My 2008 honda civic is having issues with the braking system. Specifically the brake pads wear out very soon. My first set of brakes lasted 34,000 miles, the second set lasted only 22000 miles. All services are done at the dealership at manufacturer recommended intervals. Also there is no significant difference in my driving patterns. On both occasions, it is the front brake pads that have worn out prematurely, resulting in significant replacement costs.
2008 Honda Civic brakes complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 42, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I was stopped at a red light with my foot firmly on the brake with the car in drive. Without warning the engine revved up and the car lurched forward a foot or two.
Persisting grinding "metal to metal" noise when applying brakes. It feels brakes are not functional and liable to crash. Multiple visits to brake shops has resulted to new pads and rotors but no change in status of grinding "metal to metal" noise. Honda car forums reveal same experience by other owners. No fix from honda motors. Not covered in warranty. Brake failure may result to crash and fatality even on low speed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 honda civic. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle failed to decelerate or stop. The contact had to use the emergency brake to avoid a crash. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the failure with the brakes. The failure was not reported to the manufacturer. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileage was 98,000.
Front brakes need replacing after 15k miles only to find out this is a common issue with honda civics, however the company does not want to fix the problem. Faulty brakes can be a safety issue.
The brakes started making a loud whining sound, but only in reverse. From what research I can do, it appears to be the brake pads wearing out prematurely.
First thing this morning I tried to set my cruise control at 65 MPH, but it didn't work. The speed of the car kept decreasing, despite several attempts to set the cruise. I turned off the cruise and tried to press the gas pedal to drive, and the same problem occurred. In addition, as I tried to increase my speed, the car made a loud humming sound and the rpms on the dash began to increase. Then an indicator light turned on; after driving for a few minutes, more indicator lights came on, my brake stopped working completely, and my steering wheel locked. My gas pedal also stopped working completely. At this point, as I was going uphill I lost complete control of the car and put the car in park because that was the only way I could stop the car. Smoke began coming from the hood. I had the car towed to the midas in salt lake city at 875 east 2100 south. The service people told me the cars engine had heated so that it melted the equipment under the hood. Later, after a discussion with the honda corporate office, I found out a recall had been issued in august 2010 for a problem with the engine blocks of 2006, 2008, and some 2009 civics. The honda representative said a letter had been sent to civic owners. However, my experience today showed me the seriousness of this problem. I could have a life-threatening accident today, and when the issue is so grave honda should call car owners to alert them to the recall. A letter sent out one time is not enough. The midas service representatives told me they had absolutely no information about this recall in their database, which proves how poorly this entire matter has been handled. There are many families out there driving these civics. Get your cars checked out, and let honda know that they must take better care and full responsibility for their customers!
Brakes when car hits a hard bump while braking, the car doesn't stop and keeps moving forward as if the brakes lift with a big vibration in the brake pedal. At the time it happens, the remedy is to lift the brake and pump once then reapply brake pressure. Took it to a honda dealer and said it did not happen under test drive and noting can be found wrong.
My front brake pads and shoes have to be replaced every 20,000 miles. The brakes do not give the expected high pitched "squealing" noise; and per my dealer, it LED to brake over heating and "imminent failure!" the dealer states that the civics have had this issue repeatedly.
2008 honda civic's have a brake system problem. I had to replace my brakes all around at 12,935 miles, the front brakes had to be replaced again at 22,885, and then all around again at 37,417. I placed a complaint with honda america, they are unwilling to admit that there is a brake system problem. I was told it is how I drive the car. There hasn't been a failure yet, I am trying to avoid a failure and would like to have this issue checked.
2008 honda civic repeatedly has failed to stop (three separate incidents, three different drivers). Honda refuses to replace vehicle. *tr the consumer also stated, the vehicle would not start. Updated 09/20/12
I bought my 2008 honda civic lx in june 2008. At 15,000 miles I had a bunch of brake problems (loud noises, difficulty stopping). I brought the car into the dealership where I bought it and was told I had "contaminated" brake pads. They replaced them for free. Six months later, I was having the same problem. Took it in again to the dealer and they said nothing was wrong. I have continued to feel uneasy about my brakes as they don't stop like the three other cars I have had. Now, at 41k screeching noises have started again. They started on a friday and I took the car to the same dealership monday morning. They told me I have barely any brake pads left and it must be due to my driving. (incorrect as I mainly did highway driving and now have a 7 minute commute to work.) the dealership was absolutely horrible, claiming it is my issue and they are not responsible.
I was pulling into a parking spot turning left and as I had my foot on the brake my car jolted foward and hit the an island the was next to the parking spot.
