2008 Honda Civic Engine

HONDA SOFTWARE UPDATE ON MY 2008 CIVIC HAS MADE MY CAR LETHARGIC TO DRIVE. IT IS NOW DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN NORMAL TRAFFIC. GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED FROM ~40MPG TO ~35 FORCING ME TO STOP MORE OFTEN TO FILL UP AND COSTING ME LOTS MORE MONEY TO DRIVE. *TR

BASIC COMPLAINT IS UNPREDICTABLE LOSS OF POWER WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS SEEMS TO BE DUE TO THE IMA SYSTEM OPERATION. NOT BEING ABLE TO DEPEND ON CONSISTENT ACCELERATION HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED THE WAY YOU HAVE TO DRIVE VEHICLE TO PREVENT CRASH. IF YOU NEEDED THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY AND SAFELY, YOU CANNOT COUNT ON THIS VEHICLE TO PROVIDE IT. IT OCCURS ALMOST DAILY WHEN ACCELERATION IS NEEDED MOST, TURNING ACROSS TRAFFIC AND MERGING IN TRAFFIC/HIGHWAY ON-RAMPS. AT THE START OWNERSHIP OF VEHICLE, NO PROBLEMS NOTED. CAR OPERATED GREAT! IN LAST 5-10K MILES CAR HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND WORSE. IT HAS HAD ALL SOFTWARE UPDATES. MPG WAS ALWAYS 42-45. NOW RUNS AROUND 35 MPG. *TR

2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID WAS MODIFIED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S VOLUNTARY RECALL NOTICE 10-034. THIS MODIFICATION INVOLVED CHANGES TO THE ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER'S SOFTWARE "FLASH" MEMORY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE VEHICLE DEMONSTRATES INSUFFICIENT POWER TO ACCELERATE SAFELY INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. WHEN PARKED ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS DIFFICULTY INITIATING FORWARD MOTION AND MAY ROLL BACKWARDS UP TO THREE FEET BEFORE ESTABLISHING FORWARD PROGRESS. THIS BEHAVIOR WAS NOT OBSERVED PRIOR TO THE ENGINE MODIFICATION. *TR

THE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES NOT START WHEN TURNING THE KEY THE FIRST TIME. THE VEHICLE MAKES A VERY WEAK ATTEMPT TO START (20% OF NORMAL.). THEN ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT TURNING THE KEY THE VEHICLE WILL START. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO HONDA AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID NEW, AND WERE VERY SATISFIED WITH THE PERFORMANCE AND THE PICKUP WAS EXCELLENT. THE COMPANY PERFORMED A "MANDATORY" SOFTWARE UPGRADE TO IMPROVE BATTERY LIFE IN SEPTEMBER 2010. SINCE THAT UPDATE, THE CAR HAS DRASTICALLY DIMINISHED RESPONSE TIME TO ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN ATTEMPTING A SUDDEN BURST TO CHANGE LANES OR TURN THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. THE ENGINE ACTUALLY HAS ALMOST STALLED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START FROM A DEAD STOP. THIS RESPONSE TIME RESULTED IN A NEAR MISS WHILE ENTERING FREEWAY TRAFFIC DUE TO THE SLUGGISHNESS OF THE ENGINE WHEN REQUESTING ACCELERATION THAT, PRIOR TO THE SOFTWARE CHANGE, WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN A PROBLEM. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE THAT HONDA HAS FORCED UPON THE OWNERS OF THE HONDA CIVIC HYBRID IS A DETRIMENT TO SAFE DRIVING, AND SHOULD BE REVERSED AT THE SOONEST OPPORTUNITY BEFORE SOMEONE FORGETS AND IS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT THAT INVOLVES SERIOUS INJURY IF NOT DEATH. *TR

2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID IMA DASH LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AT APPROXIMATELY 31,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE INTEGRATED MOTOR ASSIST LIGHT ON THE DASH AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I STOPPED AND READ THAT THIS INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE INTEGRATED MOTOR ASSIST AND THAT PERFORMANCE WOULD BE AFFECTED WHICH IT WAS. ACCELERATION WAS SLUGGISH AND SLOW FROM A STAND STILL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY AND WAS ASKED IF I HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE WHICH I SAID I HAD NOT. THEY SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT REQUIRED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE. I LEFT THE CAR FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND WHEN I RETURNED THEY SAID THAT THEY FLASHED THE COMPUTER AND DID AN UPGRADE. AFTER THIS THERE WERE NO MORE PROBLEMS. I HAVE LOOKED AT NHTSA AND HONDA SITE AND THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS PROBLEM OR A RECALL LISTED ON ANY SITE. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK IN 2008 HONDA CIVIC. *TR

THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ONE TIME SO FAR BUT I HAVE A 2008 HONDA CIVIC LX THAT I JUST BOUGHT USED WITH ABOUT 25,500 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT FROM A HONDA DEALERSHIP IN SOUTH FLORIDA. IT IS A "HONDA CERTIFIED" VEHICLE. IT ALMOST STALLED AT A STOP SIGN WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT DID THIS BUT IT WORRIES ME. I HAD TO RELEASE THE PEDAL AND RE-PRESS IS SLOWLY TO GET THE CAR TO GO AGAIN. WHAT IF I NEED TO GET OUT INTO TRAFFIC? *TR

CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK ON 2008 HONDA CIVIC- MOST OWNERS EXPERIENCE OVERHEAT + FAILURE OF ENGINE. HONDA TSB 08-044 CLEARLY EXPLAINS DEFECT-LIKELY TO CRACK AROUND COOLANT PASSAGES ON 06,07,+08 CIVIC MOST OWNERS WILL BE IN A DANGEROUS POSITION - POSSIBLE FIRE+. *TR

A/C FAILURE IN 2008 HONDA CIVIC. DEALER CLAIMS ROCK HIT A/C CONDENSER AND PUNCTURED SO COOLANT RAN OUT. NO WARRANTY SERVICE AVAILABLE. SUGGESTED MY INSURANCE MIGHT COVER. SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SAME ISSUE, EXACT SAME DIAGNOSIS. SEEMS TO BE DESIGN FLAW WHERE CONDENSER EXPOSED WITH NO PROTECTIVE GRILL. OR CONDENSER MADE OF FAULTY MATERIAL AND SOMEHOW FAILING WITH NO ROCK INVOLVED AT ALL. STRANGE TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH SAME DIAGNOSIS AND HONDA DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. AT MINIMUM, HONDA SHOULD RECALL TO INSTALL PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR A/C CONDENSER. INSTEAD, THEY'D RATHER CHARGE $600+ TO KEEP REPAIRING THEM. INSTEAD OF A RECALL / BAD PUBLICITY / COST TO HONDA, THEY'D RATHER KEEP RIDING THIS CASH COW. WHAT A WIN FOR HONDA! *TR

I HAVE A 2008 HONDA CIVIC WITH A LITTLE OVER 20,000 MILES. INITIAL SYMPTOM WAS A/C FAN WOULD SHUT IT'S SELF OFF AND ON. DEALER REPLACED A PART IN THE FAN MOTOR. LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER IT BEGAN AGAIN. THEN ON A SUNDAY THE A/C BEGAN TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND SAID THAT I NOTICED WHEN AT HIGH SPEED A/C STOPS WORKING BUT WORKS AT LOW SPEED WHEN EXITING HIGHWAY. DEALER SAID THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN AND RAN A COUPLE OF SOFTWARE UPDATES AND SAID IT WAS WORKING AGAIN. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR THE PROBLEM RECURRED AND I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER SAME DAY. THIS TIME THE DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS A CRACKED BLOCK. THEY SAID IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM AND IF I HAD CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR IT WOULD HAVE OVERHEATED AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALERSHIP WAS VERY HELPFUL AND GAVE ME A CAR TO DRIVE WHILE MINE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THEY SAID THAT THE NEW BLOCK WILL CONTINUE TO BE COVERED UNDER THE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND A KNOWN ISSUE, IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN AND I WILL BE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD POSSIBLY WITHOUT WARRANTY COVERAGE. *TR

COOLANT LEAK - I HAVE ABOUT 32,000 MILES ON THE CAR - STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I NOTICED COOLANT LEAK FROM ENGINE BLOCK . TOOK CAR TO HONDA DEALER - THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ARE GOING TO CORRECT IT. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS FAILURE. *TR

WE ONLY RECEIVED ONE WARNING THE ENGINE OVERHEATED FOR NO REASON THEN WE FOUND OUT WE HAD A DEFECTIVE ENGINE FROM HONDA IN A 2008 CIVIC. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BUT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE ENGINE BLOCK IN THE HONDA CIVIC 2008, 2007, AND 2006 SO HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE DID OR DID NOT RECEIVE ANOTHER BLOCK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A FIRE. WE WERE NOT GIVEN A NEW WARRANTY ON THE REPLACED ENGINE. WE WERE NOT REIMBURSED ON EXPENSES TO RENT A CAR, AND FLY BACK TO PICK UP CAR AND TOWING. *TR

2008 HONDA CIVIC. WILL NOT START WHEN TURNING OVER ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. WILL CRANK, BUT DOES NOT START UP. THEN WILL START ON SECOND ATTEMPT, BUT DOES NOT START CLEAN (PUTTERS). SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN IGNITION OR RELAY OF STARTING VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 HONDA CIVIC LX. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 10-15 MPH THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV. AFTERWARDS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE HE HAD TO INCREASE HIS STOPPING DISTANCES. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,170. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,515.

MY 2008 CIVIC EX-L AC CONDENSER WAS DAMAGED BY A ROAD DEBRIS\PEBBLE. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, COST $750.00. HONDA TELLS ME TO REPORT IT TO MY INSURANCE. WHY SHOULD I, AFTER DEDUCTIBLE, I'LL ONLY SAVE $250.00 WHICH I'LL LOSE WHEN MY PREMIUM GOES UP.THIS IS NOT RIGHT! HONDA\DEALER SHOULD INFORM THIS FLAW TO THE CUSTOMER AND PROVIDE SUGGESTION ON HOW TO HELP PREVENT THIS SUCH AS A DEFLECTOR. ONE LIKE A WINDSHIELD DEFLECTOR OR SOMETHING. IF THIS COMPONENT HAS TO BE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR BY DESIGN, WHY WOULDN'T THEY DESIGN IT TO BE MORE DURABLE? I'M SO UPSET AT HONDA. AFTER REPAIR I'LL BE DRIVING WHILE WORRYING ABOUT SMALL OBJECTS ON THE ROAD WHICH I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. AND THE SAD PART IS THAT ACCORDING TO WHAT I READ ON FORUMS, SO MANY OTHER HONDA OWNERS PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS. *TR

I JUST PURCHASED FULLY A 2008 HONDA CIVIC FROM HONDA OF BOWIE IN BOWIE MARYLAND ON AUG 22, 2008. I WENT TO CHARLOTTE, NC FOR THE HOLIDAYS. AFTER PARKING THE CAR I HAD TO MOVE IT 5 FEET. I DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS THEREAFTER. I PROCEEDED TO START THE CAR ON THE 3RD DAY AND IT WOULD NOT START. I LET THE CAR SIT AND THEN TRIED TO START IT AGAIN. THE LIGHTS STARTED TO DIM AND IT WOULD NOT START. I CALLED BOWIE AND TALKED TO BILL. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO CALLED HONDA IN CHARLOTTE AND HAVE IT TOWED AND HONDA WOULD "EAT THE COST". I DID AS INSTRUCTED. I TOWED IT AND THE SERVICE REP TRIED TO START IT AND SAID THIS MAY BE SERIOUS. THE MECHANIC PUT THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, A CLOUD OF BLACK FOUL-SMELLING ODOR CAME OUT AND THE CAR STARTED UP. I CALLED BOWIE ON JANUARY 2, 2009, NO ONE WAS AVAILABLE, THEY SAY, TO SPEAK WITH ME, AND MR. WILLIAMSON WOULD NOT CALL ME BACK. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THIS WAS PURCHASED AS A BRAND NEW CAR. I DO NOT FILL SAFE IN THIS CAR!!! I AM IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO OBTAIN MY MONEY BACK FROM THIS DEALER. I AM A YOUNG WOMAN THAT TRAVELS ALOT AND BECAUSE I, AS A YOUNG WOMAN ON THE ROAD, WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSIS MY CAR WITH DIMMING LIGHTS AND NOT STARTING UP, I HAD TO PAY THE TOWING WHICH WAS SUPPOSE TO BE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION TO SEE WHETHER ANY OTHER "08 CIVIC FROM HONDA OF BOWIE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. IF NOT, I AM REPORTING THE FIRST. *TR

I TOOK MY 2008 HONDA CIVIC INTO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE AIR CONDITIONING WASN'T WORKING. THEY SAID IT WASN'T WORKING BECAUSE THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE AC CONDENSER AND THAT THIS WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH HONDAS BUT THAT THIS DESIGN DEFECT WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY. THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN DUE TO THE DEFECT BUT THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS WOULD SEEM TO ME TO BE A GOOD REASON FOR A RECALL TO FIX THE DESIGN PROBLEM IF THE AC UNIT IS SO VULNERABLE TO PUNCTURE GIVEN ITS LOCATION AND LACK OF PROTECTION FROM ROAD DEBRIS. *TR

SMALL PEBBLE HIT CONDENSER ON MY 2008 HONDA CIVIC WHILE DRIVING UNBEKNOWNST TO ME. THE DEALER SAYS IT HAS CAUSED A SMALL HOLE IN CONDENSER AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. ON EXAMINATION DAMAGE IS NOT READILY NOTICEABLE. THE CAR IS ONLY 3 MOS. OLD. I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND HAVE NOTED THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, SO IT QUITE COMMON. I THINK HONDA SHOULD ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT, AND HAVE IT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TR