Whats going on with my 2001 Honda Civic LX?!? Please help! (first time Honda owner)?

I want to say it's your alternator. when you start your car, does it crank slowly then starts up?

Battery connection could well be the trouble, Are the terminals got white greenish powder on them if so disconnect the terminals. Get a old container, fill it with boiling water, then add from your kitchen baking soda, ( what you use for baking or buy some from supermarket ) say 1 liters hot water, one table spoon baking soda, and then place wire terminals into the hot water & b/soda and you will see it fizz & bubble that means it is doing it`s job. ( do not get any of this from the battery on you cloths, or they may put holes in them but some on your hands for a short time no harm , or else put on surgical gloves.Scrap any large white or green build up to assist it.Pour over them hot water & b/soda Repeat! times until it looks clean, and stops fizzing. You can scrap the lead terminals-, so it is shiny,Reconnect with vaseline that you use for baby`s skin,Check the alternator belt to see if it is loose and slipping, But if loose you quite often hear a squeal when you accelerate. Charge battery then a good test for battery is to turn the lights on full ( in the dark is better for the inexperienced ) then try and start.If the light go very dull and the car only turns over slowly then, the battery warn out. Most cars with a good battery will start with the light on, unless you live where it is very cold and snowing.If you buy a volt amp meter from hardware, most have them. Or electrical shop they will tell you the setting to put it on if you do not know, or read the instructions. ( some can be $30, well worth the cost as you learn then how to test any car that you have in the future. Then all you have to do is place the red + lead on the positive battery terminal ( coloured RED ) and the negative lead -- on the negative terminal of the battery( normally colour black ) Read what the voltage is it should be 12 volts or close to it ok, then start the car and read what it is, it should be over 12 volts, say 13 volts 13.8 volts 14 volts maybe you need to rev the engine a little to see how high it gets. But if it is over 12 volts that the battery is then it is CHARGING ok, get someone to put the lights on and you will see it change that tell you that it is charging or not. If you have no luck, you maybe able to borrow a battery from someone and try it in your car for one week and see what happens, to try and sort out the problems. So if it is charging, then OK if no, an auto electrician will test and give you a price, probably with not cost $. If it is charging, then I would try a borrowed battery to prove if it is only the battery. And the oil flush, I would never never never never never never never do that, ( I am 61 yrs old and have been a mechanic all my life. But no one can know it all OK..) To me it is just throwing money down the drain OK..Just change the oil when it should be done, and the automatic gear box I do it but only about every 10 years, but I do not thrash my car, and I take the dip stick out and smell it, and look at the colour, if it smells burnt or black change it. If it looks nice clean colour and not burnt smell it is OK. Burnt oil smell just like any thing burnt it still has a burnt smell. Compare it with a sample of new fluid. You can but a ! liter amount to compare it with. You will get experience, but doing these thing for your self. My idea of the dirt in the motor or automatic that if dirt is sitting on the bottom of the motor or on a ledge or built up some where, to me it is best to leave it their if you disturb the dirt it will go through all of the working parts and wear them out. As if you leave them their the dirt build up will do no harm. Some motors have a very large sludgy build up and they all say flush it.! To me no as when they do this all the **** comes loose and can block oil ways etc. My experience is I would leave it their and take the gamble that it will be OK. To me that is better than it coming loose and blocking oil ways! But I do put an friction oil additive in with the engine oil and the automatic gearbox, I think that can be an advantage. Pre stone, I think is an American product, is good for engine. their is one for automatic gearbox and power steer, a must for power steer.But I then in my view can leave the oil in another 6 months to get my moneys worth out of it , or it is not worth putting it in. The AC check that the drive belt is tight enough, it has to be quite tight, in the modern car. You maybe able to get some advise on how tight.( to loose no good, to tight no good ) you can buy a spray product that can help it drive the pulleys, but I do not think you need them. But if you have a problem you need to try anything OK.Cheers Good luck.

Autozone will check you alt and starter for free also. Tell them to also check the diodes in the alt.

That is defiantly your alternator especially if you dash is dimming go get it tested at V.I.P. not Auto zone they will give it to you strait.