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Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • madirishman1madirishman1 Member Posts: 15
    I really don't know what people here expect from a vehicle that goes for a price in the mid-teens. If you want flawless engineering, spend somewhere in the vicinity of $50,000 for an Acura, BMW, or Mercedes. Every new vehicle is going to have bugs. There are some nagging issues with my '01 LX Sedan, but then I ask myself what excactly I am complaining about. I have over 14,000 miles on my Civic and it runs cherry. Not one single SIGNIFICANT problem. Why don't you all go out and buy a Focus? Then you can see what customer dissatisfaction is all about.
  • fxashunfxashun Member Posts: 747
  • madirishman1madirishman1 Member Posts: 15
    Even the so-called "perfect" German automobiles have problems. You all should be so lucky to have a Civic.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Even the bashers realize that no car is perfect.

    Misery does like company however, and these boards are a good place for unhappy people to meet and share tales of woe...
  • madirishman1madirishman1 Member Posts: 15
    I know what you mean. The Honda service manager here is known as the "Maytag Man" to the Honda owners. The Volkswagen, Subaru and BMW managers' lines for service seem to be a lot longer... :)
  • brorjacebrorjace Member Posts: 588
    Mudd, I only reach underneath my car to get at the drain plug so I use a large floor jack and don't bother with stands. Obviously, no one is going to officially recommend you do this but even if the car drops, no part of me is going to get crushed. I get at the oil filter from above.

    There are oil discussions on this forum but don't feel bad using any SL oil in 5W30 ... or if you live where it's unbearably hot, 10W30. Brand shouldn't matter that much but I'm partial to Valvoline.

    Honda OEM filters used to be really good ... but the good ones (made-in-USA) are slowly disappearing and being replaced with made-in-Canada filters wich are actually Frams in disguise. Purolator Pure-One filters are really good and easy to find.

    Us the end-cap type wrench (made by K-D Tools) that fits the filter and uses a 3/8" ratchet as a handle. You might need more than one size of these. I have 3 for all my vehicles.

    You should replace that drain plug washer every time. For times when I don't have a new one, I flip the old one around the other way and re-install it.

    --- Bror Jace
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    Most of the codes we see on the older SRS units are control unit power failures. With most being caused by a slow cranking and or dead battery giving off a low voltage signal to the control unit. To find out have the code cleared by a scan tool and see if the light comes back on. Good luck
  • yettibuttyettibutt Member Posts: 98
    Hello, I am in the market to purchase a used Honda Civic. I will be buying either a 94 or 95 EX 2-door, most likely a 5-spd (having a hard time finding autos). I was hoping some of you could provide some tips on what to look for or what are some of the common problems with these vehicles. My wife had a 90 Accord LX so I have some familiarity with Hondas and working on them. The Civics that I am looking at have between 70 and 100K miles on them. This will be a commuter/around town vehicle. Thanks in advance!
  • rfruthrfruth Member Posts: 630
    I have a 00 Civic (it's been great) but need a tube of metallic silver paint, anyone have some they want to get rid of ? http://web2.airmail.net/rfruth/
  • carguy62carguy62 Member Posts: 545
    Go to one of the on-line parts suppliers. Only a few bucks. I've had good experiences with http://www.hondapartsforyou.com
  • fxashunfxashun Member Posts: 747
    Same as a 94-95. When you buy it make sure the inside of the valve cover is clean. And as with most cars check for accidents.
    When you buy it, put it in a reputable shop and have a thorough going over done on it.
    I've bought a LOT of used Hondas and blah blah blah
    Just check the CV's, timing belt, belts, and brakes. There aren't any real glowing issues with Civics just maintenance. Mine loves regular trips to redline with 140K on it. You'll love your Civic.
  • misscrismisscris Member Posts: 2
    Hello,

    My Civic just started stalling every so often in town when I shift into 2nd or 3rd. I runs good on a 90 mile trip and back.

    Now its a bit hard to start too.It seems ok other wise, I had a tune up a while back.

    I hate to sound really stupid but I am a college student and on a budget and wonder if this is a common probelm? A local mechanic said he can't find the reason.

    I appreciate any help at all or suggestions. Thanks in advance!

    cris
  • misscrismisscris Member Posts: 2
    Sorry , it is a wagon, not a hatchback ...doh
  • yettibuttyettibutt Member Posts: 98
    Well I picked up my 94 Civic EX coupe last night, the owners are the originals, had receipts for the major stuff. Has 92K on it, timing belt, fuel pump and 1 CV boot were changed at 77K. So im good to go in that dept. for a good while. It drives great, I will be doing sparkplugs, wires, rotor, cap, fuel and air filters at the next oil change to make sure everything is new and I will have a baseline to go off of. The airfilter looked new when I checked this morning, and he said the spark plugs were changed about 1 year ago but I think I will do it anyway to be safe. Thing runs great and everything works. Glad I bought it, much better to commute in than my Jeep Cherokee! Any thought on going to synthetic motor oil at this mileage? I run it in my wife's 2000 Jetta and run it in my 2000 Cherokee, but both were switched with less than 20K. I have heard the stories and urban legends on this subject and don't want to start a leak fest, but I truley believe that syn is much better to use. Your thoughts?
  • brorjacebrorjace Member Posts: 588
    Yettibutt,
    I have a '95 DX Coupe 5-speed. At 77K, I think you're safe for a switch to a synthetic motor oil but Mr. Detailer may be right that Val Max-Life is a better oil for the money ... and safer for a high-mileage vehicle. My best friend has switched all of his Civics over to this stuff including the '96 he just got for his wife.

    If the tranny oil hasn't been changed recently, I recommend you get 2 quarts of Red Line MTL and use that stuff. Great all around shifting but especially on cold mornings.

    The problems with these cars are minor ones like body creaks in really cold weather and not so minor ones like head gaskets. Might not be a bad idea to do a leak-down test or at least look for the tell-tale signs of head gaskets that are going.

    Listen for CV joint noise. A clicking or knocking sound while turning at low speed (in gear) maybe CVs or axles ... or both. Mine are loud and have been loud for a couple of years but I'm at 113,000 hard miles and they're still hangin' in there.

    On cold start-up, you might here a 'knocking' noise. This is a minor problem called piston slap which will go away when the car gets warmed up. I switched to Red Line synthetic 5W30 and this noise went away. >:^) Other synthetics had no effect on this noise.

    For spark plugs, use OEM NGKs. Others, even the exotic ones, don't seem to work as well.

    If you live in a salt-ridden area, expect to replace your exhaust in the next year, year and a half. $300-500 including labor if you use quality parts.

    I love my silly little Civic. I hope you enjoy yours. >;^)

    --- Bror Jace
  • yettibuttyettibutt Member Posts: 98
    Another question/concern. The 94 Civic EX Coupe I just bought has one issue that is bothering me. The 5-speed shifts very smoothly but has one oddity. From a start, it is VERY difficult to get it to pull away without a lot of shuttering. I can do it sometimes, but it really vibrates badly. All the other gears both up and down shift smooth as silk. Could this be a bad motor or tranny mount? My wife's Jetta is a stick so Its not my lack of driving skills. The previous owner had the clutch master and slave cylinders changed about 1 year ago for I don't know why, I should have asked. The motor runs very smoothly. Help!
  • phelpsgphelpsg Member Posts: 15
    The speedometer on my 94 Civic EX jumps around at times but not all the time. Sometimes it will jump around while stopped at a light. Since the car is not moving when this happens, I'm thinking it must be a faulty vehicle speed sensor rather than a problem with the speedometer head. Has anyone had a similar problem.

