Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with honda

Honda Civic Hybrid battery problems

empath — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:43:51 -0800

2004 Honda Civic Hybrid won't start, but battery isn't dead. I ran down the battery a few weeks ago from leaving the lights on, and had to get a jump and ever since then, it seems like it's been harder and harder to get it to start.

Today (even though I didn't leave the lights on or anything) it wouldn't start at all, but there's definitely juice left in the battery, the horn honks (but somewhat weakly) and and lights work when i turn them on and it makes a clicking sound when i turn the key.

I looked at the battery terminals and the positive one looks like it has a bunch of gunk on it. I'm going to try cleaning that when I get off from work (advice for that is useful to), but aside from that, what else should I look at?

Should I just replace the battery? I can walk to and from work, so it's not really urgent that I get it fixed immediately.

Just want to emphasize that this is a hybrid car, in case that makes a difference.

Low Mileage on a New Honda Civic?

entropicamericana — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:37:10 -0800

Unexpectedly low MPG for a brand new Honda Civic? The wife and I bought a 2010 Honda Civic LX last month and we are getting much lower MPG than I expected. We both drive the car (different days), and our commutes are short (about 4 miles of city driving each way).

Our first tank of gas came out to 19.3 MPG. (I topped off the tank after picking up the vehicle to ensure an accurate result.)

This seems way, way too low. Are my expectations out of whack?

1983 Honda Emmisions Help

nestor_makhno — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:53:16 -0800

Failed the air system inspection for Arizona emissions. What does that mean? I have a 1983 Honda Accord, carbureted, that I just took to Arizona emissions testing. It passed all of the criteria with flying colors except next to Air System it says "Failed." Down below it says that the vehicle has passed the emissions test but failed the equipment test. I can't get it registered till it passes. The only thing I noticed before taking it in is that there was a hole in hose that, I believe, brings air from the radiator to the top of the carburetor.

in cars

bunny hugger — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:35:19 -0800

I am disappointed in my relationship with my 97 Honda Civic. Maybe you can give me some advice. YANMM. I’ve tried to talk it out, but it's just not hearing what I'm saying... I've got a 97 Civic AT (106K mil.) and after filling up with what I think was some questionable fuel a while back, it has started to “slip” when I go into 3rd. It feels like something is "whirring" trying to find itself. Once past that bumpy spot, it runs great. I have had regular maintenance on it – flushings, fill-ups, tuneups, etc. I even added some Lucas transmission fix to my tranny fluid (which is pink and not burnt). Also, when low on gas, I have trouble starting it. Could it just be my fuel line, or is the transmission in the crapper?

Weird keyless remote programming situation

wsg — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:17:41 -0800

Follow me here: I just bought a used 95 Honda Odyssey van that is almost identical to the 95 Honda van I already have, but nicer. I'm trying to get the keyless remote for the old Honda to work with the new old Honda. The guy I bought the new 95 Honda from said the he recently had a used replacement starter installed, because a new one was about $500. For that reason, it takes two keys: one to unlock it and one to start it.

I just got this new keyless remote for my old van and am now trying to program it to work with the new, almost identical van, but it doesn't seem to be working.

Could it be because the newly installed used replacement starter in the new Honda is not allowing the keyless remote to be programmed for some reason? Two keys to unlock and start seem to be a clue.

Also, I'm not positive that I am using the correct procedure to program it, but I think it's what worked last time. Here are the instructions I'm following. Thanks for any advice.

1. Open the driver's door.
2. Push the driver's power door lock switch to the unlock position and hold it. (Continue to hold the switch during this procedure.)
3. Insert the key into the ignition switch, then remove it. Repeat this four more times (five times total) within 10 seconds. (You must complete steps 3 and 4 within 10 seconds or the system will exit the programming mode.)
4. Insert the key into the ignition switch. After you insert the key, make sure the power door locks cycle to confirm that the system is in the programming mode.
5. Press the "LOCK" or "UNLOCK" button on the transmitter. All the power door locks (except the driver's door) should cycle to confirm that the system accepted the transmitter's code.
6. To program a second transmitter, press its "LOCK" or "UNLOCK" button within 10 seconds of programming the first transmitter.
7. Release the master power door lock switch to exit the programming mode.

Buying Used Without No Clues

Shepherd — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:44:42 -0800

I'm generally freaking out about buying a car (used, my first) and have a short laundry list of very general questions. My wife and I need a car. Before winter definitely, but within 2-3 weeks for some convenience reasons would be good. She's coming back visiting her folks this weekend, and the hunt begins in earnest, after a few forays to a few places, next week.

Here's what we've settled on so far:

99% sure we're getting a used Toyota, Hyunda or Honda. Reliable, get good reviews in the slightly-old copy of Phil Edmonstun's Lemon-Aid guide my dad lent me, more expensive than American brands but we're not so keen on buying American these days.

My wife wants a 2005 or newer. I'm not sure why but I think she's afraid that I, being a skinflint, will insist on a rustbucket if she doesn't set out some parameters. From what I can see, the biggest price drop is from zero to two years old, so that actually plays well into my penny-pinching ways... if a 2-year-old car costs 75% of original retail and a 5-year-old costs 60%, the most "value" is in the 2-year-old.

Here's the thing: I know bupkis about cars; under pressure I think I'm pretty sure the red ones go faster. I'm exaggerating -- I spent one summer in high school working at a gas station, so I've checked oil before and stuff -- but I'm in no way qualified to gauge the worth of a used car. I've never owned one, and I'm downhill of mid-30s; hers have always been hand-me-downs so she's never been car shopping.

We'll also be doing all of this in my second language, French, which my wife doesn't speak at all. While I speak pretty good business French and decent conversational French, "car French" is not in my comfort zone.

We have a fair-sized down payment, as we've agreed that it makes more sense to dump our savings on the car than to pay interest on the thing, as interest earned on this money would not outpace interest charged on a car loan. Our budget is $8-10K. We can stretch that up a bit if necessary. Assume we can pay 50% or so of a car in the $8-10K price range.

We intend to drive around town for the most part, maybe the 30 km trip to visit friends in neighouring places once every couple of weeks, and a 400 km round trip to Montreal once a month.

So here, at last, are the questions:

Is "dealer used" a better idea than "used-car-dealer used" or "classifieds in the paper" used? I have the vague idea that the Toyota used lot, affiliated with the Toyota new lot, will offer better vehicles that are more expensive than "regular" used-car dealers, which will be slightly cheaper, and the classified-ad cars will be cheapest of all but highly risky. Is that a fair assumption?

Can I trust a used car salesman? I'm aware of the stereotype, but I'm also of the belief that most people are generally good, and it's a reputation-driven industry. Assuming the guy isn't wearing a porkpie hat, chomping a stogie and telling me this was only driven by an old lady on Sundays as he fiddles the odometer with a grimy screwdriver, is flat-out asking a used dealer for advice a good idea, or begging to be taken to the cleaners?

If a car is nearing the end of its warranty (say 90,000 out of 100,000 km), what does that... er... mean? Are warranties super good? Kinda good? Is there a way to gauge how much a remaining warranty adds to the value of the car?

Is it better to buy an old car with low mileage or a new car with high mileage? This thread dances around that same question, but winds up being a series of recommendations to check prior maintenance. Which is excellent, but I still need to know -- maintenance done, is a 2007 car with 120,000 km on it better or worse than a 2005 car with 80,000 km on it, assuming price is similar*?

If buying used, is there a huge advantage in buying local? It would be much, much cheaper to shop around in Montreal than here, but that's a two-hour drive away. How important is it to be able to revisit the dealer you bought the car from, barring some sort of catastrophic failure in the first couple of weeks?

Given that we'll be able to supply a sizable down payment, will that put us in a better position to negotiate the financing rate? Most places around here seem to ballpark at 2.9%, which ain't terrible, but I wouldn't mind knocking that down a bit if I could.

Last and most important: I'm feeling overwhelmed, like I don't have enough knowledge to evaluate or to negotiate. Part of me says "dude, people buy cars all the time but the much larger part of me says "dude, don't be stupid with $10,000." How in God's name do I calm myself down over this?

This, by the way, is the local Toyota dealer.

This is Honda.

And this is Hyundai.

For comparison, this is the used-car section of the most popular (by a wide margin) classifieds site in the province, sorted for my area.

*I pulled those years and mileages out of my butt. I'm looking for more of a general answer.

what is wrong with my car?

A Terrible Llama — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:12:12 -0800

Why is my car overheating in traffic jams? My 96 Honda Civic (you're jealous, right?) overheats in traffic jams after ten, fifteen minutes.

The fans kick on for a while: the temperature will crawl upward as I sit there, fans kick in, temperature drops.That keeps happening until the upward creep exceeds the capacity of the fan to cool it. The temperature indicator crawls upward until it gets about 3/4 up and then I crank the heater to diffuse the problem.

I took it in last week and the mechanic could find nothing wrong. He ran it for a couple of hours, he said, checked all the fluids, monitored the temperature, and gave it a once over to be sure it would pass inspection (which is coming up.)

He kind of convinced me that I was imagining it, that it wasn't really unusually high, just maybe that I didn't notice it before. So yesterday I let it creep up to just a tick beneath the red zone, took a cell phone picture, and then cranked the heat. The picture I think will convey the urgency to him a little better, when I take it back to him.

Other maybe relevant details: as soon as the traffic jam ends and I speed off the engine cools down. I commute long distances routinely and have problems only sitting idle in traffic. Since he said he ran it for a couple of hours, I'm assuming he ran it in park. That's the main difference between my traffic jam experience -- in traffic, my foot's on the brake. We have a lot of construction going on around here and creep along at five miles an hour.

He's quite competent and a good guy who we know personally. Is there something I can tell him to look for?

Please note that I am really, really, really ignorant about cars and engines.

Hondas and recommended service maintenance schedules, do you believe in them?

holdenjordahl — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:08:53 -0800

Hondas and recommended service maintenance schedules, do you believe in them? I've got a 1991 standard Hatchback, 169,000 miles. and i've done every single schedule maintenance. never had a problem with anything unexpected happening (which is why i do it). Now i'm wondering if there's a better (read: cheaper) way to do this, without sacrificing quality? I don't know any mechanics, don't want to it myself, but am curious if there's an alternative. Thanks.

How to fit a bicycle in my Civic?

ninotchka — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:09:39 -0800

Is it possible to fit an ordinary, adult-sized street bicycle into a 2007 Honda Civic? If so, how?

honda bike mod

nihlton — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:08:37 -0800

So I picked up a 1981 honda cm400 custom and I love it so much - but Im ready to start altering it. have a few questions about finding parts. [I realize there are motorcycle forums which might be more suited to these sorts of questions, but i already have an account @ mefi and would like to avoid a useless sign up if i can.]

I don't have access or the money for custom fabricated parts and I can't find many aftermarket parts *specifically* for this bike so Im wondering which would be compatible.

say the first thing id like to replace is the seat, tank and bars.

is there a CB model that id could look for which would fit my bike? I see TONS of CB parts. I was told the CB550 would probably work, but I would want to be sure before i start placing orders.

say I got all crazy and wanted to put an entirely new engine on the frame, how large could I go?

suggestions or general comments on modifying these sorts of bikes are welcome.

What is causing the whining sound in my car engine?

markblasco — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:05:19 -0800

What is causing the whining sound in my car engine? 2001 Honda CRV with about 68,000 miles on it. I purchased the car about 6 months ago, and a few months after that noticed a slight whining noise coming from the engine. It sounds similar to a remote control car or small electric motor, and the pitch raises up when the engine speeds up. It doesn't happen all of the time, but seems to be louder when going up hill.

A few days ago I was driving on the freeway for about 20 minutes, and once off of the freeway was driving on hilly side streets. For the first time the noise started to be very noticeable, and got progressively louder and louder. I shut off the car, went away for about an hour, and when I started driving again the noise was gone.

Any suggestions as to what the problem might be? I plan on taking it to a mechanic soon, but I'm pretty handy and have a fairly well stocked toolbox, so if it is something I can do myself I would prefer to go that route.

Thanks!

Honda parts

Krrrlson — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:48:35 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good source for Honda automotive parts (online or near Boston)? I'd like to buy an AC condenser, AC receiver pipe, and a few other random parts that I can replace myself. I am looking for a reliable online store or something local to Boston. Bonus points for not getting ripped off.

Insight, the big brother, or bigger brother?

7life — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:17:10 -0800

BuyingCarFilter: Should I get Honda Insight, Prius, or Prius 3.0? So I test drove the Honda Insight a few days ago. Loved it. It's small, handles well, and cheap. Or so I thought. All the dealerships I went to tacked on 1-3 grand of "market adjusted value"

With the tacked on price, I really see no reason for getting the Insight over the Prius. I would go and get it right now, except for one thing: the 2010 Prius is coming out.

Nobody seems to know the exact date though I'm led to believe it's 6 weeks away. It's a brand new model and even if I don't get it, my reasoning would be that if I wait till it comes out, the 2009 model would drop in price.

So...should I wait? I personally have no problem waiting but my better half is itching to get a new car. Maybe by that time the Honda dealership would finally face reality and price the Insight the way Honda wants it in face of economic conditions and dropping hybrid demands (I'm rather fuming about this right now actually)

Thanks in advance for your input

What is the best aluminum boat for use with Saltwater?

