2013 Honda Civic

I OWN A 2013 HONDA. I JUST FOUND THIS NHTSA WEBSITE TO REGISTER COMPLAINTS. WHEN I SIT IN A CAR, I SIT CORRECTLY, WITH THE SEAT FAIRLY UPRIGHT AND MY SHOULDERS AGAINST THE SEAT BACK. WHEN I DO THIS IN THE 2013 HONDA, AND ALL NEW CARS I HAVE SAT IN, MY HEAD IS FORCED FORWARD AND DOWN IN A VERY UNNATURAL, UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION. THE ONLY WAY I CAN LOOK AT THE ROD IS TO LIFT MY SHOULDERS OFF THE SEAT BACK, AND THEN MY ENTIRE UPPER BODY WEIGHT IS SUPPORTED BY MY NECK. THE PROBLEM IS THE HEADREST IS AT LEAST 1 INCH TOO FAR FORWARD. MY WIFE CANNOT SIT IN THE CAR FOR MORE THAT 30 MINUTES WITHOUT GETTING A HEADACHE. MY WIFE IS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST WITH 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE. HER COMMENT IS THAT THE HEADRESTS ARE FORCING US TO SIT IN ERGONOMICALLY INCORRECT POSITIONS. OLDER CARS HAD VERTICAL HEADRESTS THAT DID NOT CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THE NEW HEADREST POSITIONS ARE DUE TO NHTSA REGULATIONS PHASED IN 2009 TO PREVENT WHIPLASH. THE ONLY WAY I CAN DRIVE MY CAR NOW IS TO PULL THE HEADREST OUT AND PUT THEM IN BACKWARDS. THIS OBVIOUSLY RESULTS IN LESS WHIPLASH PROTECTION THAN EVEN THE OLD VERTICAL HEADRESTS FROM A WEB SEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER CAR OWNERS ARE BEING FORCED TO DO THE SAME THING. NOW IN MANY NEW CARS YOU CANNOT REMOVE THE HEADREST TO TURN IT AROUND. BECAUSE OF THIS NHTSA RULING I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BUY A NEW CAR, AND THE CAR I DRIVE IS NOT SAFE IN THE CASE OF A REAR END COLLISION. (NOTE: I LIVE IN CANADA BUT AM AFFECTED BY THIS NHTSA RULING. THE ZIP CODE AND PHONE NUMBER BELOW ARE NOT VALID, AS ONLY US INFORMATION IS ALLOWED IN THESE FIELDS). *TR

2013 CIVIC LX. ON 8/2/2013 WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY POWER STEERING FROZE AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. INDICATOR LIGHT READ CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP (HONDA NORTH, DANVERS, MA) WHERE THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING CONTROL UNIT. I HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 4 MONTHS AND IT HAD 2,586 MILEAGE. ON 6/14/2014 WHILE STARTING TO DRIVE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, MY POWER STEERING FROZE AGAIN. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 5 - 10 MPH, AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. INDICATOR LIGHT READ CHECK POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I HAVE HAD THE CAR 14 MONTHS, AND IT HAS 5,786 MILEAGE. LET ME RESTATE THAT: THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 5,800 MILES AND THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM HAS FAILED TWICE. IN BOTH OF THESE CASES, THE CAR WAS MOVING VERY SLOWLY, BUT IF I HAD BEEN MOVING AT A RAPID RATE OF SPEED AND LOST CONTROL, I COULDN'T BEEN KILLED. IT IS BY SHEER LUCK THAT I WASN'T HIT DURING THE MOST RECENT EPISODE. *TR

2013 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE POWER STEERING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT COMPLETELY, AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. WHEN HER HUSBAND ARRIVED, THE POWER STEERING WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. AS HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, TO THE DEALER, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE DEALER, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE FOR SIX DAYS, WHERE THEY REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION. THE DEALER ASSURED THE CONSUMER, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING FAILURE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, AN INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL ANY PROBLEMS. THE DEALER CALLED THE CONSUMER BACK AND STATED THEY BELIEVED THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM. THEY INDICATED THE WIRING GOING TO THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM SHORTED OUT. THE DEALER STATED THE FACTORY HAD NOT SOLDERED THE WIRES TOGETHER AND THE WIRING PUNCTURED THROUGH THE SKIN AND SHORTED OUT CAUSING THE POWER STEERING TO OUT. THE DEALER RE-WIRED AND RE-SOLDERED THE CONNECTION. *JB

I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR 35 YEAR AND HAVE REPLACED BRAKES AND ROTORS NUMEROUS TIMES. I'VE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS ON A 18 MONTH OLD CAR. WITHOUT WARNING THEY WORE PREMATURELY DOWN TO THE METAL. AFTER SEARCHING FOR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, I FOUND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FROM 2010 WITH THE ACCORD. HONDA LOST BUT THEY HAVEN'T FIXED THE ISSUE WITH THE CIVIC. THERE ARE COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER HONDA OWNERS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FROM TWO DEALERS REFUSE TO ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM AND REFERRED ME TO CORPORATE. NO MORE HONDAS FOR ME. *TR

AUTISTIC CHILD REMOVED SEATBELT TO EXIT CAR, CHILD SOMEHOW BECAME TANGLED IN SEATBELT. BELT STARTED RETRACTING. COULD NOT REMOVE CHILD FROM BELT AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE AND CONTINUED TO DIG ITSELF FARTHER INTO CHILD'S TORSO. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE CALLED TO CUT CHILD OUT OF THE SEATBELT. *TR

