Common Problems In Honda Civics

Honda introduced its Civic line in 1972 with the hatchback. Today, Civics are compact cars that are available in coupe, sedan, and hatchback models. The gas-electric Civic Hybrid hit the market in 2003. Since the beginning, Honda Civics have enjoyed a reputation of being extremely safe, comfortable, and reliable. Truth be told, common problems in Honda Civics are few and far between, but there are a few things to watch out for, especially in the newer Hybrids.

 Civic Problems The 2001 and 2002 models experience frequent failure of the driver's door switch. This is the device that tells your car whether the door is open or closed. When the driver's door switch doesn't work, the key reminder system (the beep your car makes when you leave your keys in the ignition and the door is open) and the dome light will not work properly. This is an annoying problem at most and an inexpensive repair.

The fuel sending units in the 1999 Civics sometimes, but not terribly often, go out. In plain English, you can't tell how much gas is left in your car. Again, this isn't the end of the world, but costs a little more to fix. The Civic received a five star frontal crash rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the highest and safest mark possible. However, one thing to take into consideration is that costs for damage due to theft and collision tend to be higher than average. If you tend to get into accidents frequently or live in an area with increased theft risks, you might end up paying more than you'd expect to fix your car's body damage.

Most of the problems people experience with Honda Civics are really just complaints. They are complaints to take seriously, however, especially if you are looking for a used car to suit very specific needs or for very specific driving conditions. Many people complain that the mid-90s models have noisy cabins and do not accommodate tall people very well. These complaints were addressed and corrected by the late-90s. Rattles in the dash and trunk frequently occur as the car ages, but this is a common problem among most cars. The 2000-present model Civics have high, loose suspensions that handle excellently under normal conditions but make driving in the rain difficult.

Finally, the biggest complaint people express about Civics is that the 1.6-liter engine does not produce enough horsepower. In trading horsepower for fuel economy, you get excellent gas mileage but slow acceleration on the freeway. The older Civics tend to have a little more oomph, particularly those made before 1996. If you love the Civic but need more power from your car, you do have options. Civics are very easily customizable, and there are a plethora of compatible aftermarket parts to give your car more torque. Civic Hybrid Problems As with the standard Civic, consumers are generally very satisfied with the Hybrid. However, because Hybrid technology is fairly new, it makes sense that problems would arise specific to the Hybrid model. Even though the Civic Hybrid has only been on the market since 2003, quite a few people have experienced transmission problems at a low mileage. The first symptom of this problem is a whine during acceleration. The transmission problems people have experienced, however, have occurred while the car is still covered under the manufacturer's warranty. This means that the repair is free to the consumer, but there is still the inconvenience of getting it fixed. Not everyone gets the advertised gas mileage of 40-50 miles per gallon. This is considered to be a problem because people choose the Hybrid model specifically for the fuel economy. The truth is, the car gets much better gas mileage in warm weather and on flat roads. If you live in the mountains or a cold climate, you can only expect to get 30-40 miles per gallon.

There are several reasons for the discrepancy. First, the battery is self-charging, but cold conditions are not conducive to battery charging or battery power storage. Second, how you drive your car is just as important as where you drive your car. Reading the owner's manual becomes much more important for this car than any other, because the owner's manual will tell you how to get the highest possible fuel economy from your Hybrid. If you tend to drive faster than 70 miles per hour, for example, your fuel efficiency will decrease. Even routine maintenance for the Civic Hybrid can be more expensive. For example, the Hybrid uses 0W20 oil, which is hard to find and more expensive than more common oil types. The 0W30 oil is extremely important, however, as any other oil will ruin the fuel economy of the car. Some people have reported that oil change technicians put standard oil in the Hybrids by mistake, and the oil change has to be repeated. Something not found in the owner's manual but with serious potential to cause problems is the emergency response guide. This document is available on the Web, and it delineates rescue procedures for firefighters responding to accidents involving the Civic Hybrid. In order to pull someone from a burning Civic Hybrid, the main power cable running underneath the car must first be disconnected. Otherwise, firefighters risk electrocution. Unfortunately, many firefighters are not aware of this risk, nor are people involved in accidents involving the Hybrid.