Build quality issues with 2006 Honda Civic

[chylld]

For those of you with 8th gen civics, how's the build quality on yours? I think mine takes the gong for most faults discovered within the first 1000km, but if anyone has had similar experiences I'd be very interested to hear about them. None of these faults are serious, the car itself is awesome but even my Hyundai didn't have a list this long:

1) Rattle from driver's door (and later, passenger's door) over bumpy roads
2) Rattle from sunroof after put into the closed position from the tilt position
3) Driver's door reluctant to close (need to slam it sometimes)
4) Bootlid creaks really loudly, both opening and closing
5) One of the exhaust finishers fell off
6) Stain on the right-rear seat backrest (doesn't come off, I have leather protection, I think the stain is being protected by the protectant)
7) Metallic rattling noise from the glovebox area (glovebox is empty)
8) Brake pedal makes a loud tap/click noise when you press it

And since around 900km, the whole front dash has started to make cracking/popping noises when the car goes over bumps, sounds like it's from anywhere behind the stereo to behind the steering wheel.

I'm putting my car in for its 1000km service on monday, and I'll report all of the above using Honda's pre-service forms. I think this will be a good test of Honda service :) My previous car was a Hyundai and their service team was excellent, they tracked down squeaks and rattles and even replaced parts if they had to to get the job done - so my expectations of Honda are rather high!

[Bob san]

hmm i surpose ur driving the VTIL? (cos u got the sunroof?)

i agree with u on some points though

3/ the driver's door takes a lil force to shut (maybe cos the build quality is more solid)

4/ Try using some WD-40 on the hinges :p

btw which dealer did u get ur Civic from?

[chylld]

Mine's the sport, which has sunroof as standard. You can get the sunroof as an option on the VTi-L though I think (vti too)

If it was a negligible difference i'd ignore it, but sometimes you really have to slam it, once i had to slam it behind me so hard my eardrums hurt! when my salesperson (marcus, very nice dude) took it out of the showroom for me to take it home, he had trouble getting the door shut twice :(

i have wd40 at home but i don't want to use it because wd40 works by eating metal away and i don't want to do that to my new car. there are automotive and hinge grease products out there which will be much better for it, i'm hoping that's what the service dept uses!

i got my civic from hornsby honda.

since posting my first post above, 2 further issues have made themselves apparent enough to warrant mentioning:
9) ABS kicked in extremely prematurely about 4 times so far, the last of which sent a very loud knocking sound throughout the car
10) Intermittent tapping sound from behind the steering wheel over some bumpy or undulating roads, and sometimes on smooth roads during deceleration

[panda[cRx]]

i work in a honda service dept, the only issues we have had with the civics from memory are:

- one dude broke his seat base on his civic sport (which we replaced)
- one woman had a dash trim a little loose on a vti (which we tightened)
- one guy washed his (black) civic sport and left scratches on it (user error, not hondas fault)
- one car's boot was a lil stiff to close (which we fixed)

i doubt yor dealer would have any problems fixing your concerns, as long as your list would be lol

[RyDC5S]

']
- one guy washed his (black) civic sport and left scratches on it (user error, not hondas fault)


Damn, was he using sandpaper or something.

[panda[cRx]]

well i dunno what he used but it didn't look great. however it's his own fault for buying a BLACK car (shows every mark and swirl!)

[chylld]

panda: it's great to hear a response from someone that works in honda service. i certainly hope the guys i give my car to tomorrow will be as good as you guys! *fingers crossed*

[berniebern]

12 years on and they still haven't fixed the rattles.

[MKI4EVA]

hooo sheet..........that's bad........ours is fine......not a complaint at all.

Even post track thrashing it's fine.

