Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

Placeman · February 2006

What kind of scrapper were you using? I've never seen a scrapper actually scratch windshield glass. And, no, glass cannot be buffed out or "fixed." If you get a stone chip, yes, you can repair that, but you will still see the chip. It just prevents the crack from spreading. If you want to remove a scratch, you have two choices... replace the windshield or live with it.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2006

10mm should be equivalent. By "plugs" I meant disconnecting the wires to the back of the tail light assembly. There's got to be some sort of electrical connection accessible from inside the car.

flynfl01 · February 2006

I was just using a regular scraper. Nothing fancy. I've used it a few times on other cars and never had a problem. I live in a warm climate so I'm not a frequent scraper. It was surprising that it would scratch the windshield...the tool felt relatively smooth when i ran my finger across it, not cracked or broken anywhere. Anyone had an experience like this with a scraper? I guess once i replace the windshield I'll stick to de-icer sprays or waiting for the car to warm up enough to melt the ice before driving away. Thanks for the response.

blane · February 2006

flynfl01,

It was probably not your scraper that caused those tiny scratches. It was most likely sand-like road grime that was on the glass before it froze. You probably dragged that abrasive stuff accross the glass while scraping the ice off.

imidazol97 · February 2006

I like to use very fine steel wool on the windshield to get that grit off that flies and sticks with other road gunk. You can use Barkeeper's Friend also since it contains oxalic acid along with a little grittiness to help remove the layer. I personally use SOS pads. You can feel when the grime layer is gone because the drag is gone just like when you claybar your finish. That layer is still there even after rubbing with carwash on a mitt.

blane · February 2006

imidazol97,

Plain old store-brand Windex and a paper towel has always worked great on my windshields. If there is any sticky stuff there, a bit of tar remover or mineral spirits will dissolve it quickly. No need to drag any kind of abrasive material over glass.

tiber49 · February 2006

I have just purchased a 2005 Honda Civic ex,nice car. The problem I have is the front seat does not go back far enough for me ,I am 6' with long legs.I wonder if I can have the seat moved back farther.I have a back problem which makes it more difficult.
Thank you

imidazol97 · February 2006

blane,
You're free to do whatever you want if you think that really does remove all the material from you own windshield. It doesn't on mine.

mikefm58 · February 2006

And you didn't find that out with a test drive or even sitting in it??? All you can do is ask the service manager.

blane · February 2006

imidazol97,

The more frequently you drag anything abrasive, such as steel wool, over your windshield, the more likely that you'll have to do it repeatedly in the future. That's because you are causing microsopic damage to the glass.

steven9295 · February 2006

goose · February 2006

Well it appears I have solved the rear deck rattle. As posted by a different person the rattle can be solved by placing some foam between the glass and the rear brake light plastic. I pushed the foam as close to the rear as possible. My biggest concern was the foam being noticed by someone outside the car. I made sure the foam had a snug fit against the glass. The foam was purchase at Home D.... in the weather stripping section. The rattle is caused by the decking vibrating against the rear deck metal and not the glass. Placing the foam against the glass pushes the plastic deck against the read deck metal and removes/reduces the rattle.
I have almost 6k miles on my EX Coupe auto and get 33-35 MPG depending on AC use (AZ resident). I love the car and would buy another in a heart beat if my current one became incapacitated. :shades:

jesslyn914 · February 2006

Hi all. Does anyone know what preparation the dealership "is supposed" to do prior to the customer receiving it? I just brought my 2005 civic coupe in for a saqueaking and clunking from the left front suspension area. My car has 2,000 miles and I have owned it for 6 months. I had originally brought the car in after a week for a squeeking noise in the same place.

Today, I was told that the rear plate that holds the suspension in place was wrapped around like an L, and I was asked if the car was in an accident? I responded no and told this dealership I had complained about the noise from day one to the dealership I bought it at, who claimed the problem to be an unlubed bushing. Now I am told that something had to have happened before I got the car.

