NHTSA Complaint #10627890 — 2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CAR SUDDENLY DOES NOT HAVE POWER WHEN STARTING FROM A STOPPED CONDITION. AT THE SAME TIME THE INDICATED DRIVE BATTERY LEVEL DROPS AND THE DASHBOARD INDICATES THE GAS MOTOR IS CHARGING THE BATTERY. AFTER MAYBE 30 SECONDS THE REDUCTION OF POWER IS LESS. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME REDUCTION IN POWER UNTIL THE DRIVE BATTERY IS MOSTLY CHARGED. DURING THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT THE ELECTRIC ASSIST IS NOT WORKING. HAVE ALSO OBSERVED DURING THIS SEVERAL MONTH PERIOD THE GAS MILEAGE IS REDUCED. THE PROBLEM IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT WITHOUT RUNNING FOR A FEW HOURS. THE HAZARD HERE IS THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN IT OCCURS EVEN PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR DOES NOT HAVE MUCH EFFECT. HAVE BEEN LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INSTALLED NEW SOFTWARE THAT HAS HELPED THE PROBLEM, BUT NOT ELIMINATED IT. WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE WITH THE DEALER. NOTICED THAT OTHERS SEEM TO BE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, I SUSPECT IT IS RELATED TO A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE HYBRID POWERTRAIN. AM NOT CONVINCED THEY WILL ADDRESS THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR