Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Brought my car in for service because it was starting to "judder" again. Mainly when I have passengers in the car. Nothing constant but I remember that this is how the initial problem started when I first noticed the judder.
I wasn't planning on bringing in the car until the judder got worse since they just worked on my car a few months back and the dealership had refinished my burnishings to eliminate the judder. It worked but it's starting to haunt me once again.
The main reason I brought the car in was that my check engine light turned on with the IMA light as well. This happened before but I had a friend in a dealership reset the code so by the time I brought it into the dealership that was going to diagnose, the error code was no longer in the computer history. I was in a panick since the battery pack could cost as much as $8k if it was out of warranty. Luckily, it was still within the 150k mile limit.
Judder is still there but I was told that the new judder was caused by the faulty battery that they replaced.... that it was going away with the new battery. STILL there but I would just have to wait until it gets a bit more pronounced so they can feel the difference too.
Needles to say we are on our 4th trans: the 1st & 2nd were under mfg warranty, when the 2nd replaced (because my wife contacted Honda of America the "Case Carrier" at American Honda was very nice & understood this is not "normal" so he extended the warranty to 6yrs or 75,000 miles. Now at 105, XXX miles we are done with Honda!!! The current "Case Carrier" is a snide, rude, arrogant SOB. We have begun a personal campaign to get this resolved or tell as many people as we can that this product (Civic Hybrid) is a piece of junk.
I know it is not all of them but, come on 4 TRANSMISSIONS! Someone there should step up & either replace the car or warranty this 4th one for another 75,000.
My wife & I are pretty easy going but this is so irritating, we are not able to get any help from American Honda. The dealer is going to do his best but if anyone has a similar story or good contacts to help please let us know & to ALL who read this BEWARE the Honda "reputation for reliability" is GONE!!
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :mad:
Never again will I buy a Hybrid or a Honda for that matter!
I had the exact same problem with my IMA battery. Did your check enginge and IMA light go on when this happened? There was an error code and it's usually 1433 and it has to do with a "faulty battery." You might want to check another dealer since mine was replaced by the dealer with NO CHARGE. Apparently, Honda extended the warranties on these batteries for 10 years and up to 150k miles. I was actually lucky because I have a 2004 HCH with almost 150k when the problem occured. I hope this helps.
Good Luck!!!
When I offered the '03 for the trade in, they told me that it was basically worthless. He showed me a list of things that are wrong with that model year. Not only transmission, but something about deceleration and steering! He said it could never be properly fixed, they won't sell used 03's on their lots, and it would just be sent to auction if I traded it in. They offered me a price of $5500, you know, just to be nice. (the car would be worth $9,000 if it weren't for the design flaws.) They wouldn't give me any real deal on a new one, either.
The Toyota place gave us a much better trade-in price, and I THINK they know these are problem cars. But they gave us a much more fair shake than Honda in spite of it. And we have a new Prius! So far, so good.
I would advise anyone not to buy a used '03 HCH.
Oh, and my friend's husband has an '04 HCH. I asked him how it was doing. Guess what? He just had to have his transmission replaced! This is UNbelievable! :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
I mean there are no perfect vehicles they all have flaws...so Im being patient especially since this is the 1st incident.
http://forums.automobilemag.com/70/6556907/technical-discussion/2003-honda-odyss- ey-transmission-problems/index.html
Please refrain from making those kind of posts. Thanks!
I reposted within the guidelines (no names / numbers). Maybe you could re-post here or on the other forum so we all can get the info you were trying to share. The other forum will permit all the info to be posted.
Over the last 2 years I have been to the dealer many times. I was mostly told that the noise is "normal for hybrids" or that they all "have less pick up" or that the tech "couldn't reproduce the problem/sound." I am no mechanic, but I am also no fool. That's why I haven't stopped bothering them about it. I KNOW that a transmission (especially HONDA!?) should NOT be slipping at 80,000 miles (or at 60,000, which is what is about what it had when I bought it and started noticing the tranny was crappy).