Craiggy83 — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:54:12 -0800

What is the best aluminum boat and motor combination that can be used for saltwater or freshwater that can be towed with a Mazda 6 wagon? I have been wanting to get a small boat to use for Salt/Fresh water fishing and putting around. I like the Honda four-stroke engines and I'm wondering what you would recommend for a boat? An aluminum boat was recommended to me. What size aluminum boat should I get? What size motor? What type of bottom (hull shape) and aluminum compound (mixture) should I get? I have a Mazda 6 wagon and may not even be able to tow a boat. I need something small but not so small that it would be overwhelmed by the waves while being used in the salt. Sorry for all the questions. Also what prices are we looking at for a decent boat which will last and require minimum upkeep. What would the approximate combined weight be of the trailer/boat/motor

We need a better Honda dealership (NoVA)

Irontom — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:39:53 -0800

My wife and I are ready to switch Honda dealerships in northern VA. Please hope us? We bought our CR-V from Koon's Honda several years ago, and have been repeatedly underwhelmed by our interactions with them. Does anyone have any recommendations for dealerships on the VA side of the river that we should consider? Recommendations on who to avoid are also welcome...

Seized O2 Sensor

samw — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:38:37 -0800

I can't get the O2 sensor out of my car's engine, and I'm starting to round off the bolt! I'm trying to replace the upstream O2 sensor in my 1998 Honda Civic LX. It sounded like a simple job, so of course something had to go wrong. The sensor is pretty well seized up. I'm using one of those special O2 sensor sockets with the big cutout to let the wires out. I'm pushing the thing so hard it feels like the walls of the socket are flexing a bit, and I'm starting to round off the bolt part of the O2 sensor. Things I've tried:

Running the engine for a while first to get it hot.
Striking the sensor (gently) with a hammer.
Spraying it with WD 40 and giving it plenty of time to work its way in.
Putting teflon tape around the bolt to help the socket get a better grip.

So, how do I get this stupid O2 sensor out? I don't want to destroy the old sensor (so I can put everything back the way it was, if something goes wrong), so I can't cut off parts of the sensor or drill anything out. Any suggestions?

How do I find an objective price for auto repairs?

SpringAquifer — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:46:08 -0800

I normally take my 1999 Accord to the Honda dealership for oil changes. During my last visit, the mechanic suggested a couple of fairly expensive maintenance procedures. Is there a good resource out there to help me decide whether the prices they quoted me were reasonable? I was told that (1) my left inner CV boot was starting to leak and that (2) my front and side motor mounts were cracked. The mechanic quoted me $220 and $540 for the repairs, respectively.

It seems to me the former is probably worth doing, while the latter isn't. Since that the CV boot itself isn't worth that much, most of the cost is going to go toward labor.

So: Is there an efficient way for me to find a reasonable price for labor, other than simply calling up a bunch of dealers and garages for a quote?

Which repairs are most urgent?

bove — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:27:41 -0800

How soon do I need to get these auto repairs done? I have a 2001 Honda Civic and a 2003 Honda Odyssey. I take them to a local place that specializes in Hondas and our repair shop has told me that they need some work done. My budget is a little tight right now and I am trying to prioritize this work. Please let me know how urgent these various repairs are:

Civic (65,000 miles)
Replace the Timing Belt ($480 to fix)
Cracked Exhaust Manifold ($998 to fix)

Odyssey (75,000 miles)
Battery ($120)
Windshield Wipers ($40)
Front Brake Rotors ($300)
Front & Side Motor Mount s ($400)

In my mind the brake rotors seem the most obvious and the windshield wipers are not urgent, but I am not sure what would happen if I waited too long for any of these other repairs.

96 Accord is a Mover & Shaker

FusiveResonance — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:18:54 -0800

96 Accord is a Mover & Shaker? Mysterious problem. My '96 honda accord will vibrate for ~1 second if i actuate the power locks or windows while the car is at a stand still (for ex. at a red light). I can definitely feel the tremor pass through the car. If i put the car in neutral (auto transmission) and actuate the power locks/windows, the vibration can still be felt, albeit to a lesser extent.

For example: The car is stopped at a red light. It is in drive. I push and hold up on one of the window buttons. Even though the window is up, a tremor will pass through the car for about 1 second and then die down. I am still holding up on the button. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Is this indicative of any problem? What more can I do to better diagnose the issue other than take it to a tech?

I am technically inclined and love getting my hands dirty, so feel free to offer all suggestions.

I had to remote start that Honda, baby.

iknowizbirfmark — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:00:13 -0800

I want to put a remote starter in my 2007 Honda CR-V. How, what, who in Chicago and how much? I want to put a remote starter in my 2007 Honda CR-V, which has the factory keyless entry but no security other than some sort of ignition immobilizer standard on all modern Hondas, it seems. There appear to be all kinds of different options - Google presents hundreds of sites and dozens of options, and that's before I even figure out where I want to have it installed in Chicago.

I want something simple, sweet and seamless. What brand I should use, and are there any issues with doing remote start in a 2007 CR-V? And which shop in Chicago should I have do the work for me?

pondering Honda quandary

wsg — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:52:47 -0800

Is it reasonable for a 1995 Honda Odyssey engine with 150K miles on it to have a compression of 179? My old '95 Honda Odyssey's engine is worn out. I either need to buy another car or put an engine in the one I have. I'm not real car-savvy, so need to lean on the wise counsel of my friends here at ask mefi.

My funds are limited. I need something I can haul a little gear in, so a wagon or minivan is in order. I like 4-cylinders cuz gas prices are not going to stay low, I have a feeling. I can't get much of a car with my limited budget, but can afford an engine for the car I have.

I've been pricing engines locally. One salvage yard has one with 150K miles and compression of 179 for $500.00 w/90-day warranty. Installation is going to be about $800.00. When it's all done, engine and installation will be about $1500.00.

Another one is $2300.00 installed. This includes an engine with 79K miles and no compression rating available. Parts and labor warrantied for 1 year.

What's the better deal? Thanks.

LCD display on the fritz

reenum — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:00:27 -0800

The digital odometer on my 2000 Honda Accord is not displaying numbers fully. Any way to fix this? I have a 2000 Honda Accord LX. Last year, I began noticing that the numbers on the digital odometer were not fully displaying. Meaning, the numbers would look scrambled. Only when I push on the dash do the numbers on the odometer display correctly.

Anyone have any experience with getting the LCD display on a digital odometer fixed? Do any repair shops even conduct such repairs? If so, how much can I expect to pay?

How do I get rid of the obnoxious tapping noise my car makes when I hit a bump?

valadil — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:03:00 -0800

My car clicks when I drive over bumps or potholes. The noise is driving me crazy. How do I silence it? I drive an '06 Honda Civic. The noise can best be described as a rapid "tap-tap-tap-tap-tap" that starts out loud but gets quiet. It sounds like *something* is out of place in the car but I can't figure out what.

When I drive it sounds like it's coming from the passenger side. When I'm a passenger the noise is quiet but still there.

I've tried adjusting the following, to no avail: windows, locks, window locks, side mirrors, rear view mirror, AC vents, loose stuff in glove compartment/cupholder, head rest height, back seats (they collapse to allow access to the trunk), seat belts (tried buckling them in to hold them in place), the plush Master Shake that dangles from my rear view mirror, and even the dashboard itself (the dash has been removed a few times and I figured maybe it wasn't put back together securely.)

So how do I make the bad noise go away?

It looks like either a king-sized beverage spill or small pools of dried blood, and neither are upholstery colors.

fujiko — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:24:34 -0800

The rear seat belts on a 1997 Honda Accord bleed onto the upholstery. Is there any way to stop this? I have a 1997 Honda Accord that I use to transport animals sometimes. The upholstery has to be cleaned every couple of months, but I just now figured out that the rear seat belts bleed a chestnut brown dye anytime they get moist (dog drool) or wet (upholstery cleaner). Unfortunately, the upholstery itself is a pale beige color and so it often looks like someone has spilled a king sized, dark-colored beverage in my car. Right now, I have the seat belts covered by plastic umbrella bags so that the upholstery can dry.

Is there any way to seal the dye into the seatbelt? Scotch Guard? Other fabric protectors? Any ideas?

Replacing a headlight in an ’04 Civic.

vkxmai — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:37:18 -0800

How do I replace the driver’s side low-beam headlight on my 2004 Honda Civic LX? I’m certain that I’ve got the right replacement bulb (9006) and am pretty sure that I know how to do it, however I’m afraid of destroying a component on the lamp assembly or somehow electrocuting myself. I have consulted the owner’s manual and understand what I am supposed to do, but I am still unable to remove the assembly.

I’ve called my Honda service department and was told that there is no special tool or instrument required for this basic owner-replaceable part.

I understand that I am to turn the interior lamp assembly a quarter of a turn (towards the empty notch-marks) and then to pull it out. I am unable to even slightly move the assembly the slightest bit. If it is a movable part, it seems like it’s been fastened rather tightly.

What am I doing incorrectly?