Lemon Hatch? Really Could Use Some Advice

[SpoolAndGo]

I bought a 2017 Civic Hatchback LX CVT last August. The next day after I bought it, I heard a very loud clunk coming from the rear when going over bumps. To me, it sound like the hatch door was moving around? I brought it to the dealer, they adjusted the latch on the hatch door and said I was good to go. As I was pulling off of the lot, I hit a bump and heard the sound. When I got home, I looked at the hatch door and saw next to the handles there are two rubber "bumper" things that turn. I turned them out about a half a rotation and the sound has been gone ever since, no big deal.

Fast forward a couple of months (November 2017) and on cold mornings, I started hearing a loud clunk when turning my steering wheel as I was leaving a parking spot. Once the car was driven a bit, the sound would go away but return the next morning. I've brought it to the dealer twice for this and even sent them a video of the sound. They claim there is nothing wrong with it as they can't reproduce the sound. Now that the weather is warmer here, the sound is gone, for now.

In December of 2017, I was cruising at 50MPH when the RPMs starting surging up and down (1,500 to 2,500 and back down). When I came to a stop, the car was bucking forward and backward, like in a manual transmission car when the person isn't good at working the clutch. I turned the car off, then back on again and that has not happened since.

Today, it is 75 degrees F so I had the A/C on low when I started hearing a chirping sound. Thinking maybe something was stuck in the blower, I left the blower on, but just turned off the A/C and the sound went away. So, there is something up with the A/C.

Is this a lemon? Should I just keep bring it to the (different) dealer? I don't want to just shrug these things off or get them fixed and then get burned once the warranty is up. Car just hit 7,900 miles today. Otherwise, I LOVE the car so I'm in a tough spot.

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[jred721]

I bought a 2017 Civic Hatchback LX CVT last August. The next day after I bought it, I heard a very loud clunk coming from the rear when going over bumps. To me, it sound like the hatch door was moving around? I brought it to the dealer, they adjusted the latch on the hatch door and said I was good to go. As I was pulling off of the lot, I hit a bump and heard the sound. When I got home, I looked at the hatch door and saw next to the handles there are two rubber "bumper" things that turn. I turned them out about a half a rotation and the sound has been gone ever since, no big deal.

Fast forward a couple of months (November 2017) and on cold mornings, I started hearing a loud clunk when turning my steering wheel as I was leaving a parking spot. Once the car was driven a bit, the sound would go away but return the next morning. I've brought it to the dealer twice for this and even sent them a video of the sound. They claim there is nothing wrong with it as they can't reproduce the sound. Now that the weather is warmer here, the sound is gone, for now.

In December of 2017, I was cruising at 50MPH when the RPMs starting surging up and down (1,500 to 2,500 and back down). When I came to a stop, the car was bucking forward and backward, like in a manual transmission car when the person isn't good at working the clutch. I turned the car off, then back on again and that has not happened since.

Today, it is 75 degrees F so I had the A/C on low when I started hearing a chirping sound. Thinking maybe something was stuck in the blower, I left the blower on, but just turned off the A/C and the sound went away. So, there is something up with the A/C.

Is this a lemon? Should I just keep bring it to the (different) dealer? I don't want to just shrug these things off or get them fixed and then get burned once the warranty is up. Car just hit 7,900 miles today. Otherwise, I LOVE the car so I'm in a tough spot.

I think its too soon to say its a lemon because of the lack of diagnosis of these issues, but it definitely sounds like your car has issues that at least need to be checked out and diagnosed. I would say bring it to the different dealer and MAKE them understand your problem (it's their job to) and emphasize the low mileage it has and how none of these issues should be happening in the first place. If the dealer ends up coming up with a grocery list worth of "issues" I would say dump the car while it isn't in pieces and just trade it in for another one.

 

[SpoolAndGo]

I think its too soon to say its a lemon because of the lack of diagnosis of these issues, but it definitely sounds like your car has issues that at least need to be checked out and diagnosed. I would say bring it to the different dealer and MAKE them understand your problem (it's their job to) and emphasize the low mileage it has and how none of these issues should be happening in the first place. If the dealer ends up coming up with a grocery list worth of "issues" I would say dump the car while it isn't in pieces and just trade it in for another one.

Thanks. I guess when I think of a lemon I just think of a car with a lot of problems right away and not whether or not the problems can be fixed. What makes this situation worse for me is I got this car when I traded in my last Civic (2010) because it had a laundry list of issues that had many failed attempts to fix them. I bought that car used so I decided to take the financial hit this time and buy a brand new car for piece of mind and here I am now with problems.

Quick update on the A/C issue, I drove today and the A/C noise wasn't there. This car seems to be the king of having a problem one day and then magically fixing itself.

 

[SpoolAndGo]

Well, the A/C noise has returned. It sounds like there is a bird chirping/fluttering under the hood. I'll bring it to a different dealer for this issue. Wow, 8 months and 8,100 miles and this will be the third time I've brought this car into the dealer for a problem.

 

[nothome17]

Well, the A/C noise has returned. It sounds like there is a bird chirping/fluttering under the hood. I'll bring it to a different dealer for this issue. Wow, 8 months and 8,100 miles and this will be the third time I've brought this car into the dealer for a problem.

Make sure to take a video of the noise just in case the issue goes away. Honda/Acura's AC unit has been a hit or miss starting from the early 2000 models.

 

[SpoolAndGo]

Make sure to take a video of the noise just in case the issue goes away. Honda/Acura's AC unit has been a hit or miss starting from the early 2000 models.

I'll get a video, but that didn't help out with my steering clunk. Dealer said they couldn't hear it, which is why I got it on video.

 

[Rickmeister 48]

I feel for you, I have had a bunch of issues with my civic and all but one have been fixed. Unfortunately, unless I hear tommorow morning that a factory rep is coming to look at it in the next week, I'm going forward with arbitration. If that doesn't turn out in my favor, I'm filing for lemon law.
So I can tell you this cause I've researched it over the last three months.
Now this differs from state to state, but in order to qualify for lemon law, you need to have it in the shop for the same exact thing three to four times, again different in all states and there are exceptions. But you have to prove that you have given them a reasonable amount of attempts to fix it. Your gonna need copies of every service visit and any other evidence you have.
I'm going to use the arbitration service first, as I've read it looks better should I need to take further action, filing diverge lemon law. You have did really be prepared, so I hope this helps if you do have to pursue it.

 

[LeaveEarly]

I bought a 2017 Civic Hatchback LX CVT last August. The next day after I bought it, I heard a very loud clunk coming from the rear when going over bumps. To me, it sound like the hatch door was moving around? I brought it to the dealer, they adjusted the latch on the hatch door and said I was good to go. As I was pulling off of the lot, I hit a bump and heard the sound. When I got home, I looked at the hatch door and saw next to the handles there are two rubber "bumper" things that turn. I turned them out about a half a rotation and the sound has been gone ever since, no big deal.

Fast forward a couple of months (November 2017) and on cold mornings, I started hearing a loud clunk when turning my steering wheel as I was leaving a parking spot. Once the car was driven a bit, the sound would go away but return the next morning. I've brought it to the dealer twice for this and even sent them a video of the sound. They claim there is nothing wrong with it as they can't reproduce the sound. Now that the weather is warmer here, the sound is gone, for now.

In December of 2017, I was cruising at 50MPH when the RPMs starting surging up and down (1,500 to 2,500 and back down). When I came to a stop, the car was bucking forward and backward, like in a manual transmission car when the person isn't good at working the clutch. I turned the car off, then back on again and that has not happened since.

Today, it is 75 degrees F so I had the A/C on low when I started hearing a chirping sound. Thinking maybe something was stuck in the blower, I left the blower on, but just turned off the A/C and the sound went away. So, there is something up with the A/C.

Is this a lemon? Should I just keep bring it to the (different) dealer? I don't want to just shrug these things off or get them fixed and then get burned once the warranty is up. Car just hit 7,900 miles today. Otherwise, I LOVE the car so I'm in a tough spot.

The ac noise I hear too but for me it doesn't effect its operation. It happens when my car is at a stop I hear it chirping

 

[SpoolAndGo]

I feel for you, I have had a bunch of issues with my civic and all but one have been fixed. Unfortunately, unless I hear tommorow morning that a factory rep is coming to look at it in the next week, I'm going forward with arbitration. If that doesn't turn out in my favor, I'm filing for lemon law.
So I can tell you this cause I've researched it over the last three months.
Now this differs from state to state, but in order to qualify for lemon law, you need to have it in the shop for the same exact thing three to four times, again different in all states and there are exceptions. But you have to prove that you have given them a reasonable amount of attempts to fix it. Your gonna need copies of every service visit and any other evidence you have.
I'm going to use the arbitration service first, as I've read it looks better should I need to take further action, filing diverge lemon law. You have did really be prepared, so I hope this helps if you do have to pursue it.

Thanks for the info and it really stinks that you're going through this. Do you know if the 3-4 repair attempts need to be performed by the same dealer or will 3-4 repair attempts from any/multiple dealers qualify?

The ac noise I hear too but for me it doesn't effect its operation. It happens when my car is at a stop I hear it chirping

I've tried to get a video of mine, but my camera doesn't pick it up that well. What concerns me is mine didn't make this chirping sound last Summer/Fall when I first got the car, but started making it a few weeks ago. I've noticed that the sound seems to get louder as the engine revs. Also, my A/C is functioning normally as well, just with this weird sound.

 

[Rickmeister 48]

Thanks for the info and it really stinks that you're going through this. Do you know if the 3-4 repair attempts need to be performed by the same dealer or will 3-4 repair attempts from any/multiple dealers qualify?


I've tried to get a video of mine, but my camera doesn't pick it up that well. What concerns me is mine didn't make this chirping sound last Summer/Fall when I first got the car, but started making it a few weeks ago. I've noticed that the sound seems to get louder as the engine revs. Also, my A/C is functioning normally as well, just with this weird sound.

In my case, the first two attempts by the dealer I got it from, they said they found no issues.despite all the video evidence I had. They ended up doing some stuff that could have damaged my car and I called Honda America,and they suggested I try another dealer. They found a problem the first day. So I'm gonna say as long as you have it documented, you should be ok

 

[Wxguru]

For Lemon Law I believe you have to have at least 3 verified issues at a minimum to pursue the lemon clause...someone correct me if I am wrong.....

 

[Rickmeister 48]

For Lemon Law I believe you have to have at least 3 verified issues at a minimum to pursue the lemon clause...someone correct me if I am wrong.....

In Delaware, its four, unless its a major safety issue .

 

[WhiteHatch527]

I bought a 2017 Civic Hatchback LX CVT last August. The next day after I bought it, I heard a very loud clunk coming from the rear when going over bumps. To me, it sound like the hatch door was moving around? I brought it to the dealer, they adjusted the latch on the hatch door and said I was good to go. As I was pulling off of the lot, I hit a bump and heard the sound. When I got home, I looked at the hatch door and saw next to the handles there are two rubber "bumper" things that turn. I turned them out about a half a rotation and the sound has been gone ever since, no big deal.

Fast forward a couple of months (November 2017) and on cold mornings, I started hearing a loud clunk when turning my steering wheel as I was leaving a parking spot. Once the car was driven a bit, the sound would go away but return the next morning. I've brought it to the dealer twice for this and even sent them a video of the sound. They claim there is nothing wrong with it as they can't reproduce the sound. Now that the weather is warmer here, the sound is gone, for now.

In December of 2017, I was cruising at 50MPH when the RPMs starting surging up and down (1,500 to 2,500 and back down). When I came to a stop, the car was bucking forward and backward, like in a manual transmission car when the person isn't good at working the clutch. I turned the car off, then back on again and that has not happened since.

Today, it is 75 degrees F so I had the A/C on low when I started hearing a chirping sound. Thinking maybe something was stuck in the blower, I left the blower on, but just turned off the A/C and the sound went away. So, there is something up with the A/C.

Is this a lemon? Should I just keep bring it to the (different) dealer? I don't want to just shrug these things off or get them fixed and then get burned once the warranty is up. Car just hit 7,900 miles today. Otherwise, I LOVE the car so I'm in a tough spot.

I have a 2018 civic hatchback LX and it makes the clunking noise while turning on my driveway too. I brought it into the dealership yesterday and they weren’t able to replicate the sound so I came to the dealership this morning, had the technician sit in the car with me, and I was able to replicate the sound. They said my spring and/or strut was binding so they’re going to order a whole new strut assembly.

 

[SpoolAndGo]

I have a 2018 civic hatchback LX and it makes the clunking noise while turning on my driveway too. I brought it into the dealership yesterday and they weren’t able to replicate the sound so I came to the dealership this morning, had the technician sit in the car with me, and I was able to replicate the sound. They said my spring and/or strut was binding so they’re going to order a whole new strut assembly.

Is your sound similar to my video in the thread below? Also, did the strut replacement fix it?
https://www.civicx.com/threads/17-civic-steering-clunk.20417/page-2#post-373132

 

[Mugenkb1]

I have a 2018 civic hatchback LX and it makes the clunking noise while turning on my driveway too. I brought it into the dealership yesterday and they weren’t able to replicate the sound so I came to the dealership this morning, had the technician sit in the car with me, and I was able to replicate the sound. They said my spring and/or strut was binding so they’re going to order a whole new strut assembly.

Yes! That's what I was thinking it was on my car as well. Thanks for confirming! I already ordered some coilovers anyway, so once those are in, I shouldn't be hearing the noise anymore.

I see that you're in California. Which dealer did you go to?

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