What checks and prep must the dealership do in order to catch things like this?

blane · February 2006

Dealership preparation usually includes removing the thin plastic sheeting that covers the seats, taking the floor mats from the trunk and putting them on the floor, checking the fluid levels, checking tire pressure (rarely), and washing & drying the exterior.

njdevil1 · February 2006

I have been reading about the problem your daughter had with her 05 civic. I am sorry for this but i would like to ask you a few questions if you do'nt mind. were you with her when this happened or is this what she told you. the reason i am asking is because two years ago my daughter, also in college, totaled her 2002 Hyundai Elantra. She insisted the brakes failed causing her to hit a tree. I found out later that she was driving to fast when she approched a sharp turn. the brakes worked fine (150feet of skid marks) Even tho the car hit the tree dead center the air bags did not go off. she had a few badly bruised rids from the seat belt (luckily she was using it) since the car should have been in 5th at 45 maybe she did something to cause it. from what i have read the problem is with automatic transmissions not manual. by the way we also have a 2005 civic ex se with manual with 25,000 miles we have no problems with shifting (knock on wood)

jesslyn914 · February 2006

Thanks for the reply Blane. So if my car was damaged in transit to the dealer, the prep or pre-delivery inspection would not catch this. Isn't the car supposed to be put on the lift and examined by the dealer before the customer receives it? My pre-delivery inspection paperwork shows my car was thoroghly looked over before I picked it up, or could the dealer have taken Honda's pdi payment and not looked the car over at all?

fe203 · February 2006

I worked at a Honda Dealership in the late 90's, the time for a PDI was just over 2 hrs as set out by HONDA. There were PDI's done in as little as 15 min, bascially check the fluids, make sure the lug nuts were tight, and take a short test drive to make sure there were no unusal noises. If it was slow in the shop the tech's would take a little longer but when the shop was flat out a PDI was a pain in the butt, get it in get it out as fast as possible.

haijiang · February 2006

my 05 civic LX sedan has only 8k miles on it and I did two time oil changes so far on it. But recently I noticed that every morning when I start up my car and turn on the air-flow, there will be a very strong oil-burning smell coming out of the vent. After like a minute, it will disappear.

I check my engine oil level several times since I found this weird problem. There is no obvious sign of decreasing oil level. And gas milage is no big change either (27local/30highway)

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

ruking1 · February 2006

Outside of a leak that you might have missed, what surfaces if any, did the oil drip onto when you changed the oil and oil filter two times? Also did you change the crush washer and torque it correctly?

haijiang · February 2006

Thanks for fast reply. I thought about that oil dripping outside. But it has been like three monthes since last time I changed oil. If there was any oil dripping outside, should it already been burned out?

Sorry for my ignorance. What is the crush washer? I did my oil and filter change at Honda dealer. I do not remember there was any crush washer work done. If it is the crush washer problem, is it serious to do harm to the engine?

It makes me worry cause obviously there is something burning or leaking inside my car. Maybe I should send it to garage to check.

ruking1 · February 2006

Yes!! Bring it back to the shop who did the job.

But OK, let us dissect this a bit. The problem is I asked the questions from the perspective of having the car up on jacks and looking UP at those "weird" surfaces.

You are course responding from the "top down". So obviously from that perspective you are seeing no oil leaks. So the best is to take it back to the Honda dealer and tell them you have the smell of burning oil after THEY did the oil change. If still under warranty they will of course rack it UP and inspect. If not under warranty, in the worst case you might have to pop for a little shop time. However since they did the oil and filter change job, the job should be guaranteed for a certain amount of time and mileage.

The crush washer is used (once, and should be replaced new each time by whoever is doing the maintainance ) to seal the oil plug nut. It is like a .10-.21 cent washer made of aluminum. So while VERY unlikely, if that or the seal around the oil filter are leaking, oil can hit heated surfaces and cause an odor.

Best of luck.

It just sounds like residual oil that found its way to a heated surface near where the intake is for the cabin fan. This of course shoots the odor into the cabin. I think all it will probably take is a good "degrease" and your odor should go away. So most likely a very small problem.

mancu18 · February 2006

thx man

dave210 · February 2006

I have two issues.

The first being when I go over bumps etc. I hear very faint squeaking from the front end. My gas pedal squeaks, too but if you had to guess, would you think there might be some shock/strut issues? Again, it's very faint squeaking over bumps and irregularities in the road.

The second issue is when I shut off the engine and everything is coming to a stop, there is a squeak coming from the engine area like a belt that might not be coming to a stop smoothly.

My car is a 2001 Civic EX Automatic with 56,500 miles. It's had all its maintenance done regularly, but maybe the shocks/struts/belts have recently gone bad or gotten out of whack.

Any ideas?

nollaig · February 2006

Hi all,

Im doing the rounds of the boards because I am at my wits end.

Bought an 06 Civic Coupe LX auto last November and have had nothing but trouble since.

#1 Faulty ODS sensor replaced before recall

#2 Torque converter vibrates between 29 and 39 mph @ 1500 rpm. They told that there is as yet no fix for this - so basically they said live with it!

#3 Oil leak. The car is currently in the shop  they have to drop the transmission to replace a plug where the engine meets the transmission.