I have the Honda Care Gold warranty 3/36k and so far I'm pleased to say that I've paid nothing for the problems, except for my time and stress. They've flushed the trans a bunch and "Barnished" the clutch or valves, barnished something. Sometimes after "Fixing" my car I would drive off the lot and hear the same "JUDDER" and feel slippage ON MY WAY HOME... even AFTER the tech who JUST DROVE IT "couldn't hear any sound"
I did finally tell the tech to get in my car and drive with me and then tell me that he couldn't hear a noise. I knew they were lying to my face and I started to get really angry and suspicious that there was a way bigger problem they were trying not to deal with. After a 5 minute drive around the block he admitted to me that there was a Judder that was probably a transmission problem. That's when I finally got them to do the "barnishing" thing, which I don't know what it is, but it doesn't work!
This time they tried telling me that they had "Barnished" it and flushed it out and that I could come pick it up. I told them NO WAY was I picking it up again if that's all they did. That they are the ONLY ones who I've had service the vehicle and that they should look up what they've done and stop doing the same things that don't work and give me a new transmission or transmission pack or SOMETHING to FIX it, not just PATCH IT UP until my warranty expires (next summer). I also told them that I had a year left of the warranty and that I was going to take it in every week and call them every day if I had to until they corrected THEIR BAD TRANSMISSION. I know that it's not necessarily the dealer's fault that the car's transmission sucks, but HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS POSTED A BULLETIN ABOUT IT, so there's NO REASON that ANY dealership shouldn't know about it and try to fix it. I believe that they do try to AVOID FIXING it at all costs. Including lying to people they think wont know.
Honda should be ashamed of the 2003 Civic Hybrid (and from what I've read, the other years too), BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THE WAY THEY ARE HANDLING IT'S PROBLEMS!!!!!
I am at a loss.
I really do love my car. But I feel that it's not worth this stress and hassle. I wish I had done more research and made a more informed decision. I wish that the dealer had told me about the bulletin and that the car may have problems. I guess their job is to sell it, who cares about what happens after that, right? I really understand why it was on the used lot already after only being 3 years old... that's when the warranty ran up for the original owner, and they got out when they could. I feel like I have to keep the car, since I can't sell it for what I still owe. But I am also in FEAR of what may be to come. a $5,000 battery in a couple years? a brand NEW TRANSMISSION AGAIN in another 10,000 or 20,000 miles when I have no warranty?? It's really terrible to have purchased a nice car, my first "real" car, hoping that it would last me through grad school and that I could be green and save some money at the same time... only to realize that I am dealing with a :lemon:
EVERYONE NEEDS TO CONTACT HONDA IF THEY HAVE THIS PROBLEM we need to unite with our bad transmissions and tell Honda to shove them up their butts!
Dealer replaced Brake pedal switch as per Recall, said it would fix the lock-up problem, but it didn't. Engine is continuing to rev high; smelling something hot; battery is not being charged when brakes are applied (even when battery is at 2 or 3 bars); gas mileage is lower than ever before; and often getting stuck in park. Despite all this, not a single warning light has come on, and the dealer says everything is working to factory specs, according to the diagnostic computers.
What was the outcome of your experience in Sept 2007 -- was the dealer able to resolve the problem?
I took it in last week and they knew why I was back. They ended up replacing the CVT transmission lower valve body and recalibrated the start clutch and reprogrammed the ECM per a bulletin from Honda. He said this should have been done months ago when I had it in last time but Honda was trying different things. Tranny seems to be running fine and they also ensured they put in the new CVT fluid as well. Hope this helps someone that there is an HCH with minimal issues. Hopefully Honda will clear it up eventually.
Since no warning lights appeared, and diagnostic computers detected no problems, our dealer was not able to pinpoint the cause directly. As each of those systems ran through the main computer, they tried replacing the computer to see what would happen. Problems solved.
Jack4367
My 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid only had 3,000 mile on it when it started to jerk me and the family around. Today it has about 18,000 miles and I've had two maintenance services as recommended.
I will add on to the message left by one blogger noting their observations in quotation marks and adding my text immediately after with a car icin before text :shades: :
"At an absolute minimal amount of throttle, not quite off the pedal, the power train seems to flicker, indecisively between two levels causing a mild, but unavoidably noticeable bucking". Yes, I have had the same issue, but also at highway speeds (65/70 MPH) with the cruise control engaged.
