Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

mikeyteal · September 2006

Im having a problem starting my civic. When I turn the key to start and let it go it will shut rite off, but if I keep the key turned it will stay on. Also the a/c,radio, and other stuff is not working. Even if the switch is in the acc. position. What could be the problem and how can I fix it?

88hatch · September 2006

The problem is its Missing when im driving it, It dont Miss when its idleing. The ECU Said Crank Angle Sensor so I replaced it. However that did not help. The Missing is making my car run awful, what else could be wrong with it???

makoamaile · September 2006

Is it burning alot of gas?

88hatch · September 2006

yes! a whole lot...what could be the problem?

stanleys · September 2006

I have a 1998 Honda Civic LX which I bought new. It only has 9800 miles on it. That is because I live in Arlington, VA and my wife and I take the transit almost every place we go. The car has been running perfectly fine so far. I have not had the timing belt replaced. That is the only thing that I have not had done on the car that Honda states should be done in their manual. However, recently I have noticed that when I rev the engine, there is a mild roaring sound that seems to be coming from the rear of the car. Before I take it to the dealer, does anyone have any idea as to what it might be.

Thanks,

Stanleys

famaniii · September 2006

I don't know if this is related but my 98 Accord LX power locks quit working and I found this posted in another forum. Weirdly; it worked.
Good Luck

Honda Service Bulletin dated March 23, 1999

Symptom: the right side windows do not respond to the driver's door
window switches and the power door locks do not work.

Probable cause: battery power to the multiplex control unit has been
interrupted.

corrective action: perform multiplex control unit wake-up procedure.

Warranty Claim Info:
operation number: 746505
failed part: P/N 35256-s84-a01
H/C 5435482
defect code: 066
contention code: B99
template ID: 99-022A

Repair Procedure:
1. turn the ignition switch off
2. turn the wiper intermittent time ring to the middle position.
3. turn the ignition switch to on.
4. check the operation of all the power windows from the master
power window switch and the power door locks.

if the power windows and locks function properly, return the
vehicle to the customer. if the power windows and locks are still
inoperative, perform normal troubleshooting and refer to the Service
Bulletin 98-071

dpkesler · September 2006

I have a 2001 Honda Civic with almost 99K miles, bought new in November of 2000. My son has ran a DVD player off it for a year and half or so. I replaced the battery after it was only holding 75% charge and I was having to jump after lights were left on for a little time. Tested Good, but I also wanted a bigger battery. Now, a week later, still have problems, so I took it to OReily Auto Parts here in Illinois and they said that at idle only 11.8 volts were being generated by the alternator. Around 13/14 volts at 2K RPM. They said regulator.

My question is two fold. First, does this sound like a regulator problem. Second is the regulator in the alternator on a 2001 Honda Civic. So if I replace the alternator, charge my week old battery, I will be smooth saling?

Thanks,

dpkesler

qingwei · September 2006

I am going to buy a 97 Civic Ex 2door. On carfax report, it's said this car has a V-tech engine, but I couldn't find V-tech sign on the engine. Is this normal? I am a little worried because the only record on carfax after 99 for this car is the renew title with NO mileage report. And this car has only 70K now. Thanks!

dewaltdakota · September 2006

I don't believe they molded "VTEC" into the valve cover on the 97 Civics. Look on the engine block, to the left of the header. There should be a stamp, reading "D16Y8" on it for the EX coupe (127hp).

For any Honda engine, you can also look for the existence of the VTEC actuators, which would look something like this:

While the picture above has it nicely represented on the valve cover, if you look to the left of the valve cover, you'll see the actuator on the left, below the spark plug wires, near the distributor. It's the brassy-looking cylinder, kind of shaped like a top hat. Depending upon the specific engine, you'll have 1 or 2 of these actuators, corresponding with the number of VTEC stages (2 or 3).

