2016 Civic dies at highway speed, nearly resulting in collision

[jmsteel16]

"Traveling at about 63 mph on a two lane highway nearly an hour away from my home, my recently purchased 2016 Honda civic sedan suddenly lost all power, as well as the functions associated with that, and coasted to a stop on a shoulderless road with half of the vehicle still in the highway. Nearly being hit by several vehicles as it was in a curve to make it worse, and with several failed attempts at restarting the vehicle, needless to say I did not feel safe given the circumstances. I managed to restart the vehicle minutes later and take it to my local Honda dealers here a diagnostic was performed and "no problem was found mechanically with the vehicle." However, this is not an isolated incident, this has happened about two times prior to today, but while parking and shifting between reverse and other gears. Thinking that it was a fault on my end pressing or doing something wrong I shrugged it off. Having only put 3,300 miles on the vehicle, and never driven it hard at all, as this is my first new vehicle, I see absolutely no reason to have a failure this severe and serious. I no longer feel safe in this vehicle, regardless of how OK the mechanic claims that it is at this point in time. An inability to replicate the problem within the time span of an hour, does not mean that it does not exist. This is a serious fault on Honda's end and it needs to be investigated. This could've killed me had I not thought fast enough to avoid traffic, and avoided panicking like some inexperienced drivers could have. This is a danger to the public, and a continuing danger to myself. Please, for the sake of your customers and your reputation of dependability and safety, look into resolving this issue. Sincerely, Dylan."

This is a letter that I recently emailed to Honda, and a situation that I would like to see if any other members have been faced with. My vehicle is a 2016 Honda Civic EX 2.0 Sedan without sensing. I have not been in any collisions, and have had no mechanical modifications or work performed on the vehicle other than an HID kit, and the issue was occurring before that in the first place. Please post if you have had this issue, as I would like to know if this is not isolated to my vehicle. Other issues include my audio buzzing loudly at times when I use carplay or bluetooth. Thank you.

Sponsored

 

[inv4zn]

Are your battery terminals on tight?

 

[jmsteel16]

Are your battery terminals on tight?

Dealer said everything looked okay, and I haven't touched them at all, but I will look again

 

[Billy4202]

This happened to my dad on the DC Beltway at 65 MPH in his '09 Escape. Transmission would sporadically feel wonky, but it completely died on him during rush hour one day. No problem was ever replicated.

In your case, this could have been an isolated incident to never happen again, or it could signal a lifetime of transmission issues. Luck of the draw...

 

[inv4zn]

There are many things that can make your car lose power.

There are not many things that will make your car lose power, and then never show itself again. Barring some freak incident, any serious incident will very likely throw a code. Other smaller issues like loose battery terminals and bad ignition switches are most likely the culprit though.

 

[dick w]

for the sake of your customers and your reputation of dependability and safety, look into resolving this issue.

How are you suggesting they do that beyond what the dealer has already done? There really isn't much they can do unless it keeps doing it and the dealer can see it to diagnose it. You probably don't want them to take the entire car apart hoping they get lucky and find something. Recommendation: next time it does it, especially if it doesn't restart first try, stop trying and call Honda Roadside Assistance. Way better it arrives at the dealer on a flatbed not starting than you try ten times, get it to start, and drive it in. Find the number and put it in your phone so you are prepared.

When it happened did the dash stay lit/radio stay on/power steering retain power? You say "failed attempts to restart"--and starter ran and dash was lit? Yes to these weakens the case for loose battery terminal. It would not weaken the case for a bad relay, or loose connection or ground point somewhere.

 

[2hot2handle]

Definitely check the battery terminals as others suggested. If all is well there.... do you have a check engine lights, codes or anything flashing/on suggesting something is wrong? Assuming everything is reporting normal from the dash then, you potentially have a short somewhere causing something to trip and cutting off power. What sucks is, having a short somewhere will not always throw a code making the search really difficult. Start from the fuse box and look for anything melted/shorted and test for continuity with a volt meter as well. Hope you find whats causing that issue.

 

[hunter44102]

I would do a stress test in a safe area. Turn on headlights, full AC, Wipers, defrost, blast the radio, turn seat heaters on if you have them. Drive. If its electrical or battery related that may help duplicate the issue

 

[jmsteel16]

I checked the battery terminals this morning and it all looked fine to me, no corrosion, and they are on pretty tight. Yesterday, the service technician mentioned that he had turned the AC on high, and basically anything electrical at the same time, when he tested it on the highway, and he couldn't replicate the issue.

Conditions at the time: Was using apple carplay on level 25 for volume, lights were not on, auto climate was set to 69 and it was 64ish out, wipers were on as it was monsooning here, I was on cruise at 63, shifted into sport mode to pass a dump truck, hit about 4000 rpm or so and it just died. Gauges remained lit, and the push button engine start light was pulsing red I believe, but everything else did not. Then it said "accessory mode" I believe, once I trying to ease off the highway. The steering I didn't notice anything because I barely turned, and I didn't really use the brakes much because I was hoping to make it to an area with a shoulder, but there was just a steep drop off on either side of the highway. My hazard lights worked the entire time though, so I doubt it was a full on electrical failure. Likely a software issue or something.

 

[Ikabob]

I checked the battery terminals this morning and it all looked fine to me, no corrosion, and they are on pretty tight. Yesterday, the service technician mentioned that he had turned the AC on high, and basically anything electrical at the same time, when he tested it on the highway, and he couldn't replicate the issue.

Conditions at the time: Was using apple carplay on level 25 for volume, lights were not on, auto climate was set to 69 and it was 64ish out, wipers were on as it was monsooning here, I was on cruise at 63, shifted into sport mode to pass a dump truck, hit about 4000 rpm or so and it just died. Gauges remained lit, and the push button engine start light was pulsing red I believe, but everything else did not. Then it said "accessory mode" I believe, once I trying to ease off the highway. The steering I didn't notice anything because I barely turned, and I didn't really use the brakes much because I was hoping to make it to an area with a shoulder, but there was just a steep drop off on either side of the highway. My hazard lights worked the entire time though, so I doubt it was a full on electrical failure. Likely a software issue or something.

Maybe I missed this but wasn't there a piston recall? If so, have you had it done?

 

[jmsteel16]

Yes, the recall was performed 2 weeks ago. But the issue happened both before and after the recall

 

[2hot2handle]

Ok. That's better clarification. You didnt lose "ALL" power while driving (meaning no power/lights/spark etc.) but rather you lost engine power but retained electrical for lights and what not. With that being said, loose battery terminals is unlikely your issue. If you were driving and the engine died being under load, the specific events prior to that happening is more important. You mentioned you shifted from D to S and when your reached 4000rpm it died. If your car isn't throwing a code then its most likely the loss of engine power under load was something tripped a relay and/or a command in your ECU. Shorts can trip a relay without throwing a code and will be hard to isolate. The specific chain of events you performed at that speed could have caused your ECU to literally reset while driving, hence why you were able to turn the car back on after a few minutes. You mentioned this has happened more than once, I'd try to encourage your Honda dealer to replace the ECU. If it continues to happen after replacing the ECU, then you have a probability of having a software issue or a short somewhere as said before.

 

[dick w]

then you have a probability of having a software issue or a short somewhere as said before.

Or an intermittent open.

 

[invader]

... it was monsooning here, I was on cruise at 63, shifted into sport mode to pass a dump truck, hit about 4000 rpm or so and it just died.

Has it happened only when raining?

 

[hunter44102]

FYI - I saw a Silver Civic on the side of the highway on Friday. I wonder if they had a similar issue. Have no idea why a brand new Civic would be sitting there on a nice weather day.

Mine has never had an issue, 4800 miles in every possible weather condition, ice, snow, rain, fog.

Sponsored