    Any help would be appreciated.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    After defective mounts, the most common cause of clutch shudder is oil from an engine rear seal or trans front seal contaminating the clutch disc. Are there any drips under the car?
  • yettibuttyettibutt Member Posts: 98
    I haven't noticed a leak, but I will crawl under it today and give it a carefull look. Would this only cause shuttering staring in first gear or all through the gears? I bet its a mount, Im going to have it looked at a good shop that I know.
  • devoredevore Member Posts: 39
    I don't know much about clutches, but isn't clutch shudder from a standstill indicative of a worn-out clutch? You said that the master and slave cylinders were replaced recently - is this the equivalent of "having the clutch replaced?"

    I just remember when I owned my 87' Accord that it seemed to shudder a lot when starting from a stop, and it went away after having the clutch replaced (whatever that means, exactly.) After the clutch was replaced, the car almost seemed to want to jump of the line.
  • devoredevore Member Posts: 39
    While washing my car yesterday I noticed two smallish gouges in the back bumper of my '01 EX... looks like the type of thing that happens when people can't learn how to drive their car and use the "pull forward until you run into the other person's car and then back up" parallel parking method.

    Does anyone have any suggestions on how to repair this kind of minor damage? The bumper is plastic and the gouge is deep enough that the black plastic is exposed, but is rough around the edge of the scratch. What's the best way to smooth this out and cover the black plastic?
  • yettibuttyettibutt Member Posts: 98
    The master/slave cylinders are put of the hydraulic clutch system in the Civic, but are not the "clutch" itself. The "clutch" is made up of a pressure plate and clutch disk, this is what actually mate together to allow the motor/tranny to connect and gives power to the wheels. There is no slippage what so ever which is DEFINATELY a key sign that your clutch is worn out.
  • pvillapvilla Member Posts: 12
    Hi everyone, I'm just curious to know if anybody with 2001ex is having a knocking noise
    coming from what I think is the front drivers side brake/suspension. I'm about to take it in to have it checked,it happens usually at low speeds when i'm coming to a stop going less than
    10MPH .Also, I hear almost the same sound except its louder, coming from the passengers side
    when I pass through a deep dip at speeds of 30-40MPH.
    My car will probably hit 10000miles today,could this just be suspension parts that may be loose?? What are the chances Honda service will charge me for any work?
    I definently don't abuse the car(its my first new one),drive to work,babysitter,and gym but I do live in the NYC area and do feel that the crappy roads are contributing to my problem.
    I guess i'm fearing Honda will tell me that and not cover any repairs.

    P.S. TO DEVORE POST#1087--- I've noticed the same damm thing,but city driving will do that to bumpers.My advice would be to get some touch up paint and maybe have it completly painted when your ready to sell it or return it from lease. Trying to fix it like new would probably be a waste of time and money since there's bound to be more people hitting the bumper some more.. at least around NYC there is..
  • yleecoyoteyleecoyote Member Posts: 32
    Okay, I've lurked around here and the Y2K1 Civic site for a few days, reading most of the postings. This message is about a few problems that I've had with my Civic, but hopefully will also enlighten some of those coming here looking for reasons not to buy a Civic. I aplologize for the length ahead of time, but I am not here for a dialog, to offer you the "fix" for your problem (looks like you are fortunate that you have a few good mechanics monitoring this board), but maybe to provide another angle to look at some of the problems that are posted here.

    My car:
    2001 Civic EX 5 Speed, Nighthawk Black
    Build date April 2001
    Previous Cars: 1967 Mustang, 1978 Fiat X\19, 1979 Honda Wagon, 1966 Mustang, 1983 Jeep CJ7, 1978 Ford Ranchero, 1972 Porsche 914, 1992 Ford Probe, 1994 Ford Probe.
    Purpose for stating the above, Cars are not universal, each has its purpose and does some things better than others.

    Purpose for buying the Civic: Relatively high fuel mileage, reliability, adequate horsepower, decent styling, comfortable and fun to drive.

