Learn from my mistakes - Civic HX

[sbblumhof]

I had a major issue with my 2000 Civic HX. It started with the ECM code P1163 and P1164. I bought a new O2 sensor, but the check engine light came back on. I then noticed a crack in the manifold and bought a new Honda one ($600), but the check engine light came on again. So I took it to the dealership and they claimed I needed a new ECU, so I bought a rebuilt one, but the light still came on. I took it back to the dealership and they said I needed a new O2 sensor....again. I said screw it and had them replace it, but the light STILL CAME ON. I returned it to them AGAIN, and they told me the problem is I do not have the updated A33 ECU!!! This just did not make sense. Why would my car suddenly need an updated ECU when the car was built with the A32 (A33 is the newer version)? Does this make sense to anyone? With this logic, my PC may randomly decide it can no longer run on XP and I have to upgrade to Vista, even though my pc was built with XP.
ANYWAYS -

I kept this car for nearly a year, continually having this problem (although I did eventually figure out if I drove the car just the way it wanted, it would not trigger the CEL), then finally got sick of it and sold it. The new owners did not want my 17" alluminum wheels that I put on it and the car has never had a problem since. IT turns out my aftermarket wheels were a little heavier than the originals and were causing a problem for the computer. Just if anyone else has this problem, they might like to know

 

[Ian123]

cliffs?

 

[DarkCreep]

WTF????



Did you spend more at the dealer than the car is worth?

 

[Ian123]

guess the cliffs werent happening so i stopped being lazy and read the whole thing...never heard of such a thing but it sucks you wasted all that money

 

[cerasoli1188]

oook never heard that before .... another reason we shouldn't put 17"+ wheels on our civics.

 

[Szady]

No. 17" rims will not cause a CEL. I dont care what you think, it will not happen. All it will do is burn more gas b/c your pushing heavier rims. I call BS.

 

[2slo4u]

No. 17" rims will not cause a CEL. I dont care what you think, it will not happen. All it will do is burn more gas b/c your pushing heavier rims. I call BS.

x2

 

[turbosl963]

^^^^^^^^^
Agree, bigger rims will not cause CEL to come on

 

[DarkCreep]

guess the cliffs werent happening so i stopped being lazy and read the whole thing...never heard of such a thing but it sucks you wasted all that money

You ask for cliffs in every thread dude... Its getting annoying.

 

[mylovehx]

maybe ur car hated you?

 

[AllStockHatch]

maybe ur car hated you?

 

[HERN.LBR]

No. 17" rims will not cause a CEL. I dont care what you think, it will not happen. All it will do is burn more gas b/c your pushing heavier rims. I call BS.

i agree




RACEFWD.COM <----- join everybody.. fastest street cars in the west coast !! swet videos and good info !

 

[Kensai]

You spelled scene wrong.

 

[Billy.]

ur wheels didnt cause a CEL.. your o2 sensor was probably just being a douchebag, and the dealership probably didnt bother to reset the ecu after they installed it

 

[arod52388]

dam that sux. thats why I dont take my car to a dealer for any mechanical issues. I kno people who work in dealers and they admit that they will do and say watever just to screw you over. lesson learned.

 

[sbblumhof]

Before you make comments like "I call BS", you might want to do a little research on the HX...read this entire post for a bit of an explanation
Sorry for the delayed response, but I do not check here often as I no longer have a Honda, however, the ECU had been reset multiple times (correctly, not with one of those stupid Autozone obdII devices), the O2 sensor was replaced twice (once with an aftermarket one, second with a dealership OEM one), the cat/manifold was replaced with dealership OEM parts, and the CEL kept coming on over and over and over again. I would say, maybe it was just me and it hated the way I drove it, except that it came on for me, my wife, my dad, and my best friend (all of which had borrowed it for periods of time). However, I sold the car, and kept the 17" wheels that were on it while I owned it, reinstalling the original wheels for the new owner. Last I heard, he had driven it thousands of miles and the CEL had yet to come on.

OK, so onto the explanation of the problem. The HX originally came with the A32 ECU, but they almost immediately had a problem with them (I have service bulletin that explains this a bit). So, their solution was not to replace them, but only to replace them when someone had a problem (of course many people did not have a problem until they got much older and were no longer covered by warranty). They made the software in the original ECU too picky in their readings of the O2 sensor, which causes the CEL to come on when it is still running in satisfactory specs. Their solution...change the perameters at which the light will come on. However, the replacement ECU is $900 + labor. So, it is quite possible for the heavier wheels to have caused this problem, and have since discussed this problem with others that have dealt with this particular model of car, all of which have had similar stupid issues with these cars. I could discuss/debate you further if you wish.

 

[sbblumhof]

agreed

dam that sux. thats why I dont take my car to a dealer for any mechanical issues. I kno people who work in dealers and they admit that they will do and say watever just to screw you over. lesson learned.

I agree with you, they will say whatever it takes to shut you up and take your money. I grew up with my father working for a GM dealership and have heard some pretty interesting stories about it. The worst part about it was, I knew this O2 sensor was probably not the solution, but I have eye-witness proof that they promised me this would fix the problem or they would correct the actual cause free of charge. When it didnt fix the problem, they blamed it on me, and said I didn't know how to drive the car and they would never make such a promise (which they are not supposed to do). After literally yelling at me (I tried to stay calm and not raise my voice or threaten them in any way), they offered to take the $600 they charged me for the O2 sensor to be installed and put it towards the $1250 they wanted for the new ECU and switch the old O2 sensor back on. That is insane. I did eventually speak with the general manager, and the tech supervisor lied straight to our face and said "we told him the first time that he needed this $1250 A33 ECU and that is the only way to fix the problem, but he didn't listen". Luckily, as I was leaving, the owner of the company happened to be driving up. I let him know everything that just happened and made sure he realized that I will do my best to keep anyone I know from coming to this dealership for anything if being yelled at is a policy of his employees. Last time I went up there, I did notice that the old tech supervisor no longer works there (I sure hope I had something to do with that).

 

[Szady]

I still dont care what you just explained. Aftermarket rims WILL NOT trip a CEL for an OXYGEN SENSOR. The two are not related, what so ever. A faulty ECU will cause the CEL to come on, just like you explained. You just happen to get one of the fauly ECU's.

 

[GOTJESUS]

Wow thanks for the info bro.

 

[xxsenceo89x]

I still dont care what you just explained. Aftermarket rims WILL NOT trip a CEL for an OXYGEN SENSOR. The two are not related, what so ever. A faulty ECU will cause the CEL to come on, just like you explained. You just happen to get one of the fauly ECU's.

Its like saying, "My window doesnt work when I have a fulll tank of gas." Theyre two totally unrelated things.