THE HEAD RESTRAINTS ON THIS MODEL OF CIVIC ( AND OTHER 2012-2014 ), POSSIBLY OTHER MODELS SUCH AS THE ACCORD ARE ANGLED SO FORWARD TO PREVENT WHIPLASH, TO THE ORDER OF -150MM. THESE PUSH THE HEAD OF THE DRIVER WAY FORWARD, FORCING INTO A POSTURE WHERE THE HEAD IS BENT FORWARD. TO AVOID THIS THE SEAT HAS TO BE RECLINED BACK, WHERE IN BACK HAS NO SUPPORT AND THE DRIVER IS BENT LIKE A "C" TRYING TO REACH THE STEERING. THIS HAS CAUSED SERVE BACK PROBLEMS, AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS WITH THE BACK, NECK AND SHOULDER. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM AND REPORTED BY MULTIPLE CUSTOMERS, YET HONDA DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS OR PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE OR SOLUTION. HONDA HAS MADE THIS TO LOOK THEIR SAFETY NUMBERS GOOD , TO COMPENSATE FOR OTHER WEEK AREAS , WHERE THE OVERALL SAFETY RATING INCREASES. HONDA'S ASIAN MODELS OF THE VERY SAME CARS, DON'T HAVE SUCH FORWARD FORCING HEAD RESTS. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES AT A STRETCH AND IT TAKES DAYS TO RECOVER ONCE THE PAIN SETS IN. TOOK THE CAR BACK THE DEALER, THEY SUGGESTED REMOVING THE HEADREST ALL TOGETHER OR TURNING IS BACK, WHERE THE DISTANCE IS AROUND +150MM, WHICH IS NOT GOOD IN PREVENTING A WHIPLASH AT ALL. THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED HEALTH ISSUES, MULTIPLE DOCTOR VISITS, TIME LOST AND ASSOCIATED COSTS WITH THE DOCTORS VISITS AND TESTS. SAFETY IS GOOD, BUT THIS HAS GONE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, TO PROTECT FROM WHIPLASH IS GOOD, BUT THIS DESIGN IS INDUCING PROBLEMS WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENTS. IT TAKES DAYS TO RECOVER ONCE THE PAIN SETS IN. URGE, SOMEONE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND FORCE THE MANUFACTURERS TO ADDRESS THE WHIPLASH SAFETY IN A RIGHT WAY, INSTEAD OF CUTTING CORNERS AND TAKING THE EASY WAY OUT, THERE BY AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF THE CONSUMERS. *TR

THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT EVIDENT DURING THE PRE-PURCHASE TEST DRIVE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THE GAS TANK FULL. HOWEVER, UPON DRIVING THE VEHICLE OFF THE DEALER LOT POST PURCHASE, AND DURING THE ENTIRE SUBSEQUENT OWNERSHIP PERIOD, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED RELATIVELY LOUD THUD / KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR/FUEL TANK AREA UPON STOPPING IN URBAN DRIVING CONDITIONS WITH GAS TANK FULL TO HALF EMPTY. THE SOUND WAS OF A SLOSHING LIQUID IN A CONTAINER (FUEL?), EVIDENT IN LOW SPEED BRAKING AND/OR GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AND COMPLETELY RUINED MY OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH HONDA. I NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS WITH SIMILAR MODELS MADE BY COMPETITION (NISSAN SENTRA AND MAZDA3) AND OWNED BY ME PRIOR TO BUYING 2013 HONDA CIVIC. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND AND, MOST LIKELY, WOULD NOT PURCHASE HONDA VEHICLES MYSELF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO HEAR A THUMPING SOUND IN THE GASOLINE TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,800.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VOLUME OF THE HORN WAS ABNORMALLY LOW. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE FACTORY HORN WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTACT TRY PURCHASING AN AFTERMARKET HORN FROM AN AUTO PARTS RETAILER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.

THIS LETTER IS TO INFORM YOU ABOUT A SEVERE MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I WAS TRAUMATIZED BY A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WITH MY 2013 HONDA CIVIC. LUCKILY NO ONE GOT HURT IN THIS EVENT, BUT I?M HOPING THAT THIS FACT WILL NOT REDUCE THE ATTENTION FROM THIS SEVERE MALFUNCTION. FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED ON MAY 10, 2014 AT 6:30PM: I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY, UNDER 5 MILES PER HOUR, APPROACHING A PARKING NEAR THE SIDEWAYS. THERE WAS ONE CAR ALREADY PARKED, AND I WAS GOING TO PARK BEHIND IT. I WAS ABOUT TO COMPLETE MY PARKING, AND MY LEG WAS GENTLY APPLYING THE BRAKES (I WAS ALMOST AT A COMPLETE HALT). SUDDENLY, THE CAR MADE A VERY LOUD NOISE AS IF SOMEONE PRESSED ON THE GAS ALL THE WAY (IT WAS AN AWFUL NOISE), AND THEN IT SHOT ITSELF FORWARD AT A CRAZY SPEED. AS THE CAR DROVE ITSELF INTO THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT, I PULLED THE HANDBRAKE AND PRESSED HARDER ON THE BREAKS IN THE SPLIT SECOND THAT I HAD TO REALIZE SOMETHING IS WRONG. SINCE I WAS AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THE IMPACT DIDN'T DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS. THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED THE CAR FROM GOING FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. AT THIS POINT THE CARS ENGINE DECREASED THE RPM BACK TO NORMAL, AND THE CAR STOPPED PUSHING ITSELF FORWARD, THOUGH AT THAT POINT I ALREADY DEPLOYED THE HAND BRAKE. *TR