    Present situation: daily commute, all Interstate 190 miles round-trip 5 days a week.

    Present mileage: 26,000 since buying new in mid-July 2001.

    Driving habits: Shift at 3000 RPM when cold or driving around town, Shift at 3500 except 4th to 5th when entering Interstate take 4th up to 4000 RPM for merging. Cruise at 76 MPH, about 3700 RPM in 5th. Up to 80 as needed to clear traffic. Rarely if ever over 4000 RPM, never up to 5000.

    Fule mileage: lowest seen since new, 32MPG, highest 38. Difference, around town with Airconditioner versus heater only mostly Interstate. Most of the time, right at 35MPG.

    Goal: Car must last 5 years, 250,000 miles. (Commute is 50,000 miles a year)

    Expectations: Half shafts and CV joints greater than 100,000 miles, Clutch 200,000 miles. Rotating accessories (Alternator, Air Conditioning compressor, etc) 150 to 200,000 miles.
    Engine 250,000 miles.

    Maintenance: All dealer. Oil changed at 5000 mile intervals (dealer includes free wash and vacuum with the $24.99 price for the oil change). Wash is also included with any other service. All maintenance performed as listed in the owner's manual.

    Changes: Swapped the Firestones for Michelin X Plus at 6000 miles. Why?, obviously better tires and I have more confidence in them. I've run only Michelins for 23 years, coincidentally, the same amount of time that I've worked for Michelin. :).

    Problems: Third taillight rattle, Missing screw from mud flap. Both of these have been dealt with twice, latest time last week.
    Slight vibration with the Firestones felt in the steering wheel after 5000 miles at speeds greater than 70mph. Dealer didn't duplicate, I didn't pursue due to knowledge that it was tire related and I had already planned the Michelin switch.

    Dealer: Midlands Honda, Columbia SC.

    Why this dealer?: Time is precious to me, was able to negotiate via E-mail. After firming up ALL!!! cost for the purchase, walked in with a pre-approved Credit Union loan. Dealer beat the financing by 0.1%, so financed through the dealer.

    Thoughts on the deal: Very pleased once I arrived at the dealer, test drove, picked the car I wanted. While it was prepped, finished up all the paperwork. Sales agent explained all the features, we drove to the filling station and I departed with a full tank of gas.

    After the sale: Pleased with all service. Some differences noticed between the owners manual service intervals and the dealer. An example 15,000 mile service I expected more than an oil change but dealer only did the oil change and informed me that 20,000 would be the more detailed service. When I called for the 20,000 I was asked if I didn't mean the 15,000 that they had no record of! Brief discussion, followed up with an E-mail and everything is alright with the world. Lesson learned; Be more specific, I'll put copies of the owners manual service in the drop-off envelope noting that is the service that I expect. Not a major deal, I don't think they are all idiots and we have a workable solution. If it becomes unworkable, I'll check out one of the three other dealers in the area of my commute.

    Thoughts on other problems: If it is under warranty, let the dealer deal with it! Don't make enemies there. If you can't handle the discussion in person, do so in writing. If the dealer refuses and you think that you have a point, start documenting times, places, people talked to etc. and build your case. Kindly ask the dealer the next level of appeals and stay in the Honda system. If you're not satisfied, calmly take it to the next level and keep documenting. In this manner if you never get satisfaction and you still have issues, you are ready for small claims court and beyond.

    Fuel gauge: Mine suffered from premature empty, light on, needle below "E" and stayed there through a couple of stops and starts. When filled only took a little over 10 gallons. A little disconcerting, mentioned it to service they queried regarding the condition (yes, it did first indicate this way after parking on a hill, but subsequently it was parked level) and ordered a new fuel sending unit. I was notified about a week later that the part was in, but it hadn't acted up so I decided not to have it changed. Since then it has been okay, usually when the light comes on it takes a little over 11 gallons to fill it up.
    Am I concerned since I'm about out of warranty? No, I reset the "A" trip odometer each time I fill up and know that when I reach 400 miles it is time to consider stopping. Not a big deal.
    Did you ever drive one of the big ole Fords? They went forever with the hand above "F", but when it started dropping, it fell like a rock!

