NHTSA Complaint #10280917 — 2008 HONDA CIVIC

1. AFTER NORMAL 30K MILEAGE SERVICE AND TIRE ROTATION/BALANCING 5/23/2009, WITH HIGHWAY HANDLING CAR SHOOK EXTREMELY AND WOBBLED AT SPEEDS 60 AND ABOVE, PULLS TO THE RIGHT GOING DOWNHILL. 2. PROBLEM REMAINS WITH 2008 HYBRID PAST 35K, REPRODUCIBLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60MPH-70 MPH, 2000 RPM TO 2500 RPM) GOING ON STRAIGHT STRETCH AND DOWNHILL. FRONT OF CAR PULLING SIDEWAYS IS REPRODUCIBLE IN RAIN OR WHEN BREAKING GOING DOWN LOW/MEDIUM GRADE HILL. 8/18, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR, IS A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN ON HIGHWAY,ESPECIALLY GOING DOWNHILL OR ON STRAIGHT STRETCH. 3. REPORTED TO DEALER, WENT IN FOR CHECK, DEALER CONTACTED WARRANTY AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION FLUID. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS, DEALER RECOMMENDS CHANGE FRONT TIRES NOW AS TIRES RIPPLED BETWEEN MAY 23RD AND JUNE 3RD, 2009. PAID FOR 2 NEW TIRES TO REPLACE OLD PER DEALERS RECOMMENDATION FRIDAY 6/11. DEALER GOES THROUGH EXTENDED WARRANTY TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION 6/11. THE PROBLEM DISSIPATED 30%,BUT SHAKING OCCURS. RETURN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO VERIFY IF SOFTWARE UPDATES WERE MADE 6/24 AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. DEALER MADE SOFTWARE UPDATE 7/6 RECEIVED CAR BACK AND PROBLEM SHOWED UP WITHIN A DAY. REPORTED ISSUE. DEALER RECEIVED HONDA RECOMMENDATION TO DISCONNECT EGR VALVE 7/31. PROBLEM REDUCED BY ~20% BUT STILL REMAINS AT 60MPH ETC. 8/8 FOLLOW-UP WITH CONCERN OF DRIVING IN RAIN DEALER RECOMMENDS CONTACTING HONDA CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. DEALER CONTACTS FACTORY REP, WHOSE RECOMMENDATION IS THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER THAT CAN BE DONE. THERE WAS NO INSPECTION MADE FOR ANY JOINT/BOLT/BELT SLIPPAGE ETC. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTACTED DEALER AND FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE AND STATED NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE 8/18 AS F.REP HAS CLOSED THE CASE, CANNOT OVERRIDE F.REP, AND DOES NOT HAVE STATISTICS TO CONFIRM EITHER WAY WHETHER THE PROBLEM EXISTS IN OTHER 2008 HYBRIDS WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE. DEALER IS UNAWARE OF THE ROOT OF SHAKING/STEERING PROBLEM (SOFTWARE/D/DRIVETRAIN/COOLING/EXHAUST JUST A WORN BELT LOOSE BOLT ETC.). *TR