2002 Honda Civic Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2002 Honda Civic. Part of Generation 7 — 2001–2005.

20012003
Complaints
876
Crashes
144
Fires
14
Injuries
129
Fatalities
4
Recalls
8

Worst 2002 Honda Civic Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1176 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:101,761 mi
Crash-related:48
Fires:2
#2102 complaints

Automatic Transmission

Avg mileage:98,346 mi
Fires:1
#373 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:117,962 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2002 Honda Civic.

Airbags
176
complaints
Crashes
48
Fires
2
Avg Miles
101,761
Automatic Transmission
102
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
98,346
Transmission / Drivetrain
73
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
117,962
Air Bags:Frontal
43
complaints
Crashes
30
Fires
1
Avg Miles
50,550
Electrical Faults
41
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
118,676
Headlight/Taillight Failures
35
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
3
Avg Miles
142,932
Seat Belt Issues
34
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
92,913
Unintended Acceleration
22
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
Avg Miles
114,026
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
21
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
51,060
Engine Problems
17
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
120,685
Steering Defects
17
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
Avg Miles
68,983
Engine & Cooling
15
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
61,997
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
113,651
Body Structure
15
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
113,846
Tire Defects
14
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
76,700
Suspension:Front:Macpherson Strut
12
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
15,277
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
11
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Avg Miles
29,675
Manual Transmission
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
65,348
Suspension:Front
11
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
63,186
Suspension Failures
9
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
23,795
Seat-Related Issues
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
9,000
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
6
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
51,432
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
6
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
97,700
Hydraulic Brakes
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
19,000
Wipers & Visibility
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
153,000
Air Bags:Side/Window
4
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belts:Front
4
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2002 Honda Civic. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2002 Honda Civic

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~13,919,309 vehicles.

19V501000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,657,752 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V499000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~3,947 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V182000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~1,101,534 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

18V268000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,335 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

15V370000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~3,498,481 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to July 12, 2003, 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 19, 2002, to June 19, 2003, 2003 Honda Element vehicles manufactured June 25, 2002, to July 31, 2003, and 2003 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured November 26, 2001, to August 21, 2003. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.

15V320000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~6,281,043 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

14V700000Airbags
~0 affected

American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

12V136000Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
~1,375,217 affected

HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2004 CR-V; MODEL YEAR 2003 THROUGH 2005 PILOT; AND MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 CIVIC VEHICLES. IN MARCH 2012, HONDA FILED A DEFECT REPORT TO RECALL CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2004 CR-V AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003 PILOT VEHICLES. IN AUGUST 2012, HONDA INFORMED THE AGENCY THAT IT WAS INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL 820,789 VEHICLES INCLUDING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 PILOTS AND MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 CIVICS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES BEING RECALLED IS NOW 1,375,217. DUE TO TENSION FROM THE COMBINATION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS, WEAR ON THE SURFACE OF THE ELECTRICAL TERMINAL CAN OCCUR, YIELDING COPPER OXIDE, WHICH INCREASES ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE. INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE MAY CAUSE THE TERMINAL ENDS TO MELT WITHIN THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR.

Other Honda Civic Years

2002 Honda Civic — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2002 Honda Civic reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2002 Honda Civic has 876 NHTSA complaints, 144 crash-related, and 8 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 176 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2002 Honda Civic?
Top reported problems: Airbags (176 complaints, avg 101,761 mi); Automatic Transmission (102 complaints, avg 98,346 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (73 complaints, avg 117,962 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2002 Honda Civic?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 93,951 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2002 Honda Civic?
NHTSA complaints for the 2002 Honda Civic include 144 crash-related reports, 14 fire reports, 129 injuries, and 4 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2002 Honda Civic have any recalls?
Yes — 8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 13,919,309 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2002 Honda Civic?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (airbags) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Honda Civic reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2002 Honda Civic

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