2008 honda civic VIN# [xxx] on june 5, 2009, I purchased a 2008 honda civic from white plains honda located in white plains, ny for my 21-year old son. The purpose of this letter is regarding the ongoing brake problem he is experiencing. On october 1, 2009 (with only 17,223 miles on the car), my son's car was serviced at white plains honda because of a grinding noise he was experiencing every time he would step on the brake. White plains honda advised my son that he needed front brake pads and rotors. My mechanic advised me that brakes should last at least 30,000 miles. On the same day, my mechanic replaced 1 set of front disc brakes and 2 brake rotors. On march 26, 2010, my son's car again needed brake repair. At the time of service, there were 31,425 miles on the car which meant he added an additional 14,202 miles on the car since his last repair. Again, I have clarified from a few mechanics that brakes should last at least 30,000 miles. My mechanic advised me that there have been at least 4 honda civics he has serviced in his shop with the same brake problems. He can't figure out why there is a continuous problem with the brake wearing out on the driver's side. I have copies of all the repair receipts. I bought a honda because I thought I was purchasing a reputable car for my son. In this economy, who can afford to replace brakes every 14,000 miles? Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 honda civic. The contact stated that the vehicle was making an unusual grinding noise. The dealer informed her that the brake pads were crystallized. The dealer lubricated the brake pads and advised the contact that the failure would not recur; however, the failure recurred within two days. The contact confirmed that the front brake pads on her vehicle had been replaced three times in two years. There were no additional repairs made to the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 10,258 and the current mileage was 23,000.
Currently I have 32,277 miles and don't drive it, it's not safe to drive. I take a bus :) 1# trans locked at 60mph on hwy and caused almost a fatal crash! At 23,000 miles. Car was able to drive up to 15mpg having appx. 6000rpms. Car left at dealership and only PCM software was upd. No lockups are occurring, but trans is weaving, harsh start/stop often!/unexpected shutdown. Dealership found service bulletin #08-014 (harsh engagement), upd. The on board computer and symptoms are much worse than previously. Lower mpg ( 25-28 ), much worse performance, unexpected battery discharge, weaving, low accel. Dealer duplicated problems, but said "it's ok" and problems is untouched. Since they updated the system, the hybrid option is not kicking in as before. Prev. I was able to drive slowly only on hybrid, now I can't. No actions are taken to resolve the issue. Once they changed the ima batt pack, but this did not help and I see not a difference. Complained again, and absolutely no response. Brakes are malfunctioning. Brake fluid is missing, dealer said "[xxx], it's a mystery". Depending on outside temp, battery charge level and car temp breaks work diff! Occasionally while slowing down, the battery level reaches full and you must press the pedal as hard as you can to stop. This has caused small crashes and once brakes did not work, or I pressed too lightly ( cold outside with full battery ) and unfortunately I couldn't stop on time and ran over a pedestrian. She is badly injured and suing my insurance company! Dealer rec. To "change car, better to buy not a honda and don't bother them if nothing is broken." police report ready to present. These are only the major issues I'm having. I would need much more space to write 20 pgs essay. Minor issues: - super fast tire wear ( after 20,000 ) and now again at 32,000 - not working climate ctrl system - check engine, ima light, brake system and airbag lights on. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
At 10,000 miles my 2008 honda civic developed loud squealing in the front brakes. They would make this noise at any speed. After much back and forth with nearest dealership they finally replaced them for free. They claimed there was dirt in them, or, alternatively, I rode the brakes too hard. Neither was the case. About 6 weeks later the brakes squealed so loud people blocks away stopped to look for hundreds of miles on a trip home after a holiday visit. That stopped after the car garaged overnight. Called honda corporate to report problem, was treated badly, all my fault, what could they do? They actually asked me what I wanted them to do like they couldn't see that maybe they should investigate it as a problem! Now I see online that 2008 honda accords had this same problem. Feel that anything that causes brakes to wear out prematurely is a safety issue that should be addressed. So far the replacement pads have held up. We had our local mechanic check them out after that screeching long trip and he found nothing wrong, no wear, calipers not stuck, etc.
Tl*the contact rented a 2008 honda civic from hertz. The contact stated that the emergency brake and the brakes failed while driving at 20 MPH approaching a traffic light. When the brakes failed, he tried the emergency brake and he crashed into the rear of another vehicle. Three people were injured and transported to the emergency room. A police report is available if needed. The vehicle was towed from the scene. The manufacturer was not called. The rental and insurance company were notified. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was rejected from the system.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 honda civic coupe. While stopped at a light the vehicle surged and crashed in another vehicle. She stated that her feet were on the brakes and she does not understand what happened. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The failure mileage was 11,000. The current mileage was 12,356.