[chylld]

well i put my car in for service at 7.45 this morning, and guess what - i haven't got it back yet.

i told the dealer about all the noises that the car was making, he called me about midday saying that apparently 3 service people (1 of which was some quality manager) tested my car and they couldn't hear any of them. i said that maybe if all the other problems were fixed then i might take it back anyway, but he said he'll continue to have it looked at and call me back at around 4.

so then it's 5 past 5 and he still hasn't called, i call up service and ask what's up with my car and he goes "oh, sorry i thought you were going to just come and pick it up" "err.. no you said you'd call me back at 4" "oh really did i? woops sorry" "so how many noises were you able to nail down finally?" "oh, none." and by now it's too late to go pick up the car anyway because all the service people (except for him and another dude) left early and no one would be there for me to pick it up.

so now i'm going to get it first thing tomorrow morning and be late for work. so apart from misleading me and making me pick up my car at a more inconvenient time, i guess they didn't do anything wrong. i just shouldn't expect as much of them.

i'll post an update tomorrow after i pick up the car - maybe all the noises really have gone away!

[accordingly flash]

i would have thought some of those issues would be settling issues...

[j3z3z]

dude try and get money back on service.... that is bs that your car is left there

[chylld]

yer it is huge bs but it's the 1000km service which is free anyway. the only thing i'm expecting to pay for is the sound protection i ordered; if they charge me for anything else i'm gonna flip.

assuming they don't do that, i'm just not gonna bother arguing at all, quite frankly they aren't worth the effort. that said it's still too early to judge, i'll see how tomorrow morning goes.

[yeehou]

good luck on that tomorrow

[kongfu]

For those of you with 8th gen civics, how's the build quality on yours? I think mine takes the gong for most faults discovered within the first 1000km, but if anyone has had similar experiences I'd be very interested to hear about them. None of these faults are serious, the car itself is awesome but even my Hyundai didn't have a list this long:

1) Rattle from driver's door (and later, passenger's door) over bumpy roads
2) Rattle from sunroof after put into the closed position from the tilt position
3) Driver's door reluctant to close (need to slam it sometimes)
4) Bootlid creaks really loudly, both opening and closing
5) One of the exhaust finishers fell off
6) Stain on the right-rear seat backrest (doesn't come off, I have leather protection, I think the stain is being protected by the protectant)
7) Metallic rattling noise from the glovebox area (glovebox is empty)
8) Brake pedal makes a loud tap/click noise when you press it

And since around 900km, the whole front dash has started to make cracking/popping noises when the car goes over bumps, sounds like it's from anywhere behind the stereo to behind the steering wheel.

I'm putting my car in for its 1000km service on monday, and I'll report all of the above using Honda's pre-service forms. I think this will be a good test of Honda service :) My previous car was a Hyundai and their service team was excellent, they tracked down squeaks and rattles and even replaced parts if they had to to get the job done - so my expectations of Honda are rather high!


Good finds so far..U gotta report to dealer instantly!

[aaronng]

Actually, when you complain about your rattles, you should test drive with the mechanic. That's what my dealer gets me to do. Whenever I complain about rattling or creaking, they will ask me if I have some time after dropping the car off because they want me to point out the rattles to the mech while he is driving.

[chylld]

well i'm back on the road now, they didn't charge me a cent more than they should have so in that respect it's ok. the sound protection actually has a noticeable effect - the road noise is now quieter than the wind noise on some roads. the rest of the service:

1) Rattle from driver's door (and later, passenger's door) over bumpy roads NOT FIXED
2) Rattle from sunroof after put into the closed position from the tilt position LUBRICATED SEAL AS PRECAUTION
3) Driver's door reluctant to close (need to slam it sometimes) FIXED
4) Bootlid creaks really loudly, both opening and closing FIXED
5) One of the exhaust finishers fell off PART ORDERED IN
6) Stain on the right-rear seat backrest (doesn't come off, I have leather protection, I think the stain is being protected by the protectant) FIXED
7) Metallic rattling noise from the glovebox area (glovebox is empty) FIXED
8) Brake pedal makes a loud tap/click noise when you press it NORMAL
9) ABS kicked in extremely prematurely about 4 times so far, the last of which sent a very loud knocking sound throughout the car CHECKED OK
10) Intermittent tapping sound from behind the steering wheel over some bumpy or undulating roads, and sometimes on smooth roads during deceleration TIGHTENED SCREWS

so all in all things aren't too bad, i'll fix the door rattles myself on the weekend. not too happy with the service but not too dissatisfied either, since it would be impractical for them to fix a noise they can't hear. pity the door rattles came back with a vengeance 5 minutes away from the service dept tho...

