2004 Honda Civic Suspension Problems

2004 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SQUEALING NOISES REPAIR AND UNSATISFACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP. *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE ROTATED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, SHE NEEDED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE MORE. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER SEVERAL MORE TIMES. THE DEALER THEN CLAIMED THE NOISE WAS DUE TO A LOOSE WHEEL BEARING AND IT WAS TIGHTENED. HOWEVER, THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES, WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

I WISH NHTSA HAD THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER HONDA TO REPAIR FOR FREE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL ARM AND CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS ON MY CIVIC; THE WARRANTY EXPIRED BEFORE THE PROBLEM DEVELOPED ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND HONDA CONSIDERS THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AS MAINTENANCE ITEMS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY; THEY ARE HARD RUBBER AND WEAR OUT AFTER A FEW YEARS--I WAS NEVER TOLD THIS AT THE TIME I BOUGHT THIS CAR! I WILL TRY TO SEND PAPERWORK TO NHTSA IN SUPPORT OF MY COMPLAINT AGAINST HONDA. I WAS ALSO STUCK WITH A $1400 REPAIR BILL AFTER THE GAS CAP LOCK STUCK AND WOULDN'T OPEN (AGAIN, AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED!), NEEDING AN EMERGENCY SERVICE BECAUSE I COULD NOT GAS UP THE CAR! AGAIN, NHTSA SHOULD FINE HONDA FOR EACH INCIDENT AND ORDER THEM TO REIMBURSE ME IN FULL FOR THESE UNCALLED-FOR REPAIR BILLS! MY MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR COSTS FOR THIS CIVIC ARE FAR MORE THAN THE BOOK VALUE FOR THIS CAR. *TR

RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED AFTER 79,000 MILES. CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED ON CITY STREET AFTER MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT. CIVIC IMMOVABLE AFTER UNEXPECTED FAILURE. TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND SLOW DUE TO STOP LIGHT AND MIDMORNING TRAVEL. WHAT HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH THIS FAILURE? THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO FAILURE, CAR WAS SERVICED AT HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED. OIL WAS CHANGED AND TIRES CHECKED. NO ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR WAS NOTED. THE CAR HANDLED PROPERLY WITH NO INDICATION OF MISALIGNMENT. CAR HAS BEEN ROUTINELY SERVICED. AFTER FAILURE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS REPLACED. IT FAILED THREE INCHES FROM ONE END. IT BROKE THROUGH COMPLETELY. IT DID NOT FAIL AT A CONNECTION/WEAR POINT. THERE IS NO OTHER OBVIOUS SIGN OF DAMAGE TO THE PART. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTROL ARM, SWAY BAR, AXLE, STRUT, KNUCKLE, BEARING, AND HUB WERE REPLACED BY A HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR $2500. ALL PARTS EXCEPT AXLE ARE IN POSSESSION OF OWNER. HONDA CLAIMS NO OBVIOUS SIGN OF FACTORY DEFECT AND OUT OF WARRANTY. SERVICE DEPARTMENT KNEW OF NO TEST FOR EXISTING CONTROL ARMS TO ASSURE SAFETY. CAR IS DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS OF REASONABLE CONDITION TO WORK IN BALTIMORE OR ON HIGHWAY. TIRES HAVE ONLY BEEN REPLACED DUE TO NORMAL WEAR. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS A STAGGERING MOTION WAS OBSERVED IN THE REAR AXLE. ON ANOTHER DAY DURING RAIN, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT HOWEVER AFTER ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, A PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED IN THE REAR AXLE TORSION BAR, WHICH WAS CORRECTED INSTALLING A WEDGE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER FOR NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT, IT BECAME OUT OF ALIGNMENT AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ALIGNMENT PERFORMED AT THE TIRE DEALER WAS DONE INCORRECTLY AND THEY PERFORMED ANOTHER ALIGNMENT.

