2007 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID Complaints

THIS VEHICLE RECEIVED A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE BATTERIES. THIS UPDATE INCREASED THE DANGER OF THIS VEHICLE MORE THAN IT HAD WHEN IT WAS NEW. THE GREATEST HAZARD IS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS UNPREDICTABLE AMOUNTS OF POWER. I HAD AN INCIDENT WHILE TRYING TO CROSS A BUSY STREET ON AN INCLINE WITH A LIMITED VIEW OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NORMALLY, THE VEHICLE SUPPLIES SUFFICIENT POWER TO CROSS TRAFFIC BUT THIS TIME THE ENGINE REVVED HIGH AND THE CAR SEEMED TO CRAWL WHILE TRAFFIC WAS BEARING DOWN UPON ME. THANKFULLY, THE ALERT ONCOMING DRIVER AVOIDED HITTING ME. AS FOR GAS MILEAGE, THE VEHICLE NEVER CAME CLOSE TO THE EPA MILEAGE OF 51 MPG, THE UPDATE DROPPED THE MILEAGE DOWN TO AROUND 35 MPG. *TR

I HAVE MAJOR CONCERN AND SAFETY ISSUES WITH MY 2007 HCH. IT IS WHEN THE ELECTRIC MOTOR IS NOT AVAILABLE. I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE HYBRID BATTERY INDICATOR TO DETERMINE IF I WILL HAVE THE EXTRA 20 HP NEEDED TO MANEUVER THE CAR AROUND THE TRAFFIC SAFELY. ALSO, THE CAR WILL PERFORM SOME KIND OF HEALTH CHECK FOR HYBRID BATTERY TO RECALIBRATE THE HYBRID BATTERY INDICATOR. WHEN IT DOES THAT, IT WILL STOP USING THE ELECTRIC MOTOR EVEN THOUGH THE HYBRID BATTERY INDICATOR IS MORE THAN HALF FULL CHARGED. THAT AFFECTS MY DECISION ON HOW TO MANEUVER THE CAR AROUND TRAFFIC SAFELY. EXAMPLE 1 I CROSS A LOT OF 4 LANES HIGHWAY WITH HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC WITHOUT STOP LIGHTS. I NEED ALL THE POWER THAT THE CAR CAN PROVIDE WITH ELECTRIC MOTOR TO QUICKLY CROSS THE 4 LANES HIGHWAY WHEN THERE IS AN OPENING. SOMETIME THE CAR WILL NOT USE THE EXTRA 20HP FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND I WOULD NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY SPEED TO CROSS THE 4 LANES HIGHWAY WITHOUT CLOSE CALLS. TO BE SAFE, I WAIT FOR LARGE GAP IN THE TRAFFIC BEFORE I CAN SAFELY CROSS THE HIGHWAY. EXAMPLE 2 IF IT IS HOT OUTSIDE AND I DRIVE OVER SEVERAL HILLS, THE HYBRID BATTERY WILL BE DEPLETED BY THE TIME I GET TO THE SPECIFIC INTERSECTION. ON THE RIGHT IS A BEND THAT IS HARD TO SEE INCOMING TRAFFIC GOING 55MPH OR OVER. ON THE LEFT IS A LONG UPHILL. WITH THE DEPLETED HYBRID BATTERY, I DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO QUICKLY PICK UP THE SPEED GOING UP THE HILL AND IF SOMEONE IS COMING AROUND THE BEND AT THE RIGHT TIME, THEY WILL HAVE TO SLOW DOWN. A SEMI WAS NOT ABLE TO SLOW DOWN IN TIME AND HAD TO SWERVE LEFT TO PASS ME. LUCKY, THERE WAS NO INCOMING TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE SEMI CANNOT SEE INCOMING TRAFFIC AS WE BOTH WERE GOING UPHILL. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE POWER THE CAR HAS IS UNPREDICTABLE AS I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE 20 EXTRA HP FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR. *TR

THE CAR BECAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE FOLLOWING HONDA'S SOFTWARE UPDATE 10-034. ALL OWNERS WERE ASKED TO HAVE THE UPDATE PERFORMED TO PREVENT HYBRID PACK DETERIORATION. THE LETTER LISTED MULTIPLE SITUATIONS IN WHICH HYBRID ASSIST AND BRAKING WILL BE REDUCED. AS A RESULT OF THE UPDATE THE CAR HAS MARKEDLY REDUCED ASSIST, AND AT UNPREDICTABLE TIMES NO ASSIST WHATSOEVER. AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, AT A RANDOM TIME, BATTERY SOC DROPS TO 2 BARS, ALL ASSIST IS DISABLED AND THEN THE SO-CALLED RECALIBRATION IS PERFORMED WHERE THE CAR FULLY CHARGES THE BATTERY TO 5 BARS, THEN JUMPS TO FULL 8 . ON AVERAGE THAT LAST ABOUT 8-10 MINUTES AS DOCUMENTED IN MULTIPLE YOUTUBE VIDEOS ON THE SUBJECT. DURING ALL THAT TIME NO ASSIST IS AVAILABLE, AND ADDITIONAL GAS ENGINE POWER IS BEING USED TO CHARGE THE PACK. THE GAS MILEAGE SUFFERS AS WELL AS I AM DRIVING AT 3-4K RPM INSTEAD OF THE USUAL 1-2K.. I'VE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE SITUATIONS WHERE SUCH A DROP HAPPENS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE ON AN UPHILL HIGHWAY WITH VEHICLES BEHIND ME ALMOST REAR-ENDING ME WHILE I AM FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL. I'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE LEFT TURN WHEN AFTER A QUICK GLANCE ON THE GAUGE AND SEEING IT FULL, I'D START TURNING ONLY TO SEE THE PACK DROP AND THE CAR SLOW DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. A RELATED PROBLEM IS REDUCED/UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING. WHEN THE BATTERY IS COLD AND THE CAR IDLES HIGHER THAN USUALLY, ALL REGENERATIVE BRAKING IS DISABLED AND IT TAKES A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT FROM THE DRIVER TO STOP THE CAR. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALER WERE MET WITH "OPERATING AS DESIGNED" AND "THE UPDATE DOES REDUCE THE POWER". LATELY, I'VE BEEN SIMPLY REFERRED TO BECOME A PARTY OF CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST HONDA, AS THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO HELP WITH ANYTHING LISTED IN THAT SUIT. AS A SUMMARY, THE CAR HAS UNPREDICTABLE LOSSES OF BRAKING AND ACCELERATION AND A MARKEDLY REDUCED MILEAGE WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY VIOLATES EPA RULES. *TR

BOUGHT 2007 CIVIC HONDA HYBRID ON FEB2,2007. I WAS TOLD 50 MILES/GALLON,BUT IT AVERAGES ONLY 34 MILES/GALLON. A SIGN SHOWED UP 'IMR' ON THE PANEL,TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER. HE TOLD IMR BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND WILL COST ME $2800.00. CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. I FEEL IT`S A RIP OFF BY HONDA. THEY SHOULD COMPENSATE. *TR

EVER SINCE HONDA DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE ON MY CAR'S ENGINE TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE BATTERY, MY CAR HAS HAD INTERMITTENT ACCELERATIONS ISSUES. FOR EXAMPLE, LAST SUMMER, I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, MY CAR DIDN'T SEEM TO WANT TO "GO". I HAD TO PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL ABOUT 3 TIMES TO GET IT TO "ENGAGE" AND ACTUALLY MOVE. MANY TIMES THE CAR IS SLUGGISH TO START FROM A STOP, OR ACCELERATE, BUT IT DOES "GO", JUST NOT AS PROMPTLY AND QUICKLY AS IT SHOULD. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENTS OCCURRED LAST MONTH AND HAS PROMPTED THIS COMPLAINT. BOTH INVOLVED MERGING ONTO A FREEWAY. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE, WHICH I KNEW WOULD TURN EXIT ONLY A MILE OR SO DOWN THE ROAD. THERE WAS A TRUCK ON MY LEFT, FOLLOWED BY A LONG LINE OF SLOW MOVING CARS. SO I THOUGHT, SINCE THE TRUCK WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME, I WOULD SPEED UP A LITTLE BIT AND BIT AND GET IN FRONT OF IT. TO SPEED UP ONLY FAST ENOUGH TO PASS THIS TRUCK, MY CAR REVVED TO OVER 6000 RPM. IT JUST DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. I DID SAFELY MAKE THE LANE CHANGE IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK; THE WORST THING THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS CASE WAS GETTING OFF AT AN EXIT I DID NOT INTEND TO GET OFF AT. HOWEVER, THE NEXT DAY, I WAS MERGING ONTO FREEWAY TRAFFIC WITH A TYPICAL LANE LENGTH TO ALLOW MERGING. MY CAR DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE ENOUGH TO SAFELY ACCOMPLISH THE MERGE. I HAD TO REV THE ENGINE UP TO OVER 5000 RPM JUST TO GET UP TO BARELY 45 MPH TO ACCOMPLISH THE MERGE. I FEEL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ACCELERATION ISSUE. *TR

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILS TO TURN ON. THIS HAS OCCURRED 4-5 TIMES SO FAR AND 3 IN THE LAST MONTH. WHEN WE START THE CAR ON THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILS TO TURN ON ALSO. WE SOMETIMES HEAR A NOISE UNDER THE DASH. WE TURN THE CAR ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES AND IT USUALLY FIXES THE PROBLEM, BUT IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES TO THIS. THIS ITEM SHOULD BE GROUNDS FOR A RECALL AS IT SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON AMONG ONLINE FORUMS. *TR

BATTERY LOSES CHARGE SUDDENLY AND POWER IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOST TO THE POINT WHERE ACCELERATION IS NOT POSSIBLE. THIS HAS CREATED SEVERAL UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION IN HIGHWAY AND EXPRESSWAY ENTRANCES, AS I CAN NOT GET IN SAFELY OR MAINTAIN SAFE SPEED DURING DRIVING. THIS INCIDENT HAS REPEATED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. BATTERY INDICATOR DROPS TO ZERO BAR OR ONE BAR AND POWER IS LOST SIGNIFICANTLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER RECEIVING A SOFTWARE UPDATE THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND TAKE LONGER TO ACCELERATE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HIS REAR TIRES WERE WEARING FASTER THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000.

HAVING THE ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR ISSUE THAT SEVERAL HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS CAR. HAVE A WEEKDAY COMMUTE OF ABOUT 40 MILES ROUNDTRIP, AND AVERAGE ABOUT 17,000 MILES A YEAR THAT I PUT ON THE CAR. HAVE HAD 10 TIRES REPLACED ON THE CAR SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED NEW IN SUMMER OF 2007, AND AM IN DESPERATE NEED, FROM A SAFETY STAND POINT, TO REPLACE ALL FOUR OF MY TIRES AT THIS TIME (SUMMER 2011). THAT WILL MAKE 14 NEW TIRES THAT HAVE BEEN ON THIS CAR IN THE FOUR YEARS SINCE THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW. WHEN GETTING MY OIL CHANGED (AT FIRESTONE) IN 2009, THE FS MANAGER MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR AND THE TIRE WEAR AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. TOOK MY CAR IN, WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY IN 2009, AND WAS TOLD NO SUCH PROBLEM EXISTED. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, I LEARNED ABOUT THE SERVICE BULLETIN, ISSUED BY HONDA, REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HONDA IN SUMMER OF 2010 AND THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT. I AM STILL HAVING ABNORMAL WEAR ON MY TIRES. THIS ABNORMAL WEAR ISSUE CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC TIRE BLOWOUT. THE VEHICLE IS UNFIT AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT. HONDA HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL AT ALL IN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN IN 2009, WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, HONDA REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN 2010, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE BULLETIN BUT SAID MY CAR WAS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY AND MADE ME PAY FOR THE "FIX". THE FIX WAS NONEXISTENT AND NOW I'M LEFT WITH A CAR THAT I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE FOR FEAR OF A TIRE BLOWING OUT AND ME CRASHING, AT A HIGH SPEED, INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER OR ANOTHER CAR. *TR