2015 Honda Civic problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Honda Civic are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 60 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 53%).
Does the 2015 Honda Civic have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 205 of 328 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Honda Civic concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%), and the largest group is filed under power train (179). For comparison, the 2014 scores 55% and the 2016 scores 15%. 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.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
The rest of the picture on the 2015 Honda Civic
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2015 Honda Civic said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Every owner quote, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 205 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 2015 Honda Civic?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2015 Honda Civic involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 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.
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.…
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 2015 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.
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Does the 2015 Honda Civic have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 205 of 328 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Honda Civic concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%). 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 2015 Honda Civic?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2015 Honda Civic involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 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 2015 (63%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.
Should I buy a 2015 Honda Civic?
That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2015 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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Check a VINExperimental 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 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.