2009 Honda Civic

I CURRENTLY AM THE LESSEE OF A 2009 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID STARTING THIS JANUARY, THE HYBRID BATTERY CHARGE LEVEL GOES FROM ALMOST FULL (8-10 OUT OF 10 BARS) TO VIRTUALLY ZERO (1 BAR) EVERY OTHER WEEK (THE TECHNICAL TERM FOR THIS IS A "RECALL" OR RECALIBRATING). THIS SUMMER, IT STARTED HAPPENING EVERY 3-4 DAYS, AND WHENEVER I HAD THE A/C ON. THEN, IT STARTED TO HAPPEN EVERY 100 MILES (WHICH MADE IT VERY PREDICTABLE). THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN IN THE 'RECALL' STATE, THE CAR IS ALMOST UNRESPONSIVE AND DOES NOT ACCELERATE MUCH, IF AT ALL. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS WHEN THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAS A BLIND SPOT, OR IS COMING AROUND A CORNER. IT ALSO IMPACTS FUEL EFFICIENCY SUBSTANTIALLY. I HAVE SEEN ABOUT A 7 MILE-PER-GALLON DROP IN FUEL ECONOMY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO CODES IN THE SYSTEM BUT THERE WERE 3 SOFTWARE UPDATES, SO THEY INSTALLED THOSE AND THAT IF I STILL HAD THE PROBLEM, TO COME BACK. I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM SO I SCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT AND I TAKE THE MECHANIC FOR A TEST DRIVE AND HE SEES THE CHARGE DROP RAPIDLY AND STATES THAT IT'S COMPLETELY NORMAL. I ARGUE THAT IS HAPPENS TOO OFTEN AND HE STILL SAYS "IT'S FINE." ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER THE IMA LIGHT AND 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT COME ON. TURNS OUT, IT WAS A BLOWN FUSE (FOR THE A/C ELECTRIC DRIVE, FUSE #22) SO THEY REPLACE IT, AND TELL ME THAT THEY CHECKED THE CURRENT DRAW ON THE A/C JUST TO BE SAFE AND CLAIMED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NOW, ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, EVERY TIME I START THE CAR IT DOES A RECALL. THIS IS BEYOND ANNOYING AND NOW I'M STARTING TO SEE DROPS OF ABOUT 10 MPG BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS OPPOSED TO THE PREVIOUS 6 OR 7. I'M THINKING THAT HONDA KNOWS THAT THEIR NIMH BATTERY CELLS ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

1. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR A WHILE. 2. CAME OUT ONE MORNING AND CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER CALLED AAA AND DEALER, CHECKED THE BATTERY GREEN LIGHT WAS BRIGHT GOT CAR TO START AND WENT TO DEALER, 3. THEY SAID STARTER WAS BAD AND REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE UNDER WARRANTY. ABOUT 3 TO 4 WEEKS LATER PROBLEM CAME BACK AND WAS ABLE TO START CAR AND TOOK TO DEALER AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM THEY JUST NOTED IT AND AWAITING FOR THE ISSUE TO HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

2009 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. CONSUMER REQUESTS IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE BATTERY PACK. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE (IMA) INTEGRATED MOTOR ASSIST LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DIAGNOSIS INDICATED A BATTERY CONDITION MONITOR MODULE INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN TWO MONTHS LATER. ALTHOUGH, EACH VISIT RESULTED IN ELECTRICAL REPAIRS WITH SPECIFIC CODE REVIEWS, RECALIBRATIONS, CLEARANCE AND RESETTING, THE UNDERLYING CONDITION STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *JB

I HAVE OWNED A 2009 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID SINCE 12/8/08 AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY AND THE HYBRID SYSTEM. ON OCTOBER 5, 2009, AS I WAS ENTERING AN ON-RAMP IN ARLINGTON, VA, THE IMA SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED AND THE REGULAR INTERNAL COMBUSTIBLE ENGINE (ICE) REVVED TO OVER 4500 RPM TO PROVIDE POWER ON THE ON-RAMP DUE TO THERE BEING NO IMA ASSISTANCE. WITHOUT THE HYBRID POWER ASSIST, I WAS NEARLY HIT BY OTHER TRAFFIC. AT THAT TIME, THE IMA WARNING LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO OURISMAN AND THEY SPENT SEVERAL DAYS GETTING A NEW IMA BATTERY SYSTEM ORDERED AND INSTALLED, CLAIMING THERE WAS A BAD CELL IN THE 10-MONTH OLD IMA BATTERY. IN NOV AND DEC 09, I DISCOVERED THE CAR BATTERY DEAD TWICE IN THE GARAGE. ON THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 13, 2010, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (BATTERY AND HYBRID DRIVE) FAILED ON A BUSY STREET OFF OF MILITARY RD, NW. THE CAR WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY INTO THE ROAD WHEN IT COMPLETELY DIED. AS THERE WAS NO POWER FOR HAZARD LIGHTS, I PERSONALLY DIRECTED TRAFFIC AROUND THE DEAD CAR UNTIL I COULD GET A JUMP. AFTER A BATTERY JUMP, I TRIED TO CHARGE THE BATTERY FOR A TIME, BUT WHEN I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, THE CAR DIED AGAIN AND I HAD TO GET A SECOND JUMP. 15 MINUTES LATER, I DISCONNECTED THE CABLES AND DROVE TO OURISMAN HONDA IN BETHESDA, MD. ON THE WAY, THE VEHICLE ALMOST DIED TWICE BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO OURISMAN HONDA. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT A WEEK LATER ON FEBRUARY 23, 2010, THE CAR DIED AGAIN AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET IT TO OURISMAN HONDA FOR SERVICE AGAIN. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, THEY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS BEING WITH THE RELAY NEAR THE HYBRID SYSTEM. THE CAR STILL ACTS STRANGELY AND THEY HYBRID ASSIST DOES NOT WORK AS WELL AS IT USED TO. ACCELERATION IS NOT NORMAL, THE HYBRID ASSIST DOES NOT COME ON AT NORMAL TIMES, AND THERE ARE INCIDENTS OF ACCELERATION AND ENGINE REVVING WHEN I RELEASE THE GAS TO BRAKE BEFORE A STOP SIGN. *TR

