2008 Honda Civic power train problems

“Car experiences 'judder' which is identified in the Honda Civic Hybrid Service Technician's Manual as an identified issue with this transmission. Their suggestion is to change the transmission fluid, which does not fix the problem. When the car starts from a complete stop it shudders and shakes and does not engage the transmission so there is no acceleration, leaving the car in a position to be hit by traffic. This car has had this problem from about 50k. There is a TSB 08-014 which Honda will not allow a consumer to access, even though this is a documented problem. There are numerous complaints on this website regarding this issue. The dealership and Honda corp state there is no safety recall for this VIN and therefore the problem does not exist, even though it does. There are no warning messages and the vehicle does not recognize there is a problem. It is worse when going up a hill or accelerating rapidly. If the transmission fluid is changed it improves slightly for a limited time, usually less than 1,000 miles.”

“I WENT TO A MECHANIC TODAY, I HAVE 'PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT FLASHING' HE TOLD ME HONDAS HAVE RECALLED FOR AIRBAGS IN DEALERSHIPS SO I CHECKED MY VEHICLE REPORT IT SAYS THAT I HAD 2 RECALLS IN 2019 AND I DID THEM BUT I DIDN'T. 'RECALL SUBJECT: AIR BAGS: PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL REPORT RECEIPT DATE: 06/27/2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 19V502000' I BELIEVE I HAD THAT PROBLEM WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR, MY PASSENGER LIGHTS OFF BLINKING WHILE I'M DRIVING EVEN THO NO PASSENGERS THERE. SO I WAS TRYING TO CHECK MY RECALLS ON THE HONDA WEBSITE IT SHOWS THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY. ALSO, I HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN I DO REVERSE ENGINE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING P0812 CODE BUT NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT CODE”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO O'MALLEY HONDA (3405 STEWART AVE, WAUSAU, WI 54401 (715) 842-2131) BUT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 143,000. *TR”

“THIS CAR STARTED LEAKING COOLANT ON THE DRIVEWAY. ONE DAY LATER MY WIFE DRIVES CAR AND WHEN SHE RETURNS HOME STEAM IS COMING FROM ENGINE AND A LOT MORE COOLANT IS LEAKING ON DRIVEWAY. TOWED IT TO THE DEALER. TURNS OUT THERE IS A FACTOR DEFECT CAUSING ENGINE BLOCK TO CRACK PREMATURELY. LUCKILY ENGINE DIDN'T OVERHEAT AND LOCK-UP WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. SCARY THAT THE SYMPTOMS AND ONSET OF CRACK WERE SO SUDDEN. ONLY STARTED DRIPPING ON DRIVEWAY ONE DAY PREVIOUS TO NEAR OVERHEAT. NOT SURE IF MY WIFE OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAFELY GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IF IT OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD POP OUT OF THIRD GEAR INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (LAMACCHIA HONDA, 932 W GENESEE ST., SYRACUSE, NY, 13204), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THERE WERE TIMES THAT THE CONTACT CALLED AND WENT TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. OVER TIME, THE POPPING NOISE WORSENED AND THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY UNABLE TO MOVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17.”

“TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT AFTER 105000 MILES APPROXIMATELY; MECHANIC TOLD ME HE COULD ESTIMATE HOW MUCH LONGER I HAVE IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE SAW MORE OFTEN, BUT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING HE SEES OFTEN. THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN HEAVY, AND I WAS TOLD AN ENGINE MOUNT WAS BAD AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THERE IS STILL A TENDENCY FOR THE CAR TO VIBRATE AND SHAKE AS I DRIVE BETWEEN 17-30 MPH, AND ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE ISSUE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE ALSO DOES NOT SHIFT WELL, AND CLICKS ON CERTAIN SHIFTING POINTS. DEALERSHIP STATED THE CAR IS OUTSIDE OF THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THIS ISSUES STARTED PRIOR TO THE END OF THAT WARRANTY.”