Honda Civic 2005 and earlier

96_i30_5sp

I had a similar experience with our 96 Civic LX 5spd, bought new. I kept meticulous records for 3 years, including the type and grade of fuel, mileage, % city driving, etc. The car never came even close to the advertised mileage (33/38). I averaged 28-29mpg if I babied it, and that didn't change with season (we live in SE Tx). The best mileage I recorded was 34mpg on a highway trip doing 65-70mph. All my other cars have met/exceeded the EPA ratings. What's up, Honda?

roadrunner90

I've been happy with my mpg. I've been getting 34-36 combined city/hgwy. I purchased my car in December and have 5100 miles on already. In the beginning I was only averaging 29 mpg. But after 1000 miles it has gotten better.

suzukinut

Thanks Roadrunner90, thats encouraging. I too bought a 2001 LX Civic in January and the first three tanks have given me 27 mpg. I am in my late 30's and baby the car driving a mixture of 70% city, 30% highway. I have been bummed out about the poor mileage but I only have 850 miles on it so far so hopefully like you experienced it will start to go up. p.s. The gas guage acts weird too, I have almost 5 gallons left when the low fuel light comes on. "you would think Honda could calibrate the guage better than that?".

vickih

I bought my 01 Honda Civic Ex three weeks ago. Since then I've filled the car up three times. It does appear that the fuel light goes on when there's several more gallons left in the tank. But there's something else that puzzles me. I've been trying to run down the gas before filling so I can get a good gauge on mileage. Twice I've let the tank go down to what looks like 1/8th of a tank, a couple of notches above empty. The fuel light is not on. I plan to get gas on my next ride out. When I start the car again, the fuel light is on and the gauge is below empty. Huh? I drove to the gas station to fill up, put 8.5 gallons in before the tank was full. So there had to be about five gallons left. But is the gas gauge have this sudden gap between 1/8th of a tank and below empty?

playhaus

I definitely care about gas mileage and bought my 2001 LX auto 3 months ago almost solely for the gas mileage rating and its ULEV rating. Anyway, my gas mileage started out at around 26 or so, and I finally got to around 30 two tanks ago (at around 2000 miles), then it dipped back to 28 on the last tank. I drive about 50% hwy and 50% city. I'm very disappointed, but the dealer told me last week to give it another tank or two, but the 30 mpg is about normal (in other words: "go away").

In most other ways, I like the car. Just wanted to put in my two cents and let mdriver know that there are mileage-conscious people out there today. Also, I do realize that the ULEV rating means a lot more for the environment than the mpg rating (no?). Also -- my fuel guage is incredibly whacky, too: the other day it seemed to come on way too early, then went off and hasn't come back on. I'll see how many gallons are in there when I get gas tomorrow/next day.

isellhondas

For some reason I can't explain, the gas mileage seems to improve with age on Hondas.

Some people immediately start checking mileage and don't like the results. It seems to take about 5000 miles before they peak.

Why? I don't know.

mdriver

All this talk about fuel economy puzzles me. I am not against getting high mpg. In fact I have the Civic HX (6th gen.) which got 42 mpg on its first tank and never varied much from this. There is no magical boundary at which your engine becomes significantly more fuel efficient. Slightly more efficient over time yes, measurable? Probably not, due to the myriad of other factors that vary a car's mpg. If you want to do an accurate statistical analysis on your car's mpg, you will have to log its mileage over 10s of thousands of miles and then average your readings over several years to compensate for seasonal variations. Just simply having the gas station pump shut off early (they don't all shut off at the same exact level) when filling the tank can send your mpg way off. I have managed to get another 1.5 gallons in the tank after the pump has shut off by trickling the fuel in. Other times, the pump shuts off and I know there is the less than usual amount of fuel in because the guage moves off full after only a few miles.

