1999 Honda Civic Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 35about this part
- Share
- 10%of 338 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 75,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 35 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1999 Honda Civic, 10% of the 338 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 75,000 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Idk I was driving down the road and my transmission started making a weird grinding noise and I fig it would hold up but as I was going up the hill I herd a loud noise and the car came to an stop my shifter is stuck in gear and the trans gears are coming out the gear box trans fluid in flakes someone said its prob my input shift bearing.... Can u help me?”
NHTSA complaint #10479838, filed 2012-10, 130,665 miles“While driving down the highway doing 60mph, my check engine light came on so I pulled into a local parts store had them look up what had made my check engine light to come on and the code that showed up was p0740 (torque converter clutch circuit malfunction). Now my car is having hard times shifting up and down in all speed ranges. I have been researching this problem and have found several complaints but no action taken.”
NHTSA complaint #10499855, filed 2013-02, 113,289 miles“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“I have a 99 Honda accord v6 coupe. My transmission started holding out going into second gear, and had a small jerk. When come to a complete stop, it would downshift hard back into 1st gear. The transmission finally gave up on the highway on my way to work. The trany wouldnt shift out of second gear, and when it did, it would quickly shift back down, and cause the engine to rev at a high RPM. I called Honda and they said they couldnt help me. I had my car put in the shop, and my trany rebuilt. Cost me $1200. …”
NHTSA complaint #10125435, filed 2005-06, 82,500 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10107371Jul 2, 2015Service news article - planning on using a leak check dye to help find a leak? Heres the current list of vehicles that you shouldnt use dye on.
- 10014230Feb 16, 20042nd to 5th or 3rd to 5th gear upshift.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 6% |
| 2025 | 6 | 8% |
| 2024 | 6 | 5% |
| 2023 | 8 | 3% |
| 2022 | 10 | 1% |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% |
| 2020 | 32 | 14% |
| 2019 | 13 | 3% |
| 2018 | 14 | 2% |
| 2017 | 29 | 5% |
| 2016 | 36 | 3% |
| 2015 | 177 | 46% |
| 2014 | 98 | 33% |
| 2013 | 22 | 7% |
| 2012 | 49 | 11% |
| 2011 | 4 | 2% |
| 2010 | 12 | 3% |
| 2009 | 23 | 6% |
| 2008 | 52 | 6% |
| 2007 | 104 | 9% |
| 2006 | 76 | 5% |
| 2005 | 36 | 11% |
| 2004 | 56 | 16% |
| 2003 | 101 | 20% |
| 2002 | 185 | 26% |
| 2001 | 403 | 37% |
| 2000 | 30 | 10% |
| 1999 | 35 | 10% |
| 1998 | 49 | 11% |
| 1997 | 25 | 7% |
| 1996 | 25 | 8% |
| 1995 | 14 | 7% |
| 1994 | 8 | 6% |
| 1993 | 9 | 6% |
| 1992 | 5 | 5% |
| 1991 | 6 | 5% |
| 1990 | 6 | 7% |
| 1989 | 2 | 3% |
| 1988 | 1 | 2% |
| 1987 | 2 | 5% |
| 1986 | 5 | 14% |
| 1984 | 1 | 20% |
Other parts of the 1999 Honda Civic
118 complaintsAir bags
58 complaintsEngine cooling
30 complaintsBrakes
18 complaintsTires
17 complaintsBody and structure
16 complaintsEngine
14 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
14 complaintsOther or unknown
13 complaintsVehicle speed control
13 complaintsSeat belts
9 complaintsSuspension
8 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1999 Honda Civic
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology