Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

brorjace · November 2001

Jolson, Maybe water in the gas that is freezing?

Try running a bottle or two of isopropyl alcohol dry gas (brands vary ... and I don't think it matters) through your gas tank. You might be lucky and fix your car for $2-3.

I saw the same thing happen to an older Toyota and that was the solution.

--- Bror Jace

auburn63 · November 2001

Since it seems like it is on damp or wet days you may want to start with a distributor cap and rotor. We see very few bad fuel filters, although a possibility and even less bad fuel pumps as I have not replaced one in about 5 years or so.Good luck

vshah · November 2001

I have been experiencing water problems in the 1997 Honda Civic I have on the right side floor of the front and back passenger side. Any time it rains, which is quite often here in Seattle, the whole floor on the right side is totally wet. I have taken it to the dealer who finds nothing broken or wrong, including any holes in the under carriage. Does anyone have any suggestions or have experienced such problems and have been able to solve them? There does not appear to be any leak on any of the rubber seals as I have sat int he car and have had someone pour water on the car and I have not seen any water come in. This problem baffles me and I would appreciate any answers

tuffy76 · November 2001

I got my car used in July and overall am very satisfied with it. I'm planning on taking it in for service but wanted other opinions as my local Honda shop's sevice dept has a reputation and it's not a good one. I just want to be as eduacated as I can going in there and know what to tell them.
Car Specs - 38K miles, automatic, 98 EX Sedan.
1. Rattle near Sunroof - shouldn't think that would be very hard to fix - I can push near the light and it will stop.
2. Rear Suspension Creaks - noticeable when going over bumps and backing out of my garage (there's about a 1" drop in the concrete from my garage to driveway - when it goes over it bounces and creaks) - I think it's coming from the rear.
3. Loose Brake Petal - brakes work fine, however, if I place my foot on the petal (without depressing the brake) I can actually move the petal to the left and right maybe a 1/2" either way. Is this normal?
4. Engine (?) Area Rattle - I seem to be able to get it as I'm slowing down to make 90 degree turns in either direction. Doesn't always happen, but seems to happen most when I'm also on a slight decline. Any ideas here?
I appreciate any help. Thanks!

fxashun · November 2001

Is normal. My Civics and Integras have all had noisy rear suspensions. Didn't really bother me though.

dudka · November 2001

i had similar on my 85 civic. replacing the distributor rotor and cap, wires and spark plugs solved it. but make sure you use dielectric grease when assembling those. most shops will skimp and not apply dielectric grease. if you are going to do it yourself then, it will only cost you an extra $2 for a tube of it. one tube will last you for more than 5 tune ups.

hy168 · November 2001

This car is similar to the US Civic EX. I also experience wind noise from the from front windows, more severe on the passenger side. I think the noise is caused by the window rubber seal being too far into the trough (the vertical side on the door latch side) on the window metal frame. I managed to minimize the noise by taking the seal out of its trough and re-seat it but couldn't stop it completely. I am about to bring the car in for other problems. I am not sure if the dealer or Honda will or can fix this problem.

adnoh1 · November 2001

I purchased a new Honda Civic EX in July 2001. One of the main reasons I bought this car was for the gas mileage of 31-39 mpg City/Highway (as shown on the sticker). Being that 90% of my driving is highway, I was looking forward to an average of 37mpg minimum. For the first 2500 miles I was getting an average of 27 mpg. I called Honda, and they said that at aprox. 3000 miles, something in the fuel lines disintegrates, and I would get improved gas mileage. At the 3000 mark it did improve, however, I'm holding now at 5000 miles and the best it's ever done is 31-32 mpg. I went to the dealership and they said they have no way of testing this, and it will get better. I've been reading some of the postings about how some owners get 44mpg! I think I've waited long enough!Should I be concerned, and what can I do?
I would appreciate any advice or comments.

ttlttlttl · November 2001

I bought mine in July too and the worst and best I've got was 32 and 37, respectively. I do notice a small difference if I go a little faster on high. but nothing like below 30mpg... I guess you have the AC on most of the time and you like to floor the gas pedal on most occasions.

civic2001lx · November 2001

Have you had your first oil change yet?

I noticed a significant increase after my first oil change at 8000km.

overhang · November 2001

We purchased this vehicle 6 months ago and the car stalled 3 times within the first 4 months. The SRS light comes on intermittantly while driving, the front rotors warped at 6000 miles causing a vibration while braking, the CD player has a mind of its own, the left front tire wore down to its wear indicators at 7000 miles, a trim piece mysteriously dissappeared or was never placed on the vehicle during manufacture, the battery died at 8000 miles, and to top it off, the dealership put 2 dents in the roof and is going to need to refinish the roof.

The first visit to Buena Park Honda, they reset the SRS light test drove the vehicle and stated the brakes were operating properly blaming the vibration on metallic pads. They could not duplicate psycho CD player problem and stated they have not had any other complaints about the units.

The second visit to this fine establishment they replaced the left front tire, and "ordered" the replacement CD player. The brake problem to them was "normal" even though the vibration has turned into a grinding which was duplicated during this visit. The shop reset the SRS light which was now coming on for no apparent reason and stated these systems are sensative. The shop will call us when the radio arrives.

Two days later tire was replaced again as the one they stuck on our poor vehicle had a hole in it and had not been balanced when mounted.

Two months later...Still no call for the radio. Guess its on Galactic backorder. So we called them not because of the radio, but because the car won't start. Battery died? In a new car? Is it possible? Took 2 days for them to find a 1.5 volt drain coming from somewhere. They need to order a special part (Hope it's not on Galactic backorder). They reset SRS system again but could not pull any codes. Car has intermittant stalling problem still. It's starting to feel like we purchased a 99 Toyota Corolla from Enterprise Rent A Car. Not a bad car. After a total of 7 days, they supposedly replaced the radio, replaced front pads and rotors, replaced the trim piece and hopefully fixed the stalling and battery drain. WOW 7 days to do these relatively minor things. I've replaced engines in less time. Guess cars are more sophisticated nowadays. We still need to take the car to the body shop which means more time in our soon to be favorite 99 Toyota Corolla. Still not a bad car.

As for the service at this dealership. We rate it poorly. The "Customer Service Manager" walked into the back area of the shop not knowing we trailed behind him as he snapped his fingers at a worker and said "get rid of them." That's appreciation for you when you buy a car from them. When we bought the vehicle they didn't want to get rid of us. They wanted us to fill out a customer survey because they care about customer satisfaction. What a gimmick!!!

I guess Honda just doesn't have the experience in dealing with poorly constructed vehicles. At least the posts in here tells us we're not alone. I thought Hondas are supposed to be reliable? What has happened? I browsed through the Honda Accord problems discussions. Scary. Hope Honda doesn't handle their problems like Ford.

adnoh1 · November 2001

I want to thank you all for your comments. Based on your comments here are some more details. I have not had an oil change yet, But it sounds like a good idea. I don't use the A/C much, however, I do like to keep the pedal to the metal.
My question is for those drivers who claim to get 44mpg. How do you do it? Do you always drive highway at 55mph?

devore · November 2001

overhang,

Sounds like an incredibly bad dealer. Can you take the car to another Honda dealer for service? I'd look into that, as obviously those guys are incompetent and rude. I've had similarly involved work performed on my 01 EX and my dealer completed the work in a half day, and paid for a taxi to drive me to work.

Concerning some of the other problems, it behooves you to be really attentive to the car when it's still quite new. It seems to me that if indeed your tire had been worn down to wear indicators so soon, you would have noticed this in terms of the car drifting or pulling, as for a tire to wear down that quickly I'm assuming it had to be misaligned.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but also understand that brake rotors can become warped or misshaped as a result of hard braking. I personally think that many of these warped rotor problems come from the way drivers use the brakes. I could be wrong, of course, but "stabbing" the brakes should only occur in an emergency situation, not as part of routine driving (and actually not even then, if your model has ABS.)

The SRS light to me is a _major_ concern. Don't "live with" this problem. The airbag could save your life in an accident, but it won't if it's not working.

It sounds like at the very least you should try another dealer. Good luck.

fxashun · November 2001

It sound like your car was in a major accident or something. You might want to get it inspected by someone. One tire wearing out that early is very suspect.

dudka · November 2001

if you bought this car new, and you have all of the reciepts for the work performed, i would look into getting a lemon lawyer. honda will buy the car back, will give you all of your money back including taxes, document fees, downpayment and the payments already made.

2k1civic2dr · November 2001

Hello, I have a 2001 civic ex coupe and my parents bought it for me, I am 17. My parents have Bmw and Saabs and they get treated royally by their perspective dealers, i feel that my local Honda dealership is terrible. they are not friendly, no loner cars. my dealer never called me, and 3 months later when i came to look into something, I FOUND OUT HE RETIRED! i feel like it is a punishment when i have to go. it is a shame and i know i am 17 and i should be happy i have this great car, and the car is great great great, but the dealer is a TURNOFF to the point where i would have almost preferred a used integra where at least i am @ a topic notch dealer.
thanks
-todd

fangio2 · November 2001

It is just a shame that you even must consider a used car.I can't imagine why they would not call you and the salesman/dealer(?) retiring without notifying you is inexcusable.
Hopefully this lack of royal treatment does not discourage you from allowing your parents to continue buying new Hondas for you.

isellhondas · November 2001

To think...the poor salesperson actually had the gall to RETIRE!!!???

Something a seventeen year old can't comprehend, I guess...

overhang · November 2001

We got the car back from the dealer and things seem ok after a week. The radio is still acting up and we are wondering if they even replaced it. Maybe we will take it to the next closest dealer but last time it took them 6 attempts to resolve a SRS light problem with our 97 CiviC. This was the main reason we didn't go back to them for our 01.

I understand it's difficult to find electrical problems but we will be at ropes end soon. Thanks for the advice. We don't know if we want to get an attorney involved at this point, but will soon be considering it if the problems are not fixed.

We still need to take the car back to get the dents taken out of the roof which will require repaint of the roof.

It just seems like the Honda dealers now are more interested in regular maintenance than repair. They might as well be running a Jiffy Lube.

I am sure it is more lucrative for them to do a scheduled maintenance which cost $200-$300 and takes an experienced tech a half hour to perform than to charge $200-$300 to diagnose and repair a problem but actually spend the time that they are charging for.

rfruth · November 2001

I have a 00 Civic DX hatch and its been a dream, routine maintance is all & my dealer (who has done the routine maint) is good IMO (John Eagle FM 1960 here in Houston) and to make matters worse (better for me) 40 MPG on the highway windows up AC on 70 MPH. Have the plain ole 1.6 L engine with 5 speed manual. Rob Fruth Houston

pj23 · November 2001

There is a difference between a bad car and bad dealers. Many peoples' dealer experiences are less than perfect (myself included). But that isn't necessarily an excuse to slam the car. For example, floor mats are a dealer installed accessory, as are the anchors. If the anchors aren't there, it's the dealers fault, not Honda's. Go back and ask for them. I had the same problem, and it took 5 minutes to correct. I doubt anything else is missing out of your car because the mat anchors weren't there.

As for the gas mileage, how long have you had the car? There have been numerous posts on this board regarding bad fuel gauges in early cars (as there have been with faulty stereo head units). I am regularly getting 37-38 mpg highway with my Civic ('01 EX Coupe). Keep in mind that looking at the gauge isn't the best way to determine mileage. When my gauge is on "E" and the low fuel light comes on, I still have 3+ gallons in the tank (based on how much fuel it takes at fill-up). Try calculating fuel economy by looking at miles driven and how much the tank will take at fill-up rather than basing it on what the gauge reads. Also keep in mind that revving the engine, when accelerating, to the point that VTEC kicks in (3500-4500 RPM, depending, I think) will decrease gas mileage, no matter what your top speed becomes after accelerating.

