2004 Honda Civic: CVT failure

8 of the 350 complaints about the 2004 Honda Civic describe CVT failure.

owner complaints: 8
of this car's complaints: 2%
typical mileage: 88,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 25 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

CVT failure by model year

2026
1
2025
1
2024
1
2023
1
2021
1
2020
1
2019
2
2018
1
2017
3
2016
3
2015
34
2014
23
2013
1
2009
1
2008
1
2007
2
2005
3
2004
8
2003
24
2001
3
1999
3
1998
1
1997
2

What owners say

Filed Dec 2, 2020 · Transmission · 85,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 honda civic. The contact stated that while driving, the transmission and check engine warning lights illuminated and the vehicle started to shake and independently decelerate. Additionally, while accelerating the vehicle was skipping gears. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed that the transmission failure was due to a faulty CVT skipping or an egr valve and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Filed Jul 10, 2011 · Transmission · 98,776 miles · CA

When I purchased this vehicle, I changed the ownership information with american honda. I later checked if there were any open notices or recalls. Honda told me there was none. However, this vehicle had a notice alerting owners to CVT belt slippage. Honda sent this notice to the previous owner. When the owner changed, honda should have considered this notice open again. Sending a notice to a previous owner does not inform the owner and the purpose of this kind of notice is to ensure the owner has the information. This failure resulted in my vehicle's transmission failing in operation. Had I received the notice, I would have known the slight shudder was a serious transmission problem and the vehicle could have been repaired safely, rather than failing catastrophically on the road. Honda needs to fix their notification system to consider all notices (unless the problem is repaired) re-opened on change of ownership. Otherwise, the purpose of the notification system is defeated, possibly leading to catastrophic failure in the failed (as it did in my case) or worse. I discussed this issue with honda and they maintained that once a notice was sent on an issue, the notice was closed with respect to that vehicle. This makes no sense. The purpose of a notice is to alert the owner, not the vehicle.

Filed Sep 21, 2009 · Transmission · 88,000 miles · MD

Failure of honda america to fix a faulty transmission. Charging for diagnostics of faulty transmission, transmission slips, judders, and seems to be failing. Transmission is worst after they said it was repaired. This is not an isolated case and apparently a manufacturing defect that american honda should be required to fix regardless of mileage knowing that it is a problem which they are avoiding to fix. Maybe you should verify that the problem is fixed in there newer CVT's otherwise deaths may or will occur. The vehicle is a 2004 honda civic hybrid, searching on the internet there is thousands of complaints about the CVT transmission problems. If the refuse to fix or fail to fix, they should be held accountable and be forced to repair or replace the transmissions.

Filed May 20, 2008 · Transmission · 113,000 miles · SC

2004 honda civic hybrid CVT transmission shudder at 110,000. Had shaft burnished and fluid replaced.

Filed Feb 12, 2008 · Transmission · 65,000 miles · CA

The CVT's honda is using in its 2004 civic hybrid is defective. We are going to have to replace the transmission after only 70k miles (just out of warranty). Numerous other cici hybrid owners complaining of same problem (shuddering and sudden RPM changes).

Filed Jan 24, 2008 · Transmission · 104,600 miles · CA

Faulty CVT transmission, slipping and judder beginning and during acceleration. Sometimes engine stalls while braking to a stop. Recall only fix problem temporary,this info. Can be obtain in honda CVT forum with other customers with similar CVT issues.

Filed Feb 12, 2007 · Transmission · 25,899 miles · MN

I was driving in the morning commute as usual, left lane, stop and go traffic. After, some slow down I accelerated but the car did not respond tried to shift to the lower gear did not work ether. I had to cut through two lanes of traffic (barely missed a car) to get to the shoulder. The transmission is out and doesn't respond to any gear (r, d, s, l). The engine revs when put on any gear, but the car won't move. The 2004 honda civic hybrid has around 20,000 miles. I have been browsing chat rooms and have feeling that the dealer would charge the full price for repair, unless there is a recall. According to the information that I gather, there is a large number of complaints about honda hybrid CVT.

Filed Sep 13, 2004 · Acceleration · NJ · crash

Run a way honda 2004 hybrid CVT. *mr while the vehicle's engine was in economy mode the consumer took his foot of the brake to maneuver a turn when the vehicle suddenly accelerated. As a result the, the consumer slid on a sandy parking lot which knocked off one of the rear view mirrors and caused damage to the front end of the vehicle. *nm the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. On some occasions, when the vehicle was in motion, the engine would die, there would be no RPM, the consumers foot would be on the brakes, the engine would start up and the RPM would read 1200. *sc