2003 Honda Civic Honda Civic 2003

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2003 Honda Civic repairs by problem area

Engine (44%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (8%)

Brakes and Traction Control (5%)

Suspension and Steering (16%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (19%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (3%)

Other (5%)

Chart based on 279 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2003 Honda Civic.

2003 Honda Civic engine repair cost distribution

$2500+ (1%)

$1000 - $2499 (11%)

$500 - $999 (15%)

$100 - $499 (40%)

< $100 (33%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 107 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2003 Honda Civic

Engine not specified

194000 mi After 100 miles the engine light came on. It needed a catalytic converter and 3 sensors. Seller willing to pay one-third of repair cost, or take car back. Returned car. 
130000 mi

US $874
clutch went out. 
Unknown ignition or fuel system problem. 

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

93-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD

143000 mi Hybrid battery dst code 1449 Catalytic converter dst code 0420 
186620 mi

C $550
stalling when idle, electric motor was replaced with a used one (100$) . replaced all 8 spark plugs (16$ ea) 
189500 mi

C $1000
EGR valve 
187240 mi

C $445
both catalytic converter flanges broken 
104000 mi Car stutters on acceleration. Suspected the EGR valve. Diagnosis, EGR valve is faulty. Had to order part and re-schedule appointment. EGR valve came in next day, part was installed. No further problems. 
130000 mi

US $60
Check engine light was on for 2 days. Had computer checked, problem in oxygen sensor. Sensor would not fail when tested, so wait and see. Nothing replaced. 
135000 mi Integrated Motor Assist light & check engine light came on. Took it to a shop which rebuilds Hybrid battery packs. Diagnosis,failed battery pack. Repair estimate $3k. Advised no harm in driving. 2 days later lights went off & works OK. 
153500 mi

US $405
Replaced IMA battery pack. Check engine light and IMA light came on for the second. Both times after driving for about 3 days, first IMA light went out and then check engine light went out. Since Honda paid for replacement pack, warranty only 12/12. 
149300 mi Ck engine light on. Runs rough @ start up. Tested OBDII, has code P1519. Performed tests, has bad IAC Valve. Initial evaluation $110, part $283 (from Honda) installation to be done next week. Total estimated cost $455. This is a continuation of the previous repair. The IAC valve came in and mechanic was able to install in about an hour. Car was in shop for half day. An additional charge of $143 was added to bring total to $560.77 ($140 over estimate). 
151000 mi

US $122
Throttle Positioning sensor tripped check engine light, code P0122. The IMA Auto Stop and charging IMA battery started working intermittently. Charge was for diagnosis of ck eng, .5 hr. and ck IMA system, .5 hr. Part cost 500, not replaced. 
157000 mi

US $253
Oxygen Sensor-air fuel ratio (remove and replace front air fuel ratio sensor 
77000 mi

US $99
Check engine light was on....diagnosed that needed to change the gas cap! 
68000 mi

US $50
IMA (Hybrid) battery check due to IMA light on. Told it needed replacement ($3,000). Waited and it went off and car drives fine again. Presumably it was battery reconditioning after the 60k tune. 
135000 mi

US $1200
Replaced the 02 sensor, will also need to replace the catalytic converter Had to replace the converter 
105000 mi Transmission grinds when starting from complete stop. Dealer said that changing transmission fluid will not fix it this time, and it needs to be replaced. 75,000 miles on this transmission NIMH battery for electric motor (hybrid car) failed. Chose not to replace it. This battery is only 3 years old and not warranted by Honda, since it was a warranty replacement of a previous battery (which lasted 8 years) 
US $750 catalytic converter was replaced. After speaking with Honda International, they agreed to pay for the parts and I would pay for the labor. 
95000 mi

US $1200
Engine Mounts Replaced, Grid Charge Hybrid Battery 
36000 mi IMA battery on hybrid ready for replacement and replaced 
79000 mi

US $500
Engine was stalling out and car was jittery at low speeds - per dealer EGR valve had to be replaced -considered a wear item and not covered under extended warranty. 
88700 mi

US $1800
Civic Hybrid battery replacement required - $3600 repair - Honda covered 1/2 the cost. 

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

93-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 5-speed manual FWD

59000 mi EGR valve replaced. 
70000 mi EGR valve went bad again (second repair) 

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

160-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

170000 mi

US $2000
engine misfire. 

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

127-horsepower 1.7L I4 5-speed manual FWD

235000 mi The check engine light was on. The code indicated that the catalytic converter efficiency was below threshold. The part was replaced along with some of the fasteners and springs and the gasket. 
195200 mi

US $80
front motor mount 
203000 mi

US $320
Replaced failed head gasket. 