If the engine stamp says D16Y5, then while it's still a VTEC, it's actually from an HX model, which is set up for fuel efficiency (115hp). The D16Y7 is the standard engine (106hp).

geckout1 · September 2006

I own a 95 honda civic automatic trans. It is in good working order overall however one problem that has come up over the last couple years is as follows. Whenever the temperature outside is cold (and this only occurs in cold weather) I have no problems starting the car etc. however when i stop the car after driving for only a few minutes and put the car in park, I am unable to get the key out. After looking around for answers in my car i noticed that it is not regestering "park" (ie the park light does not eluminate) and the mechanism that works through the break etc thinks the car is not in park so it won't release the key. And since the break doesnt recognize i am in park i cant get it in gear anymore to drive it around. after a few minutes, it warms up enough that the "park" light lights up and when i now depress the break i hear a click and i am able to take it out of park. i have heard this is a simple fix but i can't recall the part i name i need ....any help would be greatly appreciated!!! thanks, John

Mr_Shiftright · September 2006

Yep you're on the right track. I'd check that switch that is activated by the brake pedal. Probably you can pull the connector plug off and bridge the plug (by-passing the switch temporarily) and if that cures the problem when cold, then you have your answer. Of course I would not operate the car with this switch by-passed.

kgbean00 · September 2006

i had that same problem in my 1990 accord. we took it back to honda and they fixed it with no problem. it was a switch or a sensor that wasn't functioning properly. i dont recall it costing an arm and a leg to fix. good luck!

chrispy122 · September 2006

I have a 2001 Honda Civic and the only power window that works is the drivers window the other three just stopped working,any ideas?

drcitrus · September 2006

I purchased a 2003 Civic LX with a five-speed manual transmission from a Honda Dealer in May '06. It is a "Certified" vehicle. It had 26000 miles on it and had obviously been well-taken care of. One curious thing about it is that while the transmission shifts smoothly sequentially up and down the gears, it will not shift from second directly into fourth without going thru third gear. My understanding of synchromesh transmissions was that, while unusual, this shift sequence should be possible. Instead, it just grinds, immediately discouraging the practice. Again, third to fourth, or fifth to fourth is not a problem.

What concerns me is that this might indicate a larger problem with the transmission. I took it to a Honda dealer who wanted to charge me about $500 to tear the tranny down to see if there was a problem. Only then would they be able to tell me if the extended ("Certified Vehicle") warranty would apply.

Since it shifts well otherwise, I am reminded of the Doctor's response to the patient who said "It hurts when I do this." ("So, don't do that.") but that doesn't answer the concern.

Does anybody have any experience/insight into this issue?

teammo · September 2006

There is now avalable a great new way to fix this common problem. Go to
fuel door fix
It is cost effective and very easy to install!

dealkk · September 2006

i use to have 4 tire and it running fine.
now i just purchace 4 use tire, put it in the car and the steering wheel turn to the left a little bit when i drive. do i need to do wheel alignment. where is the good place to go to?

freedml · September 2006

Before you do anything drastic, if you can get the door open, try bending the latch on the fuel door. This simple adjustment did the trick on my car. Brushing against it after fueling can throw it out of adjustment.

shari879 · September 2006

Did you happen to figure out how to fix your speedometer? I started having the same problem yesterday with my 2006 Civic Sedan. I was only going about 40 but the speedometer said I was going 100. Someone told me there's some kind of switch by the lights but I can't find anything. If you figured out how to fix the problem, can you please let me know? Thanks!

podunk503 · September 2006

i recently purchased a used 97 civic 2dr ex 5spd. i have a couple questions. does anyone know how to change the bulbs that illuminate the climate controls and/or instrument cluster? they seem to work intermittently along with a bulb, i assume, that illuminates the top of the speedometer.(the 60mph-80mph section) and also my gas pedal seems a bit stiff for smooth acceleration. could this be something with the pedal or maybe a cable? thank you.

jopadman · September 2006

As of today, i saw "check gas cap" when driving. I checked the gas cap. Took it off and screwed it back on numerous times and it still says, check gas cap? Anyone know what could be causing this and how to fix it? it still drives fine and doesn't seem to be affecting performance, but it's annoying as heck!

