2008 Honda Civic Problems and Repairs

anniemol

I purchased a brand new 2008 and at 500 miles had the engine mounts replaced due to vibrations from the steering wheel when at a stop light. I am curious to know if anyone else can feel the car vibrate when stopped. Is this normal?
My previous civic (93) never did this. Any advice would be helpful.

misterchames

i just got a 08 civic coupe LX automatic recently and i noticed some strange things and im not sure if i should take it to the mechanic...
1. a couple times when i was steering and turning, i felt the brake pedal shake

2. i heard a weird sound from probably the right side of the dashboard.. sorta of like something loose was vibrating against something.. but i didnt notice it at the dealer cuz the radio was on

3. im sure this is normal but when you use your windshield whipers is there several click noises from the steering wheel or somehwere close to it?

also, since i just got the car this weekend.. will the dealer most likely take care of everything for free??
thanks for answering my questionsss

thegraduate

im sure this is normal but when you use your windshield whipers is there several click noises from the steering wheel or somehwere close to it?

You're right, this is. My dad has an 07 that does this. Could the brake pedal have been the ABS system working?

targettuning

Once again...long distance diagnosis doesn't work with subjective "feelings". You say the car vibrates and yes a 4 cylinder engine will make itself known by some vibration while idling especially in gear. So, the question is...is it really vibrating more than "normal" or are you especially sensitive to a normal thing? I don't know the answer to that one but motor mounts are seldom bad on a new car. You never did say if the motor mounts fixed it to your satisfaction. The basic answer is yes it is normal for a 4 cyl. to vibrate somewhat especially in gear and through the steering wheel...is your specific car vibrating more than normal??? Don't know.

anniemol

I was informed today that I am ultra sensitive. I guess it does vibrate a bit and that is something I have to get use to. Otherwise, I enjoy this car immensely.

risser09

She complained of vibrations in the gas peddle… not sure what's causing this, but I haven't tried to drive it yet to give you my own description. Anyone else have this problem? Should I call the dealer for an appointment?

anniemol

I have not noticed the gas pedal-just the steering wheel. Does she feel it vibrate?
I was informed that the 2007's do not have this.
After two visits and nothing done, I guess this is how it drives.

gemini29nc

:sick: :sick: I have a 2008 Civic EX-L Coupe with 14K miles and recently noticed the outside edge of the rear tires looked too worn. A few days Iater I noticed a thumping sound coming from the back. I took the car to have the tires rotated and balanced ( I thought maybe a weight came off ) and when the tires were moved to the front I could hardly drive my car home. I took it to the dealership where I bought my car and they promptly informed me that my car was not effected by the TSB for civics. I had no idea what they were talking about, I just thought the tires were bad or that I needed a rear end alignment. Well, needless to say Honda is NOT going to replace my tires or align my car. They say that this is caused by lack of rotation or that maybe I hit a pothole!! My car is 2000 miles past the warranty for an alignment so they wanted me to pay for that too. After further investigation, the wear pattern on the tires exactly matches the pictures in their bulletin for the 2006 & 2007 Civic. I guess the replacement of the control arms DID NOT fix this issue. Hopefully if enough people report the issue they will issue a Service Bulletin for the 2008 too............

targettuning

We have a 2006 EX sedan that also has just over 14K miles. Our tires have been rotated once in the fall (per the "maintainance minder" reminder). On Saturday I was checking the tire pressure in all four of them and while down on my knees and up close I noticed tire wear on the tires on the rear (formerly on the front). While not really bad I found myself thinking that tires with only 14,000 miles should not show ANY wear on a new car. I believe the outer edge was showing the most wear. I am aware of abnormal rear tire wear on 2006/07 and now maybe 08 Civics but didn't really notice any on ours (till now) I just breathed a sigh of relief that we weren't affected and never followed up on the particulars. So now maybe I should starting paying attention. Tell me about the TSB, describe the wear patterns, and tell me the official fix. Just one more reason to sell and I thank Honda for one good thing about this Civic...great resale value!!

gemini29nc

The service bulletin which I found posted on the internet by another civic owner says: Uneven tire wear caused by suspension geometry exhibits one of the following symptoms: a) Inner Edge wear: more wear is typically noticed more on the inner edge than the outer edge or b)"Diagonal wear lines: There are high and low spots on the tire which move diagonal across the tire". The bulletin shows pictures too. The official fix is to change the control arms and align the rear end and of course they will replace your tires(or adjust them according to your tread depth).
My tires have the diagonal wear across the tire, it feels like flat spots but you can clearly see the tread wear.