CONSUMER'S 2004 CIVIC PULLED LEFT. ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A SUDDEN JUMP. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S STEREO AND GEAR SYSTEM. THE DEALER REPAIR THE LOOSE WIRE BUT THE STEREO'S SOUND IS AFFECTED WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS REPLACED. THE RUBBER SEAL ON THE WINDSHIELD POPPED UP. THE PAINT ON THE BACK FENDER STARTED TO FLAKE. THE BRAKE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISE EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. *NM

2004 HONDA CIVIC DRIFTS TO THE SIDE WHILE DRIVING. ALL OF THE UNEVEN, WORN OUT TIRES WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE RIMS.*MR EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES AND RIMS WERE REPLACED, IT STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB

BALL BEARINGS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS FAILED. CAUSED NOISE WHEN DRIVEN, WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THIS NORMALLY SHOULD NOT HAPPEN, IT WAS JUST A PART THAT HAPPENED TO FAIL. PAID $722.20 TO HAVE PARTS REPLACED.

PROBLEMS WITH AN OPAQUE FILM THAT DEVELOPED ON THE WINDOWS WHILE DRIVING. *MR (INSIDE OF THE WINDOWS) THE PROBLEM WAS SUGGESTED TO BE THE RESULT OF POLYMER VAPORS OUT GASSING FROM THE PLASTICS USED FOR THE VEHICLES INTERIOR. THIS FILM WOULD OBSTRUCT THE CONSUMER VISION ALMOST COMPLETELY BLINDING THE CONSUMER AT NIGHT OR DURING SUNLIGHT. HONDA SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS ALSO A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHILE GOING OVER BUMPS. *SC *JB

ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. POSSIBLE LOCK-UP CONCERN. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A POP WHILE SHIFTING(AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). LEFT FRONT SQUEAKING,CLUNKING SOUND.SUSPENSION?STRUT?BUSHING? WAS TAKEN TO HONDA DEALER IN MARYLAND AND LEFT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS ON TWO OCASSIONS AND SOUND WAS DUPLICATED WITH A TECHNICIAN ON BOARD, BUT WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE IT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AGAIN IN THE SHOP, NOTHING WAS DONE.

I BOUGHT MY 2004 CIVIC LX 2 DOOR, THINKING THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS OF A USED CAR I WAS CERTAINLY WRONG. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS THAT I NEVER RECEIVED A COPY OF OR SIGNED THE PRE DELIVERY INSPECTION CHECK LIST. I HAD MY CAR UP TO THE DEALERSHIP AT JUST OVER 3,000 MILES FOR ITS FIRST ALIGNMENT. THEN, I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING. SOMETIMES IT WOULD START AND SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T. IT DIDN'T DEPEND ON THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE OR THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE CAR. SOMETIMES WHEN IT WOULD START, IT WOULD CRANK OUT AS IF I WAS LETTING OUT THE CLUTCH TOO FAST. BUT ON MANY ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IT WOULD CRANK, BUT WOULD NEVER TURN OVER OR FIRE. HAD THE CAR UP TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE AGAIN FOR THE STARTING PROBLEM , BUT THEY SAID SINCE THERE WEREN'T ANY ERROR CODES, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO THE CAR SEEMED FINE. MY LATEST PROBLEM; AT JUST OVER 9,000 MILES, I JUST HAD MY FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING REPLACED.! ONCE AGAIN MY ALIGNMENT WAS DONE. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. BUT WHAT IS GOING TO GO WRONG NEXT??? I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND A HONDA TO ANYONE I KNOW.*AK

THERE IS A RECURRING POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS CAUSING THE STEERING TO FEEL LOOSE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP AND REPAIR OF THE STRUTS FOR THE THIRD TIME.*AK

THE FRONT STRUTS OF MY VEHICLE ARE LEAKING DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE, WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN A BUMP OR SLIGHT DING IN THE ROAD IS TRAVELED OVER. WILL GET THE STRUTS REPLACED, SO THAT MY VEHICLE DOESN'T FALL APART, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY . *LA

FROM THE DAY THAT CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THERE HAS BEEN AN ANNOYING VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VIBRATION WAS NORMAL. *AK