Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

bodble2

Something about the '93 Accord situation doesn't make sense though. Assuming she has been bringing it in for servicing regularly, albeit at extended intervals, you would think the dealer would have noticed the formation of sludge before it has gotten to the condition it is in now. Unless she stopped getting the oil changed after the 14,500 mile service!

jander111

Oh yeah, she did mention that she changed oil every 3000 miles for the past couple of years. According to her hand memo, looks so. But I didn't bother to dig out the records. (I believe she was telling the truth.) It's just too late to save the engine. And I don't think it's always been serviced by dealer.

If you go to cars.com, check this one out for yourself. Then have your friends look at it and verify my story. (Near Charlotte, NC)

$5,130, 1993 Accord EX, 92K, 4 cyl, exc cond, .......

justina413

I have 2002 civic DX, I have had it back to dealer three times about front brake noise, when the brakes are applied. I am told that the noise that I hear is from small pebbles/rocks/dust, things of this nature that are rubbing on/or against the brakes (I am sure that i am not using the correct jargon, so please bear with me). They smooth the brakes out for me and they are fine for a couple of weeks, then the noise starts again. So, far the dealer has covered this under my warranty, but once the warranty runs out, I'll have to pay for this myself. Had I known about this problem I would have never bought this car. Has anyone else had this problem? if so, what can I do about it if anything.

Thanks Unhappy Southern California civic owner.

bodble2

You didn't switch to aftermarket brake pads, did you? Years ago, my father once used non-Honda pads on his Accord and the brakes had grinding noise when applied. Do you drive on very dusty road regularly? It doesn't seem logical that they have to clean the brakes that frequently. Are they actually machining the rotors? Maybe the problem is defective rotors.

mattpdx

If you've been to the dealer 3 times for the same problem, and the car is under warranty, wouldn't that be covered under your state's Lemon Law?

isellhondas

Traded in today a 2001 Civic Lx automatic.

148,000 miles!!

I asked the guy who traded it in and he said it had been flawless. Just did the routine services.

Still looks and runs great!

bodble2

No ordinary citizen should/can pile up mileage at that rate. He's putting on about 60 - 70K miles per year! He had to have used it for commercial purposes, which means he's already used up the best part of the car's life.

swschrad

but if it's basically highway miles, we know he hasn't had sludge issues, and hasn't beaten up the brakes. the suspension will have had an easier life because they try to avoid having deep potholes at 70 or 75 mph on the roads.

you'll have some niggling little nonsense around the corners that will need maintenance, but highway miles are not as tough as town miles.

alcan

Easy to tell. Check the brake pedal pad and outer edge of the driver's seat back and cushion for wear. Also, open the driver's door slightly, grasp at rear lower corner, and lift to check the door hinges. Those are usually good indicators.

isellhondas

He drove it constantly between Bellingham, WA which is near the Canadian border and Vancouver WA. Almost all freeway miles.

The seat isn't broken down and the car is tight.

Needs a LR door skin and a new windshield.

It belongs to a leasing company who will pick it us since we really don't want it with those miles.

Still, it looks and runs fine. I'll bet it has a lot of life left in it!

prowler161

I love my new 2003 Silver Honda Civic coupe. But I am very much in to making it look clean. Living in California, there is no reason why your car should be dirty. But to the point, My windows fog up on the inside the day after I clean them to perfection. I am thinking about tinting them Black, or mirror tint, but if they fog up then, they will be harder to clean, and Window tint as you all know is very touchy stuff! NO WINDEX ON TINT OR DEFOGGERS! Armorall auto glass cleaner works well... What is the fog, and when will I have clean windows? I have had the car for 4 months! Thank you!

bodble2

Bellingham to Vancouver is about 600 miles round trip. That means the guy was driving an equivalent of about one round trip every 3 days. I still say that took a toll on the Civic. Maybe a V6 or V8 would have handle that kind of use with ease, but the high-revving 4 in the Civc probably worked its guts out.

36000milesyear

Hope to get some good advice from the knowledgeable folks here

I do 36k/yr hiway commute. Wife does 15mi round trip daily. Know next to nothing about cars. Can't afford new so need to rely on advice, mechanic's reports and luck to hope I get cheap & reliable used ones.

