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Second problem is high oil consumption with K20A3 engine in 02 Si. Since the beginning of ownership (10 miles on odometer)until now (26K miles), the engine has consumed oil at a rate of 1 qt per 1500-2000 miles. Followed Honda's break-in recommendations, in fact, keep revs below 3500 rpm for first 600 miles. First oil change was at 4750 miles. Oil consumption has been up and down. Recently it burned 0.5 qt for 400 miles of city driving, then I topped off the oill and took a 270 mile highway trip with no oil loss. The dealership service informed me that Honda's upper spec for acceptable oil consumption is 1 qt per 1000 miles. Have others experienced this?
Last weekend, on a particularly moist, rainy day, the car wouldn't start. I know this is a common problem with these cars, and I've had my car fixed at the Honda dealerhips twice for this problem, each time costing $80 (distributor cap and rotor replaced, nothing else).
I'd like to replace the cap and rotor myself this time. However, when I took the cap off I noticed there is no clear way to get a screwdriver at the retaining screw on the rotor shaft. There seems to be some kind of shroud around the inner parts that the top of the rotor protrudes from. How to get that off safely or otherwise get to the retaining screw?
B/T/W, the car started later in the day. When I took the distributor cap off, I noticed dirt and grime in the cap and the little gasket that fits between the cap and distributor body was mostly gone. After I replace the rotor, I'll put a new gasket in there to seal everything up.
Thanks for any suggestions. I've been the sole owner of this car, it has 160,000+ miles, Saxony blue metallic. 35/40 mpg. The computer fritzed once while travelling the Pennsylvania turnpike. Made it to Cincinnati, OH, replaced with $70 junkyard computer. On humid, rainy days, seatbelts hardly retract. Driver/passenger windows attach to regulator with plastic tabs that break and cannot be fixed. Only solution I've come up with is glueing/epoxy-ing windows into place (other than buying a new window!).
Also, as is the case with other Japanese cars I've driven, this car has awful handling in the rain and snow (compared to any VW I've driven, including air-cooled, and several American cars). I will drive this car until it turns into dust, but it's more likely that I will someday crash it while driving carelessly in the rain or snow and that will be that.
2 door coupe.
Unfortunately, I didn't see anything. Didn't expect to.
The dealer split the cost with me. I had a $500 deductible, so I couldn't use my insurance.
Thanks again!
laker64 indicated that someone had helped with his rattle in the front fender area of his Civic. What was the solution?
vehicle civic lsi owned from new 1995 and three honda main agents cannot cure
If the key is de-magnetized by other keys or a magnetic field, it will not start the engine (vehicle theft protection/starter kill).
To check if your battery is really dead, turn on the headlights or interior lights. If neither one works, then you definitely have a dead battery. The dealer should take care of it for you. If the problem still happens, check the lemon laws in your state and have the dealer buy back the car or exchange it for another one.
Good luck.
Dudka: 2003 Honda Civic EX 5-speed w/security system.... I am not sure what is up with this car.... Any ideas?
Original post:
Has anyone here experienced any major electrical issues? My friend's Civic is having problems stalling while driving, problems with the dash and a grinding noise coming from the brake system. Just a few days ago, smoke was eminating from under the hood. He had the vehicle towed to the dealership and the service guys looked at it for about 15 minutes. They said nothing is wrong.... This is a catastrophic failure. Anyone have any advice? Thanks!
Dudka: 2003 Honda Civic EX 5-speed w/security system.... I am not sure what is up with this car.... Any ideas?
Original post:
Has anyone here experienced any major electrical issues? My friend's Civic is having problems stalling while driving, problems with the dash and a grinding noise coming from the brake system. Just a few days ago, smoke was eminating from under the hood. He had the vehicle towed to the dealership and the service guys looked at it for about 15 minutes. They said nothing is wrong.... This is a catastrophic failure. Anyone have any advice? Thanks!
Dudka: 2003 Honda Civic EX 5-speed w/security system.... I am not sure what is up with this car.... Any ideas?
Original post:
Has anyone here experienced any major electrical issues? My friend's Civic is having problems stalling while driving, problems with the dash and a grinding noise coming from the brake system. Just a few days ago, smoke was eminating from under the hood. He had the vehicle towed to the dealership and the service guys looked at it for about 15 minutes. They said nothing is wrong.... This is a catastrophic failure. Anyone have any advice? Thanks!
