08 civic warm up issues

#11

"News" <News (AT) Group (DOT) Name> wrote

Quote:

loewent wrote:
The latest from the dealer is that he thinks I have a plugged cabin
air filter. I am at a loss as to how this could affect the engine
operating temperature. Where do they find these guys?

Comments?
t

Ex-Dodge dealership mechanics....

The voice of experience :-}

#12

"Iowna Uass" <iownauass (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

"loewent" <loewent (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:aa889579-17a9-4dc2-9718-b495ba039f9d (AT) m2g2000vbp (DOT) googlegroups.com...
The real funny part about the temperature here is that its supposed to
be -2C on Sunday.

I may try another dealer.

Thanks for the reply.

t

The dealers in Winnipeg suck. Give Harvest Honda in Steinbach a call.
They've always been good to me.
As for the heat issue, have you tried using recirculate on the heater?
It'll help warm up quicker in the cold weather, but has the tendancy to
fog the windows if left on too long.

I have to agree with Tegger on the thermostat, you could have a dud. I
hope you get the temperature issue rectified.

Add my opinion to that. You can put your hand on the radiator hoses when the

temp guage should be up but isn't. If you have one warm hose that clinches
it: the thermostat isn't doing its job.

I had a thermostat stick open about a millimeter once. The car (a 1970
Volvo) refused to warm up. A new thermostat was like magic.

Mike

#13

"Michael Pardee" <null (AT) null (DOT) org> wrote in
news:95idncWgBdmF-vLUnZ2dnUVZ_h2dnZ2d (AT) sedona (DOT) net:

Quote:

"Iowna Uass" <iownauass (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:ZpIbl.22533$H12.7755 (AT) newsfe12 (DOT) iad...

"loewent" <loewent (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:aa889579-17a9-4dc2-9718-b495ba039f9d (AT) m2g2000vbp (DOT) googlegroups.com.
.. The real funny part about the temperature here is that its
supposed to be -2C on Sunday.

I may try another dealer.

Thanks for the reply.

t

The dealers in Winnipeg suck. Give Harvest Honda in Steinbach a call.
They've always been good to me.
As for the heat issue, have you tried using recirculate on the
heater? It'll help warm up quicker in the cold weather, but has the
tendancy to fog the windows if left on too long.

I have to agree with Tegger on the thermostat, you could have a dud.
I hope you get the temperature issue rectified.

Add my opinion to that. You can put your hand on the radiator hoses
when the temp guage should be up but isn't. If you have one warm hose
that clinches it: the thermostat isn't doing its job.

If the thermostat is stuck open in a modern cooling system, both hoses can
still feel hot. A stuck-open thermostat means the engine will run WAY cool.
Cool running also means the transmission may not go into top gear and may
also refuse to lock up the torque converter.

Quote:

I had a thermostat stick open about a millimeter once. The car (a 1970
Volvo) refused to warm up. A new thermostat was like magic.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

#14

loewent <loewent (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in news:6ff4fbbb-17b7-4d39-9a02-
1d140c7f540a (AT) a12g2000pro (DOT) googlegroups.com:

Quote:

I've lived in this climate all my life. The first thing you do when
you start your car in the morning is turn the heat and fan to FULL
BLAST because its EFFEN COLD.

I don't drive a Kia, I drive a Honda. I expect they would design the
vehicle to function properly in cold weather, as they are selling cars
in this climate.

They do, of course.

It is true, though, that turning the interior heater on cools the engine,
and may cool it excessively in very cold weather. However, the thermostat's
job is to keep shut until the engine has reached full operating temerature,
which WILL eventually happen in spite of anything the heater core is doing.

If your dealer is proving to be an idiot and you've made numerous attempts
to have the car looked at, you need to call Honda Canada.

You can also ask the dealer to look and see if there are any TSBs on this
issue. I find it absolutely astounding how often they fail to do this
simple check. I see nothing on my end, but my docs are not complete.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

#15

On Jan 14, 9:56*pm, loewent <loew... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

-35C here this morning.

My daily commute is about 35kms, mostly highway. *I started the car
and allowed it to run for about 5 minutes. *The block heater was
plugged in, so no excuses for being too cold. *After the brief warmup,
its about 100ft to the highway, then highway speeds.

The temp gauge never moved the whole way to the city (20kms). *I
finally got it to go to about 1/4 by running in a lower gear at higher
RPM, but it normally runs around 1/2. *And when I came to red lights
in the city, the temp gauge would go down to 0 within a minute.

Called the dealer today, and just like every other problem I have
(touchy brakes, rattles), 'its normal operation' and he recommended I
don't run the heater fan at full blast. *Problem is, at 1/2, the
heater barely warms up the interior of the car. *However, with the
heater fan running slower, I was able to get the car to the normal
spot on the gauge after about 25 minutes.

We got this 2008 civic LX in January 2007. *Never noticed any problems
last winter, but it really was never this cold either. *The car has
32000kms on it, 2 oil changes.

I have checked the coolant level in the radiator and the resevoir, and
both are perfectly fine. *Entertained damming the radiator with
cardboard, however, the outside surface of the rad is not accessible
without removing one of the plastic shrouds on the bumper. *At these
temps, its not enjoyable to be outside working on this, and besides,
the plastic clips would just break due to the temperature (already
broke 1).

I have seen some Civic hybrid forums talk about using pipe insulation
from Home Depot to block the openings in the grill. *I may try that
yet, but I just have this feeling that something is wrong. *I have
owned many Hondas, and have never had a problem with the vehicle
reaching operating temperature.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? *Anything I am missing here?

Thanks
Terry in Winnipeg

Hi live in Winnipeg too and my 2001 honda civic is doing exactly the
same thing. Please let me know if you find out what is causing this
to happen.

#16

Tegger wrote:

Quote:

loewent <loewent (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in news:0fd0771f-d87b-448a-85aa-
2e472abaf35b (AT) t11g2000yqg (DOT) googlegroups.com:

snip

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Anything I am missing here?

Thanks
Terry in Winnipeg

-35C is -31F. That is awfully cold. Still, if you can't get decent heat
after 15 miles of driving, I think you have a defective thermostat.

Rather than fooling with this yourself, your dealer should replace the
thermostat under the warranty that you are still very much within.

You paid for that warranty as part of the purchase price of your car, so
use it.

If the dealer gives you the runaround, call Honda Canada directly. The
phone number is in your warranty manual. In case you can't locate that, the
number is 1-888-946-6329. Their hours are 8 to 7:30 eastern time.

My mama grew up in Winnipeg (West Kildonan), and she has told me horror
stories of the cold out there!
My wife's mother was born in Alberta. It's even COLDER there. She was an
elementary school teacher (retired last year). Yard duty at 40-below is no
fun at all. That's right, the kids were in the schoolyard through recess
even at 40-below.

Hi,

Manitoba winter beats Alberta winter for sure. We have Chinook. Today it
is +5C and +10C tomorrow. I think that Civic has wrong or bad thermostat.
Speaking from Cagary Alberta.

#17

Tegger wrote:

Quote:

loewent <loewent (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in news:0fd0771f-d87b-448a-85aa-
2e472abaf35b (AT) t11g2000yqg (DOT) googlegroups.com:

snip

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Anything I am missing here?

Thanks
Terry in Winnipeg

Wow, what a coincidence. I've had my 06 Civic into my dealership three
times in the past month for the same problem, and they've looked it over
twice, and concluded that everything is dandy. They even kept it
overnight so it would be thoroughly cold. They claim it passes every
test they can think of, but are reluctant to 'throw parts at the problem'.

The car is extremely slow to warm up, rarely reaches its normal temp
(according to the gauge) and, when I put it in park to let it idle for a
few minutes, will actually cool significantly (usually 2 'segments',
down to just a few segments on the gauge). It loses ground by idling in
Park. I fail to see how it passes their 'tests', since it consistently
fails in actual use.

We're now in the coldest weather in 13 years here in the Chicago
suburbs. On the way to work, the gauge never got beyond 4 segments, and
I barely get enough heat to keep the windows defrosted. In park for two
minutes, it cooled back down to two segments. (These show one segment
no matter what...). On the way home, the windshield never did fully
defrost. I get slight warmth from the dash vents when I arrive home
from a 20 minute drive with several minutes of warmup.

I've ordered an OEM thermostat and gasket online, and when it arrives,
I'll be pulling out the tools in an unheated garage to repair a fully
warrantied $20,000 Civic.

If anyone has the number for Honda US, I'd appreciate it. I'll get some
satisfaction eventually, but first I want heat and I sure as hell won't
get any results from my dealer, Honda of Joliet. 20K for a Civic with
shit for heat and shit for a warranty isn't exactly entertaining anymore.

Some day I might buy another Honda. I don't regret buying my current
one. But I sure as hell won't be buying another vehicle from this
dealer. A $20 part (retail) is too much to risk on an essential repair?

#18

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop (AT) nastydesigns (DOT) com> wrote in news:elmop-
8243F6.08225816012009 (AT) mara100-84 (DOT) onlink.net:

Quote:

In article <gvRbl.18527$ZP4.10891 (AT) nlpi067 (DOT) nbdc.sbc.com>,
Robert Barr <not (AT) for (DOT) harvest> wrote:

I've ordered an OEM thermostat and gasket online, and when it arrives,
I'll be pulling out the tools in an unheated garage to repair a fully
warrantied $20,000 Civic.

You'd be better off to call Honda and open a case:

http://www.odyclub.com/customer.html

This isn't rocket science. Something is wrong with your car, and the
authorized warranty repair center says there isn't and that they won't
"throw parts at it"--i.e., they won't toss a thermostat at it to watch
what happens, even though that's the issue.

American Honda will happily help out.

He's in Canada. He needs to deal with Honda Canada, which is a separate
company from American Honda. I've already told him this, plus reminded him
that his car's under warranty.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

#19

Quote:

He's in Canada. He needs to deal with Honda Canada, which is a separate
company from American Honda. I've already told him this, plus reminded him
that his car's under warranty.

Uhh, actually that was the original poster who's from Canada. I'm from
the Chicago area. Thanks though.

This morning, at -18 F when I left, I had no heat. I got two, then
three segments on the gauge. While waiting at a light I lost one and it
dropped to two. At -23 when I arrived at work about 20 minutes later,
the gauge had dropped back to a single element, which is what it shows
before the car is even started.

I had to keep a window partly down because my breath was fogging the
window and I had no defrost.

I called them today and they said they'd need to 'inspect the problem',
which they've done twice now. They said to bring it in. I asked what
they planned to do differently. No reply, but the guy mentioned that
'it might be weather related'.

Now, I'm sure I've heard a more obtuse comment in recent years, but from
my viewpoint here, that pretty much takes the cake. He wound up hanging
up on me.

If anyone has the # for American Honda, please post it.

Thanks.

#20

Robert Barr <not (AT) for (DOT) harvest> wrote in
news:Ld8cl.13361$yr3.9161 (AT) nlpi068 (DOT) nbdc.sbc.com:

Quote:

He's in Canada. He needs to deal with Honda Canada, which is a
separate company from American Honda. I've already told him this,
plus reminded him that his car's under warranty.

Uhh, actually that was the original poster who's from Canada. I'm
from the Chicago area. Thanks though.

Sorry. Mistaken identity.

Quote:

This morning, at -18 F when I left, I had no heat. I got two, then
three segments on the gauge. While waiting at a light I lost one and
it dropped to two. At -23 when I arrived at work about 20 minutes
later, the gauge had dropped back to a single element, which is what
it shows before the car is even started.

Man, and I thought we had it bad with the thermometer hovering around
zero F.

Even with all that, the engine ought to eventually reach normal
temperature in 15-20 minutes or so if the engine speed is kept
substantially above idle (as when you're driving), longer if you just
let it idle. But it WILL eventually warm up completely no matter what.
Provided the thermostat is working properly, that is.

Quote:

I had to keep a window partly down because my breath was fogging the
window and I had no defrost.

I called them today and they said they'd need to 'inspect the
problem', which they've done twice now. They said to bring it in. I
asked what they planned to do differently. No reply, but the guy
mentioned that 'it might be weather related'.

Now, I'm sure I've heard a more obtuse comment in recent years, but
from my viewpoint here, that pretty much takes the cake. He wound up
hanging up on me.

I don't see why this is so hard.

If proper combustion is occurring, it is frankly impossible
for the engine NOT to reach operating temperature if the thermostat
is working properly.

Combustion chamber temperatures hover around 2,000F. That heat has
to go /somewhere/. If the thermostat does not keep the heat
corralled inside the block until full op temp has been reached,
it will go out the rad.

Quote:

If anyone has the # for American Honda, please post
it.

1-800-999-1009

http://automobiles.honda.com/information/customer-relations.aspx

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/