2000 Honda Civic

EVERY TIME ENGINE IS TURNED OFF VERY LOUD CLANGING AND BANGING NOISES COME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT THE NOISES CAME FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER COOLING DOWN AND CONTRACTING, WHICH WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

I BOUGHT A HONDA CIVIC 2000 AND THE VEHICLE HAS A MAJOR FLAW IN ITS CAR SEATS. IT PRODUCES HIGH ELECTRICITY SHOCKS WHEN YOU TOUCH THE DOORS (METAL). I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT AND A POTENTIAL LAWSUIT FOR HONDA IF SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AN EXPLOSION. THIS IS AN EVERYDAY ISSUE AND MY FAMILY IS EVEN AFRAID TO GET IN THE CAR. *AK

WHEN THE CAR WAS 2 WEEKS OLD, WE RETURNED FROM A DRIVE AND FOUND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF, EVEN WITH THE IGNITION IN THE "OFF" POSITION AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS TRYING TO START ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL RUNNING. I PUT THE KEY BACK IN AND TURNED IT TO THE "ON" POSITION, AT WHICH POINT THE UNUSUAL NOISE DISAPPEARED, AND THE CAR SEEMED TO IDLE NORMALLY. I TURNED IT OFF AGAIN, AND THE NOISE RETURNED AS THE CAR KEPT RUNNING. I TURNED THE KEY ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES BEFORE THE ENGINE FINALLY STOPPED. AS I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT A FIRE WAS BURNING ON THE STARTER AND THE NEARBY RUBBER HOSES. I UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO BLOW OUT THE FLAMES, WHICH WE PUT OUT USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM OUR APARTMENT BUILDING, WHICH WE WERE PARKED IN FRONT OF. ALL DAMAGED PARTS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT, ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL A BURNT SMELL EVIDENT AFTER DRIVING THE CAR. I INFORMED HONDA OF THE PROBLEM THROUGH THEIR "NEW OWNER SURVEY" AND A LETTER TO THEIR CUSTOMER RELATIONS ZONE OFFICE. *AK

RIGHT PULL & WANDERING EXPERIENCED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE OCT. 1999. RETURNED FOR ALIGNMENT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. ALIGNMENT DONE, STILL SLIGHT RIGHT PULL AND DEFINITE WANDERING STILL PRESENT. RETURNED TODAY FOR RECHECK. MECHANIC TEST DROVE WITH ME IN CAR. HE ACKNOWLEDGES WANDERING/WASHBOARDING, BUT CLAIMS HE DOESN'T FEEL IT IS ABNORMAL. ANOTHER MECHANIC TOOK ME OUT FOR A DRIVE TO DETERMINE SOURCE OF PROBLEM, ME OR THE CAR. MECHANIC DETERMINED UNUSUAL WASHBOARDING. STATES WILL CONTACT HONDA TECH. FOR ASSISTANCE WITH PROBLEM. AFTER I LEFT, SVC. WRITER AND SECOND MECHANIC TOOK ANOTHER CIVIC FOR TEST DRIVE. EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM WITH HAVING TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT STEERING TO KEEP VEHICLE IN ITS OWN LANE. CALLED ME JUST BEFORE 5PM P.S.T. TO ASK ME WHAT I WOULD DO IF THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CIVIC'S SINCE ANOTHER NEW CAR ON THE LOT DROVE THE SAME WAY. I RESPONDED STATING I SAW NOTHING IN THE PURCHASE CONTRACTS THAT WARNED ME OF A "STEERING CHARACTERISTIC" THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PUT UP WITH, NOR DID I KNOW HONDA MADE THEIR CARS WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE CASTER OR CAMBER ADJUSTMENTS CORRECTED. IF I KNEW THIS CAR WAS GOING TO HANDLE AS POORLY ON THE FREEWAY AS IT DOES, I WOULDN'T HAVE PURCHASED IT. THE SPECIFICATIONS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL CANNOT POSSIBLY BE MET DUE TO THE LACK OF FORESIGHT BY HONDA. I HAVE A COPY OF THE ALIGNMENT SETTINGS BEFORE THE FIRST ALIGNMENT WAS INITIATED AS WELL AS THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST ALIGNMENT, WHICH ARE UNACCEPTABLE BASED ON THE UNSTABLE, UNPREDICTABLE STEERING AND HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS EXHIBITED BY THIS "NEW" CAR. IF HONDA CAN NOT FIX THIS CAR CORRECTLY SO AS NOT TO SHORTEN THE LIFE OF THE TIRES OR PUT UNDUE STRESS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION, REAR SUSPENSION, AND RELATED WHEEL BEARINGS, THEN THEY CAN JUST TAKE THIS CAR BACK AND REIMBURSE ME FOR MY PURCHASE. I HAVE ALREADY WASTED 3 HOURS BUYING THIS CAR AND OVER 5 HOURS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DEALING WITH THE CURRENT PROBLEM. *