The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road; however, after the vehicle was restarted the vehicle operated normally. The failure was a persistent failure. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); as the cause of the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Honda Civic won't shift problems
82 of the 16,054 owner complaints about the Honda Civic describe stuck in gear or won't shift, most of them for the 2001 model year.
- owner complaints
- 82
- worst model year
- 2001
- typical repair cost reported
- $2,500
- typical mileage
- 87,900
Is there a fix? There are 5 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Transmission failure 13Check engine light 11Jerking 10Stalling 7Warning lights 6Slipping 5Loss of power 5Misfire 4
Trouble codes mentioned
P3004 1P0730 1P0299 1
What owners say
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine, steering. Purchased the car from a certified dealership in January 2026. After 3 months of driving, the car began exhibiting performance issues. During a normal acceleration pattern, the car would go into a ‘limp mode’ where all dashboard lights would turn on and the car’s performance became severely limited. Acceleration is barely possible when this happens and the car must be turned off and restarted in order to get the car out of ‘limp mode,’ which is a MAJOR safety concern communicated to Honda. It is also of major concern that every time there is a performance issue, every light illuminates, not allowing the driver to diagnose and safely operate the vehicle without Honda assistance with diagnosis. Honda scans revealed P3004 engines misfire code- recommendations included replacing a spark plug. I replaced all four spark plugs and performance returned to normal. Steering recall (Recall Campaign SJS- 2022-25 Civic EPS Grbx Safe ) was also repaired on 6/24/2026- the car was exhibiting steering tightness and locking behaviors which were resolved after this repair. On 7/9, the car was traveling at 70mph when all dashboard lights came on once again. The car did not exhibit performance degradation at this time and was immediately taken for additional engine scan, which provided new code P0299 Turbocharger Underboost problem. Honda reported this code was not present during the scans on 6/24/2026. Dashboard warning lights disappeared on 6/25/2026. On 7/16/2026, the car began exhibiting major steering wheel locking and tightness, much worse than before the steering recall was fixed. I am unsure if it is related to the Turboboost issue. The car also began exhibiting engine performance issues again, rendering the car unsafe to operate until taken back to Honda for further diagnostics.
I was driving my vehicle on the highway and I experienced a loss of power / limp mode and my car started decelerating very quickly and I pulled off and parked because I got super scared of driving and when I tried to start my vehicle back up it would not turn back on. I found a recall describing the exact scenario I went through and it is not listed for my vin “ [XXX] ” but says it’s for the exact make of my vehicle, a 2016 Honda Civic Sedan 2.0 Naturally aspirated. The recall is called “Piston misset recall.” Please help me nagivate this I have no clue what to do and feel like this should be warranted. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The head gasket failed on my 2017 Honda civic after 110,000 miles I had the Honda dealership of Decatur fix the head gasket and it failed again after 36,000 miles this appears to be a massive issue Honda is having with these cars. And mine and other’s safety were put into risk because the car went into limp mode while I was driving on the interstate and yes the dealership confirmed that the head gasket has failed again after replacement and no it has not been inspected by anyone yet and no there was no warning of it failing before the car went into limp mode while I was doing highway speeds
I was driving on a very busy road and the car completely died and would not go into park. It was like the battery was not even there. The steering wheel locked up, hazards would not come on and all the doors locked and would not unlock. There was no power to the car whatsoever. The drivers side door had to be pried open from the outside so I could get out of the car. We had the battery tested and is tested completely fine. The car has done this three times now.
The transmission does not shift good at city speeds. It is jerky/grabby and It is prematurely wearing fluid down (burnt with only 19k since last change) It is miserable to drive due to the constant grabbing and releasing when you coast then apply gas. I fear it will lock up or fail which could lead to an accident.
Multiple misfires and rich fuel codes. Car losses acceleration at high speeds creating safety issue. Faulty fuel injectors. No current recall. Vehicle goes into limp mode.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle entered LIMP Mode and lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 175,000.
2nd attempt. I went to download pictures and was kicked out of site. 2017 Honda Civic EX Sedan bought used 2021. So far I've needed 2 new batteries in a very short amount of time. Multiple warning lights are appearing when I start car. Charging System Problem, Power Steering System (EPS) Problem, Charging System Problem, Hill Start Assist Problem, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) Problem, Brake Hold System Problem. Yes, charging System Problem was showing twice. Available for inspection. Yes, my safety is at risk, I'm afraid and paranoid on what else could happen while I'm driving. I'm afraid to drive my car for my own safety. You know Honda, my Life matters too! I've went online and read others with similar problems from used to brand new, going into Limp mode not being able to drive over 40 mph and myself being severely inconvenienced with my JOB. Dealership appt this Tuesday. Occurances: Nov 13 12:32 pm 12.19 TWICE 12.21 Once 12.26.23 9:39am AND 11:23am AND 1:10pm 1.2.24 10:21 am 1.4.24 11:42 am AND 12:34 pm 1.5.24 11:13 am 1.6.24 11:37 am brake light came on, binging, then went away. 1.6.24 12:12pm. This is happening almost everyday now. Thank you!!
I was driving on the highway and all of a sudden all the warning lights came on on the dash and the car started decelerating when I went to press on the gas pedal the engine revved but the car would not pick up speed it was in limp mode. I took it to the dealership and they said it's the transmission that needs to be replaced. Apparently this is a common. problem and should be a recall.
Related recalls
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017 Honda Civic Sedan and Coupe vehicles. The right halfshaft may have been improperly heat treated, reducing its strength.
- Risk
- The improper heat treatment can result in the halfshaft breaking, preventing the engine from moving the vehicle, and can allow a possible roll away situation if the parking brake is not engaged. This can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the halfshaft's serial number, replacing it as necessary and aligning the front wheels, free of charge. The recall began December 8, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is K0E.
Recall number 17V706000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Civic vehicles manufactured January 16, 2014, to November 6, 2014 and 2015 Fit vehicles manufactured March 12, 2014, to May 12, 2015. The software settings that control the transmission operation may result in damage to the transmission drive pulley shaft.
- Risk
- If the transmission drive pulley shaft is damaged, it may break, and the vehicle may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock up while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 30, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU2 (Civic) and JU3(Fit).
Recall number 15V574000 · Recall details
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- What is wrong
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 honda civic vehicles. During assembly, the process required to seat the drivers side driveshaft and set the retaining clip was not completed. As a result, the driveshaft may separate.
- Risk
- If this occurs, the vehicle will have a loss of drive power and may roll away if the parking brake has not been set when the gear selector has been placed in the park position, increasing the risk of crash or pedestrian injury.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver's side driveshaft and install a new driveshaft as needed, free of charge. The safety recall began on June 21. 2012. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑800‑999‑1009.
Recall number 12V256000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- A retaining clip that connects the transmission shift cable to the shift lever actuating rod can have insufficient retention pressure and may eventually come off after repeated shift lever operation. If this happens, the position of the shift lever may not match the actual transmission gear position.
- Risk
- This could result in unanticipated vehicle movement and accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install an improved retaining clip.
Recall number 94V063000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Due to an improperly machined internal shaft in the transmission, the pawl mechanisim may not fully engage when transmission is in the park position.
- Risk
- Vehicle could roll while the transmission is in the parkposition and a crash could result.
- Remedy
- Install an improved parking pawl shaft.
Recall number 90V163000 · Recall details
Questions about the Honda Civic won't shift
Which Honda Civic years have stuck in gear or won't shift problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2001 (12 complaints), 2002 (12 complaints) and 2016 (8 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix stuck in gear or won't shift on the Honda Civic?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,500 (median of 10 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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