2015 Honda Civic
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 380 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 26 Civic model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 37 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 23 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)Sep 15, 2015
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.
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.
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).
Campaign 15V574000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
380 reports, newest first.
Power train, Aug 10, 2022
The transmission failed; however, no code or warning appeared to indicate there was a problem. The only indication that there was an issue, we’re problems with acceleration. This was meant to be our newer reliable family vehicle for which we drive our two year old son in. Had the car broken down the wrong place and wrong time it could put our son and others in danger. Some sort of code should have appeared to indicate there was an issue before the transmission failed prematurely. The car had just a little over 100,000 miles when the transmission failed. The car was evaluated at a Honda service shop in Annapolis MD (west street). They determine the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. I suspect that 2015 Honda civics have transmission problems and defects. Although our VIN number is not associated with the 2014-2015 Honda Civic recalls, those recalls were transmission related issues. I don’t know that it is a coincidence, I suspect this year, make and model produced defective transmissions. The most concerning part is that no code nor check engine light appeared to warn us of the transmission issue. The car is currently in an transmission auto shop (glen Burnie, MD) waiting for a used transmission to be installed. It may take two to three weeks for the repairs.
Steering, Jul 25, 2022
Hard to steer to the left and car pulls to the right if you let go of steering wheel. Yes it has been reproduced & confirmed by the local dealer, & i was told this case usually happen when car was involved in accident but my car has never had any accident, there is no warning light, i thought it has something to do with alignment, i had it aligned early this year and i was told to have the power steering rack be check.
Power train, Jul 1, 2022
My transmission failed because the transmission fill plug came off at some point during my commute. I had no idea the cap had come off until my transmission stopped shifting properly which is very scary when you are on the highway and are trying to reach safe highway speeds. The next morning, I pulled out of my parking space and was able to pull through my apartment gates without any indications of issues shifting until I stopped at my stop sign. Upon acceleration, my car only had enough acceleration to put me right in the middle of the road. Thankfully it was an early Saturday morning or that would have been even more dangerous. I put it in on the S level to have more control of my low gear and I was barely able to get back to my apartment and could not go more than 5 mph. This was very scary because I knew nobody around that could help me. Imagine if this was late at night or in a more dangerous part of town. No service engine light has ever came on. I get the proper and routine oil changes and also rotate my tires. I bought the car in 2018 as a certified preowned Honda with 33k miles and now it has 95k.The technician at HONDA informed me he has frequently seen this issue with CVT transmission from Honda as the fill plug likely comes off due to the internal forces from the transmission when driving. The technician also informed me that there was no way I could know that the fill plug came off until the complications I had started. A complaint about the $7000 dollar repair to Honda corporate has been filed (I have a warranty for powertrain, but was denied because the fill plug is conveniently not covered by the warranty.) Overall, I am scared that even when this is fixed, that it will happen again. This issue is already happening to others and it has the potential to cause injury. This issue has been inspected by Honda and my insurance. There is no damage that has been identified by either party to have caused this issue other than fill plug being dislodged.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jun 19, 2022
The transmission fill plug comes out and the transmission fluid then gets all over under the hood. This is the second time this has happened as the first time I brought it to the Honda dealership, they said its nothing to worry about and happens as they put a new cap in and cleaned it up. This can not be ok as it has only been about a year an only 15,000 to 20,000 sence the first occurrence. I can feal a difference when operating the vehicle as it shifts weird and drags the car excessively, there is no warning. My loved ones operate this vehicle and I do not want to see any accidents happen as I have heard of them happening to the same year, make, and model 2015 Honda Civic EX. I would love for an inspection.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jun 14, 2022, crash
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE AND UNABLE TO STEER VEHICHLE CAUSING ACCIDENT. FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY FOR FRONT PASSENGER. If THE PASSENGER DID NOT MOVE HIS HEAD WHEN HE DID AND DRIVER THEY BOTH LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT. WHEN THIS VEHICHLE WAS PURCHASED AT THE CARMAX DEALERSHIP LESS THAN 60 DAYS AGO, IT WAS ASSURED OF NO ISSUES, HOWEVER IT DID HAVE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNINGS AND THEY PUT AIR IN TIRES AT THE TIME OF TEST DRIVE, I HAVE READ SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAD LOW TIRE WARNING / ABS ISSUES PRIOR TO ABS FAILURES AND WISH THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THIS IS SUSPICIOUS.
