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Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

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  • be325be325 Member Posts: 91
    Hi,
    Local Honda dealer wasn't helpful.
    Anyone knows or installed remote door locks on 2003LX? How do I find out if the car is pre-wired or not? ..... take off the door panel and look for what? ....a bunch of wires?
    I am not sure if that option was offered to us when we bought the car in July of 2003.
    Any hints and ideas would be greately appreciated.
  • tpandulatpandula Member Posts: 1
    When I am going up the hill or accl the the engine starts knocking and the car feels like it is having difficulty with accl. What could be the problem
  • lillith1376lillith1376 Member Posts: 3
    Hi all! New to the forum! First time owner of a 1998 Honda Civic. I've had it for almost two years now and no major problems until now. I've been reading the forum for similar problems and need advice. My Malfunction Indicator Lamp Light went on a few weeks ago and my brother suggested I buy a new gas cap (since I had the original Honda one and it had not been changed). The light went off, then came back on a few days ago. Took it to the mechanic and he did an engine diagnostics test. He said according to the codes (I don't remember what they were) the engine should not be running (it runs fine). I do notice when driving in city, there's "jerks" when accelerating from 1st gear but didn't think anything of it. I don't know if anyone else has come across the same problems, but would welcome any suggestions or advice. My mechanic (he's someone I trust completely) did another engine diagnostics test and then suggested a replacement of the distributor cap (about $300). Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!
  • tarheelbluetarheelblue Member Posts: 1
    I've recently noticed that my car's maint req light blinks about 10 times when I start up the car. It disapears after the 10th time and only does this at startup. Is there something wrong with my car?? Do I need to bring it in to the garage??
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    The answer is in your owner's manual.
  • leavenfish1leavenfish1 Member Posts: 65
    Might be the problem I am having.

    2000 Civic EX. Last year about this time, the check engine light came on. I'm told it was the Catalytic converter. The car kept cutting out on me...mostly when I got up around 65mpgh. I got it replaced at Midas ($300), the light went out and I was able to pass my emissions test.

    A few months later, it came on again. Midas says the CAT was burned clear thru so 'something' was causing this...but the replaced it with a new CAT since it was still under warranty.

    A week later, the light comes on again.

    I take it to a Honda dealership. They say "Give us $1200 and we'll replace your CAT...and then can see if something is causing it to go bad. Midas took out your heat shield too". Yeh, right - 6 month warranty and then it's probably SOMETHING causing the CAT to fail!

    Anyway, I haven't had them replace it. I need to pass emissions by the EOM. The car still cuts out when I drive it hard and then get to a light...so I keep it below 60mph and it purrs like a kitten.

    Anyway, might be your CAT failing. Anyone else have this problem?
  • leavenfish1leavenfish1 Member Posts: 65
    See my response to post 4965
  • lillith1376lillith1376 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the reply. I'll mention this to my mechanic. Don't want to take it to Honda dealer unless I just want to fork over wads of cash. Currently, even at high speeds the car runs fine. Will keep you posted on what happens.
  • 2003hcivic2003hcivic Member Posts: 7
    Ok.. so I've replaced my radiator cap... my thermostat.. and the only thing the shop can think of now is my head gasket.. as mentioned above.. there is no milky stuff around my oil.. and my car hasn't overheated since the other day... and I've been driving it... but today, when they checked it again.. they noticed they it wouldn't stop bubbling, even after they replaced the radiator cap.. so.. they are pretty convinced it is probably the head gasket or head... does anyone know about how many hours Honda takes to replace a head gasket? They can't give me a quote..and I want to have an idea on price, before I take it back to them. Help? :)
  • acuraman16acuraman16 Member Posts: 4
    I own a 2005 Civic LX with 14K Miles. At highway speeds, when I brake to slow down, the steering wheel shakes. Any suggestions? Thanks.
  • bd21bd21 Member Posts: 437
    Your front brake rotors need to be turned, because they are warped. You should be able to get your Honda dealer to turn them under warranty for free. However they may try to say it's not covered. I can 100% garrantee that this is your problem.
  • njdevil1njdevil1 Member Posts: 45
    i had the same problem with the 2003 elantra. it was the rotors, they were warped. they fixed it under warranty.my car had almost 40,000 miles on it at the time.the dealer was great, they even replaced the brake pads free.i also have a 2005 civic ex-se with almost 30,000. so far no problems but if I do I am sure I will get the same great service since I bought the cars from the same dealer. good luck
  • acuraman16acuraman16 Member Posts: 4
    Thank you everyone, I just don't understand why the rotors could be warped already. I will make an appt. at the Honda dealer and I will let you know what happens.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    Rotors warping can climate related. I used to live up north and every vehicle I had up there would eventually have warped rotors within a few years. I've heard that driving through a puddle in the winter, splashing cold water on only a part of the rotor can cause warpage.

    I live in Florida now and have never had rotors warp and I've got a '99 CRV with 119K miles.
  • mc2366mc2366 Member Posts: 1
    I'm not real sure where this particular discussion should start, but I'll try here. Does anyone know what the estimated cost to replace the battery is? I know it is 8 years/80,000 miles in terms of warranty. Also, what is the true gas mileage on this thing. It advertises 51/49. The Prius advertises 60/51 and from what I hear, only gets about 45. Just want to see if the Honda Hybrid estimate is more accurate. Thanks.
  • slowpedalerslowpedaler Member Posts: 62
    Your "Honda machanic" is giving me a headache. Cars with blown head gaskets don't overheat occasionally. They do it until the block is cracked or you pull over, whichever comes first. Why are you still working with these idiots? You need to find the oldest, greasiest radiator guy in town. All he sees all day long are overheating cars. Don't tell him anything except what the car has been doing. He'll figure it out. Then you can tell him what Honda has been doing. He could use the laugh!
  • chadrappchadrapp Member Posts: 35
    My wife's 02 civic went in for routine timing package a couple weeks ago and a couple days later the check engine light and SRS light came on. The car was stalling on stops and stuttering at higher speeds. We took it back to the dealer and they said the code came back as a fuel evap code and they replaced some parts($350), reset the SRS code(they said the code was just a history code and nothing they could do). After driving a day, the check engine light and SRS light came back on. The car was exhibiting the same symptoms as before and the stuttering seems to occur at about 3500 RPM. My wife dropped it back off and was told that it would be checked again. Found out today that the SRS code was from a faulty seatbelt switch, and my wife said the dealer claimed it was something different this time.Thecode came up as a CPK? code and a sensor would have to be replaced($325). Now I really know nothing about cars but I am wondering if we are being taken advantage of. This car ran like a dream prior to having the timing package performed. I know that this all may be coincidence but it seems like something just isn't right here. Somebody please help me out.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    I'm very suspicious of your dealer. Can you take it to a different dealer?
  • 2003hcivic2003hcivic Member Posts: 7
    Grrr!! I am so frustrated... I just don't get it. I've now taken it to 2 Honda dealers & 3 local mechanics.. no one can seem to find the problem. And although my car has not overheated since last Monday (it usually takes over a week before it happens again anyways) the overfill white thing is in the HOT/Overfilled area and spraying on my engine.. I know this is not normal, and just a matter of time before I am going to overheat. Besides the overheating though... I haven't noticed any driving difference... no dark smoke coming out of my exhaust.. and definitely no foamy or weird stuff in my oil. I've replaced the thermostat... the radiator cap.. I've bled the system...I've had SEVERAL diagnotic checks (all came back fine)...I've had the fan checked.. for goodness sakes I've done everything mechanics, people & honda have recommended.. everything recommended except replace my damn headgasket or head... (which Honda won't do, because they don't think it's my headgasket) And although I don't know a lot about cars, with all the research I've been doing-- I do know that if my head gasket was blown or my head was cracked that I would have dark exhaust.. my car would constantly overheat.. so I really don't want to spend $3000.00 for it to continue to overheat... I am so confused & so frustrated.. Has ANYONE had similar problems on their Honda? My car is so well taken care of... I mean I literally get my oil changed every other weekend.. with a full inspection... everything recommended that I am suppose to do for my car.. air filters..tires...rotations..oil changes...and all the other maintenance stuff.. it's done... always. Why the heck am I having this problem? :cry: :confuse: :cry: Please help!
  • vinay_samnanivinay_samnani Member Posts: 1
    I got Malfunction Lamp Indicator on today (Honda Civic LX 98). I checked all fluids, I found that Coolant is too low, very much below Min mark and in radiator, I'm not able to see any fluid. Can low coolant be problem ? Thanks in advance for advice...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You won't necessarily see smoke out your exhaust if you are having head or head gasket problems, nor will you see oil in your water.