My 245k 4cyl 89 Dodge Spirit Turbo bled out last Wednesday, had to add 13 quarts of oil to get it home Best car I ever had: $1100 bought me 4 yrs & 140k. Only had to spring for a clutch, breaks & tires, oil & filter every 3k.

My wife's 109k 4cyl 94 Lumina Sedan is on life support w/55psi compression in 2 cylinders. 2nd best car I ever owned, it was a friend's freebie )) that gave me 17k for the year we've had it.

Limped the Lumina to a Hyundai dealer yesterday for a 4cyl 03 base Accent, no air. Don't spoil my day by telling me I could have done better than $8357

Have a mechanic's OK on a 91 Dodge Dynasty V6 3.3L A/T w/166k that a private party wants $1000 for. Very nice car. Some staining at year-old water pump suggests $200+ pump may lie in the future. Oil seepage at valve cover & oil pan gasket deemed acceptable given age/mileage; all cylinders register 145-155psi. Front brakes w/25% life left but expect rotors as well as pads ($200?); rear brakes w/50% left, expect pads only. Alignment & tuneup suggested.

Test drove a 99k 4cyl 93 Civic DX 5spd trade-in at Hyundai dealer yesterday, very nice. $100 refundable deposit later, he'll have this $1200 car taken to local mechanic of my choice so I can pay to have it checked out.

Here's where the advice & opinions come in...

While I am junking the Dodge, I'm wondering whether I should keep the Lumina (NJ inspected thru 7/4) till it dies. I would supplement the Lumina by buying either the Civic or the Dynasty as a 3rd car, but am I kidding myself that a Lumina w/2 lousy cylinders might limp thru till next summer doing 100 miles/week? We did take it 100 mile round trip to purchase the Hyundai yesterday, and it's stuttering/lack of power was not a problem on hiway w/cruise set to 55mph, but the wife would be doing local where it's pretty much a dog-tired beast struggling to hit 30mph from a stop. As long as she had the backup car, a AAA tow to a junkyard is an acceptable no-cost low-pain end to this car, but if the opinion is junk it sooner than later...

...then I might be able to swing buying both the Dynasty & the Civic, provided the latter checks out OK, as I pretty much always have to have 3 cars just in case. So as for the Civic, what besides road test, lift look, compression & emission test should I have checked? I've read distributor failure ($550?) is common thru 93 models, oxygen sensors ($200?) thru 95. Anything else? Would a mechanic be able to tell if distributor was changed? Whether the timing chain (or belt?) has been replaced? Would failure of timing chain/belt likely cause engine damage in 93 Civic? (While I'm at it, neglected to ask about timing chain/belt on Dynasty, so if you know about whether mechanic could tell and whether failure leads to engine damage, I'd appreciate that too).

I'm obviously hoping the Civic checks out OK, since I'm drooling over the prospect of getting another 4yrs & 140k for my $1200. While I love the 10/100 Hyundai warranty, I'd sure like to take 5, 6, 7 or more years to put 100k on it, rather than just pile on 100k in under 3 yrs.

As for the Dynasty, come the snow & ice of winter here along US78 in NJ, I'm thinking it might be a bit safer than an Accent or Civic up against the semis and SUVs out there. With 166k on it I don't think I should expect to be so lucky to again get near 250k on a Chrysler engine, so if I do get both the Dynasty and the Civic, I'd probably want to limit the Dynasty to standby/winter driving.

Hope I haven't taken up too much of your time w/my car woe$, but it is what it is and I'd appreciate anyone's 2 cents, either here or at mecca3atenter.net. Thanks

isellhondas

Well, it didn't take too much of a "toll" on that Civic. It still looks and runs great.

I don't really think the V-6's last any longer.

isellhondas

Although you have had INCREDIBLE luck with a high mileage Dodge, don't count on that happening again. I would be VERY afraid of that Dynasty. those were well known for weak transmissions.

It sounds like you put a deposit to hold that Civic while you continue to shop.

This is why most dealers won't "hold" a car.

Distributor problems aren't THAT common on those, but they CAN go bad sometimes. This isn't a big deal when you factor in the overall reliability of that car.