Power train, Jun 4, 2022
The problem first started when I would put the car in reverse, the car would abruptly stall. I would take the car to many shops and they would change the battery, clean the throttle body and nothing fixed it. Then it would do it when I would put the car in drive. Same thing nobody knew what was going on with the car. There would be no check engine lights. Then one day it started to do it when the car would be at a slow speed. I would be slowing down towards a red light or a stop sign and then out of nowhere the car would come to a complete stop. When that happened I took it to the Honda dealership and they had it for a month. They didn’t know what was wrong with the car. They had their techline and a field tech come out to see what was wrong with the car still no answers. Then they told me it was a faulty transmission. The transmission didn’t know what gear to put the car in so it would just put the car in 5th gear. Luckily this didn’t cause an accident because the car would come to abrupt complete stop. Someone could of ram into the car and their would have been nothing I could do. And with Honda not knowing that they have transmission doing this with no warning is extremely dangerous.
Other or unspecified, May 13, 2022
The car's paint is coming off almost everyday. I didn't do anything wrong, but it is coming off.
Power train, May 6, 2022
As I started driving and pressed on the gas my car hesitated then finally moved. I stopped at a red light, When I pressed on the gas, I had to put the gas petal to the floor, my car lurched, then stopped. Lights came on showing check emission, check transmission. I could smell something. I found out it was transmission fluid that leaked out all over the street. A man stopped who was behind me when this happened told me I lost my transmission fluid. He pushed my car off the road for me to call and have it towed. It was towed to a shop, the man there told me it was the pressure switch that disengaged making me lose the transmission fluid. He said it was the torque converter and it could only be changed by getting a new transmission. He said the NHTSA had hundreds of complaints of the same thing happening to other 2015 Honda Civics. I checked and also filed a complaint, since this has not been addressed a recall with Honda. I will have my car with only 45,000 miles taken to Chapman Honda 22nd Street in Tucson where I purchased it brand new in 2015 to be diagnosed and hopefully fixed. I filed a complaint with Honda receiving a case number and hoping they will assist with fixing my car.
Power train, May 5, 2022
driving on the GSP fault lights came on in heavy traffic and the transmission disengaged, brought to Causeway Honda and said there the transmission is blow and the recall doesn't cover my car replaced for 5400. dollars...
Other or unspecified, Apr 26, 2022
Paint is flaking off from roof by back window for no reason. No rust. Appears defect when paint was applied to vehicle.
Power train, Apr 22, 2022
I was traveling home from Port Aransas TX. I had just driven off the ferry when the car started to violently shake. I was doing 30mph, I had to find a safe place to pull over. I drove no more than 500 ft when RPMs went up but forward momentum stopped. There was no warning other than the shaking. Vehicle was towed home and then to the local repair shop. They stated the transmission had failed. They stated rebuilding was not an option as it was a CVT transmission that had to be ordered via the Honda dealership. It was ordered and installed. Vehicle had 108,000 miles.
Engine, Apr 20, 2022
I recently went in for an oil change and was told my transmission cap was missing. I have not had any work done on my car since the last oil change and no one touched the transmission fluid. The cap isn't even placed somewhere on the engine- it's just gone! I've driven hundreds of miles with no cap and there is no telling what debris has gone into the transmission fluid now. I will have to do a complete transmission fluid flush and replacement plus buy a new cap. I have seen others having the same issues as me and was told to report this to the NHTSA. This is my daily driver and I take children back and forth to school on the interstate daily. If my transmission had gone while I was driving I don't know what could have happened.
Air bags, Apr 19, 2022
I was leaving work hopped into my car and started driving. About 20 minutes of being on the road my passenger seat airbag deployed and the roof curtain one for passenger side as well. I got out of my car to inspect for damage found none. The only lights on the dash were the airbag light. I am planning to take it to Honda and file a claim the body shop said it's an expensive repair, but I did nothing wrong.