Bye-the-way, anyone planning to get the HX should be aware that what you gain in mpg, you lose in throttle response. At steady speeds, the car hesitates and balks when more speed is desired. This is not a defect, but a characteristic of the so-called lean-burn. This is an annoyance that is not worth the few $ saved at the pump.

bralley

My son just bought a 2001 Civic EX and is getting 32.5 mgp. That's about 50/50 in town/hwy.

bordsource

Hi, everyone. As most of you know, I have an Eternal Blue '01 EX 5-sp. Here's an update on my progress (hope it helps some of you):

I'm at 3600 miles now. The lowest MPG to date (30% highway/70% city) is 29. The highest, though, is only 32. If I don't get on the highway at all and don't go flying through town, I'll get 30. Once, I had to run to a small town 40 miles away. Traffic moved at 75-90 mph. The entire 80 mph trip guzzled a bunch of gas, let me tell you. If you have to go above 70, set the cruise. If you don't, you'll pay later. As for city driving- try as hard as you can to stay under about 3500 rpm. Above that, you inch closer and closer to where the VTEC timing switches over, which throws your gas mileage out the window badly (instead of 30, 20). DX & LX owners should adhere to that also, even though they are VTEC-less. For you 5-sp owners, don't tool around town at 35 mph in 3rd gear. Upshift.

My stereo still codes, but the dealer says that a fix is on the way. They're supposedly doing it by VIN number, so...hopefully mine is on the way.

A buzz has developed at the base of the driver's side A-pillar. This in addition to the creaking above the passenger airbag. My seatback release only works on one side, but the sunroof sqeak fixed itself. All this will be fixed at 5000 miles, when the car will get its first oil change. One other thing- everyone check under their front bumper after you read this. There's supposed to be a flimsy black rubber something attached with flimsy plastic clips under there. No rubber- you ripped it off. I did it within about 1200 miles. Oh well.

Likes: good gas mileage, good pickup, good handling, classy interior, good looks (love blue), and user-friendly controls. Really roomy inside, and a large trunk. Defroster is quick.

Dislikes: No remote trunk release. Not much interior storage. Too-shallow cupholders. Marginal ride, especially on highway. Noisy above 65mph. Sensitive to crosswinds at highway speeds.

Despite all of this, this car is far nicer than just about anything out there. The Protege is a better sport sedan, and the Sentra is really close (the Focus is poorly assembled). The Civic is better overall than both. The Jetta outclasses the Civic, but is more cramped and more expensive.

playhaus

Sorry if this topic has been covered -- I browsed but couldn't find exactly my question in previous postings. Here's my dilemma: I want to keep the factory radio/cassette, and I want a CD changer; however, I don't want to spend the $500 installed price (honda-accessories price for the Honda under-seat changer is $403, and I'm not mechanicaly inclined, so I'll need to pay the dealer $70 to install it).

Anyway, right now I use a portable CD player going through the radio on one of those kinda cheap cassette-style FM modulators and it sounds LIKE CRAP IN THE NEW HONDA. On my old car, a Subaru, the exact setup sounded fine, but on the brand-new Honda, I have to turn it up almost all the way to hear fairly muffled music. And I even checked this out -- the Alpine aftermarket CD changer that goes with the Honda would cost almost as much as getting the Honda changer (I'm told it's actually the same changer), after you add the price for the required interface.

So... if I want a changer and I don't want to pay for the direct changer, would a fairly decent aftermarket FM modulator CD changer sound as bad as my cassette FM modulator setup I have now? I don't want to go to the trouble of having this thing installed and having it sound just as bad. I'm NOT that picky about sound -- I just want a sound improvement over what I have now, with the added convenience of the changer.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

jjpcat

I am considering that also. But a single CD player is fine for me. The sound quality from the steoro is really horrible. Could it be the steoro itself, or the speakers, or both?

You could check the following web site to find out which model fits in your car. But the price is not very cheap and you have to install yourself.

http://www.crutchfield.com/

playhaus

I guess I don't think it's the speakers or radio because the radio and cassette sound fine -- it's just the FM modulator thing that controls my portable CD player. I already checked and it's the Alpine changers that fit the Honda and, as I wrote in my prev message, I'm not willing to pay that much...

