1999 Honda Civic Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the engine cutting out without warning while driving, and many point to the ignition switch covered by a 2002 recall that some vehicles were not included in. Airbag non-deployment in crashes and a range of smaller electrical and cooling faults also come up, usually on cars well past 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls or loses electrical power while driving

   Mentioned in 39 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the engine quitting without warning at any speed, sometimes with the instrument panel lights flickering or going dark and power steering and brakes becoming hard to use. Many owners say the car restarts after a few minutes or after several attempts, and that the problem becomes more frequent over time. Several report that a dealer or mechanic diagnosed the ignition switch, and that the vehicle was not covered by recall 02V120000 because of its VIN; some had the switch replaced at their own expense. Reported from roughly 75,000 to over 250,000 miles, at all speeds and in both hot and cold conditions.

   Recall 02V1200003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch has ever been replaced and whether recall 02V120000 was performed on this VIN; a stalling test drive and a check of the switch part number can help confirm.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since 2011 this car has been cutting out while driving. The speed could be anywhere from 30 MPH on a street or 70 MPH on the highway. This complete powering off has caused me near misses and accidents many times. Since purchasing this car in 2007, I have had the distributor replaced 3 times; as we thought that was the reason for the failures. It was not. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10446768, filed 2012-02, 140,000 miles

   “The car engine stalls while driving soon after starting. It will happen typically while the car starts hot, either if the weather is hot or if the car was already warm from driving. The engine will also fail to stay started unless I turn the starter engine over a few times extra. I believe this is a result of the faulty ignition switch which was recalled for similar vehicle models.”

   NHTSA complaint #10562509, filed 2014-02, 140,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, slipping and harsh shifting

   • 19 complaints (6%)
   • median 78,750 mi at 6.2 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2013

   Owners describe shuddering when pulling away from a stop, hesitation when accelerating, slipping between gears with the engine revving, and hard or delayed upshifts. Some report fluid leaks and a check engine light with a torque converter clutch code. One owner of a CVT-equipped car says the transmission was replaced and the shudder returned. Mostly reported between about 15,000 and 150,000 miles, often noticed during acceleration from a stop.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car from a stop and through the gears, watching for shudder or slipping, and ask about transmission fluid changes and any prior transmission work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 1999 4 cylinder Honda accord with 85,000 miles on it. When accelerating the transmission hesitates sometimes. Also when it shifts from 1st to 2nd it slips, causing the rpms to over-rev badly. I am a first time car buyer and bought a Honda because I figured they were reliable and I wouldnt have to shell out the cash for a new transmission 6 months after my purchase.”

   NHTSA complaint #10112058, filed 2005-02, 83,000 miles

   “Once putting 1999 Honda Civic ex 4dr, in park I am unable to remove the car keys from the ignition. This has now happened twice in one week. The only way I have been able to remove the keys are by, pushing a screwdriver down the slot on the side of the trasmission shfter, the slot that is used to release the gear lever when one wants to tow the vehicle, so says wilde sun Honda, in sarasota,fl.”

   NHTSA complaint #10059995, filed 2004-02, 72,000 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbags do not deploy in a crash

   • 53 complaints (16%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 6.7 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 42 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2023

   Complaints describe frontal airbags failing to inflate in collisions, including side impacts and head-on crashes, with occupants reporting head, rib and face injuries. Some owners also report seat belts that did not lock. Others mention that the Takata inflator recall remedy was unavailable for months, and one describes airbags deploying or malfunctioning in a way that contributed to loss of control. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 56,000 to 200,000 miles, in crashes at ordinary road speeds.

   Recall 20V026000

   What to check: Confirm with a dealer whether recall 20V026000 (driver-side inflator) has been completed on this VIN, and check that the airbag warning light behaves normally at startup.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am looking for a remedy to this recall. Apparently the remedy is unavailable and has been for months. Nothing has happened as far as the airbags are concerned. I am noting the 5/22/20 date as the date I have called to try and find a working remedy and to file a complaint.”

   NHTSA complaint #11325530, filed 2020-05, 141,000 miles

   “The driver of the Honda(my car) was driving straight thru an intersection. The other driver was making a left turn in a yellow light. He didn't see me and hit me on the drivers' side. I was wearing my seat belt which did not lock causing my head to hit the windshield. The airbags did not open either. I was injured on my head and eye as well as other bodily injuries. The vehicle was totaled according to the insurance company.”

   NHTSA complaint #10312299, filed 2010-02, 145,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Small electrical and body faults (windows, flickering

   • 31 complaints (9%)
   • median 109,893 mi at 10.6 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2022

   Owners describe power windows that slow and jam or glass that shatters, dashboard and exterior lights that flicker, and a hood release cable that stops working even after repair. Complaints often note that dealers could not duplicate the fault or that the repair was not covered. Reported from about 80,000 to over 220,000 miles, often noticed in wet weather or during everyday use.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Operate every window, the hood release and all lights during the inspection, and watch for flickering when starting the car.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My drivers side window slowed then came to a complete stop one rainy day while going through a toll booth. I was trying to close the window. It stopped halfway open or shut depending on your point of view. I brought it to my mechanic and took a peak while he repaired it. The clamps attached to the motorized track, that hold the window in place while moving up and down, had loosened up. The slack had cause the clamp to shift position during movement and the window in turn slid out of alignment. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10070585, filed 2004-01, 80,000 miles

   “While driving down the interstate window on the driver's side door exploded and shattered into millions of pieces of glass. Some of the glass cut my husband's (he was driving) face and arms. The temperature does not seem to have been a factor, as it was only 80f. Since purchasing the vehicle, the front windows have always had a problem with their seals. We have always experienced a whistling sound coming from the windows when we travel on the interstate. We think the poor seal construction may have been a factor.”

   NHTSA complaint #10037359, filed 2003-09, 59,850 miles

Buying note. These cars are old enough that condition and service history matter more than the model itself; verify that the ignition switch and airbag recalls were completed for the specific VIN, and budget for ignition, cooling and transmission wear on a high-mileage example.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.