1997 Honda Civic Engine Problems

When you come to a stop, your engine RPM sometimes doesn't drop back to idle — instead the engine keeps trying to move the car forward. You have to turn off the ignition or shift into Neutral to regain control. This has happened multiple times over several years, but the dealer was unable to find a problem when inspecting the vehicle. The issue likely involves the engine's idle control system not responding properly when you release the accelerator.

THIS IS CAR 2. ON THE 10TH OF AUGUST, I TOOK THE SATURN IN AFTER I HAD PLACED THE CALL TO [XXX] THE GENTLEMAN THAT SOLD ME THE SATURN, ABOUT THE CAR NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I WAS THEN GIVEN A 1997 HONDA CIVIC, I RESIGNED WHAT THE LOAN PAPERS AND LEFT. I HAD TO PAY TO TRANSFER THE PLATES FROM ONE CAR TO THE NEXT. WELL IT IS SAD TO SAY THAT ON 8-12-13 THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS IN THE CENTER LANE OF I95, WITH 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND ANOTHER ADULT DOING 70 MPH. I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY, [XXX] IS CLOSED ON SUNDAY; I WAITED UNTIL MONDAY I PLACED A CALL TO [XXX]. I SPOKE WITH [XXX]AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. TODAY 10-15-2013 I GOT UP AND CALLED [XXX]. I THEN DECIDED TO GO TO THE SHOP. WHEN I GOT THERE ALL OF THE PARTIES WHERE THERE, AND I ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH THE CAR. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD FIX THE ENGINE FOR ABOUT $1500-$1800. THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME AS I FELT THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE A WHOLE ENGINE AFTER ONLY HAVING IT FOR TWO MONTHS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERS?? HANDS WERE TIED. I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY OF 30 DAYS OR 1000 MILES.KEEP IN MIND I WAS PAST MY WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO WAY FOR THEM TO TELL IF THE ENGINE IS BAD BEFORE THEY PUT IT OUT THERE TO BE SOLD. THE DEALER THEN BEGAN TO TELL ME THAT IN A 60 DAY PERIOD I DROVE THE CAR 4000 MILES I REPLIED WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING. I TOLD HIM THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE A WHOLE ENGINE WITHIN A TWO MONTH PERIOD USED CAR OR NOT. ALL I WANTED WAS A RELIABLE CAR THAT IS SAFE. THIS BUSINESS DIDN'T PROVIDE THAT. I WENT IN TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER FACE TO FACE, AS WELL AS EMAILED THE OWNER. ALL I WANTED WAS A RELIABLE CAR THAT WORKS PROPERLY, AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE MONEY THAT I HAVE ALREADY PUT IN TO WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHICH IS A SAFE RELIABLE CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

ENGINE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. *TR

I BROUGHT MY 1997 HONDA CIVIC IN FOR A RECURRING PROBLEM WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER AN WARRANTY ISSUED BY HONDA FOR RESETTING AN EMISSIONS PROBLEM IN 1997 CIVICS. THIS IS THE SEVENTH TIME I HAD TO HAVE THIS LIGHT RESET. THE WARRANTY WAS FOR UP TO 150K MILES. THIS TIME I HAD 152K MILES. I WAS TOLD FROM NOW ON I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A $85 DIAGNOSTIC FEE PLUS REPAIR. THIS IS UNFAIR AS THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. AS THIS OCCURS ON AVERAGE EVERY 12,000 MILES I COULD HAVE TO PAY THIS DIAGNOSTIC FEE OF $85 PLUS PARTS FOR A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. NOTE THAT A COWORKER WHO HAS THE SAME CAR HAD BROUGHT THE CAR IN NINE TIMES. THIS DEALER REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ON HER CAR AND THE LIGHT HAS NOT COME BACK ON. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE REPAIR ABOVE I WAS TOLD THAT HONDA WOULD NOT REPAIR THE CAR UNTIL ALL THE NON-HONDA PARTS IN THE AREA AFFECTED WERE REPLACED. THE TOTAL OF THESE PARTS WAS $227. THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE $85 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THEY WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR UNTIL THE NON-HONDA PARTS WERE REPLACED. I ASKED IF THEY COULD RESET THE ENGINE LIGHT AS THEY HAD IN THE PAST AND WAS TOLD NO. I ASKED FOR THE CAR BACK AND DID NOT REPLACE THE PARTS. I WAS CHARGED THE $85 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE LIGHT IS NOW OFF AND THE CAR RUNS FINE. I HAVE DRIVEN ANOTHER 6,000 MILES SINCE THAT TIME AND THE LIGHT HAS NOT COME BACK ON. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT GENUINE HONDA PARTS ARE RECOMMENDED; IT DOES NOT SAY THEY ARE REQUIRED. THE OWNER'S MANUAL SHOULD STATE EXPLICITLY THAT THE USE OF HONDA ONLY PARTS IS REQUIRED OR DEALER MAY NOT SERVICE THE CAR. I FEEL THIS IS A VIOLATION OF MY RIGHT TO PATRONIZE A CERTIFIED SERVICE FACILITY. IF EXTENDED THIS TYPE OF POLICY COULD BE RUINOUS TO NON-DEALER SERVICE FACILITIES. I OPENED A CASE WITH AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY SAID THAT DEALERS ARE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED AND THEY COULD DO NOTHING. THIS WHOLE POLICY EXPLOITS THE PUBLIC. *JB

MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO THE FACT THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY O2 SENSOR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE IT WE NOTICED A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE SHOP WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA CIVICS. APPARENTLY THEY SEE THE MANIFOLDS START TO CRACK AROUND 110,000 MILES. THE COST WAS NEARLY $700 TO REPLACE IT.*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CRACKED AND LEAKS. MANIFOLD MAKES NOISE AND EXHAUST GAS CAN BE SMELLED IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS REQUIRING ALL EXHAUST GASES BE VENTED BEHIND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *NLM

AFTER VEHICLE WARMS TO OPERATING TEMP. AND THE RPMS ARE BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000. THE VEHICLE BOGS DOWN, RELEASING THE THROTTLE OR PUSHING IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE IDLE IS NORMAL. IF THE THROTTLE IS PUSHED DOWN AND THE RPMS RISE, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE VEHICLE CAN BOG DOWN AND THEN STRAIGHTEN OUT THE SPEED WILL RESUME TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH NO RHYME OR REASON ASSOCIATED WITH IT. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE ASKED COUNTLESS NUMBER OF PEOPLE. INTERNET SEARCH HAD SHOWN THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO ONE HAS AN ANSWER AS TO THE CAUSE OR THE RELIEF. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR AND I NOTICED IT THE FIRST TIME I DROVE IT. I BOUGHT IS USED AND IT HAD NO WARRANTY. VEHICLE NEEDED EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND TIRES WHEN I BOUGHT IT. NOTHING ELSE WAS MENTIONED. I FEEL THIS IS A HAZARD, AS IT IS UNPREDICTABLE AND IT HAS OCCURRED IN PARKING LOTS, AS WELL AS ON THE OPEN ROAD. I HAVE READ OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS TO BE ONLY WITH THE HONDA 1.6 LITER SOHC VTEC 16Y8 ENGINE. THIS IS THE ENGINE THAT I HAVE IN MY CIVIC EX. *NLM

SINCE OCT '02, I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO THE RECALL FOR EMISSIONS. EACH TIME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED. THE FIRST TIME, THE COMPUTER WENT BAD AND WAS REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME, THE O2 SENSOR WENT BAD AND THE CAR STALLED OUT ON A BUSY INTERSTATE IN NC WHERE CONSTRUCTION IS BEING DONE AND THERE ARE NO SHOULDERS TO PULL OFF ON. I BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD REPLACE THE ENTIRE EMISSIONS SYSTEM COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY INSTEAD OF COSTING THEIR CONSUMERS TIME AND A LOT OF AGGRAVATION BY FIXING THE PROBLEMS ONE AT A TIME. THIS WILL ABSOLUTELY BE THE LAST HONDA I OWN DUE TO THIS ONE SITUATION. I'M SICK OF SPENDING TIME IN THE DEALERSHIP HAVING TO WAIT FOR THEM TO TELL ME WHAT THE CURRENT PROBLEM IS. A CAR THAT IS 6 YEARS OLD SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE THE WHOLE EMISSIONS SYSTEM REPLACED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIX IT.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND IT HAD DETERIORATED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

I HAD THE CHECKED AT KOLBE HONDA WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I THOUGHT THE PORBLEMS RELATED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WOULD BE COVERED BY MFG WARRANTY IT WAS NOT. AFTER I HAVE LEARNED THAT THREE SENSORS DEFECTED AS FOUND IN DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS. I WENT ON TO REPLACE ALL THREE SENSORS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, I DO PLAN ON MAKING A APPOINTMENT WITH KOLBE TO FURTHER MORE ON DIAGNOSTIC AND DETERMINE IF THIS IS COVERED BY MANUFACTORY RECALL OR WARRANTY COVERAGE. I ALSO HAVE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, AFTER 45 MINUTES OF DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO SLIP OR HESITATE AT TAKE OFF, FROM SECOND GEAR TO FOURTH SHIFT SPEED ALSO CHANGES. LIKE IN THE BEGINNING THE SHIFT PATTERNS APPEARS NORMAL, 1ST GEAR (0MPH TO 25MPH) 2 GEAR (25MPH TO 35MPH) 3 GEAR (35MPH TO 45-50 MPH) 4 GEAR (DIRECT DRIVE), AFTER 45 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT IS REDUCED BY 10MPH AT GEARS. I CAN'T AFFORD RENTAL CAR IF THE DEALERSHIP REQUIRES TO HOLD THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN ONE DAY. MY WIFE AND I AND MY KIDS CARPOOL IN THIS CAR DAILY, IT IS OUR ONLY TRANSPORTATION. DT

CONSUMER STATES WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND COLLIDED INTO A TREE. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO "REVV" LOUDLY AFTER COLLISION OCCURRED. MR

SHIELD AT BOTTOM OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS LOOSE AND COMING APART. DEALER STATES THEY WILL BE REPLACED. CONSUMER FEEL VEHICLE MAY OVERHEAT AND CATCH FIRE IF SHIELD IS REMOVED.*AK

PROBLEM WITH THE DRAIN PLUG ON THE OIL PAN BEING STRIPPED WHEN OIL CHANGED. *AK

WITHOUT WARNING MUFFLER RUSTED OUT, DROPPED DOWN AND WAS DRAGGING ON THE PAVEMENT. THIS CAR HAS BEEN KEPT IN A GARAGE FOR 2 YEARS AND IN A CARPORT FOR 3 YEARS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, PIPES FROM CATALYTIC CONVERTER FELL OFF, CONSUMER STATES MUFFLER NOW NEEDS REPLACED. FIRESTONE TIRES SIZE 14, DOT NUMBER WZ7JMNB466, REPLACED UNDER 20000 MILES. *SLC

ENGINE CRANKSHAFT/PULLEY SNAPPED, CAUSING DAMAGES TO ENGINE. *AK THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER AGREED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK AT THEIR EXPENSE. *YH

THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THE HONDA CIVIC. THE COST OF REPAIR WILL BE OVER $600.00 PROVIDED THAT THIS DID NOT DAMAGE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN THE COST WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $100.00 TO $200.00 MORE. GIVEN THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURENCE, I FELT THAT IT MAY WARRANT FURTHER REPORTING TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.*AK

AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING 2.5 HOURS, SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDER HOOD AND CAR MISFIRED REPEATEDLY. AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM NON-FUNCTIONAL; HALL HONDA ATTRIBUTES TO COOLING FAN FAILURE BUT IS RELUCTANT TO REPAIR UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY CLAIMING PROBLEM IS RELATED TO PREVIOUS ACCIDENT DAMAGE THREE YEARS AGO ALTHOUGH ANOTHER MANAGER FROM SAME DEALERSHIP DISAGREES. *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN PIN THAT HOLDS THE PULLEY FELL OFF, CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*AK

APPARENT CRANKSHAFT/PULLEY BAD. UPON REMOVING PULLEY, BOLT, KEY AND CRANKSHAFT FOUND WORN, STRIPPED AND CHEWED UP. ALSO POSSIBLE TIMING GEAR PROBLEM.

EMISSIONS CONTROL UNIT FAILED IN JULY 1999. UNIT IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE ON BOARD DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM (OBD). HONDA DEALER NOTED PROBLEM IN JULY 1999, AFTER I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR TESTING, BECAUSE THE "ENGINE PROBLEM" LIGHT STAYED ON FOR A FEW DAYS. DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE ORDERED PART, WHICH IS ON BACK ORDER. HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE MANUFACTURER, AMERICAN HONDA, TO FIND OUT WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. I HAVE NOT MET WITH ANY SUCCESS. DIFFICULT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PROMISES TO RETURN MY CALLS ARE NEVER KEPT. CAR DOES NOT DRIVE PROPERLY. IDLES VERY ROUGH...DRIVES SLUGGISH. CAN YOU HELP??

IGNITER PROBLEM, VEHICLE IS ISSUED EMISSION WARRANTY EXTENSION DUE TO PROBLEM. YH

NO SUMMARY

THE CRANKSHAFT: PULLEY BROKE, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE IN THE ENGINE AREA, MAKING IT HARD TO STIR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY COSUMER

WINDOWS HAVE COME OFF TRACK, NOISY CLUTCH, BRAKES AND ENGINE. VEHICLE ALSO HAS A RATTLING AND BUZZING SOUND WHEN RUNNING.

TIMING BELT FAILED.