NHTSA Complaint #10402640 — 2009 HONDA CIVIC

I OWN A 2009 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE HYBRID SYSTEM RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING (LEAVING ONLY THE UNDERPOWERED GASOLINE ENGINE AS THE MEANS TO POWER THE CAR). THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE ISSUE IN DECEMBER. THEY PERFORMED AN IRREVERSIBLE SOFTWARE UPDATE WHICH HAS, AS A RESULT, MADE THE HYBRID SYSTEM WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATES THERE IS NO WAY TO REVERSE THIS CHANGE. AS A RESULT, THE HYBRID BATTERY/MOTOR ASSIST WILL SUDDENLY STOP WORKING DURING AN ACCELERATION (FOR INSTANCE MERGING ON THE FREEWAY) WITH A DRAMATIC LOSS OF POWER. STEPPING MORE ON THE ACCELERATOR INCREASES RPMS TO 4-5,000 BUT DOES NOT RESULT IN ANY SIGNIFICANT POWER TO THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER, THEY STATE THEY HAVE HAD MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS BUT DO NOT HAVE A FIX. I FEEL THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN GIVEN THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURS, AND USUALLY OCCURS WHEN A DRIVER MOST NEEDS POWER. *TR