[JasonGilholme]

Thats always the case mate.

I had a similiar thing happen with holden. I took my car in and told them that whenever i put my foot on the clutch it makes a loud screetching sound, but only when its warmed up.

I dropped it off and they kept it over night. Pulled it all apart WITHOUT TEST DRIVING IT, inspected it and then took it for a quick 2 minute drive around the block to test it.

They said they couldn't find a fault.

I went in there the next day, and had a chat to the guy and organised with him for me to drive the car around until i could hear the noise. So i got the car and went for a hard as 5 minute drive and got the car all warmed up so i could hear the noise. Took it back and the guy went to lunch!!!!

I stayed there for an hour doing nothin and when the guy came back i just went off at him. I told him to get in my car and we went for a drive. As soon as i heard the noise I pulled over, popped the bonnet and shoved his head in there so he could hear it.

Turns out that it was a problem with the trust bearing. They ended up replacing it for nothing because of the trouble they caused me!!!

All you have to do is make a big fuss and they'll do somethin about it.

[aaronng]

That's pretty good actually, almost every rattle was fixed. With the driver and passenger door rattle, check if it is coming from the trim or from the power window switch.

[Fizz]

well i'm back on the road now, they didn't charge me a cent more than they should have so in that respect it's ok. the sound protection actually has a noticeable effect - the road noise is now quieter than the wind noise on some roads.

what sound protection are you referring to? more details please (where did you get it and price?)

[chylld]

Jason: i hear u, sometimes u have to make a fuss but tbh i don't think i can bring myself to do that. the simple solution is to take the door apart myself which is the path i think i'll take... i'll troubleshoot the rattle this weekend and try to isolate the noise. i think i found something out this morning, with the window anywhere but in the fully-up position the noise stopped.

Aaron: the power window switches are pretty solid, i don't think it's from them. i'll check anyway when i drive later. i also tried pushing and pulling on the trim but neither does the trick. could be a tricky weekend...

Fizz: i got the sound protection which is part of the "defense pak" that honda sells through their service dept as an official thing. it's called "sound and rust protection" and involves coating the underside of the car in a tar-like subtance. i got it from honda service and it cost me a painful $495 :O if i ordered it when i got the car it would have only cost me $200 but oh well. this car for me is a long-termer so i'm keeping all accessories official and the warranty all good....

judging by the effect though i'd say even at $495 it's worth it. but i have expensive taste :)

[Surrufus]

Get A Mugen Body Kit :p

[AF1]

Damn, was he using sandpaper or something.

The newbie was probably taking it to some second rate carwash and using thos brushes.
Should always hand wash, not use thos brushes at the car wash.

[IronPriapism]

I haven't really had any issues with the car... except I do find when I'm driving some days the acceleration feels so shit, but then on other days the car just wants to move and it feels so good... its wierd, not consistant. anyone else feel this? its auto btw.

also i find if you dont let your foot off the accel when sitting at 60km/h, it will do 1000 revs + more than it should. let go of accel and accel again and it sits at 1500 - 2000 rpm and goes 60km/h....bleh I prefer manuals but my gf waanted an auto, so bleh. not use to autos.

Ive been filling up with premium also, does everyone else? im not sure but i think on a full tank, the car always seems to take off nicely... any thoughts?

Also with the car washing, i gave my car in for the 1000km service. AND THEY WASHED MY CAR, AND WHAT DO YA KNOW!? SMALL SCRATCHES ALL OVER IT. and a nice big one on the side of the car. the windows were wiped down too, with only a cloth and the water was left to dry leaving streaks on the window. i called my sales guy and told him, he said to call service and tell them. but theres no point, i'll tell them on next service not to wash my car unless they are gonna do it properly.

I only either hand wash it, or use the (good) brushless automatic car washes.