With the stalling, you have a bona fide complaint. If the dealer you go to isn't responsive, go to another.

daveyd · November 2001

Yes my dealer sucks too. There is only one in the town. I brought my car in for the SRS light. I had a qualified professional put in the factory foglights, and something happened that the SRS light turned on. The Dealer had the guts to charge me 240 bucks for the work. 4 hours worth of labor on a new car. What the heck, This car is new. Warrenty? At the same time, my driver seats rocks a little bit. The service guy told me he felt it rock, but when I picked up my car, on the invoice it said "Normal Play in seat track" The seat never rocked like that. I printed off pages from www.2k1civic.com, where people have complained of seats rocking. They had my car for 3 days fixing the rocking. They gave me a very disgusting, dirty, 2000 Sunfire. They should be ashamed that they give this car out as a rental. I went from drving my 2k1 Civic, to this piece of junk for 3 days. The service guy was pissed and shocked that this 20 yr old kid proved him wrong. And just to let you know, My seat is rocking again, and now worse than before. Well I broguht my car back, wanting to speak to the service manager about the 240 bucks, he is 'supposedly' busy. The dealership cannot explain what they did for 4 hours on my car. I havent spoke to him, and the service advisor has also been rude. When I walked in there he recoginzed me, and the first thing he said to me was "What is the problem today?" What the hell kind of customer service is that? I called Honda of America, no ansewer yet from them. I am going to call Honda, and than rip everyone a new A-hole on Monday when I bring my car up there, and I tell them that I am going to contact my Lawyer and the Better Business Buearu. Wish me luck. I dont want to go into any further detail because of this story.

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/saturday/metro_b36fb002844b70b60008.html

alcan · November 2001

How can you reasonably expect Honda to pay for damage directly caused by the foglight installer? The SRS light wasn't on before he started, it was on after he finished. It's likely that he caused the problem. He should reimburse you for the repair.
Regarding the 4 hour labor charge, my guess would be that it took that long for the dealer tech to locate and repair the cut/pinched/spliced/misrouted wiring or the disconnected/bent/pulled out terminal pin which your installer caused.
On the bright side, you probably saved 10 or 15 bucks having your "qualified professional" install the lights. That'll make a handy down payment for your lawyer.

daveyd · November 2001

I watched my guy put in my lights. This guy has been in business for 10 years. He install remote starts, all electical accessories on cars. He knows his stuff. I watched him put in the lights. Have you seen the OEM fog light kit? IT is all harnesses. How could of he caused the problem? He did nothing with the Airbag system. It was something I didnt want to so I had him do it. He said that he would reimburse me, but 240 bucks? No way. The dealer cannot justify themselves for what they did for the 4 hours.

brorjace · November 2001

Guys (and the occasional girl),
The SRS system on all Civics (not just the newest ones) is VERY sensitive to spikes or disruptions in the electricla system. My '95's SRS light came on after I jump started the car and it had to be reset by the dealership. I was told that if the SRS light ever came on again, it meant I'd need a new electronic control modulator - $850!!

And people wonder why I like my cars with as few electronic doo-dads as possible!!

--- Bror Jace

fxashun · November 2001

About the fewer electronics. But you'd think that they wsould design the electronics so that it could withstand a couple jump starts and unplugging the battery and stuff. If the electronics are that sensitive you might as well buy a crappy Hyundai or something.

zoomzoom79 · November 2001

fxashun: I saw that.

Also, to hook up the foglights the guy would've had to work with some electrical wiring because you have to be able to turn them on and off with something (unless they are those rare cordless/wireless foglights that don't require any wires).

starrlina · November 2001

Has anyone had problems with their Honda Civic EX ignitors. My car would not start yesterday (even with jumpstart), then this morning it started right up. Someone mention it was my ignitor. Anyone have any ideas?

pallove · November 2001

I also had problems with my honda seat rocking back and forth. Took the car back to the dealer 4-times for them to fix it. First they dismantled the seat and tried to tightened the screws. Second time they replaced the bottom rack. Third they replaced the top part of the seat where my back rest upon. Had to take it back to them a 4th time because they did not put the material clip which clips the cloth overhang to the bottom of the seat.

Yeah, I too have had troubles with my honda civic.

I feel your pain about the SRS unit. But you should not of paid for anything. The car was still under warranty. If the SRS was giving your problems it was up to the dealer to fix the car! It might be difficult for you to get your money. Write to Honda and make a formal complaint about the dealer. Look in your owner's manual for the address. Mail your receipts to Honda and demand and explanation as to why the dealer has charged you for a service that should still be under warranty.

