[Other] Known fault checklist (for new car collection)

[Pottsy]

The most up to date version of this list will be found here, in the wiki. Please update it if you wish.



I'll try to keep this updated as time progresses.

On collection of a new car - here are some known faults that you may want to test/check in addition to the stuff you'd check on any new car:


Rear shocks
Early cars made a "clonking" noise from the rear, caused by a batch of faulty shocks. A test drive will highlight this, but then the dealer should have just checked it. Ask the dealer if it has the fault - that should throw him!

Fuel filler cap
The cap on some cars doesn't open when you pull the lever. Pull the lever (by the drivers feet) once to check the cap opens.

Radio problems
As you arrive in your old car, tune a station that is of marginal, but just-ok reception. When you get into the Civic, tune the same frequency and check the reception is acceptable. There have been reports of poor reception.

Cigarette lighter
Pull the cig lighter out a few times and make sure the socket doesn't come out too.

Gear stick
Check it's screwed on.

Handbrake light
Check it goes on and off with the handbrake.

Door fit
Check the doors are aligned correctly. The stripe down the middle part of the door should line up with the stripe on the front wing and the stripe on the rear door.

Headlights fouling bumper
Check the bottom of the headlights are not touching the bumper (may rub causing paint to come off).

Missing clips
Have a look at the centre console down at floor level near your feet. There should be 2 clips on each side - these can pop out and go missing.

Reversing aids
If you've had dealer-installed accessories fitted, check for scratches all around the rear-centre console, the centre console, the gearchange and inside the tailgate.

Rear lights
Fog light not connected, best to check all lights working.

Scratches on the dash
The dash is very shiny and very prone to getting scratched. Check under good lighting conditions the black plastic around the instrument console and the perspex instrument cover.

[Topcat]

Thats really helpful, I will check all these things when collecting my replacement car and for the other things that I had wrong with my previous one

But everyone bear in mind intermittentt faults take longer to detect and my shocks didnt start to play up until I had done about 20 miles!

But at least by building a check list its a good starting point - the dealers are going to start to think the Civic buyers are really weird lol checking all these different things before driving off

[Fedorov]

Can I suggest very carefully checking all the shiny plastic to the left+right of the steering column and also the centre clear speedo area for scratch/abrasion marks - you can't see them under most lighting conditions so check from all angles.

[Mark996]

And thatthe gear stick is screwed on properly - as most aren't!

[GlenMH]

Came off in my hand when I first touched it!

[sco77harris]

i had dash scratches and the guy tried to polish it off just to make it worse lol so waiting for a change.

[GlenMH]

Did a lights check last night and and nothing happened at the back when I put the rear foglight on (light on the dash came on).

Took the rear panel off the tailgate and discovered the bulb had been fitted but there was no wiring present for it to be connected to....

Glen

[KillingJoker]

I had the rear shocks problem, have recently noticed the cig lighter issue (when I plugged in my Road Angel and tried to remove it later!), have a few light abrasions on the dash and tracking issues.

It's been back to the dealer for tracking on several occasions. I have the EX model with 17" wheels and apparently these are very camber sensitive particularly on UK roads where cambers are quite severe. The car has been fitted with modified bolts which allow more adjustment on the camber angle, but I still have to compensate for the car pulling to the left most of the time. The dealer has reported this to Honda who are aware of it as 'known issue' and have advised them to tell me to 'monitor the situation'. What good this is supposed to do is anyone's guess!!

I also had an annoying rattle from the area around the top of the windscreen. I thought it might be a loose fitting microphone or similar in the roof centre / rear view mirror fitment, but when investigated by the dealer it turned out to be another 'known issue' on the Honda knowledgebase where plastic guidance clips which are used by the robots fitting the windscreen glass are left in the car by mistake. These should get removed further down the production line but sometimes get forgotten and are left in place. Then under certain weather / road conditions they produce this annoying rattle. This didn't happen for a couple of months after purchase, so everyone beware!

KJ

[3rd Honda]

The pulling to one side is interesting as this has been written about by someone on the 'What Car' reviews. I have 17" wheels, and no pulling unless the road is very heavily cambered.........when I think most cars follow the camber to some extent. certainly this Civic seems no different to many other cars I have driven in this respect, but I think all cars with low profile tyres are more prone to both camber and 'tramlining' effects than with say 70 series tyres.

[civicsport]

Originally Posted by 3rd Honda

The pulling to one side is interesting as this has been written about by someone on the 'What Car' reviews. I have 17" wheels, and no pulling unless the road is very heavily cambered.........when I think most cars follow the camber to some extent. certainly this Civic seems no different to many other cars I have driven in this respect, but I think all cars with low profile tyres are more prone to both camber and 'tramlining' effects than with say 70 series tyres.

I`ve got the 18`s and had no problems, i can leave go of the wheel and it goes straight on no pull at all

[Charles_Harding]

My handbrake warning light was not operative on delivery.
Because of that I was not able to set the speed warning indicators, as they
are not able to be set whilst in motion.
With the handbrake off (no indicator light at least) the software thought I was moving!

[RaZeR]

Is there a possibility that Pottsy will update the first message with new known faults? When reading the forum I see that the list in the first message is not up-to-date. My ordered Civic will be arrive in hopefully a couple of days, and a complete up-to-date list will help me checking the car before I will take it home.

Thanks.
SEE YA!!
Dennis

[Pottsy]

Originally Posted by RaZeR

Is there a possibility that Pottsy will update the first message with new known faults? When reading the forum I see that the list in the first message is not up-to-date. My ordered Civic will be arrive in hopefully a couple of days, and a complete up-to-date list will help me checking the car before I will take it home.

Thanks.
SEE YA!!
Dennis

Done

[dubya]

Is the rear fog light single? because there is another light adjacent or is this

used for LHD cars?

thanks

W

[mitokde]

nice list thx I wander what new will come up on my 4d once I get it...

[Swindon Japster]

Interesting, I also have 17's and the car has already been back with allignment issues once, has been OK for about 3 months but has started wandering again and the streering wheel now seems slightly misaligned. I guess yet another trip to the dealer is on the cards.

[Swindon Japster]

Agree with checking dash carefully. Upon delivery a 'junior valeter' had made a right mess of the steering column surround and radio/speedo displays. The dealer was very upfront and aplogetic, however a bigger mess was made to undamaged panels when the originals were replaced!After a third visit all was well although I have not attempted to polish them myself so are now gathering dust, shame on me!

[Miggins]

Originally Posted by civicsport

I`ve got the 18`s and had no problems, i can leave go of the wheel and it goes straight on no pull at all

Mine goes straight on as well - but after 10,000 miles and poor tracking my tyres aren't too healthy

[spaceship]

Originally Posted by KillingJoker

...

I also had an annoying rattle from the area around the top of the windscreen. I thought it might be a loose fitting microphone or similar in the roof centre / rear view mirror fitment, but when investigated by the dealer it turned out to be another 'known issue' on the Honda knowledgebase where plastic guidance clips which are used by the robots fitting the windscreen glass are left in the car by mistake. These should get removed further down the production line but sometimes get forgotten and are left in place. Then under certain weather / road conditions they produce this annoying rattle. This didn't happen for a couple of months after purchase, so everyone beware!

KJ

This the dealer sort this rattling out?

Ive got this really annoying rattling noise but its from somewhere around the glove compartment. Ive emptied it and it still makes the noise...

[daiashthomas]

petrol cap has just started acting up will be calling the dealer 1st thing in the morning

Radio problems
As you arrive in your old car, tune a station that is of marginal, but just-ok reception. When you get into the Civic, tune the same frequency and check the reception is acceptable. There have been reports of poor reception.

i've found that radio reception is incredible