NotoriousREV

I know there's a few people with current shape Civics and if you've got one you'll know that there's been a problem with the handbrake and after a year of messing around they finally issued a recall notice about a month ago (previously they'd issued advisory notices telling everyone to be wary and not press the button in when putting the handbrake on).

We had our recall performed last week (and they also fixed the drivers door problem where it wouldn't open from the inside). Lo and behold, ours rolled off the drive, which is on a steep slope, after being parked up for half an hour or so earlier today. The handbrake was still on when MrsREV went to recover it from down the street. It's sustained damage to the front wing, bumper and wing mirror after taking out one of our conifers on it's trip. Luckily no-one was injured, although it did cause another driver to brake as it rolled out onto the road. It could have been much worse!

Honda have agreed to pay for the repairs and we're currently wating for the AA to drop off the hire car and take our Civic to the dealership.

If you have a Civic, leave it in gear even if you've had the recall because it looks as though there might still be an issue.

Dream Weaver

Thats bad

I haven't booked ours in yet for the recall as its never shown any signs of a problem so I'm slightly loathed to take it in, even more so now!!

P1Fanatic

Doh thats not good. Im not trying to be funny but why would you not leave a car in gear when parked, especially on a slope?

Simon

Dream Weaver

I suppose you could forget - I put my Focus ST and Civic into neutral for a while to allow the turbo to cool down on each so it would be easy for me to forget to put it back into gear as I did on the Civic yesterday. :blush:

NotoriousREV

I always do, however the wife doesn't because she forgets and then tries to start it in gear next time

Mind you, there's a part of me that says why should you need to leave it in gear? The handbrake only has one job to do and the car is only 12 months old so it should work correctly!

Dream Weaver

Precisely.

NotoriousREV

Our dealership told us today that they have "fixed the fault with the handbrake" but declined to tell us what the fault was. Still waiting to see what the quality of repair is lke on the paintwork, scuffed alloy and knackered wing mirror.

NotoriousREV

Oh and, the AA didn't pick the car up on friday night, nor did they bring a hire car with them as promised. Instead they turned up in a van to take the Mrs to Liverpool Airport at 7:30pm friday night (she told them to sling thier hook, no way was she going to Liverpool at that time of night with a bloke she didn't know) and they decided to ruin my lie in on saturday morning by turning up at 8:30 to to tow our car away (I drove her to Enterprise myself in the end to pick the hire car up). A load of hassle which if they'd told us about up front wouldn't have been so bad, but it wasn't what they said would happen.

andys

Sounds about right for Honda UK customer service. Watch they don't "forget" to pay for the hire car. We had a similar thing when the ECU went crazy. Ended up with a £400 bill as the hire car company had by wifes credit card number and then charged the hire to that when Honda did not pay. Took the best part of 3 months and a solicitors letter to get the money back.

Dracoro

Or in other words:
One of our grease monkeys made a ****-up 1st time round and rather than admit that we're incompetent fools we just say there is a "fault" that we "fixed".

NotoriousREV

Sounds that way, although Honda UK ageed to pay for the repairs before we even spoke to the dealer so it sounds to me like "the new part we supply as part of the recall is routinely being fitted incorrectly".

They've said today that they've replaced the handbrake completely (again!)

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Ford have had problems with the S-Max handbrake, they issued recalls too!

NotoriousREV

Vauxhall too (they ended up on Watchdog).

I don't mind the recall but the car ended up worse after the recall work was done!

civic08

Hey NotoriousRev, I have had exactly the same problem with my civic, it was new in january and the handbrake was fine, until last saturday when i took it in for the recall. The following Tuesday it rolled off my drive after being left for about 30 minutes and crashed into my neighbours garden. I have told Honda UK and they have said the garage have 'tested' the handbrake and its fine so they cant pay for the damage! They have even told me i have to prove the handbrake was on, which is an insult!

Could you tell me how you Honda to pay for this please as I dont want them to get away with this.

