While driving, the hood prop rod dislodged from its securing clip and fell onto the positive terminal of the battery. This caused an electrical short, which led to the rod heating up rapidly and igniting a fire under the hood. The fire damaged the headlight assembly and the surrounding trim panel, though the wiring fortunately did not catch fire. A nearby police officer was able to extinguish the fire before it spread further. This incident posed a serious safety risk and could have resulted in more extensive damage or injury. There were no warning lights or symptoms before the failure. The issue appears to stem from the design or failure of the clip that holds the hood prop rod in place. The vehicle has not been modified and was being driven under normal conditions. A local auto body shop inspected the vehicle afterward and confirmed that the loose prop rod made contact with the battery terminal, creating a serious fire hazard. They advised reporting this as a safety issue. The manufacturer has not yet inspected the vehicle. The incident was witnessed by a police officer, and the damage was evaluated by an independent repair shop following the fire.
2009 Honda Civic lights problems
10 complaints (3% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 44,000.
- owner complaints
- 10
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 44,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Turn signal1
- Headlights1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Honda Civic lights problems in other years
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 2009 Honda Civic owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tpms warning light constantly on while ignition is on regardless of air pressure in tires. Dealer estimated $200 to repair. Not repaired due to excessive cost.
Insane amount of clear coat peeling is happening this year. Roof has soccer ball size of clear coat damage. Hood has spider web all over the place.
Interior center LED brake light failed, right side engine mount failed, atomic blue paint on roof and edges of rear fenders around trunk faded and chalky.
The center (interior) brake light works intermittently. Many others have had same problem. Only affects ex model LED light assembly. It is unsafe and costly fix. It should be recalled.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 honda civic. The contact stated that the headlights on the vehicle were not emitting enough light while driving at night. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the headlights were replaced with brighter bulbs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000. Updated 04/03/15
The center 3rd brake light stopped working. Since it's an LED array and not a normal light bulb it costs over $200 to replace. Also, it can only be replaced by the dealer. From searching the internet this is apparently a very common problem with these vehicles. An LED array should not fail. Because this is a safety issue honda should issue a recall to replace the defective units.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 honda civic. The contact stated that the headlights fogged up and reduced visibility. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the headlight assemblies would have to be replaced. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 38,000.
This is happening right now, again.. 2012, not just in 2010 tires are abnormally wearing extremely fast. About every year someone is telling me I need new tires because they are 'chopped' and wearing really fast. This lead me to the internet to do research and found it is common with the 2006-2009 civics. Something about the control arms not working properly, in turn causing this problem and a whole lot of others like suspension. I cannot afford and shouldn't have to put new tires on my new car every year or 20000 miles. I am so frustrated and at a loss of what to do. I have a call into honda but haven't heard back, I can only image what they're going to say. The other failure is my 'headlights are still on' indicator noise stopped working a year after I bought the car brand new. Ugh, so frustrating.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 honda civic. The contact stated that the front left turn signal was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the contact was advised that a bulb could not be installed into the vehicle and there was not a housing unit for a bulb. The dealer advised the contact to bring the vehicle in for diagnosis. The contact stated that he did not feel comfortable driving the vehicle without a left turn signal bulb. The vehicle as neither diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was 9,000 and the current mileage was 10,000.
Questions about the 2009 Honda Civic lights
Does the 2009 Honda Civic have lights problems?
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the lights of the 2009 Honda Civic, 3% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2009 Honda Civic lights problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 44,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Honda Civic lights?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Honda Civic have the most lights problems?
The Honda Civic model years with the most lights complaints are 2001 (66 complaints), 2002 (54 complaints) and 2016 (30 complaints).
Is there a class action lawsuit over the Honda Civic?
Yes. Class action says Honda and Acura keyless entry makes cars easy to steal and asks for theft protection (November 12, 2026).
Other 2009 Honda Civic problems
Airbags 95Brakes 51Body 45Engine 39Electrical 36Suspension 31Visibility 29Tires 25Transmission 23Acceleration 17Steering 13Fuel system 12Wheels 10Seats 9Seat belts 5Locks 2Driver assistance 1
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