2006 HONDA CIVIC Complaints

I OWN A 2006 HONDA CIVIC. THE WINTER OF 2007-2008 THE CAR WOULD FISHTAIL ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY ON SNOW AND ICE - NOT A SNOW OR ICE STORM NECESSARILY, BUT REALLY WHENEVER THERE WAS SNOW COVER OR ICE ON THE ROADS. WE CHANGED TIRES - TWICE. THE WINTER OF 2008-2009, WE WERE STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS TIME, THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED AN ALIGNMENT. WE HAD THAT DONE, BUT THE TECH'S WHO DID THE ALIGNMENT WOULD NOT ROTATE OUR TIRES BECAUSE THEY SAID OUR TIRES WERE BALD. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT BALD ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE, ONLY ON THE INSIDE. WE ENTERED THE WINTER OF 2009-2010 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM - TOOK IT ONCE AGAIN TO THE LITHIA HONDA DEALERSHIP IN AMES, IA. WE READ INTERNET ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE BLAMING THE REAR SWAY BAR. THE TECHNICIANS CHECKED IT AND THE REAR SHOCKS BUT DIDN'T DISCOVER ANYTHING WRONG. LITHIA'S SERVICE DEPT REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT BE ASSURED THEY WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THEIR COSTS. LITHIA OF AMES DID NOT CONTACT THE NATIONAL MANUFACTURER, AMERICAN HONDA, UNTIL WE ASKED THEM TO. WE DID MORE RESEARCH. ONE MAN IN BRITISH COLUMBIA HAD POSTED ABOUT HIS CAR HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS OURS - COMPLETE WITH MANY OF THE SAME WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM AS WE HAD USED AND THAT TECHNICIANS HAD DETERMINED IT WAS THE CONTROL ARM. THE CONTROL ARM IS TOO SHORT. WE ASKED THEM TO CONTACT AMERICAN HONDA - THE CONTROL ARM HAS A BULLETIN - BUT ONLY FOR UNEVEN TREAD WEAR. MY FAMILY AND I - OUR FRIENDS, EVEN - ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IN THIS CAR. WE CANNOT TAKE IT OVER 35-40 MILES AN HOUR EVEN WHEN IT'S SUNNY OUTSIDE BECAUSE SNOW COVER WILL CAUSE IT TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR DOESN'T TRACK STRAIGHT WHEN TRAVERSING BUMPY ROADS. ON A TRIP DOWN SOUTH LAST WINTER, THE CAR HIT A SMALL PATCH OF ICE AND FELT LIKE WE WERE GOING INTO THE DITCH. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE PROBLEMS WITH THE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. THE AMERICAN HONDA REPRESENTATIVE , SAID, OUR REAR ALIGNMENT IS THE WORST SHE'S EVER SEEN. PLEASE HELP!! *TR

WE HAVE A 2006 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A DEFECT ON. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY LURCH EVEN THOUGH THE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. A FEW TIMES WHERE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHE DIDN'T EXERT ENOUGH FORCE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CAUSED FOR THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT INTENDED. LUCKILY THE ONLY INCIDENT HAVE BEEN MINOR WITH REGARDS TO THE BUMPER HITTING THE WALL OR ANOTHER VEHICLE. WE BELIEVE THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIX ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENT THAT THE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN A STEEP SLOPE THAT WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR

THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ONLY IN HEAVY RAIN, SPECIALLY AFTER HITTING A WATER PUDDLE AND GETTING WATER SPLASHED ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE ENGINE SOUNDS MUCH LOUDER AND THE CAR STARTS TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY, THE VIBRATION IS SPECIALLY FELT IN THE CENTER ARMREST. THIS IS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY A TEMPORARY LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND A RATTLING SOUND THAT SOUNDS LIKE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION OR THE UNDERCARRIAGE. ISSUE HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON MANY CIVIC 8TH GENERATION FORUM (EX: HTTP://WWW.8THCIVIC.COM/FORUMS/MECHANICAL-PROBLEMS-TECHNICAL-CHAT/46938-CAR-LOUD-DURING-HEAVY-RAIN-HELP.HTML). I HAVE CONTACTED MY HONDA DEALER AS WELL AS HONDA HOTLINE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING THE PROBLEM. AND SINCE IT ONLY OCCURS IN HEAVY RAIN, THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE OR DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM EITHER. *TR

VEHICLE BROUGHT TO REPAIR SHOP FOR BURNING SMELL. IT WAS FOUND THAT FRONT BRAKES WERE LOCKED. BLEEDERS WERE OPENED WHICH RELEASED THE FRONT BRAKE APPLICATION. ONLY THE BUILT UP PRESSURE IN THE CALIPER WAS RELEASED, HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS NOT DRAINED, OR BLED. THE BRAKE FLUID IS FULL, THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF FLUID CONTAMINATION. NOW, VEHICLE HAS A HARD BRAKE PEDAL BUT ABSOLUTELY NO BRAKE APPLICATION. NO BRAKE FLUID ESCAPES WHEN OPENING BLEEDERS, WITH HELPER PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. I THOUGHT, EVEN IN THE EVENT OF COMPLETE ABS FAILURE, THE BASIC HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WOULD STILL BE FUNCTIONING. *TR UPDATED 4/13/10 *CN THE PROBLEM WAS CREATED BY AN IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE BRAKE POSITION SWITCH (BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH). UPDATED 05/13/10.*JB

SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT. UPON INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. ALTHOUGH IT WAS REPAIRED, I WAS CHARGED $850.00. AFTER RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURING DEFAULT. ALL 2006 HONDA CIVICS SHOULD BE RECALLED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND GOT MY CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. MY CIVIC EX ONLY HAS 46,000 MILES ON IT! HOW CAN A CAR'S ENGINE CRACK WITH ONLY 46,000 MILES ON IT. HAD I NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, THE ENGINE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO OVERHEATING. LUCKILY, MY ENGINE IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. ACCORDING TO TSB 08-044, A TECHNICAL BULLETIN RELEASED BY HONDA, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2006-2007 HONDA CIVICS AND YET THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THE ENGINES. HONDA IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR ON MY BEHALF SO I AM NOW FORCED TO SPEND $450 ON A RENTAL CAR. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS! *JB

MY 2006 HONDA CIVIC EX SEDAN HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH BOTH SUN VISORS SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE VISORS HAVE BOTH MELTED AND BROKE WHICH CAUSE THEM TO HANG DOWN IN VIEW AND WILL NOT GO IN THE UP POSITION. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE 4-LANE THE VISOR ON MY SIDE FELL IN MY VIEW, IN SHOCK I TRIED TO STOP THE CAR SINCE I COULD NOT SEE AND WAS REAR ENDED AND ROLLED INTO A BARRIER. THE VISOR NOW WONT GO UP AT ALL AND IS ABOUT TO BREAK OFF. *TR

MY CAR HAS A LARGE PROBLEM WITH ITS WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHEN I CRANK THE CAR THEY COME ON AND SOMETIMES DON'T TURN OFF, AND MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THEY DO TURN OFF THEY WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW, CAUSING ME TO LOOSE ALL SITE OF THE ROAD AND BEING DISTRACTED TRYING TO GET THEM TO GO DOWN, AND WEARING OUT MY WIPER BLADES WITH THE VERY NUMEROUS TIMES I HAVE TO TURN THEM ON BEFORE THEY WILL STOP IN THE CORRECT REST POSITION. THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSE ME TO GO OFF THE ROAD AND ALMOST GET IN MANY ACCIDENTS WITH THE LACK OF VISION, AND INABILITY TO CONCENTRATE ON THE ROAD. *TR

MY REAR TIRES CUP AND MAKE EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE AND CAUSES CAR TO SHAKE. HONDA REPLACED THE CONTROL ARMS AS PART OF A SERVICE BULLETIN AND PAID FOR HALF THE COST OF NEW TIRES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND HONDA WON'T DO ANYTHING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL SERVICE GARAGE AFTER HONDA CLAIMED IT WAS NOW AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. LOCAL SERVICE GARAGE TOLD ME ALIGNMENT WAS ALL WITHIN SPECS. I'VE FOUND THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER OWNERS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

ELECTRONIC MOTOR ASSIST (EMA) BATTERY FAILURE IN A 2006 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CAR HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE BATTERY THAT POWERS THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR FAILED. WHEN THE BATTERIES BECOME FAULTY: GAS MILEAGE IS DECREASED AS WELL AS THE CAR'S OVERALL HORSEPOWER(BY ABOUT 20-25 HP IF I AM CORRECT). THIS MAKES DRIVING THE CAR UNPREDICTABLE WHEN IN TRAFFIC. THE $3,000 BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY HONDA THROUGH WARRANTY(STOPS AT 80,000 MILES). HONDA HAD STATED THAT THE BATTERIES SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES. THE BATTERIES SEEM TO BE GOING BE FAILING IN 50,000-70,000 MILEAGE AREA AT AN EXTRAORDINARY RATE. I BELIEVE THIS MAY BE MY SECOND REPLACEMENT AS IN 2007 I HAD A COMPLETE EMA FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR ASSIST FAILED 100%. ALL THE LIGHTS ON MY DASHBOARD TURNED ON AND THE RPMS SHOT WAY UP. THE DEALERSHIP HAD MY CAR FOR OVER A WEEK AND THEN TOLD ME THAT IT NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE WHICH TAKES MINUTES TO UPDATE. *TR