targettuning

Thanks for the information. I will have to take a closer look at the wear pattern to see if this is "normal" type wear or induced by faulty parts (the control arms). I still don't think tires on a new car should show visable wear @ 14K miles unless chronically under/over inflated or never rotated or you live in "the pothole capital of the world" and you hit every one. Maybe those Bridgestone's are junk...and I have read they aren't the best. Thanks again.

tysalpha

When the wipers are on intermittent mode, you will hear a faint click when they begin and end one cycle. It's a relay switch closing and opening the electrical circuit. If the click is at different times (mid-wipe), or if sounds more continuous -- like a broken switch that can't decide if it wants to be on or off -- then it could be a problem with the relay switch or the intermittent frequency dial.

Regarding the brake pedal shake -- I wonder if this is your ABS activating. This is the first lightweight, small car I've driven and I notice the ABS activates much more easily than on a heavier car -- especially when breaking and leading into a turn.

susk7

The same exact thing has happened to me. I have an 08 Civic EX, 20,000K. My car makes a noise that sounds like a bad bearing, and a humming roar at higher speeds. I also noticed a bit of a jumpy loss of control in the rear when it is slick out - almost like a gust of wind blew the back of my car very hard. I was informed by dealer about the Service Bulletin on 07 and 06. Beacuse I could not prove that I had rotated the tires and "there are a lot of potholes this year" (like a pothole would make both rear tires have abnormal wear), they say it's my problem. But it is the same problem, word for word as written in the TSB. The dealer told me that mine was the first reported for the 08 model, and if there were enough then they would issue a new TSB, and POSSIBLY put new tires on. I have a bumper to bumper warranty, and I asked them if new tires on a new car should wear like this, and they said not really, but you should have brought it in here to have the tires rotated. They did do an alignment at no charge.

momo0623

I purchased a 07 civic ex coupe and had vibration so bad when on the highway and took it to the dealer and they said the tires needed to be rotated...once rotated it did the same thing...over and over. The car started doing this at 3000K miles. Also I had thumping when I turned left...and the cd player had to be replaced twice before I just gave up and purchased a 08.

On that note with the 08 civic ex-l couple I am having the same issue with the vibration in the steering wheel on the high way and the funny thing is is that my car has the same miles on it when I noticed it in the 07. I'm not sure why it does this but it is really bothering in...

sandman46

Could someone e-mail me a copy of the Service Bulletin 08-001 about the irregular rear tire wear. Need it to bring to the dealer. Also, Honda just informed me that I need to have a safety recall done for the rear ABS wheel speed sensor. Something needs to be replaced. DAMN!
Any help with getting this copy would be greatly appreciated.

The Sandman

sandman46

Just filled out the complaint form and have an appointment for May 30th to have the safety recall performed and hopefully the service bulletin done also.
Thanks again all. Still need a copy of the bulletin, so if anyone can e-mail me the web site so I can copy it and bring it in so they can't say they've never heard of the thing.

The Sandman

gemini29nc

I have a copy of the bulletin but I am not sure where it is posted on the web.

sandman46

If someone could send it in a attachment, I could just open it and copy it. I really want to go into the service department with all the ammunition I might need to get this taken care of. It would be a great favor to me personally if someone who has it can get it to me.
T I A folks.

The Sandman

ivtec1

do all 2008 LX have this problem? how should i check for this problem in mine . has 2600miles on it. Rides good but i don't notice technical things. please help me diagnose

lore1

Link to TSB

http://www.sendspace.com/file/qz71y9

Earlier bulletin

http://showcase.netins.net/web/reptiles/stuff/Bulletin(VIII-10-07).pdf

regards,
Stan

sandman46

The link to the TSB came out so small when printed that it was unreadable no matter how I adjusted it. Any way you could send it again so it will copy in a more readable fashion?
Thanks.

The Sandman

ivtec1

took a look at that TSB. is it only for 06 and 07? is it applicable to 08? :confuse: :confuse:

justbeth

I recently purchased a 2008 Honda Civic. I love this car especially for commuting, however the AM on the Radio is bad. I know does anyone actually list to AM . . . Yes. If you live in So. California and commute the two main stations for news and traffic are on AM. Plus my kids like to list to Disney radio and its on AM.
The dealer put in a new radio but I am still having the problem. Any body else having this problem? Open for suggestion on how to fix this problem.