    Thoughts in general:
    This is an economy car! It is a nice economy car, but remember it is an economy car. If you want Porsche handling, Rolls Royce ride, Ferrari horsepower, it is just not here.
    I'm not sure what should be expected for $15,000 to $16,000 other than solid basic transportation with some handling, some horsepower and some decent ride quality.
    It appears that Honda has fixed the problems as they have been identified and solutions found.
    But, the key is that they must be identified and that is where the dealer\customer interface must come into play. Use this tool appropriately. NHTS is still playing catch up on Ford and Firestone. If NHTS have to get involved and force changes this can only be done through court cases which can drag on for years. NHTS is not the appropriate place for resolution of the problem that you have today. Your dealer and\or Honda motor company are.

    Parting shots:
    If you want more than this nice economy car has to offer, choose something else in the same price range or raise the price that you are willing to pay. The car is what it is, good basic
    transportation, some flash, some dash.
    To be continued......
  • yleecoyoteyleecoyote Member Posts: 32
    For my money and the need that the car needed to fill it was either this or a Corrolla and I didn't like the looks of the Corrolla. I think I got a lot of car for my money. Remember, what is the mission that your car needs to fulfill?
    The 1978 Ford Ranchero stayed in the family from 1979 until 2001. My father used it for 8 years as a daily commuter, 40 mile round trip.
    The other 14 years I drove it locally about 5 miles roundtrip to work. At the end it wasn't much of a "looker" and I filled up ALL the fluids once every two weeks. But it filled the need.
    Determine your need and buy accordingly.
    Last of all, most everything that you read here are opinions. Some of the opinions that you read here and in other places do have agendas behind them, don't be naive.
  • madirishman1madirishman1 Member Posts: 15
    Well said. I think that there might be some individuals who are just out to make Honda look bad because of a few quirks. On a side, but related note, Honda was the ONLY company in 2001 to increase production. Not even Toyota can make that claim last year.
  • zoomzoom79zoomzoom79 Member Posts: 272
    yetti: Just curious what color your Civic is and if it has the rear-disc brakes? We love ours but fx wants one with the 4-wheel discs.
  • pj23pj23 Member Posts: 158
    No current production Civic has 4-wheel disc brakes, except the Si which isn't on sale yet.
  • rfruthrfruth Member Posts: 630
    I saw this on rec.autos.makers.honda have not tried it yet but am going to ! Rob (want to be able to milk the cow) Fruth


    - snip -

    When I select "defrost" or "defrost and feet", the A/C automatically turns on. There is a button to turn it on for the other three selections: Face, Face and Feet, Feet only. How can I disable the air condition from turning on ?

    Thanks to www.7thgencivic.com for the answer. Here it is:

    OVERRIDING A/C

    --------------


    1) Have the car turned off.


    2) Turn vent knob to off (All the way to the

    left, counter clock wise).


    3) Turn temperature knob to full blue (All the

    way to the left, counter clock-wise).


    5) Start car and keep both air recirculation button

    and A/C button depressed for 7 seconds.


    6) Wait for air recirculation button to stop

    flashing.


    Here's the link to the original post

    http://www.7thgencivic.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=7&threadid=11003

  • zoomzoom79zoomzoom79 Member Posts: 272
    pj23: I was inquiring about yetti's 94 Civic he just purchased. 94 Civic EX's were available with 4-wheel disc brakes. They did away with them in the 96 redesign.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Why would you want to disable your A/C in the defrost position?

    The A/C comes on for a very important reason...to defog the windows!

    If you are worried about it blowing cold air, it won't since the knobis turned to a heat position.

    If you are worried about a drop in power or gas mileage, you wouln't be able to tell the difference.