stevebo

I have a 97 Civic 5sp that I bought new. It now has 45,000 miles. I have consistently gotten 35mpg with about 75% highway at 75-80mph. I keep the tires at 32psi and use 5-30wt oil (whatever is on sale). I typically start like an old lady but once I get going I like to go as fast as I can up to 80 or so. One problem that I have had since new is oil consumption. I lose about 1/4 quart every 1000 miles. It does not seem to be changing for better or worse at this point. I change my oil every 3K miles. I wonder if this will be a problem for me later? Does anyone else have oil consumption problems?

stevebo

I just got a acura TL with HID headlights. I really like them. I also have a 97 civic. I have seen other civics on the road with white/blue looking lights. Does anyone have recommendations for an aftermarket light that would be a good substitution (read cheaper than HID but still good)instead of HID for my civic? Do I care if it is legal in CA? Who is ever going to check? Also a good place to buy such a light?

steve

bordsource

If you look at any ricing shop, they'll undoubtedly have HID & faux HID headlight bulbs and assemblies. The problem is that many of them are illegal because they are poorly aimed and too powerful, and therefore blinding to other drivers. The question is will you accidentally shine into a police officer's eyes. Then you're screwed. You could perhaps try ultra-white bulbs or whatever their called, but you run the same risk. Check the law first, would be my recommendation.

Anyway, check out http://www.autotoys.com. They should have what you're looking for. If they don't, go to http://www.hondaprelude.com

I know, it's not a Civic page, but their links section is extremely thorough. Between the two, you should be able to find what you need.

gasguzz

Sound can be relative. I recently went aftermarket on my 2k-LX. I first thought about the CD-Changer, but the head unit is the heart of any system (your changer cannot do what your head unit cannot do). Plus, I need more a single player than a changer (the minivan is the long-driver).
I also thought the civic speakers were fine until I installed the new head. Actually, the stock speakers match the oem head - which is the typical low power setup. Remember too, an FM-mod changer will sound no more than what your tuner can pull, defeating the purpose of why we buy CDs.
The "problem" for me is when listening to different sources (like in our home or minivan systems), then the dead-end Honda unit had to go.
Civics are now easier to go aftermarket, using standard DIN (E-size). Aftermarket also gives you the benefit of a "base" starting point, where you can grow/upgrade your listening preferences. With a little planning and preparation you can vastly improve the stereo, with equal or less the factory option costs.
Good luck.

phantomca

Check this web site out on lights! I bought some headlights from them.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/

As far as california is concern....depend where you at. If the headlight are for off-road used and aim improperly sure...they will pull you over. Where I live is a small town the the police there doesn't seem to have anything else to do....so they love to pull over people for anything they done.

There seem to be a few companies out there that made bright blue bulb. I bought some phillips cool blue for my honda accord. Works fine.

jimsxn

Has anyone tried Acura 1.7? It has 4 disk brakes, leather heated seating and sundry stuff...better equipped than US CIVIC EX. Please post your impressions. thanks

svenj

Bought my 2001 Civic LX auto bakc in Oct.

It now has 7,000 miles on it.

The worst gas mileage I have had is 33 MPG
The best I have had is 39 MPG
The overall average is 36 MPG with driving split
70% hwy/30% city.

Had the PCM replaced pretty painlessly about a month ago.

Zero problems, zero complaints so far....OK, one complaint. I wanted a blue LX model, but they don't make LX in blue.

airwolf1000

Hi guys I am actually on the Lincoln LS List but my Girfriend is buying a new Civic so I thought I would check your site out and noticed a very interesting topic regarding Miles Per Gallon.

Just thought I would let you know miles per gallon figures are normally low for all cars when first purchased. It takes at least about 2000 miles for the engine to break in and Loosen up. After that your mileage should go up... So don't worry.. Just expect low mileage when new and the numbers will get a little better after 2K+ or maybe even 5K miles.

You guys are lucky. getting 32MPG at least. When I first got my car I was getting 14 MPG and it is rated at 17 City 23 Highway. Now I get about 18 MPG. I do rev that V8 every now and then.

Remember the MPG figures on the Sticker are just refrence results for your particular vehicle. Traffic, Terrain and most importantly your driving style will actually dictate you MPG. Just as you might never hit those numbers you might do better.