It's also possible to pry back the timing belt cover to see if it's been replaced. They can usually tell that way.

Anyway, good luck!

bodble2

Only time will tell. I still think constant marathon running will render a car's mechanicals old and tired sooner. I realize it's healthy for a car when it is used regularly, but in this case it is too much of a good thing.

steine13

The Civic sounds like your best bet. Fix the dist. if and when it dies. The O2 sensor? It's a replacement item, and $200 ain't much. Fix it if and when you have to. BTW, these older Japanese cars are really good, but they don't walk on water, either. Take care of it. Only buy it if it's been taken care of.

I think (check the gates rubber website, dunno the address) that this is an interference engine, like most Hondas. Unless you're sure the belt has been done recently, have it done immediately. The car has another 100k++ in it, but not if the belt breaks.

You want to have the belt replacement done RIGHT, btw, it'll last a loong time if it isn't too tight. May be necessary to remove the engine to do this; dunno about the '93. Either $200 or $5-600, depending.

I did my first timing belt on a VW Fox, with simple tools, no experience, and in 2.5 hours in my garage.. but not an interference engine.

Belt cost way less than $50, it's all in the labor. If you have it done, ask the mechanic about changing the water pump at the same time; cheap insurance... you need a good mechanic with these old jalopies.

Good luck,
-Mathias

36000milesyear

Just wondering what the dealer would be getting if he wholesaled the car as he had planned to do? Does it sound about right that the salesguy would only get $50 from the dealership if the car was wholesaled? As in neither the salesman nor the dealer was gonna make any real money on the car, so it's an easy sell to me, as a thank you maybe, for having bought a new Accent from them? Sorry to be such a suspicious b*st*rd, but I've had some bad experiences with care salesmen in the past

Otherwise, he is not charging me for $89 dealer inspction and prep, as I'll be paying a private mechanic to do that.

As for the distributor & O2 sensor, no problem if they fail, just tow and fix, right? But sounds like timing belt could tear up engine so I'll likely fix rightaway, unless I can get indication it's already been done.

ssliberty

I have a 1989 Civic LX 1.5 liter with 210K miles. Recently the engine has been overheating in stop and go conditions. I discovered the auxiliary radiator fan (passenger side) is not running...most likely cause of the overheating. I've also been told that the primary cause for the fan not running is a faulty thermo switch which is located beneath the fan and screws into the radiator. After careful inspection of the radiator I find no sensor screwed into it anywhere. I am absolutely sure.

Does anyone know where the thermo sensor switch is located on this model? Does it even have one? If not, how is the fan activated when engine temps go up to unacceptable levels?

George

rags5

I recently bought a 1993 Civic LX (automatic) with 170k on it. I noticed that when I am driving and I reduce my speed, when the speedometer crosses the 20 mph mark, there is a slight jerk. What would be the reason for it?

fishhawk

I have a 1998 Civic with the ABS light on. I'm getting ABS code 12 (by watching the ABS light flashing). If I reset the code, and then drive the car, the ABS light usually comes back on when I get above 15mph. If the light doesn't, then when I hit the brakes normally (not hard at all), I hear the ABS system engaging, with a pulsating brake pedal.
According to a Haynes manual I have, code 12 means the right front sensor is noisy or intermittent. Searching the web, I found it might mean the sensor is open circuit. I measured the sensor resistance, and it showed 950 ohms. I also got 200mv AC when rotating the wheel by hand as fast as I could. I don't know if these numbers are right for this car, but they fall into the general range from articles I have read. I compared the voltage when running the same test on the front right wheel, and it is a little lower, but pretty much the same.
I checked the wiring, and it looks clean; no corrosion that I could find. I also unplugged/plugged in the connectors under the hood and on the ABS ECU just to make sure, but it didn't help
As the part is fairly expensive, I was wondering if anyone could confirm code 12 defintely indicates a problem with the right front wheel sensor. I want to make sure code 12 doesn't mean a different sensor, or a problem with the modulator. Also, if you have any other ideas for me to try, I would appreciate it.
Thanks for your help!

Fishhawk

chris777

I bought a 2000 lx civic sedan back in Feb and my drivers power window went bad about a month and a half back.