    I presume you've had two standard tests done:

    1. Pressurized the cooling system and removed spark plugs to look for a coolant leak in the cylinders

    2. Has the coolant tested for combustion gases.
  • chadrappchadrapp Member Posts: 35
    I'm going to take it to an independent mechanic for a second opinion.
  • beto10beto10 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 2000 civic si w about 52000 miles. My engine makes the worse ticking noise and is so loud in general, what is wrong with it?? also my passenger window is as slow as a turtle, any idea with this? and lastly with the amount of mileage are there any typical service i should have done?
  • tyggertygger Member Posts: 59
    A long shot, but it could be a broken gauge... ??? You said the car drives normal. Your heater still works?

    I don't know what to say if all those people cant find the problem.
  • fe203fe203 Member Posts: 21
    I think you may be on the right track with the gauge. Would be worthwhile to have the sensor that the gauge is connected to checked first. Might be a faulty sensor.
  • fe203fe203 Member Posts: 21
    Have any of these shops tried bleeding the air from the system to make sure its totally bled? Honda's have been known hard to bleed the air from the cooling system. It is best performed with the front of the car raised and the rad cap off ( be sure coolant is cool before removing rad cap!!) With the front raised if there is any air in the system it will bleed off much easier. Make sure your heater is in the hot setting so coolant is flowing completely through the system.
  • brendahbrendah Member Posts: 2
    Is anyone aware of the '04 Honda Civic having any airbag recalls? I was just in a wreck several weeks ago that involved me rear ending another car with the impact all on the left front end - the car is totalled. The odd part is the driver airbag did not deploy but the passenger side did. The drivers seatbelt deployed or locked whichever you call it. It is so odd that the airbag on the side of direct impact did not deploy. I received chest bruising and a concussion.
    Honda should be ashamed for not owning up to all of the problems I am now seeing.
  • acuraman16acuraman16 Member Posts: 4
    I took my car to the Honda dealer and they re-surfaced the rotors. It seems better now. The fact that the car is only 8 months old, should they have replaced the rotors or is re-surfacing and turning the rotors ok?
  • p9142p9142 Member Posts: 2
    I am having problems with my 95 EX. I am getting an intermittent squeal while the A/C is engaged that goes away in a couple seconds or immediately if I turn off the A/C. I took off the splash guard underneath the car to have a look, and the darned belt is routed through the drivers side engine mount!! It seems that the only way to replace this thing is to unblot the engine. Is that right? Also, how in the world do I adjust the tension on the belt? Thanks in advance.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    " is re-surfacing and turning the rotors ok? "

    It's OK as long as their thickness is within specs after turning, the rotors on my 99 CRV have been turned twice. All they do is grind a small amount of the surface off so they're perfectly smooth and flat.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    Anyone have instructions or a diagram on how to replace the power mirror on a 2005 Civic LX coupe? Also, what websites would be good for ordering one?
  • chrisducatichrisducati Member Posts: 394
    Sounds like Valve lash adjusters for the ticking or maybe a worn cam. As for the window try spraying silicon spray lubricant down the rubber channel that the window rides in. It may be just such a dry tight fit that the motor is having a hard time raising the window.
  • lillith1376lillith1376 Member Posts: 3
    I have the same problem and I highly doubt it's low coolant. My honda is also a 98 but it's an EX and I get the car checked regularly (oil, filter, fluids). My mechanic did two engine diagnostics tests and couldn't find the problem but suggested I get a new distributor cap. I have no idea if this will solve the problem. Another thing is that I changed to gas cap (per manual) and still has the same problem. Sometimes the light goes off and comes back on again. Hope this helps.
  • 91honda9591honda95 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 95 civic that has 170,000 miles on it, the car is very clean, I am the 2nd owner and have been having some problems with hesitation or loping/skipping on acceleration. The car has been running smoothly at highway cruising but it does skip when it idles.

