2009 HONDA CIVIC Complaints

WHILE DRIVING A 2009 HYBRID HONDA CIVIC IN SMALL TOWN TRAFFIC, THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BRAKED SUDDENLY. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKES IN THE HONDA, I GOT NO RESPONSE. THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEED (25-35 MPH) AND ENGAGED THE HAND BRAKE (EMERGENCIA), WHICH STOPPED THE CAR IN TIME TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. I TRIED TO USE THE CAR AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE SINCE AND WILL TAKE IT IN FOR REPAIRS TODAY. *TR

PURCHASED A 2009 HONDA CIVIC EX COUPE IN AUGUST 2009. HAD ALL MAINTENANCE DONE AT DEALER AND ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE MINDER. WHEN I TOOK MY CIVIC TO HAVE TIRES ROTATED AND OIL CHANGED TODAY, THEY STATED THAT IT NEEDED NEW TIRES. I ONLY HAVE 21200 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

I CURRENTLY AM THE LESSEE OF A 2009 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID STARTING THIS JANUARY, THE HYBRID BATTERY CHARGE LEVEL GOES FROM ALMOST FULL (8-10 OUT OF 10 BARS) TO VIRTUALLY ZERO (1 BAR) EVERY OTHER WEEK (THE TECHNICAL TERM FOR THIS IS A "RECALL" OR RECALIBRATING). THIS SUMMER, IT STARTED HAPPENING EVERY 3-4 DAYS, AND WHENEVER I HAD THE A/C ON. THEN, IT STARTED TO HAPPEN EVERY 100 MILES (WHICH MADE IT VERY PREDICTABLE). THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN IN THE 'RECALL' STATE, THE CAR IS ALMOST UNRESPONSIVE AND DOES NOT ACCELERATE MUCH, IF AT ALL. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS WHEN THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAS A BLIND SPOT, OR IS COMING AROUND A CORNER. IT ALSO IMPACTS FUEL EFFICIENCY SUBSTANTIALLY. I HAVE SEEN ABOUT A 7 MILE-PER-GALLON DROP IN FUEL ECONOMY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO CODES IN THE SYSTEM BUT THERE WERE 3 SOFTWARE UPDATES, SO THEY INSTALLED THOSE AND THAT IF I STILL HAD THE PROBLEM, TO COME BACK. I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM SO I SCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT AND I TAKE THE MECHANIC FOR A TEST DRIVE AND HE SEES THE CHARGE DROP RAPIDLY AND STATES THAT IT'S COMPLETELY NORMAL. I ARGUE THAT IS HAPPENS TOO OFTEN AND HE STILL SAYS "IT'S FINE." ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER THE IMA LIGHT AND 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT COME ON. TURNS OUT, IT WAS A BLOWN FUSE (FOR THE A/C ELECTRIC DRIVE, FUSE #22) SO THEY REPLACE IT, AND TELL ME THAT THEY CHECKED THE CURRENT DRAW ON THE A/C JUST TO BE SAFE AND CLAIMED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NOW, ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, EVERY TIME I START THE CAR IT DOES A RECALL. THIS IS BEYOND ANNOYING AND NOW I'M STARTING TO SEE DROPS OF ABOUT 10 MPG BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS OPPOSED TO THE PREVIOUS 6 OR 7. I'M THINKING THAT HONDA KNOWS THAT THEIR NIMH BATTERY CELLS ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

HONDA CIVIC LX - 17,000 MILES. NOISE FROM FRONT WHEN BRAKING. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT FRONT BRAKES HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED (PADS AND ROTORS). REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING THAT THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR. COMPLAINED TO AMERICAN HONDA AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND CLEARLY DUE TO WEAR. THEY REFUSED TO COMMENT WHEN I ASKED HOW 17,000 MILES FOR NEW FRONT BRAKES COULD POSSIBLY BE CONSIDERED WEAR. MILES ARE ALL HIGHWAY DRIVEN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH IN A PARKING SPACE AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL. SUDDENLY, HER FOOT WAS TRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN AN EXTREMELY HIGH ELEVATED POSITION FROM THE FLOOR WHICH WAS A SAFETY DEFECT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO COLLISION CENTER WITH THE REPAIR COST OF $5,196.34. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,700.

CREAKING NOISE FROM FRONT END WHILE TURNING WHEEL. FIRST TIME WAS FEBRUARY 2010. DEALER PERFORMED SERVICE BULLETIN. DID NOT WORK. THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLIES---PROBLEM SOLVED. JULY 2010 CREAKING IN STEERING IS BACK. BROUGHT IN TO DEALER AND TOLD BOTH STRUT ASSEMBLIES NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. TWO WEEK BACK ORDER ON STRUTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIRBAG SENSOR LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT MADE THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF WEEKS FOR THE PARTS TO ARRIVE FROM CALIFORNIA. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT HE WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT IF THE SENSOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED NONE OF THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD WORK IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 30,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH OR LESS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE EXTREMELY ROUGH AS IF SHE WERE DRIVING ON AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR ROTORS AND CALIPERS WERE DAMAGED. THE REAR ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND THE REAR CALIPERS WERE CLEANED. APPROXIMATELY TEN DAYS LATER, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE REAR ROTORS WERE RUSTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,900.

1. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR A WHILE. 2. CAME OUT ONE MORNING AND CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER CALLED AAA AND DEALER, CHECKED THE BATTERY GREEN LIGHT WAS BRIGHT GOT CAR TO START AND WENT TO DEALER, 3. THEY SAID STARTER WAS BAD AND REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE UNDER WARRANTY. ABOUT 3 TO 4 WEEKS LATER PROBLEM CAME BACK AND WAS ABLE TO START CAR AND TOOK TO DEALER AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM THEY JUST NOTED IT AND AWAITING FOR THE ISSUE TO HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

A ROCK CAME THROUGH THE GRILLE OF A 2009 HONDA CIVIC DAMAGING THE A/C CONDENSER. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE THE ROCK CAUSED THE DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THEY SEE THIS ALL THE TIME. A SIMPLE SEARCH ON THE INTERNET BRINGS UP LOTS OF LINKS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM FOR HONDA, AND VERY FEW FOR OTHER CAR MAKERS. APPARENTLY THEY CHANGED THE GRILLE DESIGN ON THE ODYSSEY TO LESSEN THE CHANCES OF A ROCKS COMING THROUGH THE GRILLS. TO ME IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. *TR