I noticed it was moving much slower than the passenger window and both rear windows, but one day it just hung up and I had to pull on it to get it to roll up, I ended up doing another test of it and it totally locked down in the middle half way up. I then noticed it had ran up over the gasket a bit and I worked it free but it still didn't act like it wanted to close. So I've left it rolled up ever since. I called the dealer and they said it sounded like a regulator $380 to replace. does this sound unusual in a newer civic? Especially since I beginning to get concerned with my front passenger window its slowing down like the drivers was, does anyone think it might possibly be electrical? or any other suggestions?

BTW on the auxiliary fan from ssliberty. I had my fan on an 86 civic go out about a year and a half ago, and I don't know if yours is the switch or not, but mine was the fan motor itself going bad, we tried the switch and replaced it, and I ended up having to take it to a mechanic because it was so cramped up there we couldn't get the fan off to replace it, but it might be worth looking into, i do suggest using the "heater trick" and shutting the car down if you think it will overheat into the red zone.
when I 1st bought the car it had 44k on it and it did great for about 2 months, but then it started running hot, and I drove it to the mechanic after trying to fix the problem myself. any way after a new timing belt and new water pump (the culprit)
the car began burning oil, which it still does 86 k later. But it was getting progressively worse.

All I can say is if its running hot SHUT IT DOWN

I have already blown a 4 runner, and then messed up my 86 Honda from running them hot. its not worth it

but that's my 2 cents

rodan99

Strange...my 99 civic ex coupe started making a high pitched groaning sound when I unlock the doors either with the interior switch or via remote from outside; it's a weird sound like someone wheezing that lasts for about a half second. It happens maybe once out of 15 times, coming from inside the driver's door. A clue might be that I recently started parking it outside after having a garage since new, so I was thinking it might be moisture related, esp. with all the rain in Ohio the past few months. Any ideas, or anyone else have this happen?

auburn63

usally this will be from one of the doors only and most of the time the front drivers side. If it is the noise I am thinking of it is the door lock actuator. The only fix for the noise is replacement. Once you locate the door(s) that it is coming from you can sometimes push down or pull up on the lock knob to get the noise to stop. Up or down is dependent on which way it makes the noise..

haunma00

I bought a brand new 2003 Honda Civic LX last month and the engine thermostat is very "sensitive". I drove to Santa Barbara and the needle went almost all the way up to H, happens every time I climbed a hill (even with the D3 in gear). The coolant level is fine and I've taken it in to the dealer but they said there is nothing wrong. Is this normal (for the the needle to go almost all the way up to HOT)? It seems odd to me that this happens as my Toyota doesn't do this. Any ideas? Thanks

gregoryc1

Check the following: 1.) The level and quality of coolant in the radiator,(If you need to add coolant only use Honda coolant) 2.) Replace the radiator cap with a new Honda cap, (It might not be holding enough pressure on the cooling system). -----Greg

bodble2

There's got to be something wrong with the cooling system and/or the thermostat. Or maybe the water pump. My experience with Honda is that with a new, healthy car, the thermostat almost never moves from it's normal position. I just drove (an Acura CL) 500 KM yesterday in temperature up to 97 F often at sustained speeds of 80 mph with lots of hill-climbing with the A/C on the whole time, and I swear he thermostate needle never budged from it's normal setting.

dudka

I would say if it is a 2003, the dealer should fix it for you. Most likely it is a sticking thermostat or faulty water pump. I would insist that they fix it. I have 2002 Si, even in a 100 degree heat with the A/C on and driving 80 mph (Si's gearing puts the engine in the 4000 RPM range) for hours (up and downhill) the temp needle does not move higher than 1/4 way up from the lowest point.
I remember in my VW I would get high temp light to blink and the temp gauge was all the way up, turned out I had a bad spark plug wire and it was causing the spark plug to misfire and overheating resulted form that

dalaw

I have a 2003 Civic LX too, but I have never experienced any overheating problems. I went to Las Vegas one time in the 110+ degree weather with a/c at full blast and the temp needle never moved. The car warms up very fast but my temp needle is always pointing a bit lower than the middle. Think this is normal?

bodble2

On all the recent Honda models we've had the temp needle has always pointed just slightly below the mid-point when the engine is fully warmed up.

mdriver

I had a 97 HX with both a seized up driver's window and the "groaning" power locks.

