Honda Civic Hybrid Suspension/Steering Problems

PF_Flyer

Discuss Civic hybrid suspension and steering issues here.

maricopaa

I recently purchased a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid and love it.

However, twice now I have run into a strange problem that worries me.

On two occasions I have started my car...begun to drive...only to find my power steering has disengaged. I had to stop...restart the car and all was well...power steering working normally.

Obviously this is a big worry...especially if it happens while driving on a freeway etc.

Anyone have any similar experience or suggestions. I'm taking it to my local Honda Dealer in the morning.

PF_Flyer

Well the first thing that comes to mind is obviously a power steering pump, which the dealer should be able to determine pretty quickly

maricopaa

Well...I took my 2006 HCH with the intermittent power steering issue. Honda has had the car since Monday.

My dealer said I definitely had a faulty power steering unit.

Their inquiry to Honda Repair Central (who ever is the clearing house for all Honda Hybrid concerns...indicated Honda has experienced this issue with power steering units failing more than once and instructed Honda to install a brand new unit in my car. It is now Thursday and they are still waiting for the part to arrive.

I was not happy driving with the possibility ny power steering would randomly decide to quit while I was driving. seems like they have a handle on it...More to be revealed.

toolazytoshop

Hi,
I am a newbie to this. My 2003 HCH has 97k miles. The dealer said the struts
need replacement and would cost around 950$.

Questions:

Is that a fair price? What other repairs would I need with that?

Is it worth to buy car maintenance insurance at this point?

Would you recommend any local shops - I live in Northern Virginia.

gotamac

I too am having the same problem, Eventually the unit will go completely out and god help you because the low tech repair personnel at your dealer will for sure screw the replacement up. For one, the procedure in the repair manual is written wrong in sequence for replacement. My alignment has never been the same but after many attempts at correcting it now it is acceptable but still not like new.

After one year of the unit being replaced it is now starting to act up again. It was during snowy, sloppy roads that it failed the last time and now again the same thing is happening.

Mine is back at the dealer right now for the same problem, intermittent failure.

joeflocco

I have a honda civic hybrid 2003. It was making a strange sound when driving off from a standing still. I found out the noise was a bad motor mount. (the upper) I wanted to buy the part myself and install it. The dealer ship was the only place that sold it and they insisted they install it. Ok fine. they have the car and said I will get it back late in the evening. I was first one in, after 7 hours they haven't even looked at it. I told what was wrong and they said it wasn't the problem. I told them I need it for work and I had an extra insurance plan. this all boils down to this. They have the car 3 days I lose my job over this, they kept telling me stories when it will be finished. finally I get my car back. They tell me it is the motor mount. Which I kept telling them that.I get home and I wanted to add some window washer fluid. The fuse box next to the mount they clipped off the piece that hold the fuse box to the car and used tywraps to hold it. They also broke the neg battery clamp. Now its not even a year since the replacement of said motor mount. The motor mount is no good. It is making that noise again. I checked the mount and the rubber bushing is all worn. Is this possible that the mount is bad again. Did they give me a crappy mount. I have emailed the dealer ship and told them what happened. they never replied to my email. I have had a chevy's most of my life. My first honda and its a tragedy. GM has never gave me a problem. I always did all the work my self and never a problem. Buying parts or having them look at the car. Now that I am in honda's mailing list. They keep sending me fliers to sell my car. I wouldn't sell them
a bucket of horse sh*t. I am so angry at honda for this crap

mobeale

Even if you have a full warrenty it's paramount that local service is competent or you're screwed.
Have, in years past experienced similar scenarios myselft, and coincidently have had good luck with GM (and their repair shop).
What area do you live in?
Thanks

pforeman98

'03 Civic Hybrid, 113K miles. Steering does not return fully to neutral position after turns (especially right) unless manually brought back. Car wanders on highway, due to the stiffness in steering center, i.e. any correction can become an over-correction. Electric power steering "computer diagnostics" at Honda and an independent shop show no faults. Two shops wanted to replace steering rack struts, control arm bushings, ect. Honda wanted to replace all struts, control arm bushings, lower control arms, but not steering rack. Last shop couldn't find any identifiable problem in the rack, said all the struts & bushings were ok and it was not a safety problem. They spent 4 hours on it and charged for only 45 min. They are sending out questions to their contacts as they would really like to find the cause.

svanzandt

I have an 06 HCH, after 2 sets of tires (3 counting the new ones that came with the new Honda) and new struts, upper control arms, alignment bolts, and several alignments and rotations, I thought I finally had the problem licked!!!! no such luck. The little tiny print on the last page of work done after the last new tires I had put on said " comment, RIGHT REAR WHEEL WON'T SET TO SPECS" They didn't even tell me that at the dealership. Read it after I got home. I am out almost $1000.00 for work done on that clean air vehicle. What is those new tires I had to buy doing to the environment?? Tired of it all. Going to court

oaklandraiders

I also have a honda civic hybrid 2006. Since I have had the car, I have had trouble with my electric power steering. It is fine in the summer and gets bad in the winter. I had a dealer tell me it was the censor and would cost $800.00 to replace. Now I am currently stuck in the parking garage at work and it won't go off. I think if honda has been having this trouble before they should help us pay for it!!!! Let me know what you find out.
Theresa Stanley

selinz

I too have had intermittent problems with the power steering for as long as I remember. I start it, the Pwr Str. light comes on. No power steering. Still steers but not without invoking the guns... (LOL, Iow, it's hard as heck to turn). 50 % of the time, turning off the car and turning it back on solves the problem. Sometimes, it takes as many as 3 times. If it takes more than 3, I simply drive it with no power steering for a couple minutes and then turn off engine and restart while moving. This usually restarts the ps unit. Seems to be more problematic on colder evenings (30s or 40s) but also happens during the summer (in SF bay area).

jnhonda

pforeman98,
we have a civic hybrid 03 with 135k miles. learned in 03 that when we shut engine off while moving and coasting (hyper-mileage technique) and turned the electric power on without engine, the power steering remained off with the engine. power steering remained off until turning the steering wheel. at initial part of turn, the wheel was difficult to turn. within a 10 degrees of rotation, power steering kicked back on and it was easy.

going down expressway over 40mph now, we get a similar feeling. driving in a straightline, the vehicle tracks well enough. as tiny corrections are needed to keep car in lane, feels like first part of tiny correction is difficult just like the power steering is off. after a second of effort to lean car in correct direction, feels like power steering kicks in and it too suddenly gets too easy to move steering wheel. so at 80mph, feels like forced slalom race on small scale. feels like it could get progressively worse with time.

feels like it's just a matter of power steering flipping on and off. it did not used to flip on and off with engine running. used to only do it while engine was off and electrical was on. have not run this by our dealer yet. bad experience with other dealers has us suspicious and careful.

so where and who is your dealer?
how much does this sound related to your experience?
how much of this is a software problem, electrical problem and/or mechanical problem?

thank you
jnhonda