This is my second Civic (my wife has an 02 Accord). Needless to say, I will not buy another Honda. I am amazed that a car manufacturer of this caliber can build, sell and SUPPORT a car that is so obviously sub-par.

I am writing this as a heads-up for other Civic owners and to ask if anyone else has experienced any of these problems.

Thanks for listening (it gets very lonely).

beanboy · February 2006

Just got a call from the GF mentioning she can't get the hood open to check fluids. Yes, she does routine stuff herself.

Say says she can hear the latch, but the hood doesn't pop, nor does holding the latch open and trying to lift the hood work.

Any particulars to know about before diving in tomorrow after work? Thanks!

-B

jesslyn914 · February 2006

Thanks for the reply. How do I get the dealership to take responsibility for this "damage" not covered by warranty which should have been caught if the car had a thorough PDI?

Any suggestions would be helpful.

05civicwarning · February 2006

OH, then you should know which part of the anti-lock brake system employes the transducer. Additionally perhaps, you could enlighten me if it's a fixed or variable frequency?

05civicwarning · February 2006

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0106/297245.html

port_48 · February 2006

Honda dealer diagnosed problem as ECM failure (PN 37820-PLM-L04) and replaced as warranty repair. No cost whatsoever to me. Mileage on car ~ 35K miles.

fe203 · February 2006

I would think it will be quite difficult to get the dealer take responsibility at this time. They will no doubt throw at you its been 6+ months, must have happened since you purchased the car etc... Dealers feel they are rarely at fault for anything. You may want to contact HONDA direct if you have no luck with the dealer.

njdevil1 · February 2006

when we were in canada about two years ago we went to a honda dealer to look at the cars they had. the first thing the salesman told us, when he saw we were from the states, was if we bought a car from canada honda WOULD NOT honor the warranty. we would have to return to canada. The same thing goes for Hyundai. I do not know about other cars but I think they would do the same thing. i asked you some questions in a previous post. please look back. Thank you

mtbiker278 · February 2006

Goose,
I just got a new 2006 civic coupe EX and have found the same problem as you. Do you think the dealer would install a piece of foam under the rear deck if I told them that is wear the noise is coming from? Being a new car, I wouldn't want a piece of foam sticking out in plain sight. The only other option I can think of is getting some dynamat from Crutchfield and adhering it to the underside of the rear deck.

Let me know what you think.

helpme7 · February 2006

The engine in my 2001 Honda Civic has blown up

and I need to know what size engines i can replace mine with. Cant find a single website that lists anything for higher than the year 2000. Does anyone know what kinds of engines I can use and what I need to do to make them fit my car.

Mr_Shiftright · February 2006

try this one:

http://www.risingsunengines.com/index.php?pg=pricequote04

ttg911 · February 2006

Hello all,

I just took over the car from the wife - after driving it 2 days I think the clutch is going bad! Crappy thing is that it has 44,XXX miles and out of warranty.

Anyone heard/had a clutch go bad this early in an 03 Civic? Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Also, anyone know how much $$ to replace the clutch?

Take care, TG :shades:

mcquane1 · February 2006

I guess I have been luck, my 91 civic has 240,000 miles and doesnt lose any between oil changes every 6000 miles

njdevil1 · February 2006

clutches are not usually covered under warranty. they are a normal wear item. if not abused ( like resting your foot on the clutch or not releasing it properly could cause premature failure.) we have owned mostly cars with manual transmissions and never had to replace a clutch (100,000+ miles on many of them. we currently own a 2005 civic ex se with manual transmission with 25,000 miles. we think maybe your wife should stick with automatic transmission, especially if she drives in congested areas and has to shift alot.

flynfl01 · February 2006

Thanks everyone for your responses. I am replacing the windshield but now I have a few more questions. (As you can tell, I have never had to do this before). The insurance company is recommending Safelite to me. They seem to have a good reputation and have been in the business a long time, but the cost there is about half what a Honda windshield would cost. Understand, I'm not asking for advice on how to push OEM with my insurer. That's a separate issue. What I want to know is:

1. Why is the price so different? What is it about OEM Honda glass that makes it cost so much more? Is it just the name or is there something more to it? Is Safelite inferior? Is it as safe? Anyone had an experience with them before, positive or negative?

2. What is the story with tinting? The Honda OEM part says the civic has a "green" windshield. ??? The glass on my car doesn't appear to have any tinting to me. Safelite can provide me glass with or without the tint, but they are referring to the blue tint on the top of the windshield which my car does not have.