    I think this is a great feature! Why disable it?
  • rfruthrfruth Member Posts: 630
    Defrost with A/C works good and I usually want to do so but in that case I (not Honda motor co.) will.
  • yettibuttyettibutt Member Posts: 98
    Mine does not have 4 wheel disk brakes. Its red. It is my understanding that the ABS was an option and this is how you got 4 wheel disks.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Ah...well, O.K.
  • zoomzoom79zoomzoom79 Member Posts: 272
    Some people have to complain about something. It's a control issue.

    I have a similar problem ... whenever I turn my headlights on the tail lights come on too ... also whenever I turn my driver's side windshield wiper on my passenger side wiper comes on too ... what the heck is Honda thinking?
  • dragunovdragunov Member Posts: 4
    Just thought I would relay this unfortunate story about what has otherwise been a great car. As some people might have noticed in other forms, I had an issue with the break cable connection to the transmission being too loose on my 2002 Civix EX. In the process of adjusting the cable, the repair guys left minor scratches on the transmission bezel and where they had evidently kicked the trim panel while getting out of the car. This was minor enough stuff that I basically just sighed and figured that it wasn't worth griping about, as I will soon surely do worse myself. However, when the customer service manager called to check on what I thought of the repairs, I told her. She proceeded to insist I bring the car in so the parts could be replaced, no matter how minor the scratches. I did so, and the transmission bezel they put in looked perfect. But the door panel had obvious discolorations from where packaging had damaged the finish. They tried to clean it up, but I still have a trim panel that has a gray blemish the size of a quarter in one spot, and a checkerboard pattern inside the glove pocket. Of course, no one notices it but me, but I'm the only person that they needed to satisfy. Now I'm in a position where I can't return the car for another 1-2 days to have a third trim panel put in, so I'm stuck with it. Guess I should have kept my mouth shut, hmmm?
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Funny! And I think you are correct.
  • devoredevore Member Posts: 39
    Those are bad examples. It's difficult to imagine cases in which you'd want to have only one wiper blade activate, or where illuminating the tail lights could be a disadvantage.

    OTOH, "forcing" the A/C to be on in the defrost position _could_ be disadvantageous. You say running the A/C makes no difference, but I think I can tell a difference in pickup when the A/C is engaged - it only makes sense since some of the rotational power of the engine is being used for the compressor. I've been frustrated before that I can't seem to turn off the A/C in defrost mode, so it was cool to be able to change the setup so I can.

    (Doing this makes it ONLY so that you can turn the A/C off when in defrost mode - it will still default to switching the A/C on when you turn the knob to "defrost" or "defrost and feet.")

    It reminds me of some American-made cars that FORCE you to turn on your headlights... my father's truck headlights are ALWAYS on, no matter what. That would bug me. Obviously there's a point where you don't want control over every little thing like individual wiper blades, but I'd like to have as much control over my car as I'd like to have.
  • fxashunfxashun Member Posts: 747
    The A/C coming on during defrost makes the car slower, so we need to cut off the A/C so the car can be a little faster but then the windows fog up so that you can't see. But that's safer? Couldn't the same result be had if the defroster was turned off for the time you needed that extra 3-5hp that the A/C uses?
  • brorjacebrorjace Member Posts: 588
    I really hate it when I turn my steering wheel to the right to get the front driver wheel and tire to head that way ... and the passenger wheel follows suit. The car turns sharply and I have to pay attention to where I'm going.