I was in that predicament when the dealer wanted me to pay for an alignment when my caster angle was out of specs only after 1700 miles on my new Honda. I told the dealer is so many words to bleep...bleep...bleep off. The bottom line is that the service manager test drove the car with me and found out that I was telling the truth.

I would also recommend that you speak to the District manager and the General manager of the store. Remember you have to be aggressive and assertive. Don't let these people take advantage of you. They are getting paid no matter what. If something is covered under warranty they are still getting paid.

As long as you had a professional honda certified mechanic work on your car you should not be held responsible for any Warranty work.

I am still having problems with the stalling and hesitation. My dealer is giving me the run-around about the problem. So I am going to video tape my car stalling and the idle speed dropping. I am also going to mail the video to honda and ask them why do I have to go through this extreme measure to prove to the dealership I purchased the car from that my car stalls.

There have been a significant amount of complaints about stalling on www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

I can be perfectly honest and say, if I only knew what I know now, I would of never purchased this car.

I hope this helps you daveyd.

auburn63 · November 2001

starrlina
I have seen a few bad distributor caps and rotors lately. Was it at all damp outside when it failed to start? I would start there because it is cheaper. Igniters usally fail once they get hot
but could be a possibilty as well as a main fuel relay but the best start would be the cap and rotor..Good luck..

clementp · November 2001

Those of you who are having problems with your seats (ie. rocking), I suggest you check with your service dept. Honda issued a service advisory some time ago indicating premature wear on the front bushings. I had mine replaced a couple of months ago and the problem was solved.

mcmann · November 2001

Hi my name is Mike McMann, I live in western New York area. I just bought a civic for my son in college. Its got 78,000 miles on it and seems to run fine except. I filled the radiator to the full line like the manual states, then put the radiator cap on. I then filled the overflow half way between low and max. He goes to Ithaca college about 160 miles away. We only had the car a week before he took it to school with him so I didn't have much time to check it out. Thr trip takes two hours on the thru way at 70 mph, then another hour at 50 - 60 mph up and down some hills to get to the campus. I noticed fluid leaking once before he left, thats when I topped off the fluids. I had him check the next day when it was light after he got up there and he said the overflow was empty and he had to add antifreeze to the radiator, about two cups in the radiator. Its actually coming out the overflow? I did tell him to watch the temp guage but of course he didn't. My question is what would cause this to boil over? Or is it even boiling over? Maybe its plugged? I did talk to the previous owner and he said the guage was registering hot this summer and he changed the thermostat. That is when the problem started. Now this guy was not big on maintenance so its the original antifreeze. I plan to flush it when he comes home at x-mas break, but mean while he is 160 miles away, with a leaker. Any help would be appreciated

auburn63 · November 2001

A leak is always a possibility but if it is overheating or has run hot in the past then chances are the head gasket is going bad. Presure test the system and see what they tells you..Good luck..

daveyd · November 2001

I had my seat fixed a month ago. And the problem was fixed for a week. Now the rocking is back. I have read that Honda is supposed to replace the whole track, not just the bushings to fix the problem. I have to bring it up, and I also have to complain about my gas milage. I have only been getting on average 23-26. That is just city driving. What the heck. This car should be getting 31 city, and 37 highway.

fxashun · November 2001

And does it effect the 93 EX engine?

mcmann · November 2001

Can someone tell me how I can reply to existing messages? I looked all around, can't find it. Thank you auburn63 for the advice, I will look up some shops in the Ithaca area and get the car tested. I don't understand how the head gasket could be leaking with no water in the oil and no oil in the anti-freeze? I don't doubt that you are right, it just doesn't make since to me. After a 160 mile run wouldn't the darn thing just overheat? From what I can read the whole system only holds 1.2 gal. I was hoping that the guy that changed the thermostat put it in backwards? The fluid is diffenetly is coming out the overflow, no other signs of leaks. Thanks again