HELLO, I HAVE A 2009 HONDA CIVIC. EVRY TIME I DRIVE IT FOR MORE THEN AN HOUR OR SO, THE GEAR SHIFT BASE WHERE THE N,RF ETC IS WRITTEN, GETS HOT. ALSO, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHERE THE CD PLAYER IS GETS REALLY HOT. THE DEALER TELLS ME IT IS OK, THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE AS I DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE HWY WITH MY FAMILY AND THE CAR CATCHES ON FIR OR SOMETHING. HOW COULD THIS BE NORMAL. PLEASE HELP. *TR

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 27 DEC 09. ON HER WAY SHE BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE IN VEHICLE, BUT ATTRIBUTED IT TO THE OUTSIDE AIR. UPON ARRIVING AT WORK, SHE WENT INTO THE BUILDING PUT HER PERSONNEL ITEMS AWAY AND WENT OUTSIDE. A FEW OF HER CO-WORKERS TOLD HER THAT HER CAR ALARM WAS GOING OFF. SHE WENT BACK INTO THE BUILDING TO RETRIEVE HER KEYS, WENT TO HER CAR AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ALARM HAD STOPPED, BUT THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE CAR. AT THAT TIME SHE OPEN HER TRUNK AND FOUND AN OPEN FLAME FIRE IN THE VICINITY OF THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SPEAKER. AT WHICH TIME SHE CALLED GEICO (EMPLOYER) SECURITY, CALLED 911 AND SECURITY PUT OUT THE FLAME WITH A HAND HELD FIRE EXTINGUISHER. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO HUGHES HONDA, WARNER ROBINS, GA ON 28 DEC 09 FOR DISPOSITION. LATER THAT DAY I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT HE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING AND I NEEDED TO CONTACT AMERICAN HONDA. AMERICAN HONDA THAN INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME AND/OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS AND THAT I NEEDED TO REPORT THE CLAIM TO STATE FARM INSURANCE. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS BY MYSELF AND STATE FARM LED TO HONDA NOT RESPONDING TO ANY REQUEST AND A DECISION WAS MADE ON 21 JAN 10 THAT STATE FARM WAS GOING TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT CENTRAL GEORGIA COLLISION, BUT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO TELL HUGHES HONDA TO RELEASE THE CAR TO THEM. I WENT BY HUGHES HONDA AT 1115 HOURS 21 JAN 10 TO INFORM THEM OF SUCH AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER (BY CELL PHONE) THAT HONDA HAD REMOVED MY CAR AND WAS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. TALKED TO GENERAL MANAGER AND OWNER OF HUGHES HONDA ON 29 JAN 10 AND TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN THAT NO ONE HAD INVESTIGATED AND INFORMED ME OF WHERE THE FIRE STARTED, WHAT THE IGNITION SOURCE WAS, HOW THIS IMPACTS DIMINSHED VALUE AND WAS THE CAR SAFE. PICKED UP CAR ON 4 FEB 10, WITH HONDA INFORMING ME THAT THIS WAS ALL THEY WERE WILLING TO DO AND THE ONLY REASON THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY THEM WAS TO GET PARTS. *TR

2009 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID IMA AND ENGINE LIGHT ON, SERVICE RECODED THE ECU AND GAS MILEAGE HAS GONE DOWN TO 24. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND ENGINE WAS RECODED TWICE AGAIN AND STILL THE MILEAGE IS DOWN TO 24. I HAVE FOUND SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE CAR FOR BATTERIES AND EXCESSIVE HIGH TEMPERATURES. CAR HAS BEEN TO THE SERVICE CENTER THREE TIMES FOR THIS SAME CONCERN. 12/04/09, 12/10/09 AND 12/14/09, ALL FOR IMA LIGHT ON. *TR

TWICE NOW OUR 2009 HONDA CIVIC LX HAS FAILED TO START WHEN WE TURN THE KEY. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON AS IF THE BATTERY IS DEAD. BOTH TIMES, I TAPPED THE GAS AND THE CAR STARTED WITH NO PROBLEMS. ALSO BOTH OCCURRENCES HAPPENED WHEN OUR WEATHER WAS VERY COLD. THIS IS OUR FIRST WINTER WITH THIS NEW CAR AND IT WOULD BE REALLY HORRIBLE IF THIS WERE TO BE AN ON-GOING ISSUE. WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY TO CHECK THE BATTERY BUT LIKE THE ABOVE COMPLAINTS, I HAVE A FEELING THEY WILL FIND NOTHING WRONG. THE CAR RUNS FINE ONCE IT FINALLY STARTS. MY HUSBAND STATED THAT TAPPING THE GAS ON A FUEL INJECTION CAR IS NOT GOOD BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO START THE CAR. WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR MAYBE 6 MONTHS AND WE DON'T DRIVE CONSTANTLY. I DRIVE TO WORK WHICH IS ABOUT 3 MILES AWAY AND ONLY PART TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HORN DOES NOT SOUND LOUD ENOUGH WHEN ACTIVATED. THE OTHER MOTORISTS ARE UNABLE TO HEAR THE HORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE HORN CONFORMS WITH THE FEDERAL MOTOR SAFETY STANDARDS. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.