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Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

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  • nis_civic01nis_civic01 Member Posts: 1
    I am also having Acceleration Noise when I accelerate from STOP and then the noise disappears . Please advise .

    Thanks
  • asg2307asg2307 Member Posts: 8
    I finally solved the idle and solving problem!!! I put 2/3 of a can of SEAFOAM in a 1/2 a tank of gas. I drove it around at highway speeds on a Saturday. After refilling the tank I had to adjust the idle down towards the idle speed on the hood of the civic. It seems to run fine now. I am sure there are other things to do, but I think the gas in the tank and carb were the biggest culprit. Thanks.
  • lionman1lionman1 Member Posts: 2
    Hello all. I have a '96 Civc Dx hatchback, recently the service light came on. so I jumped the two pin connector by the ECM to get the troble code and it flashed 5 times to indicate P0106 - Manifold Absolute Pressure circuit range/performance problem.

    So I checked all the Vac lines and they seemed ok, the throttle body connector for the vac hose was definately sucking air, so I figured it was the sensor itself. After swapping it though, the problem persistes, it fact nothing has changed.

    I know I gotta be missing something, if any of you guys could lend some advice that would be great.

    thanks
  • fe203fe203 Member Posts: 21
    Hey, Replaced both front sway bar bushings & noise is gone. The right side bushing was worn more than the left. I was hearing most of the noise from the right side. Easy repair, it took me about 45min & the two bushings came to $8 from the dealer. The guy at the parts counter @ Honda dealer said it is a quite common complaint on the Civic's since 2001, when they changed the front suspension.
  • 85civic13mt85civic13mt Member Posts: 1
    Usually happens in the rain, then goes away after a day or so but now it isn't going away. When the under car gets wet it stalls, then when I finally get it restarted as soon as you give it gas from idle the rpm drop and it bogs, backfires & stalls, smells and sounds like a poorly running 2 stroke starting up cold. Changed fuel, put some water remover in tank, replaced coil wire, cleaned out cap & rotor which was already new, recently replaced timing belt, battery, plugs, wires, starter, etc. :cry::cry::cry:
  • rbprbp Member Posts: 1
    hey all
    trying to help out my girlfriend - her '95 Civic LX sedan is
    bucking/hesitating on acceleration and under load
    ran a little injector cleaner through, which helped but did not clear
    up the problem entirely
    wondering if this is a common issue with a common fix
    this is a computerized injection system, I assume
    is there a particular sensor that's prone to failure?
    need to check dist cap and plugs, but this feels like air/fuel and not
    electrical
    thanks for anything you can tell me
    --
    Rolf
    Cambridge, MA
  • tricepghtricepgh Member Posts: 1
    Hi, i'm sorry to reply with a question!
    I have a 92 honda civic, automatic transmission. i've had it for almost five months. when i turn the car off, and put it in park or neutral, it idles really hard. when i turn the lights on, it does not do this? lately, it putts a lot when i'm driving in 4th gear, and it feels like fuel is not getting to the accelerator (if this is possible?). it has never stalled out...but occasionally the engine light will come on. when i turn the car off, and restart it, it doesn't come back on. do you think this is a transmission problem? do these sypmtoms connect to any other possible diagnosis that you know of? Thank you for you're in-put! i know nothing at all about cars. i'm taking it to my mechanic tomorrow.
  • newbluecivicnewbluecivic Member Posts: 1
    Hi all,
    I have a ~1 month old 2005 civic which is so far running well. However, I have noticed significant rust on the screws and bolts on the top of my front struts (visible under my hood) as well as on the screws and bolts on the underside of the front struts (when looking up through the wheel well). I first noticed this a few days after purchase. I did a quick search through this message board and could not find anything about this. I was wondering if anyone else with a newer civic (with front macpherson struts) have had this problem? -And is this a problem I should be worried about?
    Thanks,
    Phillip from California.
  • sisterchatsisterchat Member Posts: 1
    I'm here to commiserate, Rolf, and join you in looking for a fix. I have similar prob with my 95 Honda Civic. Been going on for about a month--"bucking" is a good way to describe it. I've said it feels like I'm about to run out of gas, it just kind of jerks unexpectedly when I'm driving it. And when I'm idling it sputters and feels like it's going to die - but rarely does. All this happens only about 50-60% of the time.