Power train, Apr 16, 2022
On a side street going 25 mph. The car lurched several times. The transmission light came on. The car wouldn't move. It was stuck in park. The transmission filler cap (Honda CVT 25615-5T0-004) had popped out and was missing. There was transmission fluid on the ground. There was only about 1 quart of transmission fluid left in the car. The car had to be towed to a transmission shop. The transmission needed to be replaced !!! :( The mechanic said that he has seen this same problem on other Hondas. NOT HAPPY WITH HONDA ! !!! An internet check with for Honda civic transmission cap problem reveled this has happened to many Hondas with CVT. The overflow vent gets clogged, cause pressure into increase in the transmission, then the cap pops off, the fluid leaks out and the transmission fails. Reference: https://www.civicforums.com/forums/356-transmission/378721-2015-honda-civic-lx-missing-fill-plug-transmission.html https://www.civicforums.com/forums/321-transmission/372757-cvt-fill-plug-solved.html https://www.civicforums.com/forums/356-transmission/372474-fill-plug-jumping-out.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJoGgP6aICY&ab_channel=TyRC12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taARp_6M02U&ab_channel=NestorAutoRepair
Vehicle speed control, Wheels, Apr 11, 2022
I was driving and my tires felt as if they were locking while I was driving. As I was driving up a hill my car slowed down and I couldn’t press on the gas pedal. I luckily was able to get it to a safe spot but I wasn’t able to reverse back or drive forward.
Engine, Mar 27, 2022
Transmission fill plug frequently pops out due to pressure, causing debris enter the engine, resulting in damaging it. It appears it's a known issue but Honda mechanic failed to check the plug when we brought the car for service.
Other or unspecified, Mar 25, 2022
My Transmission plug. Just popped off. I noticed a shaking vibration at high speed and finally checked the engine and found the transmission plug had popped off. I put it back in but read that many 2015 civics have had this happen. It needs to be addressed now! This should not happen and could cause serious problems!
Back over prevention, Mar 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle she became aware that the back over prevention camera system was inoperable. The contact stated that she attempted to reset the camera however, the screen remained black. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The contact was informed that there would be an out of pocket cost to have the vehicle diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.
Power train, Mar 24, 2022
2015 Honda Civic with 136,159 miles. One morning put in reverse to back out of drive and Transmission starting slipping. Seamed to get better as the car warmed up. Turned around and parked the car until I could get it to a repair shop. The repair shop changed the oil and filter. Transmission was fine for about 6 days and is now starting to slip again. It is slipping a bit on the interstate when I go to pass. I read there was a recall for some 2015 Civics with CVT Transmissions. Mine was not listed in the recall, but is now slipping.
Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2022
On March 21, 2022, I was driving at a slow speed and the car attempted to cut off. I was trying to accelerate and the car decreased speed and was trying to stop. (Stalling) . The car did not completely shut off. The car was hooked up to machines and Cassat (Duval Honda) could not find anything wrong with the car and can't duplicate the issue. They overcharging because they require a $70.00 diagnostic fee whereas I have now discovered that Coggin Honda is doing the ethical thing and not charging a diagnostic fee. Please note stalling is a safety issue and puts consumers in harms way. This could potentially cause accidents.
Steering, Power train, Mar 12, 2022
I was driving in stop and go city traffic and came to a stop at a red light and noticed smoke or steam coming from the hood. Upon pulling away from the light once it turned green, I noticed I had reduced acceleration and pulled over quickly. I have yet to get it in to the Honda dealership but will shortly. Upon roadside inspection from a mechanic, it is confirmed the the cvt transmission plug has come off and the transmission has lost fluid. Additionally, when turning left, the car will jar around and rumble if you turn the steering wheel too much.
Power train, Mar 10, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle then lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission drive pulley shaft had failed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V574000 (Power Train). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 88,000.
Power train, Mar 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the vehicle started to shudder and would not move. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V574000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,683.
Power train, Feb 28, 2022
On 2/25/22 I was heading north on I-5 right when I was heading up the Grapevine (about 100 miles from my home) when I noticed the road getting bumpy, at least so I thought. It started getting worse and my car started to studder. I tried to get to the shoulder but due to 2 lanes of big riggs it was quite difficult and scary to do so. When I was finally on the shoulder I inspected my tires which looked fine. I had it towed to a Honda dealership which told me that my transmission needed to be replaced. Said the fluid was black, looks like transmission might have overheated. The car only has 77,500 miles and I religiously do oil changes and services when due at a Honda dealership. This car hasn't needed a single repair until now. Also there were absolutely NO prior symptoms of any transmission problems.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Feb 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle started jerking while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with internal transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.