clementp · November 2001

Before the service advisory came out regarding the premature wear on the front seat bushings, the service dept change the slider rails (upper and lower) on both seats. It wasn't long before the seats were coming loose on the new rails also. Almost a month after the new rails were installed, my service dept called me to explain that a service advisory was issued by Honda and that I should bring my car back to have the front bushings on each seat replaced. After the bushings were replaced, the seat never came loose again. I'm not sure if the problem was corrected as a result of changing both the rails "and" the bushings, or if the problem would have simply been resolved if only the bushings were changed. If the problem still exists after changing only the bushings, your Honda dealer should have no problem changing the rails also at a later date. I'm one of the lucky ones I guess and have a very attentive service dept. It was explained to me by the service technician that it was important for the seats to be solid and in perfect operating order because they form part of the safety systems of the vehicle. Hopefully your own Honda service dept will take the great care and approach my dealership did. Good Luck....

mcmann · November 2001

This is my first experience with a Honda. The car only shifts at a high rpm. Its like it winds out for every gear, then it drops into the next gear, even when you are just putting along. Is this normal? Is the system the kind that is adjustable? I know that some trannys have cables that can be adjusted. Thanks

cschaaf · December 2001

What is the standard warranty on a 99 Civic? Would that be listed on my original sales papers? It's not in the manual.

The reason I ask- My drivers side power window has become very slow to roll up. The first half of roll up takes about 7 seconds. Would this be covered? If not, is it easy to replace the motor?

I have a little over 40k on the vehicle.

Thanks
Chris

carguy62 · December 2001

As far back as I can recall Honda has a 3/36 warranty. Looks like it will be your $, but be nice and you never know they might chip in. Is it that bad? I would probably leave it alone, but I subscribe to the "have as few people as possible touch my car" theory.

cschaaf · December 2001

3/36, at least I'm 4k over.:) It's not THAT bad, but it is annoying when a sudden storm pops up and it takes about 12 second to roll up (the passenger window takes about 4-5 seconds.) I'm just expecting it to stay down someday. I'll leave it go for now (I'm cheap).

clementp · December 2001

I own a 01 Civic Si (Ex in US) built very early on in the production cycle which I took possession of in late Nov 2000. I thought I would give you folks an idea of the problems I have incurred and how I went about resolving these issues. At 1600 kms (approx 1000 miles) the 5 Sp transmission was replaced due to the gear shift "popping" out of 2nd gear and other assorted grinding noises. At first the dealership proposed a solution to tear down the tranny and fix the synchro gears. I rejected this idea and asked them to contact Honda regional HQ to see if they would replace the entire transmission. Considering the low mileage of the vehicle, they had no problems replacing the tranny and I was without my vehicle for only a half day (tranny works perfect now). The A/C condensor rad was replaced because the glue that holds the metal fins to the rad was of poor quality and it looked like the guts of the rad were falling out (no problems since the rad was replaced). I had a few problems with the vehicle stalling after coming to a stop (about 3-4 times). This problem presented itself early on and it has not happened since. Gas mileage was not as good as reported on the window sales sticker at first, but has since become much better. If I don't drive it too hard, I get at least the type of MPG that is reported by the manufacturer. I've never had a problem with any of the power options (windows, locks, etc) and I've never had any problems with the sound system. My Civic is completely stock with no aftermarket goodies at all.

The loose seats were a bit of an issue. At first, the service dept didn't know what to do to fix the problem. They changed the seat and floor rails on both front seats which helped for a while but they soon came loose as well. A service advisory was issued by Honda indicating premature wear on the front seat bushings. I'm not sure what part of the seat that is, but the seats have operated perfectly after they were changed.