Thanks

AndyMoody

iTrader: (2)

Recall Details for HONDA - Civic 3 & 5 door

NotoriousREV

Hi, sorry to hear of your problems. To be honest, we just called Honda UK who contacted the dealer and they said they'd pay straight away, we didn't have to push them or anything. I wonder if our dealer admitted to Honda UK they'd not fitted the part correctly? The dealer paid for the repairs and the hire car and so far haven't claimed back from Honda UK, so it does sound likely that the dealer buggered it up and sorted out the mess themselves.

NotoriousREV

Hi Andy,

We're aware of the recall, the problem is that the car rolled off the drive after the recall work was done!

NotoriousREV

Re-reading this it makes it sound like I'm having a go at the AA. In hindsight, it's not the AA's fault, Honda gave us duff information and the AA bore the brunt of our displeasure.

grumpytyperowner

Dear NotoriousREV,

I have had the exact same problem. My Type R was recalled for the handbrake problem and rolled off our drive (not particularly steep) ten days after the recall work had been carried out. It has sustained significant damage to the rear drivers side body work (I reckon at least four hundred pounds worth) and I am worried that the chassis has also been damaged.

I telephoned my dealership who told me to bring it in to be examined. They concluded that there was nothing wrong with the handbrake and reported this to Honda. Therefore, Honda refuse to even entertain a conversation with me. They advised me to get an independent check if I am not happy (!).

PLEASE tell me how you got them to agree to your repairs as I seem to have hit a brick wall.

NotoriousREV

I guess it's time us Civic owners got in touch with Watchdog.

Honestly, we didn't really do anything to get them to pay, they agreed straight away. I wonder if they started to clamp down on it when they realised it was happening more and more?

grumpytyperowner

Thanks so much for your prompt reply. I am taking the car tonight to have an independent check done as I think the dealership may have said it was ok to save themselves having to admit they made a mistake and pay for the damage to be put right.

If I hit a brick wall (ha ha), I definitely will be getting in touch with Watchdog or Honest Jon to take it up for me.

Will keep you posted...

NotoriousREV

Let me know if I can help. I wish I had some "magic formula" for getting them to pay, but they just didn't quibble (although I was expecting a fight!)

sinky 2

Last Thursday after having recall done, parked at 8.45 am rolled away 11.10am £750 damge to Type R and £500 to my MX-5

NotoriousREV

'kin 'ell, not another!

Dream Weaver

Damn, was just about to ring Honda and book ours in for the recall but I'm having second thoughts again!!

sinky 2

SMMT New Code Uf Practice, They are taking on the enquiry against Honda. I have to provide them with more details. Car still awaiting repair as of today, nobody saying much at dealer other than the salesman whos Type R has twice rolled out HIS driveway SMMT UK: Motor Industry Sustainability, Competitiveness, Legislation, Technology, Globalisation, Retail Distribution, Education let them know the more people that complain the sooner Honda will take this onboard before somebody is KILLED. As I have said to SMMT I will not own this car forever and If Honda give me the car back as it is they are burrowing there head in the sand

sinky 2

Hey Guess what, its happenned again. The Demo I have been given a 2008 08 Civic 1.8 se still has the same problem, just rolled back the full car lengh, when I dipped the clutch to start the car, when cold apply the handbrake and it travels right to the top and hits the stop no travel, drive and heat the brakes 4 clicks max, Still Honda Bury heads in sand. I am an MOT tester and this car with 1800 miles would currently FAIL an MOT.

NotoriousREV

Have the SMMT come back to you at all? Is it worth me submitting my experience to them?

sinky 2

Definatly, the more people we can get on board here the better the reference Number is RCU-0002972 Please make it F.A.O Theresa Howell , The SMMA say 21 days, I have had an independant check done on the car and they have confirmed the fault, Manor Oak Honda are collecting the car tomorrow, They have been very good and are unfortunately caught in the middle of this mess. Many Thanks Neill