dewaltdakota · September 2006

Once the "Check Gas Cap" message is there, it takes several trip cycles (cold engine -> warm -> cold) for it to clear. Unfortunately, simply unscrewing, and re-tightening the cap won't do do it.

jopadman · September 2006

Thanks for the response. Did this happen to you also? Do you know what causes it?

dewaltdakota · September 2006

It's part of the emissions system. The gasoline vapors are supposed to be contained, to keep them from exiting the fuel filler neck at the gas cap, and doing bad things to the environment. There's even a charcoal canister, that's used for collecting the vapors, and later releasing them back into the system to be burned, once the engine gets hot enough to do so. If your gas cap is loose, then it can't control the vapors. The signal then comes on, to tell you to check your gas cap. Why it takes a few cycles to reset, I don't know.

danielacosta · September 2006

Driving downhill--
My '06 Civic sedan LX AT downshifts when I put on the brake to go downhill. I don't know if this is the same thing you are talking about. It's weird. The car doesn't just coast downhill like you'd expect.

This is by design, and one of my favorite things about Honda transmissions. The grade logic mimics a stick-shift and will automatically help you control downhill speed. You can read more about it here: transmission logic

roundtrip · September 2006

Thanks.

It does help with the cops who sit at the bottom of the hills waiting for the folks who blow down. It keeps me at the speed limit.

roundtrip · September 2006

The honeymoon is over, I think (5800 miles.)

Drove out of the driveway this morning and heard "the rattle" in the dash. I drove for about 3 miles, hit the drive-thru, and the rattle went away. It seemed that after the car warmed up, the rattle stopped. Of course, this still ruined my day. (Was it the cold weather? This was one of the first cool mornings of the year, 55 degrees.)

nose1 · September 2006

Hi.

I own a standard 99 Civic with approx. 90,000 miles. This week, I've begun to notice some electrical issues.

The first thing I noticed was when I tap the brake, the speedometer needle drops and then recovers, and the clock on the dashboard flickers. It doesn't happen all the time; it seems to be intermittent and I haven't nailed down a pattern. Today, while sitting in my driveway, I was messing around with various electrical components, and when I tried raising all four power windows at once, the engine stalled.

The car has a 4-week old battery; the old one was dead one morning so I simply replaced it. I checked the connections to the battery and they seem ok; There are some acid deposits on the '+' terminal that I didn't clean off very well, but the connector is firmly screwed onto the post.

The car starts up perfectly, which indicates the battery is healthy enough to handle a start.

I'm hoping this is an alternator issue and not some weird electrical short somewhere.

Thanks,
nose1

jaxs1 · September 2006

Was there ever a solution? Did they fix the old cars or is fixed in the 2007 Civic?

rupnok1 · September 2006

yep, mine's got 3300 miles and as the waether cooled off here at least three distinct dash rattles appeared. they go away when the car warms up... dunno what to do as the last time I tried to get a dealer to fix a rattle ('01 Acura CLS) they fixed it but created another. I let it be after that...

joesbar · September 2006

Ok, my rotors I bought about 4 months ago, those are still new. My brakes I bought at AutoZone about a month ago and slapped those on.... now sometimes at very low speeds I get this aggressive GRIND from the front drivers side (I believe), it doesn't do it at high speeds and it doesn't even do it at low speeds all the time, in fact it's rare, but when it does do it it feels quite unnerving. I pulled the whole thing apart, looked at the pads, sanded them somewhat because I thought maybe it was glazing I tried roughing them up. That lasted for a day and it didn't grind. Now tonight again, it does it again, same as before, only sometimes. So, I think there could be glazing but I am just wondering exactly is making that sound. Everyhting was clean and smooth when I put it all back together. Is it something in the material of the brakes that causes this do you think?

If the brakes have been on there for a month would it be too late to turn the rotors?

If there is no obvious "damage" or anything of that nature, should I just let it go? It sounds like my brakes are going metal to metal when this does happen...

Any input would be appreciated.