To date, I have almost 28,000 kms on this vehicle and I am quite pleased with it (it's hard for me to admit this after being a loyal Camry owner for so many years). I accepted the fact this new model would have some "bugs" in it, however I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who happens to have an excellent service department (West City Honda in Belleville, Ontario) who are concerned about my product loyalty. I believe the vast majority of Generation 7 Civic owners are quite happy with their rides. Unfortunately there are a small percentage that have more "bugs" in their vehicles than others and there are other folks out there who have the misfortune of dealing with "braindead" service depts. We still need to hear about all of the Civic problems out there and how you managed to resolve them. So for those of you who are having problems - don't give up and let us know how you made out by continuing to post to this, and other forums.

zepplinl · December 2001

Hi all,
I've heard a lot of gripes about the CD players on the 2001 Civics and mine is acting up a bit too. It seems to ruin any CD-R's that I play in it. It plays them well for the first time or so but then it starts to put LOTS of scratches all over it and starts to skip and produce so much static you can't hear the song. I took that CD out and put it in my 9 YEAR OLD cd player at home and it worked fine. It read right over those scratches. I thought the newer lasers in CD-Players could all play CD-R's fine, especially if my old one can.
Anyone else have problems with the CD player ruining CD's? Also, I've heard some people say there's a recall on these CD players but the NHTSA doesn't post one like that. Any ideas?

Thanks everyone.

zepplinl · December 2001

zepplinl · December 2001

I was just wondering if anyone else's 2001 Civics fuel gauge reads FULL for a long time, and then pretty quickly drops to the half full line, and then drops even faster to empty? It'll stay on full for a few hours of driving and then start to drop rapidly and before you know it, it'll be very low. It seems to go faster the lower it gets.
This is very disconcerting as I think I have plenty of gas and the low fuel warning light is on! Anyone else with this problem?
Thanks guys!

zepplinl · December 2001

Hi all,
RONALDWATSON - I've heard a lot of gripes about the CD players on the 2001 Civics and mine is acting up a bit too. It seems to ruin any CD-R's that I play in it. It plays them well for the first time or so but then it starts to put LOTS of scratches all over it and starts to skip and produce so much static you can't hear the song. I took that CD out and put it in my 9 YEAR OLD cd player at home and it worked fine. It read right over those scratches. I thought the newer lasers in CD-Players could all play CD-R's fine, especially if my old one can.
Anyone else have problems with the CD player ruining CD's? Also, I've heard some people say there's aRECALLl on these CD players but the NHTSA doesn't post one like that. Any ideas?

Also, my fuel gauge is not as erratic as yours JJSNOWY, but it stays on FULL for a long time and then pretty quickly goes down to half full, and then below that, it goes fast until empty. It should be a gradual process so you can judge when you need to fill up but mine stays on full too long and then drops fastish and scares me because I don't realize I'm that low already! Could they fix this or is this just another wonderful design flaw?
Thanks guys!!

Thanks everyone.

clementp · December 2001

WOW - if your factory CD player is actually scratching the CDs then you probably have a mechanical fault with the deck (as opposed to electronic). After all, the only thing that's supposed to touch the surface of a CD is the laser beam of light that reads the information. I don't know what factory deck I have in my 01 Civic Si, but I play all sorts of CD-Rs (made by different manufacturers) and I've never had a problem. Perhaps the type of decks installed in later production runs of the car are different than my own (I bought my Civic in Nov 2000). There are lots of complaints in these newsgroup forums about the poor performance of the factory installed head units in these cars. As for the fuel gauge, I've never had a problem with mine, however my friend (who purchased his 01 Civic only recently) has the same problem you have. I think you'll find the Honda service department very reluctant to change the sending unit in the fuel tank unless it fails altogether. But you'll never know unless you ask I suppose. Good Luck.

carguy000 · December 2001

Yeah, my fuel gauge does exactly what you've described. I'm wondering if it's just a characteristic of the fuel gauge. I think, however, that I've read that there was a TSB on the fuel gauge. I'm going to get the Honda dealership to look at my fuel gauge when I go home for Christmas break. Other than the fuel gauge issue, I'm loving my Civic!

twistinmelon · December 2001

My 2000 Odyssey does the same thing.

Could be a Honda thing.

twist

brorjace · December 2001

Folks, I'm pretty sure it's a Honda thing. My Integra and Civic do the same thing.

The needle stays on "full" for about a hundred miles and then it drops fairly rapidly.

Also, Honda fuel guages tend to be a bit pessimistic. They say you're about empty when you still have a couple gallons in the tank.

--- Bror Jace

Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Honda Civic: Problems &amp; Solutions

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions