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2014 Honda Civic problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
55%
126 of 230 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

55% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Honda Civic are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 73% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 61 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 43%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2014 Honda Civic have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 126 of 230 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Honda Civic concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (55%), and the largest group is filed under power train (98). For comparison, the 2013 scores 26% and the 2015 scores 63%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
126
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
291
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
30 crashes · 29 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN98 · 34%
AIR BAGS57 · 20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM38 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER37 · 13%
ENGINE23 · 8%
WHEELS22 · 8%

The years either side

2010
12%
36 of 401
2011
18%
20 of 171
2012
30%
90 of 461
2013
26%
52 of 320
2014
55%
126 of 291
2015
63%
205 of 388
2016
15%
149 of 1,082
2017
19%
106 of 601
2018
21%
120 of 601
2019
26%
112 of 451
2020
30%
60 of 232
2021
10%
14 of 159
2022
3%
27 of 959
2023
5%
17 of 332

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2014 Honda Civic

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE11/11/2021CRASH1 INJURED
Started my car in neutral with the parking brake engaged. The car took off by itself up a curb over a hill and struck another vehicle. I managed to get back in the vehicle and applied the brakes but the brakes did not respond. And my car was serviced at Freeway Honda in Santa Ana three days prior to the accident. I rep…

One of 126 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Honda Civic?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2014 Honda Civic involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 2 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)15V574000 · Sep 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.…

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
tires: bead14V109000 · Mar 2014
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2014 Honda Civic LX vehicles manufactured November 26, 2013, through January 21, 2014. In the affected vehicles, during…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2014 Honda Civic? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2014 Honda Civic

Does the 2014 Honda Civic have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 126 of 230 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Honda Civic concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (55%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Honda Civic?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2014 Honda Civic involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 2 in total: 15V574000 (power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Honda Civic years are better?

Among the Honda Civic years we track, the 2022 (3%), the 2023 (5%) and the 2021 (10%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2014 (55%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2014 Honda Civic?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2014 Honda Civic has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.