2000 Honda Civic Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about air bags that did not deploy in a collision, and about the engine stalling or cutting out at speed — many of those complaints point to the ignition switch. Cooling and exhaust-side engine repairs (oxygen sensors, cracked manifolds) and transmission problems round out the picture. Many of these vehicles are now high-mileage, so reports arrive across a wide mileage range.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Air bags did not deploy in a collision

   • 80 complaints (28%)
   • median 77,340 mi at 8.5 yrs old (25 state mileage)
   • 54 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2024

   Complaints describe frontal impacts where the air bags did not inflate, sometimes with the other vehicle's air bags deploying. Some owners report the SRS warning light came on beforehand or that a seat belt that would not retract turned the air bag system off. Others describe the air bags inflating without a crash. Several complaints are about delays getting the driver-side inflator recall repair done because parts were unavailable. Reported from roughly 22,000 miles up to 200,000 miles, in collisions at a wide range of speeds.

   Recall 20V026000Recall 20V027000

   What to check: Ask whether the driver-side air bag inflator recall was completed and get the paperwork; watch for an SRS light that stays on after startup, since that can mean the air bag system is disabled.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving down riverside in rockford. When I entered the intersection at riverside and rockton, a car turned in front of me. I had no time to react and hit the car at 40 MPH. My two door 2000 Honda Civic ex is totaled due to the amount of damage sustained to the front of my vehicle. However, my airbags never deployed. I never had any airbag lights on in my car prior to the accident or any warnings indicating that the airbag did not work.”

   NHTSA complaint #10331500, filed 2010-05, 150,064 miles

   “I was involved in a head on collision at about 25-35 MPH with another car. The other car's air bag deployed but mine did not. The whole front end of my car is damaged.”

   NHTSA complaint #10018519, filed 2003-05, 77,340 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls or shuts off while driving

   • 34 complaints (12%)
   • median 98,250 mi at 11.0 yrs old (25 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2019

   Owners describe the engine dying at traffic lights, while decelerating, or at speed, sometimes with the battery and oil lights coming on and the car restarting after a wait. Several link it to the ignition switch and were told their VIN was not covered by the ignition switch recall. Others report the key becoming hard to remove or the switch feeling rough. Some describe stalling tied to idle settings after a battery replacement. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 210,000 miles, often intermittently and at stops or low speed.

   Recall 02V120000

   What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch recall was performed on this VIN, and test the key for rough turning or difficulty removing it; a stall that clears after restart is worth having diagnosed before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car stalls out after higher speed driving, usually coming to a hard stop, requiring me to restart. Once it happened while I was driving on the freeway, so it was a bit scary, a safety concern. Usually while coming to a stop is when it occurs exiting freeways. I would like Honda to fix, but they tell me my VIN is not affected but my make model and year are,NHTSA campaign number 02v120000, and my car has the symptoms of an ignition problem. Also the ignition switch is rough and sometimes the key jams. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11075727, filed 2018-03, 130,000 miles

   “I bought a used 2000 Honda Civic dx that would sputter very quickly sporadically. It became more frequent as I drove it more. Now it will just shut down and have to sit before it will start again. This is very, very dangerous to me and my daughter as we work the night shift and have had this happen to us on the freeway. We could have been killed, or killed others if they would have hit us in the middle of the freeway! As I'm finding out, there is some kind of unofficial recall on the Honda's ignition switches. Is this true? …”

   NHTSA complaint #10275487, filed 2009-07, 100,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Check engine light, oxygen sensor and cracked exhaust

   • 23 complaints (8%)
   • median 72,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • filed 2001–2018

   Owners report the check engine light coming on and a shop finding a failed oxygen sensor, often along with a crack in the exhaust manifold near the sensor. Some noticed exhaust or fuel fumes inside the car before the light appeared. Repairs described include replacing the manifold, sensor and catalytic converter together, and owners note the car will not pass emissions testing in that condition. Typically reported between about 27,000 and 130,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that the check engine light is off with the key on and the engine running, and ask whether the exhaust manifold or oxygen sensor has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On monday morning, august 29th, I started my 2000 Honda Civic cx hatchback and the check engine light came on. This is the first time it had ever happened; the car has 82,000 miles on it. I called cush Honda escondido and brought it in for service the same day. They later called me to tell me that their computer showed that the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced and the manifold on the catalytic converter was cracked and the entire unit needed to be replaced. The total cost was $1026. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10136031, filed 2005-09, 82,000 miles