"Give it some throttle, the bucking stops instantly. Hit the brake, the bucking stops quickly, not instantly". :mad: Yes, but the last time this occurred my Civic was bucking and jerking so violently (my 20 year old Son was with me) the only way to stop it was to shift into "Sport Mode" and hit the brakes. I'm talking about our heads down to our waists lines were jerking back and forth. I have scheduled it for a check up tomorrow August 28, and I'll let you know what they find. I have been told by one Honda dealership they have never heard anything like this, and by another that it's somewhat common, but the cause is not known!
"Neither air temperature nor engine temperature seem to matter. There is no noise associated with the bucking. The only unusual noise I've ever noticed is a clattering sound, which on any other car I'd say the valves are out of adjustment (this is the only car I've owned that was less than say 15 years old). The sound continues to worsen, the mechanics say it's normal, they're wrong, but I'm digressing." Yes, you were digressing (emotional issue), but Yes I agree temp's don't seem to matter (I line in MI and purchased in November 07, and it's nice and toasty here during the summer (mid 70's to high 80's) and it still jerks and bucks.
"So is this the 'bucking' everyone is talking about, with EGR valves and transmission failures?” I have not gotten that far yet, but I hope it's a simple fix because I really like my car and plan to keep it.
"Anyone with such a problem check into switching to the manual tyranny?" I was not aware the 2008 Civic Hybrid has a manual option?
I would hope Honda corporate has someone monitoring this blog (generally they do) so they can work on damage control, or rather determine a fix. We all know it's hard for a company to admit there's a problem for fear of the infamous "RECALL", or damaging the products image in the market place.
I have an 03' Honda Civic Hybrid and all the sudden the IMA battery went down and we brought it to the dealer cause they told us the warranty was 10 year 150,000 miles and then when we got it to them they said it was only 150,000 in California. I was just gonna try to get rid of it cause they told me there is nothing i could do and it would cost me around 10k to fix!!!
I now read this and it makes me think I can have honda do something about this since i basically bought a dud. do you have any advice for me???
thanks!
them having your car that long- they should be providing a free rental car. in addition you should not have to pay for any labor, parts, shipping, or storage costs.
i'm kind of a [non-permissible content removed], but the squeaky (and bitchy) wheels get oiled first. i just told them it was unacceptable and how humiliated honda should be for even releasing the car. that it's bad enough that i'm stuck with it, the least they can do is replace things that were designed poorly by THEM. it's nothing we did wrong, as customers we should not have to pay for faulty manufacturing/engineering. if i went back to get my car and it still wasn't better i told them "i'm leaving it here until you fix it. your company made it. i refuse to buy that "everything is fine" and i really don't appreciate their technicians insulting my intelligence."
just refuse to pay anything.
also, depending on what car it is, there were some class action law-suits regarding the hch. unfortunately mine was not included. but i've gotten some notices about recalled parts or whatever. they try to keep it quiet and charge some of their more naive customers, but they have documentation from honda corporate mandating them to pay for any repairs due to the known defects.
good luck!!! i have just gotten used to driving with less than full battery power. sad, but there's no point in selling it and getting a different car. and i still get VERY good gas mileage. my "maint required" light is on the first 30 seconds the car is running. i'll hopefully get in to check that out soon. though i'm not rushing in anymore- at this point i feel i can diagnose things better by feel and sound myself than those techs can, and they always keep the car forever and dirty it up w/their greasy hands and oily boots.
:lemon:
1: with the car off and key out of ignition push and hold MPG change putton
2: insert key and turn key to "on" position (do not start the car, just turn ignition on so the dash lights come on), while still holding the MPG button down
3: after about 10 or so seconds the "maint req" light will flash and go out
4: once it's out you can turn car off and you are done. message is now reset.
Nothing wrong with your car, just reminding you to go to the dealer and waste your money.
i had 125,000 miles on it. the first sign of problems was my battery wasnt charging up after turning it off and i would come in and it took multiple tries to get it goin. and it was all down hill from there. and no, it wont operate without the IMA
they would've charged me @ least $120 to "see what's wrong" jesus! honda's reputation is going to the dogs. i bought a honda for the alleged 'reliability'- i'm doing more research on other manufacturers and models next time i buy a car. my trust in honda has been COMPLETELY lost.