wi_dragon

I own a 98 civic LX, recently the passenger side cylinder stopped working. i took it into a mechanic and he told me it was clogged fuel injector, though he said the computer showed it working normally. I purchased 4 used injectors and replaced all of them. After that the same cylinder was out. I even replaced it with one that i know was good and that didn't help either. After double checking for spark, and putting a meter on to check for voltage I still can't find the problem. Now I can't even get it to start on the remaining 3 cylinders. Also i haven't driven it since I found out the fuel injector was bad. i just don't want to take it to another place and pay $140 for a bad diagnostic.

lweeks

I HAVE 3500 KL. ON & A/C BLOWS HOT ( 75 DEGREES ) I CAN NOT ALWAYS DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I GO TO MAX AIR THEN TO REGULAR AIR LLOYD IN KITCHENER ONTARIO

lweeks

@ 500 K/L I COMPLAINED & WAS TOLD BY DEALER( WATERLOO) THAT TIRES GO OUT OF ROUND IN THE PARKING STORAGE AREA,. @ 3500K/L THEY FINALLY REBALANCED ONE TIRE, IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE @ MY EXPENCE I GOT AN INDEPENDANT TO CHECK ALL TIRES & RIMS FOR RUN OUT & OUT OF ROUND. ALSO REBALANCED THE SAME TIRE. I HAVE 2 OUT OF ROUND TIRES THAT GOODYEAR WILL REPLACE. LLOYD

sandman46

Please use lower case when typing...you're screaming and it's also hard to read what you are saying.

The Sandman

hickoryc

We have not discovered any initial quality issues with our new Civic. I have purchased a lot of new vehicles, starting with 1965 Mustang Ragtop, which was flawless. '69 Volvo had the most. '71 Country Squire was fine. '79 Gran LeMans Safari had several. Moving forward, '04 Malibu Maxx had quite a few. I'd rather not get on first name basis with new car service manager and hope I don't get to know the Honda one. However, I would appreciate hearing from anyone knowing of common initial quality issues to look for. As I read, it appears that rear tires have been a 13,000 mile uneven wear issue.

sandman46

If this problem does crop up, show the damaged tires to the dealer before you swap them out...much more likely to change out the bad parts that way. I was stupid in that i didn't follow my own advice. Will be more vigilant with these new sneakers.

The Sandman

targettuning

While I can't speak for the 2008 Civic initial quality ( maybe Honda has improved) I can for the 2006 Civic I bought new an EX sedan automatic. There were numerous small but troubling issues with this car starting with both rear shocks needing to be replaced in the first 4,000 miles due to leak out. Then there were the numerous TSB's (technical service bulletins) that were issued by Honda to correct various noises and other issues (one of which, even though I know its number and can match it up to my cars symptoms I cannot get corrected because the service advisor "cannot hear the noise"). Finally our front driver seat cushion fabric wore out in less than 9,000 miles and the seat needed re-covered. I am now following the tire wear issue to see if our car qualifies for the TSB repairing the root cause for that. It gets great fuel economy though!!

ivtec1

all, do u guys feel hesitation when u floor the car? sometimes when i push down the accelerator to floor it,there is like a 1-2 sec delay and then the car engine booms and takes off like a jet. I feel a response delay between the accelerator and the engine during quick acceleration.what could be the problem? could it be the drive-by- wire? otherwise, the car runs,handles beautifully with good gas mileage (27 city)

hpoohh

i think i got the same issue, if i go easy, it's ok, but when i push more, it feels like fuel cut and back, not 1~2sec, more like 0.5sec or so. I am driving a stick shift so it's even more noticible as i usually already engaged the clutch at that moment.

ivtec1

oh ya sorry its not 1-2 sec. It is more like 1/2 a sec but anyways just wanna point out that YES there is a slight delay . I strongly think it is that stupid drive by wire thing. Pissing me off seriously. I noticed this when i wanted to floor it to clear intersection on yellow.

sandman46

Have the same situation with my '06 LX and also think the 1.8 engine is part of the problem. Our '05 Mazda 3sdoesn't suffer from this at all, but it has the 2.3 engine which overcomes this particular malady. Funny, as the wife just asked me about an hour ago to finally drive my Civic to see if she could live with the weaker engine in her next car. Have been telling her for months that it'll be a problem for her to do this, as she's used to that seemless burst of power when needed and she won't be happy with the smaller less torquey engine.
But I've felt that slight hesitation in the Civic since day one, but have learned to live with it. thus the only drawback of the car for me...so I'm still really happy with this choice.