    Or the brakes. If I want the car to jerk suddenly to the right by applying the passenger side brakes only via the brake pedal, I'm S.O.L. because the proportioning system makes all 4 come on at once ... evenly. <:^(

    At least, when I pull up on the e-brake, I can usually coax the car into a tail-slide on iced-up roads and parking lots using only the rear brakes. That makes me happy. >:^D

    --- Bror Jace
  • zoomzoom79zoomzoom79 Member Posts: 272
    And there's still that pesky thing that all of your dash lights have to come on instead of just the one's that you want to look at. Although Saab's do have a cool thing where you can cut off all of the lights on the dash except the speedometer.
  • rfruthrfruth Member Posts: 630
    Wow rough crowd, I'm the one that mentioned defeating the A/C coming on every time defrost is selected, I don't care for that 'feature' but am glad the wipers are linked together & all 4 wheels brake when one pedal is stepped on etc !
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    buses do have the feature where you can turn on only the driver's side wiper and not the passenger. and if you want you headlights to come on but not the tail lights get a volkswagen, i think that feature becomes standard after 60k miles. if you want the left wheel to rutn left and right wheel to turn right get a caddilac or any of the land boats (lincoln) from the mid 80;s and you will feel like the wheels are turning in different directions, actually the new dodge intrepid felt the same way on the test drive. if you want the wheels to brake independantly get a chevy cavalier and you will be assured that one of the brakes will stay on all the time.

    other than jokes, the fact that you can not turn the a/c off while in defrost would be a little too annoying to me as well.
  • phelpsgphelpsg Member Posts: 15
    The speedometer on my 94 Civic EX jumps around at times but not all the time. Today I started the car cold and the speedo needle started jumping around with the car just sitting there idling. Other times it's done the same thing while stopped at a light. Since the car is not moving when this happens, I'm thinking it must be a faulty vehicle speed sensor rather than a problem with the speedometer head. Are there any Honda techs or anyone else who's had a similar problem.

    Any help would be appreciated.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    usally this is a problem with either the speedometer or the disrtibutor. The speedometer would be my first thought but the distributor including the igniter is where it gets its signal from. Scan tool could be of great help in diagnoses of this. Good luck
  • phelpsgphelpsg Member Posts: 15
    I thought the signal for the speedometer was generated from the vehicle speed sensor located on the transmission. It suprised me to read your reply about the problem possibly being related to the distributor. But that may be it because I had an intermitent starting problem that ended up being a faulty main fuel relay. However, the dealer replaced the rotor and cleaned the distributor assembly 1st thinking that was the problem. The speedo problem started sometime after that. Any more thoughts. Thanks
  • osum02osum02 Member Posts: 29
    Is your 2001 Civic EX a sedan or coupe? Not that it really matters, but I'm going to ask anyway; what does the vin # start with: 1, 2, or J?
    Thanks.
  • spokanespokane Member Posts: 514
    You are on the right track, Phelpsg. The VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) is almost surely the problem. My guess is that Auburn - who is far more knowledgeable than me - was thinking "tachometer" rather than "speedometer" when he replied. A bad VSS is likely to cause some runability and economy problems as well as the erratic speed indication.
  • yleecoyoteyleecoyote Member Posts: 32
    My Civic is a Coupe. VIN 1HGEM219X1L078337.
    Still going strong, will go over 28,000 miles this week.
  • ronin_88ronin_88 Member Posts: 18
    I have already disabled that feature on my '01 Civic several months ago (I'm also a member of www.7thgencivic.com). I agree, the AC makes the defroster work better, and I do leave it on at the beginning. But when the windows are cleared, and I still want the defroster vents to keep blowing to keep them clear (which it can easily do without AC), I do not want to needlessly put extra strain on my engine, regardless of how small that strain is. And when I start my car at -20 degrees celsius in the mornings here, I really do not want the AC going on and putting extra strain a very cold engine the first few minutes after startup.

    And also, the AC is good for removing moisture and FOG INSIDE the car and on windows. It does nothing if you are trying to melt ice on the outside of your windshield during a winter storm (don't forget, I live in Canada). Why waste your AC on that?

    As for somebody mentioning that the AC uses up little to no extra fuel, that's just not true. It is common knowledge that AC's do decrease your mileage noticeably after prolonged use, as well as lower your engine's power when it's on.
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