds to charge me) all so I can get my car to pass emissions. This is ridiculous. I no longer trust them, and think that they are creating the problems themselves, but I am in a bind. I have driven many old cars before, and have never had one fail emissions. I have done every single maintenance on this one at the dealership where I bought the car, including the expensive $800 maintenance. There is no excuse for what I am experiencing now, and the mechanics seem dumbfounded as well. Don't know what it will cost me just to pass emissions in the end!

I bought my 2001 civic ex used with 35000 miles. after the first week of purchase I raced it about 4 times a week beat the motor hard. red line of and over again. I ripped corners at high speeds and just tore it up. I have changed my clutch, engine mount, and front suspension at about 75,000 miles. that's all that gave me any type of problem I do hear a noise in first and second gear and I do feel my tranny slipping a little, but after me beating on the car almost every week for over 2 years I don't blame it. the car is great I love every minute of diving it.

Well I bought my Civic EX at an aution with 82000 miles, and drove it hard, and I even used it to deliver newspapers, and it never gave me any problems. I am talking 500 to 800 lbs of news paper.

Drove it in San Francisco, and if any of you have been in San Francisco, you'll know it's up and down just about everywhere you go.

Replaced struts, timing belt, at 116k.

Civic's are really good cars, I think all the people that have had problems, it's been the dealers and mechanics, that's why I do not trust them, and you shouldn't either.

I worked at a dealer for 8 years, I know how they work, just because they sold you it does not mean the know what they're doing.

Bottom line is Honda does make good cars...