NHTSA Complaint #10353557 — 2008 HONDA CIVIC

WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HONDA STATING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SOFTWARE STATING THAT A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS NEEDED TO BE DONE ON THE CAR TO HELP THE BATTERY LIFE OF THE CAR. SO WE BROUGHT IT IN TO BE SERVICED AND EVER SINCE, WE'VE LOST POWER TO THE CAR, AND LOST MPG THAT USED TO BE APPROX. 38 MPG TO NOW 29 MPG, THE SAME AS OUR '99 CIVIC COUP DX, THAT IS NOT A HYBRID. MY WIFE, WHILE GOING ONTO THE FREEWAY WAS ALMOST HIT, WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE. MY WIFE IS NOW HATES DRIVING THE CAR SHE USED TO LOVE. WE LIVE IN A HILLY AREA. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE UP A HILL WE DRIVE EVERYDAY, IF THE BATTERY CHARGE IS 4 BLOCKS OR LOWER, IT DOESN'T EVEN ASSIST. IT'S ALL THE GAS ENGINE. THE BATTERY RARELY KICKS IN SO THAT DEFEATS THE HYBRID THEORY AND JUST ADDS MORE POLLUTION THAT HONDA PURPORTS THAT IT DOESN'T. TO PUT IT STRAIGHT, THIS IS NOT THE CAR I BOUGHT AND HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH THE EXPERIENCE. I'VE BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO HONDA TO TRY TO GET THE SOFTWARE ISSUE RESOLVED. THEY STATED THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, ENGINE OR BATTERY THAT EVERYTHING IS FINE. WHEN ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION FOR THE LOSS OF POWER AND MPG, THEY SAID THAT I SHOULD TRY A HIGHER OCTANE OF GAS OR A DIFFERENT BRAND. I HAVE ALWAYS USED THE HIGHEST OCTANE GAS FROM DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS WITHOUT ANY ISSUES BEFORE THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE. SO THAT ISN'T THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO SAY THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THEIR "SOFTWARE UPGRADE". I HAVE PRETTY MUCH WASTED $26,000+ ON PURCHASING THIS CAR. ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS IS SHAME ON ANOTHER BIG COMPANY, TRYING TO SAVE $$ BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR OWN LOYAL CUSTOMERS. THANK YOU HONDA! *TR