98civiclx · September 2006

Recently my civic has developed a buzzing/rattling noise around 4000 rpm. However, it doesnt make thes sound at all times. Going uphill the sound disappears. level and downhill driving are noisy though. Any thoughts? Im pretty sure it isnt the tranny since it even makes the noise in neutral.

ognid · October 2006

I have a '91 Civic that rattles from the front right. I can't tell exactly. It happens when I idal, accelerate, slow down, and just about every time in between. Seems to be the worse around 2200-3000 rpms. The previous owner said it was a "heat shield", but it has been steadly getting worse. If it's something that I can fix, I'd like to take care of it soon. Thanks in advance.

elwoodh · October 2006

So I'm looking at purchasing an 02 LX with 72k miles on it. I believe the recommended mileage to replace the timing belt is 90k (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Is there any way for a mechanic to check and see if the timing belt has been replaced before I buy it? (As far as I know, there aren't any available service records) Total shot in the dark, I know, but I'd hate to buy this car, then immediately have to put in a timing belt, water pump, etc.

Of course, I could always ask the dealership to knock the 1k off the price. I think I already know what they'll say...

mikefm58 · October 2006

I believe the timing belt change for the 02 Civic is 110K miles or 7 years. I checked that at Honda.com, their owner's link, very useful information if you don't have the owner's manual.

joesbar · October 2006

Coming from the dealer you can probably double that figure and still have room to breathe.

carguy427 · October 2006

I just picked up my 07 Civic EX coupe with MT. I have just over 100 miles on it and I am surprised to findout that the clutch pedal has some play in it when it is compressed. I don't notice it during straight line acceleration, only when shifting while turning.

I did some investigation and it appears that when the clutch pedal is compressed it bottoms out against a purple plastic stop. This stop has some movement and I believe it is what I am feeling. Has anyone else experienced this or know if the stop can be secured somehow? Thanks in advance.

jenhast1983 · October 2006

I have a 93 Civic DX with about 160,000 miles on it. Never had any problems up until about 2 years ago. Temp gauge started reading hot. The gauge never fluctuated before but now it seems to float up and down for no apparant reason. Their were no leaks in the coolant system so I replaced the thermostat. Problem not solved. The fan works fine. The overflow always has coolant in it. I assumed after several mechanics could offer no solution that the gauge was broken and have driven the car ignoring the gauge for about 2 years now. The oil looks fine (no coolant in it) and the car ran great up until 2 days ago. I usually only drive the car back and forth to work (about 15 minutes one way) then the other day I was out house hunting and drove the car for about 2 hours, mostly stop and go. I was headed home on the interstate when the check engine light came on, the temp gauge was all the way up(it usually is at some point every day). About a minute after the check engine light came on white smoke/steam started rolling out from the hood. I pulled off the road immediatly and the engine died as i came to a stop. after the engine cooled for 30min i started it back up and the light was off. I took off the radiator cap and the inside of the cap was broken (the spring that is inside had come out). I left the car and returned with a new thermostat and radiator cap. I replace both and refilled the coolant which had blown out of the radiator cap. No leaks visible. On the drive home steam/smoke again rolled out of the hood but the check engine light remained off. On closer inspection it was observed that when the car was revved fluid ran out from around the cap. Assuming the new cap was bad I exchanged for a new one. Same problem. There appeared to be some buildup of scales around the inside of top of radiator so I cleaned these off. same problem. The coolant is not being pushed back into the overflow and is instead being pushed out around the cap. The hose to the overflow is not clogged and a few drips seem to make it through while coolant flows out from around the cap. The oil still looks fine. The exhaust is not smoking or white. The engine even seems to run normally while the cap is smoking and leaking. The car has been well cared for synthetic oil and the works. What could be wrong????

velociracer · October 2006

With the cap removed, and warm engine running, do you see the coolant flowing thru the rad? When was the last time you replaced the water pump? Do all replacement caps have a 1.1 bar rating?

djstreet · October 2006

Hi All....