As for the car, when turning corners or going straight it sometimes dies while clutch is engaged, at times the gauges do not work when the car is turned on and must be turned off to make them work, the gas light has come on when the tank was still half full and stayed on, the car also had smoke coming from under the hood which smelt like an electrical fire. Also, at times the car will not start until the 2nd or 3rd try. I have never owned anything but a manual so that is not a factor with the car dying.
Thanks for any help.
The steam coming form under the hood usually happends when you go through a car wash, the water collects in the crevices in the engine compartment, then when you drive off it is blowin into the hot radiator, exhaust and engine parts creating steam. If you did not take her to a carwash, but it still steamed, the dealer should have checked the coolant level, and you would have noticed the sweet taste when the steam entered the cabin.
You mention that the gauges don't work sometimes, and you had to restart the car. Next time it happends, don't restart the car, take it to the dealership and don't shut it off when you ask the service manager to look at it.
The car cutting out in corners, that may be a sign of bad electricals, or low oil, or bad fuel pump. There is not enough information that can be given through internet, the car has to be seen in person.
Make this your dealerships's problem. Insist that they drive the car, or ride with you. When the car cuts out next time, note the conditions, such fuel level, brand of fuel, engine temp, air temp, weather conditions (rain, shine, snow, wind), presence of pot holes, the dergree your turned the steering wheel, whether you have a passenger or not, every little thing. and then try to repeat the conditions. It will make it easier for you and the dealer to figure out what is wrong. Research your state's lemon law, you may have a lemon and need to get the wheels rolling, because some states have very short lemon law protection.
Good luck, and keep us posted
Thanks for any help.
1) Extensive warm ups, which, like state above, produce 0 MPG, and are not neccessary.
2) Engine management adds more fuel into the combustion chamber based on the intake temps. Low air temperature reduces combustability of gasoline.
3) Winter gas has different fomulation to compansate the lost vapor pressure at low temps.
4) In some areas winter gas has MTBA, or Ethanol.
5) Your vehicle's drive train puts more strain on the engine as the transmission oil is codl and thicker, so are the bearings lubricants, the heater blowing and headlights on put more load on the alternator which puts more load on the engine.
EPA calculates MPG's at 60-65°F at Zero Altitude, with no wind at 50 MPH. Manuals are shifted when the "dummy" light comes on, if ther eis no dummy light they are shifted at 3000 rpm or bellow. Automatics are also granny driven.
Celica 115, don't expect your MPG's to change at 1,000 miles, Honda engines are not really broken in until 10,000 or more miles. This is when you will notice better perfomance responce and better mileage.
In the last week or so, I have noticed a rattling noise from underneath the car when going about 45mph & then taking foot off the gas pedal.
Local muffler shop said it was the heat shield.
I called the Honda Dealer today & made an appointment for next week to have it checked out.
They said the shields rust out & may need to be replaced ( about $100 parts & labor ).
Just wondering if this seems reasonable after 80k miles, if this has happened to anyone else, etc.
Thanks in advance-
I also opened the hood once and had a hard time closing it. I had to drop it real hard to close it. I was hoping that it'd close easily if I pushed it with both hands but nope.. Or am I expecting too much?
My main concern though is a rattle that comes from somewhere. It sounds like it's from the right side of the engine but I am not sure. It happens when you are at full stop and start to accelerate. Then it goes away until you stop and move again.
I took it to the dealer twice. First time, they couldn't find anything. Second time, they said air got stuck in the coolant system and that made the noise. They said they took the air out and the noise was gone. I picked up the car today and the noise was still there! I am feeling a little blue. Did i get a lemon car?
Thanks in advance-
I called the service dept at the local dealer. I was told that "unofficially" the shields can be taken off & in fact, that person had done so.
For the record, he could not advise me to do so & the dealer could not rip the shields off for me.
I will jack up the car this week end & rip off what is loose or rattling. I am told there is a from & back shield...anyone able to advise where I should be looking for these things, in relation to the tires, muffler, etc.
Thanks in advance-