NHTSA Complaint #10345575 — 2007 HONDA CIVIC

2007 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID LOST ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSIST POWER IN MAY 2010 WHEN I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE TRAFFIC. TOOK IT TO HONDA DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED LOW POWER ASSIST AND (WITHOUT CONFERRING WITH ME) REPROGRAMMED THE POWER ASSIST SOFTWARE AND PRONOUNCED IT FIXED. ONE OR TWO DAYS AFTER THIS SERVICE CALL, I AGAIN NOTICED WEAK ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSIST ON ANOTHER HILL IN DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC. TOOK THE CAR TO HONDA AGAIN, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THEY COULD REPLICATE THE ANEMIC POWER CONDITION, BUT SAID THAT HONDA USA SAYS THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS INTENDED WITH THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE UPDATE, AND THAT THERE IS NO MORE TO BE DONE. I SAID THAT I HAD LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE AUTOMOBILE, SINCE I CONSIDER IT A DRIVING HAZARD NOT TO BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE ADEQUATELY IN SOME DRIVING CONDITIONS. I SAID THAT I WANTED HONDA TO BUY BACK THE CAR, BUT THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HONDA WOULDN'T DO THAT. I HAVE PURCHASED ANOTHER CAR, BUT STILL OWN THE HONDA CIVIC HYBRID; I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT, SINCE I DON'T FEEL GOOD OFFERING IT TO ANYONE OTHER THAN HONDA FOR SALE. *TR