Any insight anyone has is appreciated. Thanks!

bertoj · March 2006

Recently, I replaced the heater core on my 1990 Civic. Now the car no longer overheats and there are no leaks inside the car. But now the air coming through the heater does not heat up. I replaced the radiator cap at the suggestion of a person who said the spring might not be providing enough pressure to run the fluid through the system. I also replaced the thermostat. Still not heat into the heating system. Can anyone help?

ruking1 · March 2006

No verified insight but without published specifications or real testing, some cars' glass actually have UV light filtering capability. This is obviously HUGE, but in overall analysis, WHO really cares!!?? So the "tint" on the new glass can be a "cosmetic" gig and offers some measure of sun abatement. The problem is what does this really mean in English!?

accord_guy · March 2006

I am planning to buy a used honda civic (01-02). I need some advise about the car maintenance from the civic owners on the forums

1) At what mileage does the timing belt need to be replaced? (110k?)
2) How much does it cost to replace the timing belt? ( dealers say about $1000)
3) How much do pair brake pads cost? (dealer - $250)
4) how much does the 60k service cost? (dealer - $500)

I interested in your answers based on your experience of owning a Civic.

Thanks

david62 · March 2006

I've just bought an 01 Civic EX with 95,000 miles (I do lots of short trips but want to keep my car for many years - only put on 8k miles/year). Some questions:
1) The code for the radio was not provided to me. When I change my battery I'm concerned I will not be able to reuse the radio. Any suggestions?
2) I was not provided with a second key. I can't just get a duplicate made since these keys have chips in them. Any one know how to get a spare and how much it would cost?
3) There seems to be a lot of noise coming from the top of the windshield when going over 30 miles/hr. I felt up under the head liner to the glass interface and it seems the black seal / molding is all uneven. Maybe the windshield was replaced at some point - but poorly done. Any one have any suggestions to eliminate the noise. No water gets through.
4) I believe the suspension feels very soft, especially in the rear. I've had the struts checked out by two shops: The independent recommended not replacing - he said just get used to the ride; the second shop a Honda dealer said the rear struts are fine, but found a small amount of leakage in one of the front struts and therefore recommended replacement (550$). Is there anything else I should check? 90k miles is a lot!
5) I'm going to get the timing belt replaced. Dealer recommends that I also change the water pump and all seals. Any opinions?

Thanks!

arkdvd · March 2006

macksoud,

did anyone ever provide a solution for the water leak? or the origin of the problem?

nutmeg23 · March 2006

Hello! I am going to purchase a Honda Civic Coupe (2001-2005) in the next few months from a dealer auction in Statesville, NC.....how much cheaper can I buy one there? Also, is the MPG good? I've read the stats & all, but I wanted some real life stuff. I make a long commute to work (about 2.5 hrs roundtrip). I live in central WV...is this car good on icy roads? My parents have a 01 Accord & it's terrible on rainy & icy roads! This is going to be my 1st car purchase on my own, so I hope it all works out! Thanks!!!
-Meg

mikefm58 · March 2006

" is this car good on icy roads "

There ain't nutin that's good on icy roads, except a Zamboni.......

06mike · March 2006

I have a '99 Civic LX and the "Check Engine" light recently came on and stayed on. I noticed no difference in the car's performance or feel of the engine.

I took it to Autozone for them to read the code and their computer said it was the oxygen sensor (bank 1, sensor 1). So I bought a new oxygen sensor there and took it to Pep Boys to be replaced since Autozone didn't have a service shop.

Pulling out of Pep Boys, the "check engine" light was still on. I turned the engine on and off a few times to see if that would reset the light, but no luck. Does anyone know if there is a certain number of miles I would have to drive before this light would be reset? Or is it time to take it to the dealer?

brich2 · March 2006

I own a honda civic 98 and the back door will not open from the outside OR inside...I think the safety lock inside the door was pushed and now i can't get my door open. does anybody know what i can do!?

brian_ · March 2006

Hi all... I saved some mp3 files to an SanDisk SD card, used a SanDisk adaptor, and when I plugged into the radio, the radio would not recognize / play. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Is anyone else having problems with this? Thanks... B

stvn · March 2006

I have a 2005 Standard honda civic LX. For the last couple of monthes i've been hearing some knocking/rattling sounds which only happens when i drive in the snow or rain. it sounds like its coming from underneath the shifter or somewhere round there. does anyone know what might be causing the noise? THanks.

tunercrazy · March 2006

I've been looking into buying a Civic since my old car will be ready for the scrap yard any day, but i don't have loads of $ right now. I was going to buy a 97 Civic with 99K on it since i had heard that these cars never die, but wanted to get an opinion from somebody who actually knows. How many miles can I expect to get out of the car with just minor periodic maintenance to it? Much appreciated

Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

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Honda Civic: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions