Hood prop causes unnecessary scare

[bendrich]

TL;DR: Hood prop fell out of retainer clip and unplugged wastegate actuator/position sensor. This caused nearly every warning light to come on the cluster. After plugging it back in and driving long enough they all went out.

Yo CivicX,

Lurker here, but a couple weeks ago I had a scare and I think it's worth sharing. As far as my search went, I didn't see any other posts about this.

I recently moved from Southern California, where I've lived my entire life, to Salt Lake City. I decided to enter a wintercross event at the local track to get more acquainted with how my car handles in snow and ice. I nailed a hidden speedbump made of ice at fast miles per hour and my gauge cluster became more lit than your alcoholic aunt at Thanksgiving. I pulled into the cold pits and popped the hood. Luckily, it was easily noticed that the plug going into the wastegate actuator came undone when I went for the hood prop. The prop had popped out of the retainer clip and wedged itself against the plug. It appeared that everything else was fine, so I plugged it back in and began driving home. By the time I got home, all the warning lights on the cluster went out and I felt a little better.

For anyone that knows they are going to be taking their Civic through excessively bumpy conditions, maybe tape down the hood prop for safety.

Have fun with your Civics y'all!

Sponsored

 

[givemeadollar]

Or remove it and get hood struts.

 

[SCOPESYS]

Or remove it and get hood struts.

The Hood Prop is probably the Cheesiest and lamest "cheap-out" thing under the Civic's hood.

When I look at my older Maximas, it has an nice strut, that can LOCK when the hood is all the way up. So easy to lift, secure when up, and nothing to come loose when it is closed. Also no more fiddling to get that stupid square plastic piece into the square hole in the hood.

Granted, most owners do not lift their hood that often, so it may not seem all that necessary to have something better, until one day you burn your hand on the oem prop device if the car has been running for any length of time, or it comes loose, and bounces around under the hood, and wrecks havoc,

Maybe something like

https://www.amazon.com/2016-2017-HONDA-BONNET-DAMPER-SHOCKS/dp/B075ZH3GQR

or does anyone suggest something that may be better (and why) ?

 

[latole]

The Hood Prop is probably the Cheesiest and lamest "cheap-out" thing under the Civic's hood.

When I look at my older Maximas, it has an nice strut, that can LOCK when the hood is all the way up. So easy to lift, secure when up, and nothing to come loose when it is closed. Also no more fiddling to get that stupid square plastic piece into the square hole in the hood.

Granted, most owners do not lift their hood that often, so it may not seem all that necessary to have something better, until one day you burn your hand on the oem prop device if the car has been running for any length of time, or it comes loose, and bounces around under the hood, and wrecks havoc,

Maybe something like

https://www.amazon.com/2016-2017-HONDA-BONNET-DAMPER-SHOCKS/dp/B075ZH3GQR

or does anyone suggest something that may be better (and why) ?

Hood will open too much, wind will bend it IMO

 

[givemeadollar]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hood-Dampe...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

I have these on my car, only thing you have to do is take off the oem hood holder upper and drill a hole in the rail so they are even.

 

[fjrman]

Remove the support rod and replace with a 2x4. Always nice to carry a hunk of wood with you in case you need to bludgeon someone.

 

[civicdabest-foo]

Hmm, the hood prop is actually pretty good if you ask me. Definitely beats having to deal with a blown hood strut and having to use a 9 iron to keep it up

Sponsored