I own a 2008 honda civic (purchased new) with under 25, 000 miles. I immediately had to have to rotors resurfaced when I took delivery of the vehicle...as I was driving home, I could feel the brakes pulsating when I applied the brakes. I returned to the dealer and they had to resurface the rotors then. After that, the first problem I had was with the rear wheel bearings and the left rear brakes (pads, caliper, rotor). At approximately 18k both rear wheel bearings needed to be replaced, the left rear caliper was frozen, the pads were worn due to that and the rotor needed to be resurfaced. The repairs were covered under warranty and no explanation could be given as to a reason for the premature wear. At approximately 20k, I had to have the front rotors resurfaced (both right and left) due to premature/uneven wear). Unfortunately, this was done by my own mechanic during routine maintenance and is not documented by honda (I spoke to honda and was told it was most likely due to "driver/road conditions and there was no way to tell since it was not repaired by a dealer). Recently, I noticed the parking brake sticking/freezing and brought the car in for service. The brake pads on the right rear, were unevenly/prematurely worn and the caliper was frozen. Both rear rotors had to be resurfaced again! These repairs were also covered under warranty, but again, no explanation could be given as to what keeps causing this premature wear of the brakes. Also, this morning, the "side air bag off" indicator light came on and now needs to go back for service again (2nd time in a week).
While applying the brakes the car suddenly accelerates forward unexpectedly and does not stop. It has happened several times mostly lower speeds when approaching a stop sign/light and almost caused multiple rear end collisions.
2008 honda civic, purchased new. Premature front brake wear including rotors and pad at 23,975 miles. Car pulled to right and pulsating pedal. When apply brakes. Not safe to drive. Honda motor company denies there is a problem and will not compensate owner for the repairs.
08 honda civic hybrid - when the batteries are fully charged, the generator is not used for braking. When the batteries are not charged, the generator is used for braking. During the transition, I have been surprised many times by the lack of brakes. When the batteries are not charging you have to really press hard on the brakes to even slow down. Then, if you are expecting to press hard and the generator has kicked back in, you are thrown forward as the brakes work fine. I thought this and the occasional herky-jerkiness that goes along with it is normal. But, after reading about the toyota prius brake issue, the honda is just as bad, if not worse. This has been going on since day one of ownership.
Subject:regenerative braking possible problem comments: I am a 2008 honda civic hybrid owner that is having similar problems as stated in the following article. Problem with surging of the car while braking or a slight reduction in stopping power. Http://www.leftlanenews.com/the federal safety agency-reviewing-third-generation-toyota-prius-braking.html what is different is that it is limited to the first few minutes when driving, after such time it disappears. Also, it does not only happen after hitting bumps in the road, it is on a smooth road. This is not an acceleration issue, as the tach does not surge or the car does not jump forward, just the loss of stopping power. The ABS system does not activate as I don't hear the noise common to when activation of the ABS occurs. And it will happen regards of how hard the brakes are pressed to stop the vehicle. The problem does go away after a few minutes and a few stop signs.
While applying brakes the car suddenly accelerates. It has happened several times mostly at lower speed. So far I have not experience it on interstate.
My 2008 honda civic lx sedan is in the dealer again for brakes. The front brakes were replaced at 18,000 miles in may of 2009 and now at 31,000 it needs them again. Rotors have to be turned again and brake pads replaced again. Our driving is mostly highway and we don't abuse our car. Brakes are undersized for vehicle, honda agreed and fixed the first time, now are saying it is not there problem. I have owned 2 other honda vehicles and never put brakes on either one of them. Dealer said this is typical wear and tear for vehicle model.
2008 honda civic brakes wearing out after only 16,000 miles of use. Honda motors states that there is nothing wrong with the brakes but we will need to bring the civic in for a brake replacement every 15-17000 miles or every 18 months.
When coming to a low speed stop the engine shuts off at about 6 MPH and the braking system goes manual reducing braking effect by over 60%. This has resulted in a minor accident requiring the replacement of the front bumper.
There has been no wreck or fire---this is a complaint for your tsb compilations....we have an 08 civic lx: the transmission shifts roughly, and with delays. Slowing down and then re accelerating lightly causes a delay----as if the transmission/control module can't figure out which gear to get into--- and then a rough engagement. From d to reverse, there is a harder engagement than should be. It's as if there is a problem with the control module or the torque converter. My dealer says all these things are normal in a civic auto transmission. We have an 07 accord exl and it has none of these problems, nor did any other vehicles I've had in the past with a.t. It seems there should be some control module reprogramming or software patch for this transmission. Also, as a safety problem, it is harder to see out of this windshield during rain, esp. At night, than any car I've driven. Possibly the extreme slant of the glass? As a safety problem, as well, the brakes have a soft pedal, as well, and require more force than our accord(much much more)or than any car I am used to, except one with air in the lines....dealer says this soft pedal is normal, as well.
The brakes on my 2008 honda civic gave out while trying to make a left hand turn resulting in vehicle loss of control and the totaling of my car.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2008 Honda Civic?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history