The Sandman

xxy

My 2008 will run the strip at 120mph also it gets 40 mpg,

backy

At the same time? :surprise:

anniemol

Hi
I have a 2008 civic lx sedan MT with under 6000 miles on it. This is the 3rd time my gears lock/get stuck. Yesterday, I had to have it towed to the dealership. The only gear that worked was reverse. Any suggestions? The tow person said I should ask for a new car-this should not happen on a new one! HELP!!!

ivtec1

anniemol: take it to the dealer and use the warranty.

Sandman: I believe the 1.8engine is fine but i think its not tuned right to have that immediate burst of power. They probably did this to increase gas mileage but i too have learned to drive this vehicle the ways it wants me to drive. I am not a lead foot btw. The real power of this vehicle lies in the high RPMs

xxy

I would like to know if any other 08 Civic owners have noticed the A/C not cooling when set at the normal setting. You can switch to max and it cools fine. This car has about 2000 miles on it now and I am concerned the unit may be defective. In addition I am thinking of adding 21 inch rims and tires to improve the mpg's. Thanks

sandman46

Don't add those rims...the ride will suffer and the mileage won't increase. Not worth the $ or aggravation. I've learned to also live with the quirks of the 1.8 engine. But was totally blown away by the '08 Sentra CVT that I drove today. Incredible power and seemless shifting made this car as blast to drive. Great suspension made for a very smooth ride on all road imperfections. Wish this was available back in '06 when I got my Civic...would've made that choice more difficult.

The Sandman

targettuning

Regarding the AC, I see 2008's are the same as our 2006 which does not cool when idling at a stop and seems somewhat anemic (depending on the ambient temperature) at slow speeds as well. This issue was beat to death by the owners of 2006's when they came out right here (on this site) with many returning them to the dealer for examination only to be pronounced as "normal". I think this behavior IS normal. Not exactly what I want in A.C. opperation but normal just the same.

velde

Thought I had finally made a decision in favor of the 2008 Civic over the Toyota Corolla; all of these recent discussions regarding A/C and tire wear, make me think I'm wiser to lease the Civic for a few years and give the darn thing back. Hopefully Honda will address these problems with the necessary corrections in the future. So I'm interested Civic owners - if you had it to do over - would you?

sandman46

The Sandman

targettuning

A resounding...NO!!! They are well into the 2008 model year and I see evidence that many of the problems on our 2006 are still around. Honda has had several years to address these basic problems. AC not working well in a 2008 car ?? come on this is a BASIC system and most especially when this seems to be the same operation as in 2006. Per CR the Civic has fallen off its throne as the highest rated car in the class. Whether you feel CR is the best (or even one of the better) sources of automobile information (and I do) this is significant news. The king is dead..long live the king......

ivtec1

every car(my 2008 lx) has its quirks. For the civic- cheap seat fabrick in lx model, slight hesitation when u stomp on the accelerator, some road noise, poor stereo(really!).

PRos:5*SAFETY ,looks,interior,i-VTEC, handling, the "feel" of a spacecraft!, maintainance free (3,200 city miles so far for me), effortless to drive and the BEST OF ALL GAS MILEAGE! i am getting 27-28city!!!.

Corolla (2009Le)i believe is a nice car too but it has its quirks too. so far, rattles, cheap interior(civic too), and steering correction problems. Just test drive and see what u like!
In short, ya i would by the civic again(for cheaper price :P ) sentra, focus looks ugly to me but corolla might give civic some test.

ivtec1

my 2008lx A/C is is cold on normal. sorry to hear that

sandman46

My a/c works just fine in all conditions and the car drives like a bigger car. Was impressed with the new Sentra we drove on Sunday...looks wise the Civic is hands down a much more modern look. The Sentra's side view mirrors have a very strange shape so it's really hard to see properly out of them. Much prefer the larger Civic mirrors...safer too.
Did see a new '08 model with a very recent build date. When does Honda switch over to the new model year?

The Sandman

sparkland

The only problem we have with our 2008 Civic EX, is the rear headroom. If you are 6 ft. tall you will have to tilt your head or slouch. Not sure if it is the same in the 2009 Corolla.

Brad

ivtec1

my dad came home and said his co-worker who owns a 2007 civic had a TSB for breaks can this be true? are there any problems with the breaks or switches for 2008? also so far i have not seen any tire wear(3,200miles) so should i do that TSB that everybody talks about :confuse: :confuse: ?

shipo

Them's the brakes, errr, is it breaks?

FWIW, I'm going to cut you a break and explain to you that the thinga-ma-jigs on your car that slow it down are brakes. Cool? :shades:

ivtec1

sorry brakes :P . I don't find anything wrong with the brakes though, but just wanna make sure