    I have replaced the sparkplugs and the distributor cap. It helped for a little while but the problem is definately still there.

    Is it possible that the distributor is bad, if so how do you test it? also the plug wires... Would it be a good idea to replace the fuel filter?

    Please help, I cannot afford to replace all of these parts...
  • jimmyhjimmyh Member Posts: 1
    My son's 2001 Honda Civic has in instrument panel that goes completely dead at times. It has done this twice in the last six months. The first time it lasted for only a few minutes.

    The panel was completely dead, gauges would not work, fuel indicated empty, temp gauge stayed at Cold, no tach rpms, no speedometer, no shift indcator for the trans, no odometer.

    The last time it did this (two days ago) was for about 20 miles of stop, restart, errand running over about 3 hours. After sitting overnight in my garage the next day, it works fine. This happened during the day, so I cannot tell if the panel lights were working.

    I have not had it to a mechanic, as it will not go dead when it goes to the shop?

    A service advisor told me he thought it might not be getting a feed from the ignition switch, so he told me to jiggle the ignition key.

    Any other thoughts?
  • chrisducatichrisducati Member Posts: 394
    Plug wires?
  • chrisducatichrisducati Member Posts: 394
    I have never seen this on a Honda but I have seen it so many times I have lost count on Chrysler products. I have seen it twice on Nissans. Each time it is the circuit board in the gauge module. It may be the connection to the power supply where the module connects to the wire harness. The whole cluster has to be replaced on Chrysler cars. Expensive. You might find one in a junk yard. Just my thoughts.
  • litezoutlitezout Member Posts: 4
    I have a 95 Civic also. I made it to 205,000 miles before the engine blew. 2 bad cylinders. I replaced the engine and it was running good for a while and started doing the same thing you're describing. You might want to start with changing the fuel filter. When was the last time you changed it? Also, you might have dirty fuel injectors. Try a fuel additive to clean the injectors before you think about replacing them. That's what I did and the problem went away.
  • suzanmsuzanm Member Posts: 1
    HELP!! the honda dealership tells me that noise is due to the brake pads requiring replacement (apparenly the braking system is some kind of floating calipre, whatever that means), which should occur at around 16,000 km....i have 35,000 kms on this 3.5 year old car and I have heard that annoying noise for 3 years now. It only happens when I reverse and go foward and brake for the first time ...thereafter, the noise does not occur unless i do this again. Another mechanic told me its the front brake pads and discs which need to be replaced and yet another told me it is coming from the tranmission. The Honda dealership is telling me from a safety standpoint, its fine...the brake pads should be replaced at 70,000 km and then the noise should go away, but, killer part is..it will come back. It is very loud. I think because I am a female, they are not taking me seriously and I don't know what to do. I plan on buying out this car this november..i have an extended warranty and I am hoping they will fix the problem. I mentioned this problem to them when I had the car for only 1 year and at that point, they told me that noise was "normal"..I don't think it is and they just don't want to fix the problem...HELP, please, I would appreciate it.

    Sincerely,

    A Honda customer who is thorougly disappointed.
  • kgbean00kgbean00 Member Posts: 6
    i have 2 problems i need help with. one is a bit more important than the others (both apply to my 02 civic lx coupe)...

    problem #1: my air conditioning is leaking water inside of my car instead of outside. the water is leaking onto the passenger floor in the front seat. whenever i make a left turn, my blower almost completely stops, there's a slight screeching sound, and water pours out. my father said it might be a blocked or unconnected hose. either way, its slightly annoying because after a long trip with the a/c on (my car is black and its been too hot to drive without it on) the floor is completely saturated. does anyone know what this problem could be?