Oh and also, I think there isn't enough storage spaces to put anything, and all the storage spaces are so small..

overall i'm thrilled about the car anyways :P

[chylld]

i've noticed the inconsistency too, although it hasn't bothered me enough for me to figure out what's causing it. when i pull away from the lights, the car has plenty of oomph... but when i need to overtake, even if i floor it it doesn't seem to go as hard. common sense would say this is a speed-related issue, the car obviously accelerating harder at lower speeds... but i agree there might be a bit more to it than that.

i also agree with the car holding a lower gear than it needs to... but i have paddle shift on mine so i just snick it into sport mode and i have full control muwahah.

i find the storage spaces plenty big... i just find the glovebox design annoying. when i brake, the service manual/book tips forward and when the car comes to a rest it falls back with a *thud*. can always hear something in the glovebox moving around.

but same as you, car's too awesome to think of giving up :)

[tanalasta]

Yeah ... the paddle shift exists so you can downshift for overtaking.

Otherwise, I would assume the overtaking issue is related to the electric drive by wire system. Hmmms...

Glad you like your car. I'm still waiting for mine. I think I've got another two months *sniffles*

[IS250]

That'll be the damn electronic throttle. I hated it both times I test drove it. Felt like they took it straight off a Daytona arcade game, hardly any resistance whatsoever, just sinks straight to the floor.

Has anyone found a problem with their speedo? I was driving next to a Vti last night and I was doing 82, looked across at the Vti and his speedo was showing 94 yet we were both level.

Oh well, unless you guys are going to start reporting doors falling off then it'll still be on the top of my list.

[MKI4EVA]

I have to admit with all things you get use to it.

On the track I didn't think hill toe would be easy with the delayed throttle response but somehow it was just as easy as wire throttle systems.

Pretty good overall.

[chylld]

crikey! 82 v 94 is a big difference. driving to the city today my speedo read 55 and one of those radar things said my speed was 52.. i thought that was a big enough gap hehe.

[IS250]

hmm, come to think of it, a lot of reviews that I've read about the new Civic always seems to say that the car doesn't feel fast until they check the speedo and see that its showing faster than they thought. I noticed the same thing when I tested it but I thought it was because the car was so quiet and smooth. Now that I think about it, I was being overtaken by practically everyone that day, even by grannies and trucks lol. I know manufacturers usually overstate the speed but its normally only by 1 or 2 km/h. Even then its usually at the higher speeds.

[wassup]

I had to take my car into service today to have them check the drivers window..
when i used the auto up it automatically came back down when it almost hit the top. Looked like it was starting to come out of alignment. The checked it and adjusted the 'run channel' and now its all good again.

Whilst they had the car they also cleaned the sunroof seals and washed it... seems like some ppl have had concerns about the sunroof?

[dezza]

Cant believe you guys are having so much dramas with the cars. I still have to wait bout a month to get mine! Hope it aint a common problems with all the new civics!!! =[

[davecash]

dont think its common problems. i've had mine for over 2 months now and no dramas at all (touch wood)

[JaCe]

Maybe they purposely overstate it to stop us speeding... *shrugs*

As for build quality issues- mine has been fine I think. Heard a grinding noise in the transmission but I think that might've been 'coz it was cold and just warming up... Apart from that it's cool. Although I have heard reports from America of serious issues- one guy's 06 Civic just turned off and died when he was coming out of an intersection! Honda gave him a new vehicle and couldn't explain what went wrong- but that sounds pretty scary!

[chylld]

Whilst they had the car they also cleaned the sunroof seals and washed it... seems like some ppl have had concerns about the sunroof?

i had the same thing done to my sunroof when i put it in for its first service; one of the faults i reported was a clicking / rattling coming from the sunroof, so they "greased it up" as a "precaution"

[Jazzle]

the new civic seems to be quite unreliable.. probably due to the thailand made factor...

when i test drove the civic.. i found it really weird.. like the engine was still revving while i let go of the throttle pedal... is it just a slow delayed response as MKI4EVA described or there's another explanation... that really really puts me off...

[JaCe]

Hmm... I found the drive quite good- but then it was good compared to the other cars I had driven before it (Astra, Corolla and Terios). But then, hey, I'm easily impressed I suppose.

[bOoStn]

You guys should really push the issue with the dealers if you think something is wrong with the car. They should have no problems in sending a technician out for a drive with you to listen for a rattle or something. The first service is not only a check over of the car, but your best oportunity to have things fixed that are not up to scratch from factory. If you're not happy with what the dealer is doing, then make an issue about it!
Another common problem we've found with the vti/vti-l civics is some of them get a very slight leak from an o'ring on a power steering hose at the power steering pump.
Btw, I'm pretty sure only the sport comes with a sunroof. Its not an option on either the vti or vti-l
Also, while I'm raving on here, value for money wise, there is no other car on the market that looks, performs or has the fantastic quality of an 06 civic at the prices they are being sold for :)

[chylld]

bOoStn: thanks for the advice. the only thing holding me back from approaching honda service again is my terrible first experience with them. i just received in the mail a form/questionnaire from honda asking me how my service went - they're sure to get a piece of my mind soon in the mail.

miraculously, the only remaining faults with the car (driver's door and passenger's door rattles) have disappeared. i don't know how, i don't know why, but for the last whole tank i didn't hear either rattle a single time, whereas before and immediately after my first service it was very pronounced and very reproducable. i doubt it's actually fixed itself, but at least whatever wasn't/isn't fastened properly isn't making noise anymore.

i have found a new rattle though, however this one comes from the centre console/armrest lid - mindblowingly trivial to fix, however i'll wait until i dynamat the whole car and then i'll put some dynamat inside the lid itself as well to give it a more quality sound when closing (don't like the cheap "click-twang" sound it currently makes)

[bOoStn]

Yeah, for sure! Those form/questionnaires from honda are used to rate the dealer, and how happy the customer is with them. If you give them a bad score, they'll lose their dealership rating a bit, and they will lose out on money from warranty jobs, etc. Its called an OES score.
You should try going to a different dealership. One that will treat you and your car a bit better.
You know you can take your car in at any time for a warranty job like a rattle dont you? It doesnt have to be at the service intervals

[chylld]

i have thought about going to a different dealership, but i don't want to make such a quick and drastic judgement - so my next service (6 mth/10k km) will be with them again, giving them a chance to redeem themselves.

i'm aware i can take my car in for warranty jobs separate from my scheduled services, however it is a massive inconvenience for me as i work full time in the city, which is over an hour away from both the service centre and my home.

again bOoStn, i appreciate your feedback - it's very interesting to know how things work behind closed doors :)

[bOoStn]

You're very welcome :)

[Fizz]

the new civic really seems to be quite reliable.. probably due to the thailand made factor...

when i test drove the civic.. i found it really weird.. like the engine was still revving while i let go of the throttle pedal... is it just a slow delayed response as MKI4EVA described or there's another explanation... that really really puts me off...

i think its due to the electronic throttle control. some car journos call it the "fly-by-wire effect", its nothing major i suppose. even my wifes yaris has this same effect when you lift off the throttle to change gears. but after awhile you'll get used to it.

[panda[cRx]]

Another common problem we've found with the vti/vti-l civics is some of them get a very slight leak from an o'ring on a power steering hose at the power steering pump.

check your service updates ;)
(simple fix with new clamp)

[PaZzMaN-R]

boostn what dealership do you work at?

[wassup]

i think its due to the electronic throttle control. some car journos call it the "fly-by-wire effect", its nothing major i suppose. even my wifes yaris has this same effect when you lift off the throttle to change gears. but after awhile you'll get used to it.

i heard someone mentioned that the lag is caused by the ECU to minimise emissions.

The US has a fix on the problem if customers do complain about it.

[JaCe]

Our dealer told us that if we give them better reviews, then they have better control/power when it comes to getting new cars into the dealership/reserving them... or something like that. Since we were pretty happy with Hornsby Honda, I gave them a pretty decent review. The only thing lacking is- I want a free car wash. A small thing it may seem, but I think it'd be worth the extra effort to give the car a quick clean to make it feel fresh again!

As for sunroofs- only the Sport has it standard, but from what I've heard on the forums (and other places), some dealers can also fit an aftermarket sunroof for you; or you can go elsewhere to get it done.

[bOoStn]

']check your service updates ;)
(simple fix with new clamp)


New clamp? I dont think I've even seen that service bulletin yet =\ As far as I knew, you just replaced the O'ring.


boostn what dealership do you work at?