Glad to hear Civic is a reliable car. My ex also drove a Civic and I owned an 85 Honda back in the day so as far as I am concerned you can't go wrong with HONDA. Now if I could only muster up about $88,000 and buy and Acura NSX!

Regards,

Airwolf1000

bryan27

Hi all, just bought a 2001 Civic Sedan LX and love it in all aspects. Ok, don't care much for the outside appearance, but terrific car except that it has what appears to be a creaky strut when turning sharply or going over speed bumps. Anybody else experience this? other wise wonderful car.

ejonavin

Check out the Acura EL eGroup / mailing list:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AcuraEL

There are links to various reviews and information in the bookmark section. Just reading the archives will give you an idea of what's going.

bordsource

When is the gas light supposed to come on? I've run my car down to 3 gallons, and no light

jjsnowy

We bought a new Civic LX in Nov. Great car except for the squeaky noise that was driving us crazy. It took 3 trips back to the dealership before we were able to convince them to change the strut. Now the car sounds great. Too bad the dealership wouldn't listen the first time. It would have save us all a lot of time and aggrevation. It seems that is a trouble spot on the new Civic.

kneisl1

Using 1 quart of oil in 4000 miles is perfectly normal. You might look around under the engine with the engine running to check for leaks, but I doubt you'll find any. 5W-30 oil is NOT a good idea to use in the summer, especially in traffic. I'd go to 10W-40 then. My wifes 91 Honda Accord with 136,000 miles WAS using a quart of oil about every 2000 miles when I has 5W-30 in it when we first got it a few years ago. I switched to 10W-40 and I have yet to add any between oil changes.
Good luck!

kneisl1

You guys should really spend some time reading the Toyota Echo 7 list. Our ECHO's get 38-41 mpg all around and I think you'll find a lot less complaints about the ECHO on that list. I liked to old 1500 cc Civic, but the newer ones are not really small cars anymore.

bryan27

Thanks for the information about the strut being squeaky. Yeah the car is terrific except that noise is bothering me. The suspension works fine but I guess it has some sort of lubrication problem. Now to go complain A LOT to some dealer to fix it. wish me luck

bordsource

Okay, I'm going to try to take your questions one at a time.

1) No, the glove box isn't lockable. They did at least move the handle to the driver's side of the compartment door.

2) They're more useful, but still not the best. They're deper, and they've got a better mug cut out. But unless it's a can or a mug, whatever it is is prone to wobbling. On top of that, the cupholders are in front of the shifter, a slight problem for 5-sp drivers when in 3rd. One last gripe: if you use the 12V power outlet, the passenger cupholder is basically blocked.

3) No, but they fog at just about everything else. :~) Anti-fog works well, I've found.

4) Nope, because they stay attached now.

5) No, the driver only can lock the doors.

6) An '01 LX should at least keep up with, if not outaccelerate your '99 once broken in. Until then, you'll be eating dirt. My new EX could barely keep up with my friend's 95 DX at 1500 miles. DXs & LXs got a pretty significant boost in horsepower and torque for '01, with no real weight gain.

If you need anything else, feel free to ask. I've probably already answered it- I've got a big mouth and like to blab.

bklynboy

From

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/servicemmy.cfm

Service Bulletin Number: 161100

Bulletin Sequence Number: 157

Date of Bulletin: 0011

NHTSA Item Number: SB615796

Make: HONDA

Model: CIVIC

Year: 2001

Component: FUEL:FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY

Summary: SUBJECT REGARDING FUEL TANK CAPACITY CORRECTION. *TT

and then:

Service Bulletin Number: 161200

Bulletin Sequence Number: 157

Date of Bulletin: 0012

NHTSA Item Number: SB615808

Make: HONDA

Model: CIVIC

Year: 2001

Component: INTERIOR SYSTEMS:INSTRUMENT PANEL:GAUGE:INDICATOR:GAS

Summary: INFORMATION ON ERRATIC FUEL GAUGE READING. *TT

I called my dealer's service tech and told him about the above info. I have been having erratic fuel gauge readings for a while, and my gas mileage seems really low (like 20's). He is ordering the Fuel Tank sensor (not sure if that is the actual name of the part) for my car, a 2001 LX, and will replace it next week. It supposedly takes about an hour.

There is also stuff at the NHTSA site about air conditioning problems. I don't know about that yet, but the way things are going with my car, I imagine I will have to deal with that, too. I thought Hondas were supposed to be well made?

jimsxn

Why buy Civic at these prices when you can move up to Accord with a few more bucks...and still spend almost identical amount of maintenance dollars..

gasguzz

Kneis... ummm, the Corolla is comparable to the Civic - not the Echo.
Ladychaos... I drive a 2k-Sedan-LX and it's bare bones compared to our 01-minivan. Why is that - simply price (you can only get what you pay for). Why do you think Honda sells the DX trim/level? Besides, if needs to be secured, then it goes to lockable trunk (you have to exit the car anyway). The LX package fits my needs/use more than the EX (for one, since I knew from the start to upgrade the stereo system), and not bad for a $14.5k Honda A/T.
Jimsxn... "a few more bucks" is relative (and a whole different topic). Or, in the same sense, a BMW is nicer.
Enjoy.

kneisl1

But my point is: the Civic (and the Corolla) have gotten MUCH larger than they were just 10 years ago. The Civic became renown because it was SMALL, but for some reason Honda has chosen to move away from that philosophy. It's moving away from the thing that gave it success in the past.

gasguzz

I can understand your point, from a size perspective. However, Honda is slated to come out with a micro-car comparable to the Echo.
"moving away from the thing that gave it success"... why, isn't the Corolla and Civic the standard everybody (Focus, Sentra, Protégé, etc.) is trying to beat. Nevertheless, this competition among the manufacturers can only be good for us.

aaaimgd

EACH CAR seems to have advantages....similar features, but some distinctions..

The finish on the Elantra doesnt seem as bright or "dense"..and the upholstery a little "cheezy"...but the Warranty is amazing.

The Civic is handsome, inside and out...but virtually no warranty...(no matter the generally-known reliability...there is no real warranty in terms of years, drivetrain, etc...)

Wehave had several Toyotas, which lived a years and years...but feel like we need a change...

Please send advice...or warnings about particular problems you all may have encountered with these cars..
Thank you so much.

bordsource

Taking a purely analytical standpoint, here's a rundown:

The Civic is the best value 90% of the time. It gets great gas mileage, isn't too expensive to start, and is roomer than everything except the Focus and maybe the Protege. It's a great all-around car.

The Elantra is a decent value. It doesn't get great gas mileage, though, some things about it seem cheap, and the interior space isn't as good.

The Corolla is probably the worst choice in my book. It's got a great powertrain, and not much else. The dash isn't as modern, the interior is cramped, and the thing moves down the road like a rental car.

Look at the Civic first, the Elantra second, the Corolla if you must. Also check out the Mazda Protege, in 2.0LX form. The Nissan Sentra GXE is a good car, too, albeit a rather snug one.

aaaimgd

thanks, bordsorce, for replying..

What do you think about that measly 3 year , 36000mile warranty pkg. of the Civic...

We keep our cars for years and years.

isellhondas

Is the warranty you never have to use...think about that.

Hyundai was forced into going with the long warranty because of their dismal past.

It was pure marketing, and probably the thing they had to do in order to survive.

VW had to do the same thing.

If you are still concerned, a hondacare extended warranty is available for modest cost.

mdriver

Anything is available at extra cost. Extended warranties are simply expensive insurance programs that take cash out of your pocket and put it in the dealer's

justin

is to buy the one that you like. forget price - they are all under $20k. Forget reliability - they are all going to have problems. Hondas AND Toyotas are not what they used to be (that is bad), but neither is Hyundai (which is good). Drive all three. Which one gets you the most excited?

Buy that one.

bigkahunafl

When the engine is cold (if you can call South Florida cold), my car will surge about 2-300 rpm's when shifting around the 40 mph mark on my automatic transmission. I have a 2001 EX Sedan with nearly 2,000 miles on it. The engine sometimes will surge one more time after the first time, but never again. It's almost like the clutch (even though this is auto) was pushed in too early on a shift. Anyone else experience this problem?
Also, my driver's side upper part of seat rocks a little bit. I wonder if this is a defect in the seat or can it be adjusted.
As for gas mileage, I'm averaging nearly 35 mpg with a 70/30 hwy/city.
Someone mentioned earlier about a black thing under the engine coming off. I had my engine cover catch on a low curb the I parked up to and it came undone. Dealer, put new clips back on it but I was disappointed that something like that would happen on a curb that was low.

Any help would be appreciated.

Karen_S

....but I'm here to announce the new Honda Civic Owners club now available on Edmunds.com Owner's Club board.

Please stop by and introduce yourself in Meet the Members and let me know how I can help build your club.

I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in Sedans.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs

vadp

How about getting the Protege. Proven design. Still being built in Japan.
Quite affordable. And must be very reliable.

newciv

I plan on buying the single CD player and keyless remote from HandAaccessories.com. Does anyone here have experience actually installing these components into the 2001 Civic? From the installation instuctions provided (Adobe Acrobat files, which look like actual Honda service information), they both don't look too complicated and don't require any special tools. The reason I will do it is that I save alot of $.

Any thoughts?

NewCiv

newciv

One more thing.... can someone here tell me where I can find 5-20W oil other than a Honda dealer? Have not really looked yet, but I don't remember ever seeing this grade oil. I prefer to use what Honda recommends instead of say 5-30W.

Any thoughts?

NewCiv

newciv

http://www.usatoday.com/money/columns/healey.htm

Overall: Pleasant and honestly sporty, but at the price, so are others with better reputations for quality and resale value.

James R. Healey's Test Drive column appears Fridays. Healey has covered the auto industry for USA TODAY since 1988. E-mail him at testdrive@usatoday.com.

jjsnowy

Thanks bkylnboy. All of a sudden the Honda service dept at my dealership is listening. I was complaining that the gas guage on our '01 Civic was not accurate and they kept telling me nothing was wrong. Very frustrating to say the least. I brought in a copy of the bulletin and all of a sudden they mentioned that they received notice of a possible problem. Monday the car is going in. Already had 3 trips about the struts, they fixed that and now the car is quiet as can be. Looks like you have to fight about everything regarding the '01's. Own 2 other Hondas and never had a problem. Honda service was always cooperative before. Don't know if it's the dealership or Honda itself.

bordsource

3/36000 is the industry average. If that doesn't suit you, go with a Protege. It's bound to be more reliable and more pleasant to live with than the Hyundai Elantra, and it has a 3/50000 warranty. Everything else, though, comes with a 3/36000 warranty, except the Jetta (pricier than these), which comes with a 2/24000. One last thing: note that the Japanese manufacturers (don't know about Mazda) don't include roadside assistance in their warranty, while the domestics & Koreans do. It's worth adding from someone, in my book. The Civic is of course my first choice. But you wouldn't be going wrong with a Protege LX 2.0.

isellhondas

Buying an extended warranty on anything is like buying insurance. Some people are what we call "warranty freaks". That isn't a bad term. It just means that the length of a warranty is the MOST IMPORTANT thing to them. They will sometimes buy a car based on that.

Personally, I think that is a mistake.

FOR THOSE PEOPLE, paying a bit extra for the peace of mind of an extended warranty may be a smart idea. It is your opinion that these are overpriced. I guess for the person who had to use it, it was a pretty good life perserver.

The length of a warranty does not equate to the quality of the product.

Sears has long offered a "lifetime" warranty on their Craftsman tools.

There are professional quality tools out there that cost more and work better. They also don't break nearly as often.

What do you suppose the professionals use?

Once again...the BEST warranty is the one you don't have to use.

isellhondas

Roadside service seems to be touted a lot these days. Personally, I don't think it's that big of a deal.

First of all, how often will a new car under warranty need this service?

For many years, I keep renewing our AAA membership. It's not expensive and gives my wife a bit of security.

I think I've called them three times in the last twenty years.

But, to others, I guess this might be a big thing.

drew_

is on now! (5-6pm Pacific/8-9pm Eastern). Hope to see you there!
http://www.edmunds.com/chat/freewaychat.html


Drew
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