    Mechanic and dealer could both replicate but not figure it out. In the past month I've gotten a new battery & starter (separate prob), then tried ignition cable with no improvement, then tried fuel pump with no improvement. I also did a timing belt just because I hit 100,000 miles. I'm the original owner, maintain it well, and have had NO problems before this.

    Frustrated in Michigan, hope somebody has some clues!! thanks
  • jmisentijmisenti Member Posts: 1
    I have had a squeaking noise that sounds like grasshoppers chirping when I idle or have the clutch engaged; however this happens only intermittently. Additionally, This happens when I first start the car as well as after running for an hour and in cold or hot weather. I asked my mechanic to look and he was able to duplicate the sound, but was unable to determine the cause. Any suggestions?
  • ginger3147ginger3147 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    My '93 Civic EX Coupe has 114K mi. on it and about 8 mos. ago the a/c went out. I was sitting in it parked and running with the a/c on and all was working fine. Suddenly I hear a deflating sound really loud as if a tire had been punctured, but I was just sitting there. I get out of the car while it's still running and I can tell the sound is coming from under the hood. I looked but could not find where. I get back in the car and the a/c is still going but now only hot air is coming out. I took it to the shop. They said the presure valve was bad and replaced it. A few weeks later it stops cooling again. I take it back. It was out of freon so they said there's a leak. They replaced the hose to or from the condenser (the one with the red cap - I don't know if that's supply or return). Again a few weeks later out of freon. So it's never been fixed properly and clearly has a leak because when there's freon in the system, it all works. No one seems to be able to find the problem and I feel like these repairs were unnecessary and futile. I managed to get my money back and took it to my regular mechanic. He says he thinks the condenser is leaking and it would be at least $650 to fix. Here's the thing - I don't have time or patience for any more guessing. I trust his instincts about the condenser but $650 seems rediculous for a car of this age especially when I know I can get a new Honda condenser for less than $300. I'd like to just do this myself. The system's already evacuated obviously, and I'm pretty handy and have a repair book. Anyone have any tips for me or know of any repair shops in LA that are specific to a/c. I would only go the shop route again if I know I have a specialist and it's not going to be rediculous. I'm just trying to get through the summer while I wait for some more hybrids to come out. If I was going to keep the car for any extended period, I wouldn't mind the expense but it's too much for a car of this age and how long I plan to keep it. Thanks for any suggestions. p.s.-the system is R134. It was changed over after an accident I had in '97 or '98.
  • trantitranti Member Posts: 51
    Hi! Take your civic to any Honda dealer. They will find out the radio code for your car. It cost around $50 , I guess. Good luck!
  • vivasublimevivasublime Member Posts: 1
    When i start my '99 civic dx, it idles fine, smoothly. but after like 2 minutes, it starts to make a wah, wah, wah, noise and idles choppy.i put a different throtle body on and still the same problem.
  • legerdemainlegerdemain Member Posts: 1
    Yesterday I checked the oil and it was lower than expected. I added about 3/4 quarts to bring it to the recommended level. I'm not sure why I had to do this since I had my oil changed at the honda dealership 4 months ago (I've driven ~2-3k more miles).

    I checked the oil since I could hear a crackling noise (light but noticeable that wasn't happenning before). Driving today to work I didn't hear the noise, but on the return trip I heard it again. I believe its coming from the front of the car. Both windows are closed (earlier message mentioned something about crackling due to a window - I doubt this is the problem since I haven't openned my window earlier in the week and didn't hear anything before). Today, I heard the noise going between 55-80mi/hr and also during some of the bumps when coming home.

    The car was purchased in March 2003 and now has a bit under 20000 miles on it.

    Also, how often do you guys change the oil on the newer hondas? My owner's manual says every 10000 miles or once a year, whichever being shorter if I'm driving in "normal" conditions.

    Thanks in advance for feedback.
  • civic2001civic2001 Member Posts: 30
    My 2001 Civic (41k miles) has developed an annoying squeaky / rattling noise from the left rear since last week. The noise is very obvious, especially when going over any small bump at low speed. Both a Midas store and a Honda dealer thought it may be coming from a bushing that is drying up - except they could not tell exactly which one. They both tried to spray lubricant over all bushing. However, this approach has not helped. I could also duplicate the noise by either pushing down or lifting up the rear bumper.

    Interestingly, neither store thought it could be from the shocks. Any suggestion is greatly appreciated.
  • tanya2tanya2 Member Posts: 29
    I still believe in 3,000 mile oil and filter changes. I know, the owner's manual recommends 5,000 for severe service, and 10,000 mile for normal service, but I like to give my vehicles extra maintenance. My goal is to keep the engine, and crankcase clean! In terms of the noise in the vehicle, I would bring the vehicle to the dealer, and have the suspension examined for damaged parts. You could have hit something in the road, (a hole), and damaged a component! My Honda does not use any oil between oil and filter changes. When the vehicle is on the lift, the mechanic could look for exterior oil leaks. Does the engine smoke when coasting going down hill? Do you have the correct type of oil in the engine? Do you see oil drips on the roadway when you move the vehicle from it's parking space? ----------Tanya
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I can't say that a 3000 mile OCI hurts anything as compared to a 10,000 OCI except for increasing the per mile lubricated costs. A lot has come a long way considering the 10,000 mile OCI's are done with specified CONVENTIONAL oil. Also noteworthy is the recommendation of every other oil filter change or 20,000 miles.

    My goal is also to keep the engine clean (etc) and INXS of 250,000 miles. So over 250,000 miles as an example, one will do 83 vs 25 OCI's.

    After the meager warranty period of 3 years36,000 miles. I have no qualms in going to Mobil One 0w20,5w20 and doing OCI's of 20,000. or 13 OCI's
  • gx222gx222 Member Posts: 32
    The front end on my 2003 also clunks when during low speed driving, like backing out of parking spots etc. Is this the same problem that is common with the newer Civics?
  • gx222gx222 Member Posts: 32
    My drivers seat rocks back and forth, like a quarter inch or so, just enough to drive me nuts. Anyone else have this problem, and if so whats the fix? Thanks.
  • civic2001civic2001 Member Posts: 30
    What year is it? My 2001 Civic EX had a similar problem in 2002. Dealer determined it was due to a worn bushing and replaced the driver seat rack under warranty (SB 01-057).
  • gx222gx222 Member Posts: 32
    Its a 2003, sounds like a similar problem. Thanks for the info.
  • courtneyrcourtneyr Member Posts: 2
    My 2001 Honda Civic needs to have the struts replaced already with 45K miles on it. Apparently the local Honda dealer replaces the struts on 8-10 cars PER DAY, and have not sent out a recall on the junk parts they put in during production. Take your car to the dealer and insist they fully inspect your struts, and replace the rusty screws & bolts. Maybe your struts are leaking (which has been an issue with the 2001 Civic).
  • kaushikgkaushikg Member Posts: 26
    Hi,

    I have a Honda Civic 2002 LX model. It has 55K miles on it.SInce I bought it new I have gotten all the scheduled 10K,20K up to 50K maintenance done at Honda service center. Also the intermediate oil changes have been done at the same location. AT the 50K servicing they recommended flushing the oil in the engine for $200 and also to get the fuel intake cleaned. They said it will help in improving performance and also improve life of the car. Being a mechanical engg. and having taken good care of my car I thought it is not necessary and so I asked them not to do anything.

    Is it necessary to get these things done?
    Is every 10K maintenance necessary?

    Also I get a lot of rattling from the front dash, is there any clue to that problem.

    Thanks
  • gx222gx222 Member Posts: 32
    What are the symptoms of the bad struts Hondas been putting on the Civic?

    I have a clunking noise somewhere in the front end of my 03, could it be the bad bushings someone else mentioned or maybe the struts? I only have 13,000 miles on the car, hard to believe this stuff can go bad so fast.

    I too have a lot of rust on different front suspension pieces. :(
  • fe203fe203 Member Posts: 21
    I've been told by a honda dealer employee since 2001 when honda started putting sway bars on the frontends, the two bushings which keep the bar off the underframe wear very fast. The bushings wear & it gives the swaybar room to move causing a knock /clunking noise especially at low speed when going over small bumps, dips etc. I replaced the two bushings on my '01 civic coupe last weekend in less than an hour & the noise is no longer. Also, the dealer replaced both my front struts about 6 weeks ago under a " hidden recall. I didn't notice anything wrong with the struts at all, but hey if honda wants to put new struts on at their cost, works for me.
  • fe203fe203 Member Posts: 21
    I've been told by a Honda dealer employee that the problem is with the suppiler of the front struts to Honda on 2001 & up Civic's. In the manufacturing of the struts small metal filings are left on the strut piston shaft. As the strut compresses & releases these filings tear away at the seals in the strut body causing fluid / gas to leak. To the best of my knowledge there has been no recall, but if a customer complains they replace the struts with supposely a updated model of the strut assembly.
  • gx222gx222 Member Posts: 32
    Thank you for all the information. I think I definitely have the bushing problem you described.

    I'm still well within my warrantyand I hope my dealership won't give me the usual "can not duplicate concern" BS I usually get.
  • eddief1eddief1 Member Posts: 13
    why are there so many vacuum lines on this motor? i did check for leaks spraying soapy water looking for bubbles.there were no sign of any leak.i did find the screw to lower the idle.it helped but now when the car is warmed up you can hear the idle go from high to low very slightly.
  • barrabarbbarrabarb Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone else experienced sloshing noises from the gas tank in their Civic? I hear a very distinct sloshing noise when the tank is below 3/4 full. The dealer just blows off my questions. I am very worried that since there is certainly no insulation between the tank and the back seat, it could be a real safety hazard
  • ncampbell2002ncampbell2002 Member Posts: 163
    Fuel is a liquid. Take an empty milk jug, fill it with water, seal it, and shake it around and you will probably have the same effect. The fuel is bound to move around due to you accelerating, braking, etc. Especially with economy cars there isn't as much sound proofing, so you are more bound to hear these things. You have nothing to worry about on a safety standpoint though.
  • nancymonancymo Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a 99 Civic LX that has no manual with it.
    I have a few questions.
    Can I fold down both sides of the back seat? I have the key position for both but only the larger, right side goes down.
    What is the function of the lock near the gas tank release and trunk release on the drivers side?
    Can I open the trunk with the key? It only opens with the release inside the car right now. I think the answer may be in the answer to the question above.
    How do I operate the cruise control? I've never had it before.
    Can I lock the drivers side door without the key - by holding the handle?
    What is the function of the slot on the instrument panel next to the trip reset?
    Thanks! :shades:
  • kevins2005kevins2005 Member Posts: 1
    My daughter's 2000 Civix DX is not turning over and when I turn the key her gauges (speedometer, engine temp, gas gauge) just twitch for 3-4 seconds and then nothing. THe Brake light is on but the emergency brake is down and the brake fluid levels are fine. She had just driven the car and went back out 1 hour later and we have this! Any thoughts?
  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    Sounds like you have a bad cell in the battery. And yes a battery can just die like that.
  • gx222gx222 Member Posts: 32
    The Civic seems to have very little soundproofing, I hear all kinds of strange noises in my 2003 that I never heard in my previous cars. Chalk it up to cost cutting, corner cutting or whatever, but I agree the Civic leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to noises getting into the passenger compartment.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    just bought a 99 Civic LX that has no manual with it.
    I have a few questions.
    Can I fold down both sides of the back seat? I have the key position for both but only the larger, right side goes down.

    You should be able to fold both halves. You can find a release handle in the trunk as well as the keyed release in the vehicle.

    What is the function of the lock near the gas tank release and trunk release on the drivers side?

    Lock the trunk release handle.

    Can I open the trunk with the key? It only opens with the release inside the car right now. I think the answer may be in the answer to the question above.

    Yes, you should be able to open the trunk with the key.

    How do I operate the cruise control? I've never had it before.

    Once you have reached the desired speed, has to be over 35 mph, press the cruise button to turn it on. Then on theright side of the steering wheel you should have either two or three buttons: Accel/Resume and Decel/Set, and maybe Calncel. Press "SET/DECEL" to set the cruise control. If you need to increase the speed, press "ACCEL/REUME" one 1 second click is about 1 mph. If you need to slow down, press "SET/DECEL", again one 1 second click is about 1 mph. To cancel cruise, but retain the setting in the memory prese "Cancel" if you have it, or both buttons at the same time, or tap the brake or clutch. Once you are ready to continue at the preset speed, press "ACCEL/RESUME"

    Can I lock the drivers side door without the key - by holding the handle?

    This was done so that people don't lock their keys in the car. You can bypass it by openning the door from the inside, holding the handle and pressing down on the lock button. It kind of defeats the purpouse, but whatever floats your boat.

    What is the function of the slot on the instrument panel next to the trip reset?
    Thanks!

    Reset maintenance required light. After maintenance was performed, insert the key in it to reset the reminder. It is mechanically tied to the odometer and goes from green to yellow at preset distance, from yellow to red and then stays red to remind you to do your maintenance.
  • dwr1dwr1 Member Posts: 2
    MYM329,

    Did you receive an answer to the SRS light replacement? My 2001 Honda Civic SRS light came on this weekend. The dealership said that my airbags were disabled automaticlly when the light came on? Is this true? I also have the same question as to being ripped off by the dealer. Advice would be appreciated!!
  • civic4881civic4881 Member Posts: 1
    I am attempting to get my 97 Civic EX inspected at a NJ State Facility. However, they cannot access my system (i.e. OBD Not Ready for all of the sensors). My check engine light is NOT on. Following advice I have done the following: driven the car more (100's of miles); let the car warm up for 30 min before inspection; disconnected battery and drove the car for another 100's of miles. Nothing has worked. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

    Frustrated Civic Owner
  • courtneyrcourtneyr Member Posts: 2
    "Hidden Recall?" Can you say more? I would love to be able to get my strut replacement on Honda's tab!!! My car isn't even safe to drive right now- it feels like I am on a trampoline when I go over a bump.

    Courtney
  • dwr1dwr1 Member Posts: 2
    My 2001 Honda Civic SRS light came on this weekend. The dealership said that my airbags were disabled automaticlly when the light came on? Is this true? Advice would be appreciated!! Has anyone had this problem before and what was the solution? Thanks!!!!!
  • jlim1jlim1 Member Posts: 50
    I wish Honda was more up-front about this issue, which seems to plagued the 2001MY. I got a leaky front struts at 45K (normal & careful driving, Midwest), and the dealer service advisor mentioned that this struts failure happens a lot more in Midwestern region (don't know if the salt on the winter roads are causing premature rust and eating into the struts components).

    The metal fillings explanation makes sense. It is too bad that if this was true and because the leak can only happen with time, Honda seems to not caution owners to bring the cars back for a checkup. This changed several owners' view about Honda quality specially I have heard other drivers experiencing early struts leak.

    I got the front struts and shocks replaced.
  • fe203fe203 Member Posts: 21
    From what I was told if a customer made a complaint on a 2001 model, Honda just automatically replaced the front struts. As there were so many of that model year with leaking struts, Honda did the replacement no questions asked. My '01 Civic was leased & I bought the car at the end of the lease in January of this year. It was while I was doing the transaction for the purchase the salesperson mentioned to me about the strut replacement. I went to the service dept & asked about it, all they said was," we'll book an appointment & replace the struts". 3 -4 days later, struts replaced & wheel alignment completed on all Honda's dime. My car was exactly 4 years old with 70,000km ( 43,000 miles). Since then I've heard from other Honda owners that on 2001 - 2004 models it has been a quite common repair done by Honda @ N/C. Also front end sway bushings are another high wear item on the 2001-2004 Civics. These are covered for 3 years I believe. I had to replace mine, the bushings were $ 4 each & took about 20 min per side, very simple replacement, but what a difference in the ride of the car & no more knocking noise when going over small bumps, dips etc...
  • gx222gx222 Member Posts: 32
    My '03 does not feel very secure at highway speeds, it requires constant corrections to the steering wheel. I wonder if the bushings and strut problems are whats making it handle so poorly.

    So far I am very disappointed in the quality of my Honda, I expected something much more reliable and troublefree. I really don't like going into the dealer all the time but I really don't like all the noises and the way it feels on the road, it feels like its a 15 year old car already!
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    My 2001 Honda Civic SRS light came on this weekend. The dealership said that my airbags were disabled automaticlly when the light came on? Is this true? Advice would be appreciated!! Has anyone had this problem before and what was the solution? Thanks!!!!!

    Yes, it says so in the owner's manual.

    Your solution is to find out why the light came on. Did you replace the seats? is the plug under the seat connected? Is your seat belt working properly? Did you replace the steering sheel? Were air bags disconnected at some point? If all fails, you have to read the code to see what is wrong. Air bags, just like seat belts are part of saftey and have longer warranty than regular bumper to bumper. Check your manual for air bag warranty information.
  • ashleyhashleyh Member Posts: 1
    Howdy,

    My '01 Civic is having massive squeaking from the rear suspension. It is getting bad very quickly. I understand there is an issue with the bushings. Has anyone replaced these? Is it hard to do?
  • monica2005monica2005 Member Posts: 1
    Just recently got my car fixed which consisted of getting a new O2 sensors and everything else for my tune up. Yesterday I noticed that the check engine light was on and I went to AutoZone for them to use their diagnostic computer to tell me what was wrong. The computer came up with the code PO131. Do you have any idea what could be going wrong with the car?
  • floridaa4lifefloridaa4life Member Posts: 1
    A couple months ago my computer blew. I got a used computer in replace. It was working fine and then it would mess up. The car shakes and the check engine light goes on. I can still drive it but you can tell you really shouldnt. I mess around with the wires until I hear that the idle is up to where it sounds like it drives well. What should I do? Is there a short? Is there a place I can go to get it fixed?
  • tjjonestjjones Member Posts: 7
    I have a problem with my 87 CRX coolant system. The radiator hose connected to the bottom of the radiator never gets hot while the engine gets close to overheating and when I say the hose doesn't get hot, its not even luke warm. I know the thermostat is not the culprit because I have removed the thermostat to rule it out. I have also ruled out the water pump as I have removed it and it spins freely. I also know the system is not plugged for when water pump was removed I flushed water through the entire system, including the radiator, heater core, and engine. I ruled out a defective radiator cap also. There seems to be no circulation of the fluid through the system as if the water pump is not pumping. But I know the water pump is working as I have left the top shield off the drive belt and verified it while the engine is running. My question is what else could this problem be. Is there some sort of vaccum required for the fluid to circulate. I am at a complete lose. Please help. :confuse:
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    P0131 = O2 Sensor Circuit Low Voltage (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

    Either the new O2 sensor's a dud or there's a problem with the wiring or a connector between the sensor and the engine computer. Probably best to return it to the shop which replaced the sensor.
  • fe203fe203 Member Posts: 21
    Hey,

    First time I've herad of rear suspension troubles on the '01 - '04 coupes. Front sway bar bushings are a common wear item. If no else here has more info, I would contact the dealer & ask them point blank if there are any known issues with rear suspension.
  • pennstaterpennstater Member Posts: 1
    I had my honda civic in my garage and didn't run it for about 2 weeks. Tried starting it and it wouldn't turn over.It just kept winding out but wouldn't start. Lights on the car worked so it wasn't my battery. Well since we already had another car I just left it sit in my garage. Now about 3 years later i decided to give it to my nephew and he replaced the starter, selinoid, battery and also the spark plugs. He also drained out the gas and added new gas and changed the oil. It still will not start! Does someone have any idea what it may be?
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