The window was fixed by replacing the seal that runs in the channel (in which the glass rides in). That had become dry and chewed up. Replacement of the seal fixed it instantly and cost me about $50. I replaced it myself - not too difficult if you are mechanically minded.

The groaning locks caused me no problem other than the noise and so I never did anything about it.

I now have a 2002 EX and the drivers window make a strange mechanical binding sound as it is lowered. It works fine, but the noise sounds like there are some loose mechanicals inside the door. Anyone else have this noise?

patrick45

I'd definitely take your Civic to a different dealer. From what you describe it sounds like a thermostat that is stuck. This is very, very abnormal. I've got an '02 Civic LX (auto trans) and it never has gone past the floating thermometer emblem on the temp gauge. In fact, it always stays a little bit below the logo on the gauge (towards the cold side). My car is mainly driven in the Sacramento valley where summer temps reach 115 degrees as we experienced the past few weeks and I have my A/C on full blast for hours. You may have a defective thermostat, but I'd get it checked out ASAP before the engine is damaged. By the way, don't accept "that is normal" from a dealer service dept if you definitely know it isn't. An overheating engine is a very, very serious issue and should be approached by the dealer accordingly. Obviously, you wouldn't have shown up to the dealer in the first place if everything appeared "normal". Best of luck and remember, you're the customer! Honda's are excellent cars, but remember, nothing is perfect, but Honda comes awefully close. Honda doesn't make the majority of the parts, they come from outside suppliers, but Honda is very strict who they choose to be their supplier. They don't choose to go with the cheapest supplier like the Detroit automakers
do. Detroit sacrifices quality to save a penny.

mdriver

What evidence do you have that Detroit goes with cheap parts and Honda doesn't. Do you know what other cars the front struts of the Civic are put on for instance?

patrick45

Hey mdriver,
All you have to do is put any Detroit car from the same class up against a Honda Civic and you can immediately tell which automaker uses the cheaper suppliers. I think this goes without saying. All automakers try to keep their costs down, but the Japanese automakers, Honda in particular, have a focus on quality, not just cost. You can put a $45,000 Cadillac DeVille up against a $30,000 Acura TL and there's absolutely no comparison; the Acura wins hands down. The quality in the Acura just completely makes the Cadillac look horrid and yet GM prices the Cadillac way to high for what you get. Also, check our Consumer Reports and other auto trade publications and they all show Honda products to be far superior to the Detroit automakers. Honda's have had their share of issues, too. They're definitely not perfect. Honda and Toyota have raised the bar so high, Detroit will never catch up now.

haunma00

Just an update on the over heating problem. I took it to the dealer today and one of the mechanics rode with me (just so that I can show him that I wasn't making up this "problem"). So, the culprit was a spring in the thermostat that wasn't working properly so they replaced the thermostat. Now it behaves like it should be...woohoo! Thank you all for your helpful comments.

jimc93si

I have a '93 Civic Si Hatchback with 189,000 miles, mostly highway, 50 miles a day. Replaced the distributor at 100K, starter at 150K and the radiator about 175K.
 It still has never leaked a drop of oil and gets 37 mpg average per tank. Changed the oil between 4 & 5 K miles (10W30). The worst thing I ever did to it was take the tag off last week and leave it to sit in the driveway. Nobody wants it with so many miles and my daughter won't be old enough to drive for a year and a half.
 The most serious problem the car has is the tinting is bubbling from sitting in the Florida sun at work.
I got a really good deal on an Integra GSR, which I've always wanted. BUT I'm considering selling it at a profit and driving the Civic another 200K miles because it doesn't cost as much a one car payment a year for maintenance. I traded in my previous Civic (84 Civic S HB) with 246K miles with the original clutch. The only thing wrong with that one was the fabric coming off the driver's seat.

pbagrat

My wife's 2002 Civic EX Coupe has been making a tapping or clicking noise when I back out of the garage and turn down our driveway. My wife says she hears it while turning down the street as well. It only has 10650 miles on it. I don't think the CV Boots could go bad this soon. Any ideas?

ghorag

I have recently bought a new a 2003 Honda Civic EX 4 Door Sedan Automatic (my first one and bought after a bit of research) . I have driven it for only 200 miles so far. However I am not happy about a few things about the Civic which I wish to share with other owners of Civic.