:lemon:
being a [non-permissible content removed] comes in real handy for stuff like this. so if you're not a [non-permissible content removed], i suggest you practice BEFORE you go in to the dealership. i myself am proud to be a demanding [non-permissible content removed], and i have gotten my problems fixed for about 2 1/2 years now without every giving honda a single red cent.
now, of course the car is a dud in the first place. even all the fixing you can do wont change the fact that the cars were built like crap- so the same problems will keep happening as the new parts get worn and broken by the poor design. but as long as they know you're not taking any of their [non-permissible content removed], they are usually pretty quick to hook you up with some new parts. and a rental (FREE OF COURSE!) while they are doing all repairs.
one time they tried to get me to pick up the car saying that everything was normal. i told them not to insult my intelligence. that i knew damn well it was the cvt and that millions of other HCH owners had the same problems. i told them the car was theirs until it ran properly. and then i demanded a loaner car since it had already been a few days and obviously they weren't making it a priority. i left with the loaner and picked up my car a week later- no noises to speak of. though it's been some months since then and it's starting to feel a little "slippy" or "bucky" on acceloration and breaking. so i will have to go [non-permissible content removed] again. but like i said, better to keep getting it fixed than to wait for a HUGE breakdown that could kill you or others on the road!!
ANYONE READING THIS THAT DOESN'T OWN AN HCH- DO NOT BUY ONE!!!
(i love my car, but NEVER EVER would have bought it if i knew then what i know now)
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
good luck! i'm thinking happy thoughts for both (all) of us!!!!!!!
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
If not, post your email address and it will be sent to you.
I have had repeated similar experiences with the various Honda Service folks here in CT...regarding the CVT transmission slipping issue denial. Not one service manager I've spoken with will admit any knowledge to a problem or extended warrantee of any kind.
With the Honda minivan transmission failures, my wife purchased a new Toyota Sienna instead with good result save the run flat tire fiasco (Toyota's in denial about that issue as well)...With a new teenage driver in the queue, I'll be looking for a new Hybrid sedan very soon...Honda may not make the cut, given their response to their responses to the two major transmission debacles over the last 7 years.
Regards,
Bob
rich
Honda should be buying me a new car by now since I have had so many problems with the engine and other parts in the car. Screw good as mileage - I have WELL paid for anything I have saved by having to pay for repairs. I am still only in the lower 90G's in mileage. They apparently only extend the warranty on the expensive stuff to an 8year/80,000 miles and then lie and say you have a 10year-100,000 mile warranty. 100K warranty was what we signed up for!!!!!! We were shocked and extremely angry when everything stopped working at 80,000 miles!!!!!!
Here is the post: "I have a Honda Civic Hybrid. I have the first year - 2003 and bought it in 2002. I was told how to drive it to receive the best gas mileage. (Don't take off too fast, let it coast more often, etc --things you want to already do in ANY vehicle). I received better than the sticker for the first couple years (in the lower 50's average), after the third and fourth year, it dropped to lower 40's and now from the 5th year until now is in the lower 30's. I have had MAJOR issues with the car though. I have had at least 4-5 DOZEN trips to the honda dealer for them to replace something that costs thousands of dollars to replace down to a few hundred dollars to replace. The transmission went out in the 30G's, the catalytic converter (1100 to replace) is bad now and the IMA system which is the 180 volt battery that recharges, giving it the "hybrid" name (around 3000 to replace) had to be replaced and was already bad for some time. I also had to replace the actual 12-volt battery twice. Several other things were recalled softwarewise that were done free but would have been charged labor if I didn't have the extended warranty. Also, the SRS light (seatbelt retention system) has been on for 50,000 miles and Honda has tried fixing the problem at least a dozen times itself - it still is not fixed even now. This concerns me because it means either the seatbelts won't lock when they need to or the airbags won't deploy at all (maybe even when your life depends on it). Other things have had to be replaced as well - I had to get American Honda Care involved because of so many problems. I am wondering how many others out there have had any of the problems I mentioned. And yes - Honda DOES sell the car based on the MPG here in KC, MO. They use it ONLY as the selling point since people here drive alot - most don't care about emissions - they just want good gas mileage - which is why they told us how to drive the vehicle to get the best mileage possible. Many things drop the gas mileage down on the hybrid and at a higher rate than any other type of car."