The one I work at is in victoria

http://www.pattersoncheneyhonda.com.au


Our dealer told us that if we give them better reviews, then they have better control/power when it comes to getting new cars into the dealership/reserving them... or something like that.

I would be assuming thats the form you filled out for the sales side of things? Once you hit your 20,000km/2 year mark, they'll send you out another one, which is to rate the service department

[chylld]

I would be assuming thats the form you filled out for the sales side of things? Once you hit your 20,000km/2 year mark, they'll send you out another one, which is to rate the service department

hmmm i guess different dealers do it differently. i got the sales satisfaction survey 1 week after delivery of my car, and the service one 3 weeks after (1 week after i had my car in for its 1000km service)

[chylld]

The one I work at is in victoria

http://www.pattersoncheneyhonda.com.au

bOoStn, is there any chance of your dealer putting up the service manuals on their website? at collegehillshonda.com they've uploaded the accessory installation instructions which are tremendously detailed, it's for the us version (left-hand drive) but still really useful esp for taking the car apart

[primetimex]

A friend of mine that's purchased 06 Civic Vti had paint finish problems - some slight bubbling, marks on the final finish of the paint - then he dented the undercarriage by going over a kerb - and since then the paint around the damaged area started flaking off in large bits.

Other than that there was the loose dash piece which the dealer tightened and he mentioned the noisy Park to Drive auto transmission shifts ...

Honestly, I've not seen so many build quality issues in Honda during my 15 years plus driving Hondas - both Civics and Accords - although the 94 civic had the roof paint deterioriating due to sun and weather damage - common problem

[bOoStn]

bOoStn, is there any chance of your dealer putting up the service manuals on their website? at collegehillshonda.com they've uploaded the accessory installation instructions which are tremendously detailed, it's for the us version (left-hand drive) but still really useful esp for taking the car apart


They wouldnt put them up, no, but our service manuals are the same. LHD cars. You just have to try and work around it, if that makes sense


']check your service updates ;)
(simple fix with new clamp)

You're right. I found ours the other day!

[Jazzle]

hopefully the build and finish quality will improve with the newly built vehicles. im guessing if there's more complaints coming from the thailand made vehicles, honda will do something about it as this issue will eventually ruin honda's reputation of producing well built/finish and reliable cars.

im giving concerns as im thinking of getting the new civic in 2 years time.. =))

[EuroBabee]

I have a civic sport too and I also have the following problems;

3) Driver's door reluctant to close (need to slam it sometimes)
4) Bootlid creaks really loudly, both opening and closing

however, my door isn't as bad as urs from what i have read in ur post. i dun need to slam it juss yet.. juss a lil bit more force than other doors, but seems to be getting better?!?

yeah and bootlid doesn't bother me that much atm.. juss get them to fix it at the service should only take 30 secs.

and that sunroof creaking thing.. that happened in my euro.. i fink it happens if u leave it in that tilt position for a long time.. e.g. if u juss leave it in that position without closing it for a few days.

[JaCe]

There's a weird vibration noise in my Civic... in the back right part of the rear bumper... but then, that's when the subwoofer is on so I'm guessing under normal usage it wouldn't be an issue.

As for satisfaction surveys... done two already for Hornsby Honda.

[chylld]

if my civic is anything to go by, there are some issues with quality control over in thailand where our civics are being made. taking my car apart today to apply sound deadening, i found loose elastic cord 3 times and packaging plastic >5 times - both obviously supposed to be removed before fitment of the various parts. quite honestly, that's pathetic.

i doubt honda japan would have missed such simple considerations, so it's a matter of compliance in the thailand plant(s). one possibility is that they're incompetent workers, but a more likely possibility is that they're being severely rushed to finish each car as quick as possible to meet the greater-than-expected demand.

[JaCe]

Let's not forget low wages leads to little motivation/pride in work. I guess that's what we have to put up with when Honda drops the price. Although that being said, I'm pretty sure our cars are alot better than certain other brands- my Mum's jaguar, after less than 18months, already started having gaps in the panels!