1) Right from the start I have noticed a marked lack of acceleration particularly when I try to go over 50 miles speed and even during the slightest climbs (as low as 10 degree gradient). The engine quickly revs up to 3000 - 4000 RPM even at speed as low as 30 - 40. I find this rather strange for a brand new car and wonder if this is something normal for a Honda Civic - automatic in particular? Is it because the car is still so new and these things would improve with time or there is need for some adjustments to be made on it? I would like to know what the experience of other Honda Civic 2003 owners is in this regard.

2) Moreover after short drives, wherever I park it, a small pool of water forms on the parking surface under the bonnet area. Has any other owner of Civic experienced this too? What could be this due to? Could there something wrong with the car cooling system?

3) Of course the low quality audio system on the car is another big disappointments for me. The quality of stereo sound is rather poor. How can I improve the quality of sound - any suggestions? What would be a more satisfactory alternative / modification / replacement that I can make to get some decent sound quality? How much would such a modification / replacement cost?

After buying the Civic I got a chance to drive a new 2003 Toyota Corolla Sedan for a few days recently - and I did not experience any of these deficiencies there. I found the overall response & stability of that car far superior to the Civic.

Finally are there any particular precautions / care that I need to take during the first 1000 miles of driving?

Shall look forward to getting useful comments / suggestions from other present and past owners of Civic.

Ghorag

rivertown

1) My Civic accelerates great, but then it's an Si with a manual tranny. The AC drags on it at little, though, when it's running.

2) Every car with an air conditoner will drip some clear water if you run the AC.

3) I've gotten several complements on the stereo in my Si.

The manual tells you about recommended break-in driving. No hard acceleration or hard braking for 600 miles is the gist of it. To that, I'd add 'vary speed'; i.e. don't break it in by driving 600 miles with the cruise control.
Yes, performance gets better over the first several K miles.

I'm sorry you're not happy with your EX. The auto tranny in any car would turn me off.

mdriver

Well, #1 and #3 should have been questions to ask yourself BEFORE you signed on the dotted line. The power is unlikely to improve over time. The break-in period is almost non-existant on todays engines and any anticipation of extra power will be a big disappointment. An auto trans and a 1.7L engine will never add up to spirited performance. The stereo has historically been a bad Honda joke. I would suggest upgrading the speakers, but that seems like quite a task since the front speaker grilles are no longer a seperate panel, but enclosed under the entire door panel.

ghorag

Point taken, but accelerating from 50-60 should not be very tough on a (almost) flat road?? I am reluctant to push the gas pedal way down because the car is so new, but I find that the rpm goes to 4000 with hardly any increase in spead. Is that common/normal, or should I bring it to the dealer's attention?

bodble2

The Civic IS a bit underpowered, especially when compared to the Corolla, Protege, & Sentra. Because of the lack of power, what's probably happening is that the slightest increase in throttle opening causes the torque converter to unlock and/or the tranny to drop down a gear, hence the revs shooting up. Having the A/C on makes it worse. You will find it noticebably peppier if you switched off the A/C. This is fairly common with low-powered cars with auto tranny. Over time, you will learn to drive it in a manner that best suits the engine's torque curve. In other words, it won't be any more powerful but you will learn to make best use of its available power.

crazygrrrl

Sorry to hear that you're not enjoying your new car.

Just curious, but what kind of car did you drive previously? Did you have any expectations for the Civic to drive like a sports car?

I have a 2003 4-door Civic LX with automatic transmission. My other car is a 200 hp Firebird, so I did not expect the Civic to be fast. I just wanted to get more than 23 MPG in my long distance stop & go commute.

When I first test drove my Civic, I was quite impressed by how peppy the little car was. It certainly was faster than some of the previous cars that I had, but the peppiness fades when you go uphill. But it's still reasonable for a car that only has115 hp and a 2500 lb body.

With only 200 miles on the odo, your car is hardly broken in yet. According to the owner's manual, you have to drive gently for the first 600 miles. This means no sudden acceleration and no sudden brakeing either. You'll also have to vary your speed.

Once your car is properly broken in, you should feel some improvement in acceleration. At least, I did with my Civic. It is also possible that I just got used to driving it.

Gas mileage is the Civic's forte. I get 37 MPG in my stop & go commute.

And yes, the Civic runs at higher RPM's than some other cars. This is normal. At 70 MPH, my Civic is at 3,100 RPM, whereas my Firebird is only at 1,800 RPM.

Even when driving 30 MPH, it is normal for the Civic to run at 1,700 to 3,000 RPM (or higher if uphill).

I think the peak of the engine's performance is at or close to the redline. I don't know if it's true because I've never pushed my car that hard, but I heard that you have to drive the car like you stole it in order to feel the power. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The water puddle under the car is probably from your air conditioning. If you haven't been using your A/C, get your car checked out for leaks.

As for the stereo, Honda's stock radio/CD isn't that good, but there's always AFTERMARKET GOODIES available!!! ^_^ You'll see me hunting for a new stereo after my warranty ends.

Last, one tip about new Civic care: don't change the oil before your first 5,000 miles. Honda puts some special kind of break-in oil in the engine.

Hope you'll learn to love your car.

ghorag

Thanks Rivertown, Mdriver, Bodble2, Crazygrrrl for your quick & helpful responses. It is comforting to know that these issues are not specific to my car, they are simply characteristic of the Civic..

My driving experience is limited to a manual Toyota Camry (91) & a few rentals here & there. I was not expecting sports car performance from the Civic, but atleast a solid car feeling (had read such good reviews about the Civic). The high rpms & the lack of responsiveness to acceleration make me quite tense while driving it. I guess I'll get used to it..

rivertown

Good luck.

It's just my opinion, but I think much of what gripes you is that auto tranny. My primary car has always been a manny, and driving an auto always leaves me feeling dissatisfied.

You may find a little more happiness and fun if use the AC less and drive the car higher in the rev range. Honda engines are built to rev.

You'll take a beating if you trade; but, if you get that bummed, I think you'd find the Civic Si to be what you're looking for.

reillymp1

I have a 95 Civic EX coupe with 92k miles. The past few fill-ups I have noticed that the fuel gauge is on the orange/empty but it only takes between 8-9 gallons to fill the tank (12 gallon). Shouldn't the needle still be at about 1/4 tank? I also notice that once full, the needle is not completely on 'Full' on the gauge as it used to be. All other gauges appear to be working fine.

Anyone else experience this little quirk? Any idea what causes it and how much to fix?

Any insight is much appreciated!

perl2

Hi,

 I have a 99 Honda Civic with automatic transmission. Since i bought the car i noticed a lack of acceleration power that makes me not confident when merging to highways.

Besides that, i noticed that i have to press the accelerator pedal several times to keep the speed above 50miles.

 I have not experienced none of the things above while driving other similar cars (non-honda).

 My question is whether this would be a normal issue with Honda Civic or my car in particular and if there is a recommendation to get any improve in performance or maintenance you suggest?

 Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

dalaw

Fuel guages are only an approximate measurement of the amount of fuel you have in you tank, so it is not uncommon to have a a fuel guage to point 1 or 2 gallons low. But given that you only experienced this gauge behavior only recently, your fuel gauge may be wearing out. If your fuel gauge is consistently pointing at the empty mark with 3-4 gallons of gas in the tank, and you want to maximize the range on your tank, then try to drive more miles or until the light comes on to fill the tank back up.

rfruth

Mine is a '00 Civic (same vintage as your 99) with 5 speed and while its no rocket ship (didn't
need to say that) I don't have trouble merging or going with the flow, it doesn't sound normal for you to have 2 press the accelerator several times to keep the speed above 50 (I have to press mine once and keep it pressed) Sounds like some hands-on troubleshooting is needed.

rah9

I have a 99 civic ex coupe that I seem to be having problems with the a/c in. For one thing, I get very little cold air when it is in the fresh air mode.
 
Secondly, if I hit the recirculate button, my air coming out of the vents slows to almost nothing. I have to turn the fan on max to feel much if anything coming out.
 
The car has 19k miles on it and everything else is fine. Would tinting the windows help?