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

127-horsepower 1.7L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

131000 mi

US $400
Puncture on coolant reserve tank. 
135000 mi

US $210
Heater core got plugged up. It was flushed out, and coolant was replaced for good measure. 
232177 mi

US $175
Overheating resolved by replacing thermostat, temperature sensor, fan switch and coolant Replaced two front motor mounts 
234900 mi

US $445
New water pump replacement kit,  valve cover gasket and adjusted all valves to factory settings 
112000 mi

US $300
Crankshaft position sensor failed. 
144000 mi

US $981
Warped head gasket caused by overheating. Machined head gasket. Replaced thermostat, timing belt, water pump, oil, coolant. 
157200 mi

US $160
Hoses that are part of Evaporative Emissions System rotted, needed to be replaced. TSB states that it may be covered on a case-by-case basis by Honda (due to high failure rate) but chose to have independent shop replace to avoid hassle. 
68000 mi

US $350
Throttle body failure. Replacement neccessary. 
80000 mi

US $2600
Blown valve oil seals causeed massive burning of oil, fouled EGR, CAT etc. Engine bogs terribly during warmup under some conditions. Couldn't figure it out after several trip so I traded the car. 

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

117-horsepower 1.7L I4 5-speed manual FWD

97340 mi

C $1000
the car was literally falling apart so I got rid off it fast since it would literally cost me 200~400 every week to fix things. Engine check light, censor, oxygen regulator, ABS light. My dashboard was lit up like a christmas tree. Also, temperature kept  

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

115-horsepower 1.7L I4 5-speed manual FWD

189000 mi

US $550
Camshaft position sensor fault 
134200 mi

C $100
One exhaust manifold spring bolt was missing. Mechanic said this is common with the Civic. Got it replaced. 

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2003 Honda Civic 4dr Sedan

115-horsepower 1.7L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

141000 mi Oil leakage and multiple engine misfires 
139000 mi

US $700
Engine mount 
120900 mi

C $330
Check engine light - code P1457. Evap canister/valve replaced. 
77680 mi

C $800
Exhaust manifold cracked 
78800 mi

US $140
Heat Shield replacement 
40000 mi

US $250
Had to replace egr valve due to bucking just out of warranty. 
68580 mi replaced the exhaust muffler. 
90520 mi

C $350
rusted oil pan leaking oil 
620000000 mi

C $400
Ignition key lock replaced  
50000 mi

US $400
Throttle position sensor failed. Replaced throttle body. 
95000 mi

US $400
Crankshaft position sensor failed. Replaced crankshaft position sensor. Crankshaft position sensor set off check engine light. Replaced crankshaft position sensor. 
185000 mi

US $480
Replace leaking oil pan. It had corroded to the point that it began leaking. 
106640 mi Water pump failed 
150000 mi

US $620
Oil Seal replacements at end of cam shaft and in oil pan 
200000 mi

US $105
Bolts on oil pan were loose all around, tightened to stop leakage of oil from around the pan. Unsure when bolts were loosened since they were never checked until now. K&N Airfilter cleaned, spark plugs replaced, oil and filter changed. 
214000 mi

US $20
Coolant temperature was dropping excessively. Replaced thermostat. Old thermostat's rubber seal had torn and was lodged in the gap, preventing it from closing. 
219000 mi

US $350
Timing belt failed. Timing belt was replaced, but intake valves were bent. 
55780 mi Transmission slipping, 2nd to 3rd gear. 
106000 mi

US $600
exhaust manifold cracked, heat shield also making large amoung of noise, fasteners that support heat shields completedly corroded 
122300 mi

US $280
Took the car in for maintenance, oil leak found and repaired.  
132000 mi

US $700
Bad engine oil leak. Took car to dealer service to have crankcase and cam seals , timing belt replaced. 
139800 mi

US $85
Upstream O2 sensor failed. Ordered part online & replaced in 15 minutes. 

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2003 Honda Civic 4-door

4-cylinder manual 2WD

149000 mi

US $150
Not on a continuous basis, but at times, when idling the temperature gauge would surpass the middle point towards hot. The fan was replaced 

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2003 Honda Civic 2dr Hatch

160-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

89000 mi CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEGAN FAILING AT 83,500, JUST OUT OF 80K WARRANTY. BROUGHT TO DEALER AT 88K. DEALER IS WILLING TO SPLIT PART/LABOR COSTS 50/50. THIS WOULD COST EACH OF US $650 PLUS TAX. 
93000 mi

US $275
Bought a used cat and replaced myself. Also had to replace the midpipe and muffler because the bolts were rusted to the cat. Used exhaust system had only 10k miles. Runs great, no check engine light, passed inspection. Hope to be good for another 70k+ mi. 
138000 mi

US $198
Front O2 sensor went bad. I replaced both myself for $198. 
203000 mi Needed a new Cat and/or O2l sensor 
73000 mi

