NHTSA Complaint #10706339 — 2012 HONDA CIVIC

ON APPROXIMATELY 10 OCCASIONS, AFTER REFUELING THE HONDA CIVIC GX (NATURAL GAS) VEHICLE, THE CAR WOULD START UP AND TRAVEL NO MORE THAN 100 YARDS FROM THE FILLING STATION. THE GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY EVEN THOUGH THE TANK IS FULL. THERE ARE PRESSURE REGULATORS AND SAFETY VALVES THAT OPEN UP WITH A THUNK SOUND WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED AFTER FILLING. IN EACH CASE WHEN THE CAR HAS STALLED, THE VALVES/REGULATORS DO NOT OPEN UP WITH THE THUNK SOUND. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 1.5 YEARS WITH THE 2012 CIVIC GX. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO WHEN THIS OCCURS OR DOESN'T, BUT, IT USUALLY HAPPENS IN A CLUSTER OF TIMES AND THEN GOES AWAY FOR 5-6 MONTHS. READING ONLINE FORUMS, THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO VEHICLES THAT ARE MUCH OLDER AND HONDA'S ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE VALVES AND REGULATORS. AS MY VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THEY HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO DO ANYTHING. FROM CORPORATE HONDA, THEY ARE BLAMING THE DRIVERS FOR LEAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IN THE ACC POSITION. I KNOW THAT FOR 9 OUT OF THE 10 INCIDENTS, THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. THE STALLING OF THE CAR HAS POSED A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC ONLY TO HAVE THE CAR STALL DUE TO LACK OF GAS IN THE FUEL LINE (SAFETY VALVE IS LOCATED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE) AS IT SUCKS WHAT IT CAN FROM THE FUEL LINE TO THE VALVES. IT USUALLY TAKES ABOUT 40-45 MINUTES FOR THE SYSTEM TO RESET AND ALLOW THE CAR TO RUN. IT WILL RUN FINE UNTIL SOME FUTURE REFUELING. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE EASILY REPEATABLE. *TR