NHTSA Complaint #10304909 — 2007 HONDA CIVIC

2007 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAS ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES AND POWER. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WERE NOT BRAKING PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BRAKES INSPECTED, BUT AFTER INSPECTING THE BRAKES AND ROAD TESTING, THEY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMAL. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO HAVE BRAKING ISSUES, AND AFTER ALMOST HAVING A COLLISION DUE TO DECREASED BRAKING ABILITY, SHE AGAIN CONTACTED THE DEALER. THEY TESTED THE BRAKES AGAIN, AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO FAIL ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. THE DEALER EVALUATED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED A REPORT FROM HONDA STATED THE IMA WILL STOP CHARGING AND STOP WITH ASSISTED BRAKING IF TEMPERATURES ARE TOO HIGH AND THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR THE CUSTOMER TO FEEL A DIFFERENCE IN BRAKING WITHOUT REGENERATION. HONDA ADVISED THAT THE CONSUMER DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN AND WHEN SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE TO LEAVE THEM DOWN AS WELL TO HELP COOL OFF THE HYBRID BATTERIES WHICH WERE LOCATED BEHIND THE SEAT. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE CONSUMER BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO PERFORM A COMPUTER UPGRADE ON HER VEHICLE. THE REPORT ALSO STATED UPDATED IMA CONTROL UNIT AND BATTERY SOFTWARE. THE CONSUMER DROVE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND NOTED SOME IMPROVEMENT WITH THE BRAKING ISSUE, BUT NOW THE IMA BATTERIES WILL NOT STAY CHARGED, AND IF THE BATTERY LEVEL GOES BELOW 4 BARS, WHICH IS 1/2 OF FULL BARS OR A COMPLETELY CHARGED BATTERY, THE VEHICLE'S POWER IS GREATLY DECREASED TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO TRAVEL AT SPEEDS OF 15-20 MPH FOR 15 SECONDS AFTER BEING STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. *JB