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Hybrid Vehicles Honda Civic Hybrid Honda Civic Hybrid Maintenance & Repair Civic Hybrid Catalytic Converter Failures
78 messages, Last post on Nov 20, 2009 at 12:23 PM
You are in the Honda Civic Hybrid Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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I have an '03 civic hybrid. Reading this column I am amazed at how many of these problems I have had as well. Right down to the rattle in the passenger side dashboard which I too have gotten used to after having them try to fix it repeatedly. My 02 sensor went last year (around 105,000 miles). Now my check engine light and IMA light are on (115,000 miles). The dealership is saying it is my Catalytic Converter and my IMA battery and that they are no longer covered under warranty. I am going to get a second opinion and see if there is anything I can do.
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Sounds like I'm having the same issue many of you have experienced with your catalytic converters. I have about 110,000 miles on my car right now and a couple weeks ago the engine light came on. The code detected a bad 02 sensor which I had replaced (dang those little things are expensive!). It wasn't 2 days before the light was back on. I took it back to the mechanic (not a honda dealership) that replaced the sensor and he tells me now that the code is for a failed catalytic converter and that the part from Honda is $900!!! I did get the ECM update that was to resolve the lean burn that "could" cause the cat to fail. Well, the car was running on the wrong setting for almost 3 years before the ECM update was done so the damage to the catalytic converter could have already been done when I bought it in 2006. I've read on here that some of you were able to get Honda to pay for the part and you covered the labor. What are my chances of getting this done. I'm a pretty loyal customer and follow my maintenance to a "T" I own two civics (the other is a 06 civic) and I'd like to stay positive about Honda but this seems like my catalytic converter has failed due to faulty settings put out by Honda. Shouldn't a catalytic last the life of the car? Any thoughts on going with an aftermarket Cat.? I'd rather not have to cough up $1100 on this part! Thoughts??? |
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Replying to: 03civichybrd (Sep 29, 2009 8:28 am) It started out very periodic and has gotten more and more persistent, so I finally took it in to get read (for free at AutoZone) and got the P0240 and P0136 (I think those are the right codes) that indicated that my cat. conv. was bad and that I needed a new O2 sensor. I am arguing now with Honda corporate and the service manager for my local dealership that the issue was caused by the ECM issues as indicated earlier in this forum, which was "fixed" once for me by the dealership in 2007. I moved from living out of town with a 90-mile round trip commute 5 days a week to living in town with a 3-day telecommute schedule shortly after the ECM reflash I got at around 75k miles, so it's been about 2 years since then but I've only put on 30k miles (including a couple of road trips). I find it real hard to believe that this couldn't be a direct cause/effect relationship, and especially seeing how Honda's covered the part cost with multiple people in my exact situation across the country if they cause enough of a ruckus, and I plan on raising hell until they cover it for me. This is my first Honda, and will be my last if they don't cover this situation for me, regardless of what warranty I may or may not be covered by. This is a matter of responsibility and good versus bad business practice. When they know that this is an issue (hence the recall "reprogram ECM" notice I got in 2007), they should cover the damage that was caused. Either the ECM update caused the cat. conv. to go out, or the cat. conv. was damaged by the time I hit 75k miles and the last 25-30k I've put on it has just presented the symptoms. I'll let the forum know of my final outcome. Thanks! 
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Replying to: skylennard (Oct 19, 2009 2:25 pm) http://honda-car-parts.macautoparts.net/Catalytic-Converters-5784/4346483-03-04-- 05-Honda-Civic/ProductInfo.aspx Thanks! |
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Replying to: skylennard (Oct 19, 2009 2:25 pm) How are you going to go about pursuading the dealership and Honda Corp. that they should take care of it? I feel like they will just say, "there is too many miles and your Warranty is gone". This is indeed a faulty part. I just need to know how to come at them I've also seen the aftermarket Davico converters and thought about paying $150 for one and have Grismer Automotive put it on. Not sure how long it will last. How do we go about contacting Honda Corporate (do you have the #)?
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Replying to: fergs13 (Oct 20, 2009 7:07 am) http://automobiles.honda.com/information/customer-relations.aspx (800) 999-1009 The person I ended up talking with at that number forwarded my request to the service manager for the dealership that I took my car to yesterday. The guy I was dealing with before (a rep, not the manager) said that Honday declined to assist me with the repair. The lady on the phone was really kind of pushing me to say tha the dealership had specifically told me that the cause for the issue was due to the ECM settings before, however I don't think they ever committed to that specifically. I just paid them $60 to "diagnose" the problem in the hopes that Honda would do the right thing and cover this repair under the recall the same as it seems other people had been covered earlier in this thread, but apparently not (yet). My basic approach at this point is to cite this and other message boards I have found about this problem to document the cat. conv. damage correlation with the ECM flash, and if they flat refuse to cover it, I'll file a complaint with the corporate office and see what that gets me. I really don't expect that they will continue to put up a fight considering that I have documentation of other drivers with the exact same car and mileage issues getting Honda to cover the part, but if they put up enough of a fight and I decide to give up, then i'll probably (eventually) try out that Davico converter. There's NO way i'm putting up over $1000 to get another OEM one put in. Let me know if you end up with any luck and I'll let you know the same.
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Replying to: skylennard (Oct 20, 2009 3:09 pm)
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Replying to: 03civichybrd (Nov 20, 2009 7:51 am) 1) What will happen if I don't replace the Cat Conv? Will my car stop running? 2) Why do I need to replace the battery? Will my car stop working? I understand why a lot of people post about the troubles that everyone is facing with these parts, but it's not a dire issue. My 2003 Civic Hybrid has 145,000 miles on it over 7.5 years of ownership. In that period, I've gotten my transmission replaced once for free while it was under warranty. My check engine light has come on and stayed on, my battery discharges much faster than it used to, and I've been told my Catalytic Converters need to be replaced. I've been driving my car with a weaker battery, a check engine light, and (supposedly) broken catalytic converters for about 2-3 years now (approximately 40-60k miles). I've had no problems, no new issues. This is not a safety issue (e.g. airbag, suspension, brakes) and because it's a flaw in the design, even if you spend money to replace these parts, you're going to have the same issue in 40,000 miles at the latest. So why spend the money? Does the benefits outweigh the cost? I don't think we need to spend money to continually try to fix an unfixable design issue. I think the best we can do is notify consumer reports and BBB and honda corporation that they messed up in the design so that other people who consider buying a used civic hybrid knows. Also, if you haven't received it yet, there is a lawsuit against Honda regarding Civic Hybrids that will take place on 1/11/10. If the judge favors the plaintiff, then all Civic Hybrid owners will be allowed between $250-1000 rebate if you purchase a new 2009-2010 Honda (excluding fit, civic hybrid, and insight). As for me, I've decided that I can live with the problems and plan on keeping this car another 5 years. =) |
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