US $261
Primary 02 Sensor Replaced 
174200 mi

US $173
Primary oxygen sensor bad. Ran very poorly. Fixed by replacing sensor. 
180200 mi

US $18
The pulley was making a squealing noise and did not spin as easily as the other pulleys upon the belt removal. Idler pulley went bad. Replaced with non oem pulley fixing the problem. 
89200 mi

US $270
Front Engine Mount collapsed. Replaced. 
189000 mi

US $450
heater wire on o2 sensor went out tripping check engine light. replaced o2 sensor.  
194000 mi

US $400
Radiator cracked 
234000 mi

US $250
Actually no problem. Just had to replace cat because the state of ca says has to be a specific part number even though car perfect emissions test. Eff the state of california!! 
129100 mi

US $85
Replaced front O2 sensor. 
182000 mi

US $800
new catalytic converter 

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2003 Honda Civic 2dr Coupe

160-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

4000 mi The car needed to have the correct timing belt installed. The dealer had put the wrong belt into the car and the engine had to be rebuilt. 

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2003 Honda Civic 2dr Coupe

127-horsepower 1.7L I4 5-speed manual FWD

132680 mi

C $450
V tec solonoid replaced 
85000 mi

US $550
Check engine light returned after injector cleaning. Cause was misfiring spark plugs; replaced. Brake discs and drums machined to eliminate brake shimmy. 
85000 mi

US $50
Warning light. Injector cleaning fixed it. 
85000 mi

US $42
Got check engine. Shop replaced spark plugs. Check engine came back. This time replaced the coil for no. 1 spark plug. So far problem solved. 
95600 mi

US $1100
Blown head gasket 
86000 mi

US $1200
Dealer replaced head gasket. Since the car was only 4000 miles short of the timing belt replacement, I took the opportunity to have that done as well. 
107 mi

US $50
Check engine light came on, low oil pressure. As car is old, rather than trace down the leak, I top it off periodically (~1 qrt/1000 miles). Dealer also suggested using 10W30 instead of 5W20, which has allowed me to top off less often. 
119000 mi Engine is consuming oil (no apparent leak) 
125500 mi It's burning oil quite badly when cold. I think it's the valve stems. No repair per-se. I just top-off the oil at gas stations, and let the car idle more to warm up in the mornings. It has mitigated but not solved the problem. 
137000 mi Car burned approx 1qt of oil every 500 miles 
184000 mi

US $1400
Head gasket, timing belt tensioner 
167000 mi

US $1200
overheating. replaced cooling fan relay, did not fix problem random overheating, head gasket replaced 

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2003 Honda Civic 2dr Coupe

127-horsepower 1.7L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

105000 mi

US $240
Rattling was due to corroded heat shield on catalytic converter. Said only lower shield was removed and replacement not necessary. But they took off top shield too, and my online research showed this shield is important for safety. Follow up to prior trip. Independent garage could not complete this when needed so I went to dealer. They lowered exhaust and installed new heat shield assembly for catalytic converter. 
102000 mi

US $900
Headgasket was replaced due to minor failure on cylinders 2 & 3. Exhaust was being forced into the coolant causing coolant loss. Timing belt service also performed at an additional cost of $352. 
43000 mi

US $240
leak, oil pan gasket. Very minor leak reported at oil change 6 months ago. This time leak was worse, not major, but replaced it. 

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2003 Honda Civic 2dr Coupe

117-horsepower 1.7L I4 5-speed manual FWD

142000 mi

US $190
Change thermostat, has bad head gasket. 
158900 mi

US $30
Bad Head gasket, used K-seal to try repair, seems to be working so far. 
163000 mi

US $90
Replaced radiator. Flushed system. 

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2003 Honda Civic 2dr Coupe

115-horsepower 1.7L I4 5-speed manual FWD

275000 mi

US $150
Heater valve malfunctioning 
177400 mi

US $1600
I do not remember- the dealer wanted 2600, and we got it done for like 1600 

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2003 Honda Civic 2dr Coupe

115-horsepower 1.7L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

160000 mi

US $280
Camshaft sensor replacement 
199000 mi

US $1800
Head Gasket 
226000 mi

US $600
computer failed and air bag recall 
222700 mi

US $650
Ignition switch had to be replaced 

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2003 Honda Civic 2-door

4-cylinder automatic 2WD

83000 mi

US $120
Car began overheating; I changed the thermostat my self. Car seems to be working fine for three days, then started overheating again. Finally took it to my local mechanic, and did a coolant flush, and bleed the system. Its been one week so far, and has 

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See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans, Coupes, and Hatchbacks.
See TrueDelta's information for all Honda models.

2003 Honda Civic Engine Problems

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2003 Honda Civic problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.