    problem #2: i bought the car used and about a month after i had it, the in-dash cd changer stopped working. right now, i have 4 cds inside that it wont give back! when i push the cd button, the screen flashes ERR and it wont load any of the disks. i asked honda about it and they said they would have to take it out and look at it (for the low low price of $99). i'm not sure if its worth paying them the money to have them tell me something i already know. my options are to just get a new cd changer (i found one online for a reasonable price) or to pay the diagnostic price and cross my fingers that its something minor that isn't costly to fix. what does everyone suggest?

    thanks!
  • gld123gld123 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1990 Honda Civic with 240,000 miles. I am having a problem when the weather is warm ONLY. When I am stopped (at idle) the car dies out. I had a 1989 Civic that had the same problem. There was some SENSOR that needed to be replaced. I can't remember which sensor it was. :confuse: It did fix the problem. Any advice?
  • jtbakerjtbaker Member Posts: 1
    I've noticed a high metalic tapping noise when I start the car and for the first few minutes, and have noticed a little power loss. Just hit 100,000 miles. Have kept perfect service of the car. Had the transmission replaced (by the dealer) when it locked up at 76,000 miles. I have been using 5w20 Synthetic oil and noticed no problems until 2 weeks ago. I have no idea what to start with, any help would be appreciated.
  • dash400mdash400m Member Posts: 55
    Calling Auburn63... Are you out there? Sorry, but I haven't posted for years!

    Auburn63 and/or Others: The AC compressor on my '85 finally died. It's time to throw in a new system that will include at the minimum a new compressor; I don't know about the condenser, evaporator or any other ancillary parts. Additionally, there will be some sort of conversion kit for the Freon (or whatever the new chemical is called).

    Honda of America still has a couple of parts in their inventory -- both Keihin and Sanden. A local Honda dealer will do the installation.

    My Questions to the Outside World:

    (1) Is there a preference to Keihin or Sanden with respect to the compressor and condensor?

    (2) Are there any other considerations worth mentioning with respect to other parts, including the conversion kit?

    Thanks in advance.

    j.w.
  • dracedrace Member Posts: 1
    When I turn the key I get a clacking sound and the car won't start at all. My lights do studder a bit. I was told it might be a battery problem. Is it possible it might be something else? And if it is the battery, would a boost help me at least turn it on? Earlier today I was bumped from behind by another car but it wasn't much just a slight shove. Could it just be a coincidence?
  • cracholcrachol Member Posts: 1
    Hi Jimmy,

    I have the exact same problem on my 2004 Civic. I took the car to the dealer b/c I was suckered into the extended manufacturer's warranty and thought this was a covered item. I was told that the problem was with some sort of gauge module, which wasn't covered on the warranty afterall, and would cost me $750 to fix. I'm not at all handy with cars and wouldn't be able to fix it myself. I'm in MI and was told that the part needed to be ordered from the west coast and so now out of a car for 7+ days (!) and broke. Sorry to not be of much technical help, but good luck in finding a solution that works for you....
    cyndi
  • lawrencerhodeslawrencerhodes Member Posts: 3
    Check your battery connections. Check the battery voltage. If the voltage is above 12.5vdc it's connections. If below 12vdc it's the battery. Of coures if it is below 12.25 you are talking a battery on it's way out or discharged. Automotive batteries should not be allowed to go down in voltage. It ruins them. This can happen by disuse or cranking the engine over without running. I suspect a weak battery and if so a jump will help. It doesn't hurt to tune it up. It will help starting. The less time it takes to start the car the longer the battery will last. Good luck.
  • fdh3fdh3 Member Posts: 2
    recently changed the oil on a 2002civic,can anyone help me reset this light?
  • rockyteerockytee Member Posts: 35
    Host, would it be possible to start a separate posting for the 2006 Civic, since this is a brand new car
  • iammoonieiammoonie Member Posts: 2
    I recently had a dead battery in my 2002 civic and I purchased another one changed it and now my radio gets no power, my mileage counter will not stay on a trip meter once the car engine is shut off it jumps back to the mileage of the car and finally the power lock does not work unless the car door is shut and the car is running..... any help is much gladly needed!!!! :confuse:
  • iammoonieiammoonie Member Posts: 2
    Which light the blinking maintanance light? All you have to do if this is the light is hold down the mileage counter and turn on the key to the second stop while holding the button and keep holding and it will go away. :)
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