   “2000 Honda Civic dx-vp o2 sensor failed at 125,000 miles due to a cracked exhaust manifold at the sensor - no information as to how much earlier the crack might have occurred before the sensor was damaged. The sensor failure generates an error code and causes the check engine light to come on, and creates rough idling and stalling in traffic, creating serious safety issues. The vehicle will not pass the state emissions inspection in that condition. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10275185, filed 2009-06, 125,840 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission shifting and failure

   • 25 complaints (9%)
   • median 58,200 mi at 7.1 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2016

   Owners describe hard or delayed shifting, gears slipping, and in some cases a transmission that had to be replaced well before 100,000 miles. Others report the shifter becoming very hard to move out of park, traced to a worn shift cable. A manual-transmission owner described the car jumping out of gear and grinding going into second. Most reports fall between about 27,000 and 73,000 miles, with some at higher mileage.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car from cold and check for delayed or harsh shifts, and confirm the shifter moves easily in and out of park; ask about any transmission service history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2000 Civic value package with and automatic transmission. Recently the gear shifter became very hard to use. It was very hard to get the vehicle into and out of park. The rest of gear ranges worked normally. One time I had to use two hands to get the car out of park. Took the car to the dealership and was advised that the shift cable was worn out and needed to be replaced. The cable was replaced and it now works normally. Total cost about $250 labor and $50 for parts.”

   NHTSA complaint #10175706, filed 2006-12, 61,500 miles

   “The problems I recently faced with my 2000 Honda Civic vp model:1. Transmission spontaneously skip gears and causes my car to jerk and loose control for a period of time. 2. When the car downshifts/slows down the transmission also skips or do not downshift smoothly, thus causing the car to jerk. Causes minor strains to the passenger's and the driver's neck. 3. Whenever I or my family get out of the vehicle we get static shock. This is extremely dangerous for a family who have a baby or children. 4. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10032866, filed 2003-08, 36,498 miles
5. 5
   Tires

   Tire and valve stem failures

   • 26 complaints (9%)
   • median 29,000 mi at 4.4 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2014

   Owners report original-equipment tires with separated tread layers, a blowout at highway speed without warning, and dry rot found at low mileage. Some also describe valve stems failing and causing tire damage. In several cases the tires were replaced under warranty or with a partial credit from the tire maker. Mostly reported under about 33,000 miles, often on original tires that were several years old.

   What to check: Inspect tire date codes and sidewalls for cracking or separation, and check the valve stems; any original tires on a car this old are well past their service life.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “All 4 original equipment dunlop sp20 tires failed for the same reason within a 2 month period. Vehicle is 3.5 years old. Mileage is under 28,000 inner and outer layers of rubber separated. If I did not notice the first and keep a careful watch on the other 3, this might had caused a crash. First two were replaced under warranty with a 60% credit allowance. The other two I am replaceing with a different brand.”

   NHTSA complaint #10028386, filed 2003-07, 27,000 miles

   “My back left tire blew out while driving at approximately 70 MPH (speed limit) on the interstate. My tires had just been rotated and balanced, and the air pressure adjusted on saturday, january 11, 2003. At that time, no problems were reported. I had 33,000 miles on the car/tires and had the tires rotated every 7500 miles. My tires were firestone fr680, p185/65r14 85s. This happened without warning, causing the car to begin a sudden spin across the interstate. No one was injured, unbelievably. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10002735, filed 2003-01, 33,000 miles

Buying note. This generation is old enough that condition and service history matter more than the model's reputation — confirm the open air bag inflator recalls were completed, have the ignition switch and stalling behaviour checked, and budget for exhaust-side and transmission repairs on high-mileage examples.

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.