Right now Im' having troubles with power (I think). When I depress the brakes, or perhaps have hte rear defrost on, or even turn on the radio, the RPM's will decrease. It's coming to the point when I'm running all these items at the same time the internal dashboard lights are all dimmer. If I look closely the daytime running lights dim when I press the brakes as well. i'm not sure where to begin diagnosis... I think I'm hearing a belt rattle when the car is first started and its cold (alternator region right in front fo the driver).

The only thing I've done recently is add a stereo system. Only a little mini sub is running on my amp but I have connected directly to the battery.....Perhaps the contacts are worn?

Any thoughts what this could be? thanks in advance.

kirkv · October 2006

I have a 1999 Civic that,starting today,is making a pronounced squeaking noise at the left front of the vehicle whenever I go over a bump,and also when I stand outside the vehicle and push down on it.For additional information,I put 4 new struts on it about 35,000 miles ago,and am taking it back to the mechanics (chain store) to have the struts replaced in the rear because they have gone bad.My question is,could the left front squeaking also be a strut?Or could it be the ball joints or a bushing problem?How would I go about testing these parts?Because I am taking the car in tomorrow,I would like to try to get an idea today before they see it.Thank you so much for your time and help with this!

rupnok1 · October 2006

since you said coolant came out of the open radiator when the motor was revved sounds like the water pump works.

scale in a radiator can definitely impair heat transfer, I'd at least flush it if not take the radiator out and shake as much gunk out as possible.

also, are you running the correct ratio of antifreeze to water? straight coolant has a pretty poor heat carrying capacity and you can overheat (esp on highway driving) even with an intact, functioning cooling system.

my two cents, good luck.

vti · October 2006

Hi this is probably a bit late to help you but I have had the same problem with my 1993 Civic. I found the squeak was being caused by a dry ball joint and it got to the stage were even breaking would cause the ball joint to squeak. Usually it would only happen if I were turning the steering wheel or as you mentioned sitting on the front corner and bouncing on it a a little, as if I were testing the front shock.

Ultimately the best thing you can do, funds permitting and you know they are both old, change both ball joints it will save you time and money in the long run, especially if they are the sorts of ball joints that have to be pressed in to the frame. I would also suggest you get the upper ones checked as well. However if you dont have the funds to change it at the moment, I have been told a way of reducing the noise at least for a while.

I have tried this myself and it worked for about 6 weeks, 1) Remove the wheel, jack the car, 2) locate the offending Ball joint. Now there is a retaining clip at the top of the ball joint rubber boot, remove carefully making sure not to puncture the rubber boot, peel back very carefully the rubber boot to expose the inside of the ball joint. Apply a liberal amount of grease and reverse the procedure. A few things to remember,1) Make sure once the vehicle has been jacked up, it is properly secure with axle stands etc, 2) I cant stress enough how important it is not to split/damage the rubber boot, doing this will just defeat the whole object, 3) this is a messy job so be sure to wear some rubber gloves, 4) If you don't feel confident with attempting any of the above, don't do it.

Good Luck!

jik · October 2006

I have a 95 Honda civic with 105 K miles. Just got its timing belt chnaged. How do I know if the dealer actually changed it?

I dont see any difference and its still giving me same kind of sounds from engine when driving.

Spend more than $700 and dont have any percitible difference and dont know if anything was done at all.

pat · October 2006

You've probably noticed new discussions appearing all over the forums. What's happening is that we are closing generic, everything-in-one pile discussions like this and creating smaller discussions that deal with specific areas of interest.

You'll find a number of discussions listed at the top level of this group: Honda Civic. When you are ready to post, please check the discussion list there for the appropriate discussion to post in. If there doesn't appear to be a discussion for the issue or problem you have, feel free to create one. We can deal with accidental duplication of topics as things progress.

While you are at the top-level, don't forget to click on Track This Group. You will then be tracking all of the Civic discussions that are here, as well as any new ones as they are created.

Using Read New Posts will mean you won't miss anything on the Civic board. If a discussion pops up which doesn't interest you (or is closed), all you have to do is click on Remove Track within the discussion.

Thanks for your understaning and help in making this group a great resource of information for Civic owners!

Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

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Honda Civic: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions