Honda Civic 2018

[iRage]

On 5/30/2024 at 3:42 PM, tinyman said:

when I spoke to Stafford, they responded that it is because my runnings are short trips (<15km) largely in and around Colombo and not much to worry about.

What is funny (or scary) is that this is the very definition of "severe usage" by ALL manufacturers. I don't know if the Civic's ECU is smart enough to take into account average trip distances and other vectors and figure out if you need a lower service interval due to severe usage though.

As for not worrying...well. Your car is being used severely and that is what 99% of the people out there do. Is it normal? Yes...should you be worried...no..but yes...it also means your engine is probably not going to last a million miles with no issues. Especially components like a turbo charger. Also...because of such usage oils tend to break down and become less effective which can lead to things like sludging, etc...if not diligent about proper maintenance (whether that be 3500km or 5000km that is totally subjective to what your car is like).

[GWX777]

9 hours ago, Dee Jay said:

They are accident repair specialists and not attending to mechanical repairs.. There are other reputable places for the Civic for mechanical repairs.

Do you know a place where I can get HDS @GWX777?

I bought it off AliExpress back in 2021 (double board clone) for $115 with shipping. Better try that avenue as locally it would be more expensive.

[GWX777]

47 minutes ago, iRage said:

What is funny (or scary) is that this is the very definition of "severe usage" by ALL manufacturers. I don't know if the Civic's ECU is smart enough to take into account average trip distances and other vectors and figure out if you need a lower service interval due to severe usage though.

As for not worrying...well. Your car is being used severely and that is what 99% of the people out there do. Is it normal? Yes...should you be worried...no..but yes...it also means your engine is probably not going to last a million miles with no issues. Especially components like a turbo charger. Also...because of such usage oils tend to break down and become less effective which can lead to things like sludging, etc...if not diligent about proper maintenance (whether that be 3500km or 5000km that is totally subjective to what your car is like).

Precisely. Driving in city traffic and short distances automatically qualifies you for severe usage and shorter time between service intervals.

[randika171]

What is the best recommended engine oil for the Civic? Most people use the Motul 0w-20 semi synthetic. Hybrid hub recommended Mobil 1 ESP 0w-20 fully synthetic. I can see some are using 5w-30, but shouldn't 0w-20 perform better despite it not having the honda genuine engine oil 2.0 certification?

[iRage]

1 hour ago, randika171 said:

shouldn't 0w-20 perform better

Depends on what you mean by perform better.

Low viscosity oils have less resistance therefore the engine consumes slightly less fuel. Manufacturers have clearly stated that 0W-20 oils are used from the factory to meet claimed fuel efficiency (thus emissions standards) and the oil used should be what is recommended by the manufacture or its agent for the region the car is being used in.

Although thin oils provide better fuel economy, it does have certain cons...due to their low viscosity, they don't absorb as much heat as thicker oils and tend to thin out more than thicker oils. Therefore, if you do long-distance running (especially on a regular basis) in weather like in SL or even hotter regions, the oil will thin out and provide lesser surface-to-surface protection. Also, when the oil thins out due to heat, it is less efficient at absorbing heat (oil circulation is a part of the overall engine cooling process), so you may even notice the engine running a bit hotter at times. The same can be said about sitting in heavy traffic in the middle of the day for prolonged periods of time. 

So....to answer your question...it depends on what you mean by better performance. Just because it is lighter and thinner, it doesn't mean it is always the best.

Having said that....most modern GOOD oils even when it is light, have additives in them that help reduce the negative effects mentioned above. The additives don't entirely alleviate the issues, but it does help.

So...I would say buy a good oil, irrespective of the viscosity. Reputed, tried and tested, genuine brands. Synthetic or mineral would be fine it is just that depending on how you use the car one might be more practical than the other. Also, remember that a good mineral oil is always better than a cheap synthetic oil.

Personally, I feel that synthetic oil would have an advantage over mineral oils if you tend to do quick short runs (the engine doesn't come up to operating temperature on most trips), tend to keep the car parked/unused for long periods of time, or do non-stop long-distance running on a frequent basis. This is mainly because the chemicals added to the oil to make it synthetic tend to make the oils more resilient to breaking down than standard mineral oils. Semi-synthetic would fall somewhere in between.

[tinyman]

On 5/31/2024 at 8:57 PM, iRage said:

What is funny (or scary) is that this is the very definition of "severe usage" by ALL manufacturers. I don't know if the Civic's ECU is smart enough to take into account average trip distances and other vectors and figure out if you need a lower service interval due to severe usage though.

As for not worrying...well. Your car is being used severely and that is what 99% of the people out there do. Is it normal? Yes...should you be worried...no..but yes...it also means your engine is probably not going to last a million miles with no issues. Especially components like a turbo charger. Also...because of such usage oils tend to break down and become less effective which can lead to things like sludging, etc...if not diligent about proper maintenance (whether that be 3500km or 5000km that is totally subjective to what your car is like).

My understanding based on the conversation with S'd Motors is that the shorter interval is actually a result of short distances driven during the specific service interval, meaning that the car would start around 6,000~6,500km range once services and it would reduce at a faster rate than actually driven. So this time I kept an eye on the maintenance minder from the time got it serviced, which was 2 weeks back. The car started off with less than 5,000km this time and has only 4,200km remaining now after 700km driven including a trip to Kandy.

On a different note, a friend of mine forwarded a TikTok video done by GlitzPark, Yakkala some time ago, They were talking about a known issue of small chipping of timing belts resulting in blocking of oil drain leading to some other symptoms. Now the video seems to be deleted. 

Wondering whether I'm heading for an issue like that..

[Dee Jay]

12 minutes ago, tinyman said:

They were talking about a known issue of small chipping of timing belts resulting in blocking of oil drain leading to some other symptoms.

This issue is commonly known as the turbo issue of the FK6.. the said timing belt chipping leads to blocking of the oil drains causing the turbo to over heat and give way. So, the video is factually correct. 

 

14 minutes ago, tinyman said:

Wondering whether I'm heading for an issue like that..

If you are having doubts you can get your timing belt inspected for chipping and clean the oil drain lines (this is advised to be performed every 20,000km at Honda specialist garages) to be sure that the maintenance minder calculations and the turbo issue is related or not.

[tinyman]

19 minutes ago, Dee Jay said:

This issue is commonly known as the turbo issue of the FK6.. the said timing belt chipping leads to blocking of the oil drains causing the turbo to over heat and give way. So, the video is factually correct. 

 

If you are having doubts you can get your timing belt inspected for chipping and clean the oil drain lines (this is advised to be performed every 20,000km at Honda specialist garages) to be sure that the maintenance minder calculations and the turbo issue is related or not.

Thanks. Mine is an FC1 (Sedan), I think better to get inspected. Any specialist garages other than S'd Motors in and around colombo. Mine has 69k on ODO.

[Dee Jay]

12 minutes ago, tinyman said:

Thanks. Mine is an FC1 (Sedan), I think better to get inspected. Any specialist garages other than S'd Motors in and around colombo. Mine has 69k on ODO.

FC1 is the 1500cc sedan or the 1000cc one? As I remember the 1000cc sedan is FC9, do correct me if I'm wrong.

If its the 1500cc Civic sedan then you need not worry about any timing belt chipping since it doesn't have a timing belt, but a timing chain  

However, if its the 1000cc sedan then it also has the same timing belt as the FK6.. So in that case getting it inspected is good as a preventive maintenance.

There's a famous place in Yakkala run by ex-S..d Motors technicians (not the place which released the video you mentioned)

[randika171]

On 6/17/2024 at 11:05 AM, iRage said:

Depends on what you mean by perform better.

Low viscosity oils have less resistance therefore the engine consumes slightly less fuel. Manufacturers have clearly stated that 0W-20 oils are used from the factory to meet claimed fuel efficiency (thus emissions standards) and the oil used should be what is recommended by the manufacture or its agent for the region the car is being used in.

Although thin oils provide better fuel economy, it does have certain cons...due to their low viscosity, they don't absorb as much heat as thicker oils and tend to thin out more than thicker oils. Therefore, if you do long-distance running (especially on a regular basis) in weather like in SL or even hotter regions, the oil will thin out and provide lesser surface-to-surface protection. Also, when the oil thins out due to heat, it is less efficient at absorbing heat (oil circulation is a part of the overall engine cooling process), so you may even notice the engine running a bit hotter at times. The same can be said about sitting in heavy traffic in the middle of the day for prolonged periods of time. 

So....to answer your question...it depends on what you mean by better performance. Just because it is lighter and thinner, it doesn't mean it is always the best.

Having said that....most modern GOOD oils even when it is light, have additives in them that help reduce the negative effects mentioned above. The additives don't entirely alleviate the issues, but it does help.

So...I would say buy a good oil, irrespective of the viscosity. Reputed, tried and tested, genuine brands. Synthetic or mineral would be fine it is just that depending on how you use the car one might be more practical than the other. Also, remember that a good mineral oil is always better than a cheap synthetic oil.

Personally, I feel that synthetic oil would have an advantage over mineral oils if you tend to do quick short runs (the engine doesn't come up to operating temperature on most trips), tend to keep the car parked/unused for long periods of time, or do non-stop long-distance running on a frequent basis. This is mainly because the chemicals added to the oil to make it synthetic tend to make the oils more resilient to breaking down than standard mineral oils. Semi-synthetic would fall somewhere in between.

Thank you for the very detailed reply! I wanted to ask your opinion on car prices once imports are lifted.

Currently a tech pack costs like 140-150. How much of a loss could we predict if someone was to buy one at the moment?

I'm thinking it will drop to around 100 but some say it will increase cause the 1000cc is no more. People will have to bring in the 1500cc which is around $28000 and would enter the higher tax bracket as well

[iRage]

5 hours ago, randika171 said:

Thank you for the very detailed reply! I wanted to ask your opinion on car prices once imports are lifted.

Currently a tech pack costs like 140-150. How much of a loss could we predict if someone was to buy one at the moment?

I'm thinking it will drop to around 100 but some say it will increase cause the 1000cc is no more. People will have to bring in the 1500cc which is around $28000 and would enter the higher tax bracket as well

I have no idea—things are too volatile. In my view: In rupee terms, you are not going to see much of a drop, and the likelihood is that there might not even be a drop. The LKR has dropped in value compared to pre-ban days, but let's assume this doesn't change that much as the yen value is also garbage, and the two currencies more or less cancel each other out in terms of any currency-related value fluctuations (assuming the car is coming from Japan).

So now we are left with the assumption that 1) the tax rates (and structure) will remain the same, and 2) that they are going to allow a free flow of imports.

Neither of these two factors will be sustainable for the country if left as-is. So they will have to revise the first at some point in time (especially if they allow the free flow of imports). Whatever whispers are getting circulated about opening up imports, the government does seem to suggest a gradual controlled opening. So supply will still be low and restrained compared to pre-ban days.

Also, historically, car prices have never dropped significantly like that. Across wars, tax changes, regime changes and even FOREX reserve issues in the past, vehicle prices did not drop "significantly". Can it happen ? Yes..same chances of it not happening.

To be honest...this is not a good time to be buying cars. If you have a decent, reliable car (or one that can be made reliable with some modest investments), keep it. 

[randika171]

So in my new civic, when I'm going around 20-40 kmph and I take the foot off the accelerator to brake, I feel a jerk in the car. It sometimes comes when I push down on the accelerator as well. It's very random but not very difficult to replicate. Doesn't seem to happen at 50+ kmph 

I recently replaced the CVT fluid and did a full service but didn't help

Any ideas on what this could be? I have another toyota with CVT and it doesn't have this issue.

[Ruslan]

What is the Mileage of this Car.. check for any abnormal play in your axles while the car in stationary. seems like an Axle (Inner) CV issue.

[matroska]

On 7/8/2024 at 7:29 PM, randika171 said:

So in my new civic, when I'm going around 20-40 kmph and I take the foot off the accelerator to brake, I feel a jerk in the car. It sometimes comes when I push down on the accelerator as well. It's very random but not very difficult to replicate. Doesn't seem to happen at 50+ kmph 

I recently replaced the CVT fluid and did a full service but didn't help

Any ideas on what this could be? I have another toyota with CVT and it doesn't have this issue.

Well if it's a very very mild jerkiness/hesitancy (wouldn't call it a pronounced jerk- maybe like the transmission taking half a second to think - 'ok slowing down what do i do next?' or even say someone loosening grip on something and gripping it again) can be normal in CVT's - I've experienced it in the Fit GP1 I used to have as well. If it is a pronounced jerk - better get it checked

is it something like the jerk/lurch mentioned here in this 

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/weird-cvt-transmission-jerk.75575/ 

Edited July 10 by matroska

[Gummybr]

Could be mounts as well.

[randika171]

13 hours ago, Ruslan said:

What is the Mileage of this Car.. check for any abnormal play in your axles while the car in stationary. seems like an Axle (Inner) CV issue.

50000km. I have a car inspection report which says the front left brake piston is bit damaged and the tappets are weak. Wonder if that's the issue?

[misnad]

Brakes, brakes and brakes. Ok so upon further inspection (and under my dictatorial approach this time!), it looks like the agent has come across 3 similar incidents with the Civic hatch, i.e. Brake-hold slipping on flat surfaces and the pedal slowly sinking to the floor after the initial stop. They’re draining the brake fluid finally, but said that it could either fix the issue or make it worse, which means it’ll require an ABS unit replacement, for which they do not have parts in stock. Wish me luck!

[tinyman]

On 7/10/2024 at 7:35 AM, matroska said:

Well if it's a very very mild jerkiness/hesitancy (wouldn't call it a pronounced jerk- maybe like the transmission taking half a second to think - 'ok slowing down what do i do next?' or even say someone loosening grip on something and gripping it again) can be normal in CVT's - I've experienced it in the Fit GP1 I used to have as well. If it is a pronounced jerk - better get it checked

is it something like the jerk/lurch mentioned here in this 

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/weird-cvt-transmission-jerk.75575/ 

Thank you. I also experienced the turbo lag and worried whether the CVT oil needs a change. my FC1 has 70k on ODO. However, service records indicate no instances of CVT oil change at Stafford (I bought the car with 34k on ODO). I was thinking of getting it changed.

Meanwhile, I changed the car's air filter a few weeks back in Dehiwala. I'm not very sure whether genuine or not, cost me 8k whereas Sta**ord quoted 21k. fuel eff. seems to be improved after the change though.

 

[matroska]

22 hours ago, misnad said:

Brakes, brakes and brakes. Ok so upon further inspection (and under my dictatorial approach this time!), it looks like the agent has come across 3 similar incidents with the Civic hatch, i.e. Brake-hold slipping on flat surfaces and the pedal slowly sinking to the floor after the initial stop. They’re draining the brake fluid finally, but said that it could either fix the issue or make it worse, which means it’ll require an ABS unit replacement, for which they do not have parts in stock. Wish me luck!

I suggest you check with the multiple parts vendors who have OEM parts - much quicker than the agents. There are around half a dozen smaller joints who seem to be doing a fairly decent job. The FK/FC series is now a mainstream car and as a result there are many parts vendors and (apparently) competent mechanics. I'm pretty sure what your car needs is someone to take the time to untie this knot from end to end and sort it out. 

Since you mentioned brake hold - am I the only one who does not quite use brake hold or Auto stop? For me those are probably the least used features in the car. 

[misnad]

40 minutes ago, matroska said:

I suggest you check with the multiple parts vendors who have OEM parts - much quicker than the agents. There are around half a dozen smaller joints who seem to be doing a fairly decent job. The FK/FC series is now a mainstream car and as a result there are many parts vendors and (apparently) competent mechanics. I'm pretty sure what your car needs is someone to take the time to untie this knot from end to end and sort it out. 

Since you mentioned brake hold - am I the only one who does not quite use brake hold or Auto stop? For me those are probably the least used features in the car. 

True. Just got the car back and they at least listened to me this time with the brake fluid bleed. The pedal feels more responsive now, however the brake hold issue still exists; it keeps trying to slip forwards. I use brake hold quite a bit in traffic towards office as it saves my foot from cramping up (Dematagoda tends to be chaotic!).

Apparently the ABS module is starting to malfunction, however not to the level where the warning light comes on. They said there were a few other cars that had the same issue and one had a complete ABS failure that caused the car to skid sideways when braking on the highway. Was asked to watch for uneven discoloration on the front discs since that would indicate the situation worsening. In any case, if that needs changing, I’m going to do it outside with a recon part. I do not intend to crash into god’s breakfast table past the pearly gates of heaven yet!

[tinyman]

2 hours ago, misnad said:

I’m going to do it outside with a recon part.

I once got some recon parts from a place in Grandpass called K.D Auto Parts, in Bodhirajarama Mawatha, opposite RPS. they also bring down on request as well. 

[randika171]

On 5/30/2024 at 7:01 PM, misnad said:

Honestly, I just love this car, however there is unfortunately less than a handful of people who can repair / maintain it well. The agent IMO is utter rubbish and talks big while making you feel like you need to worship them for any attention. With all these recent issues, I was actually contemplating fixing them up and switching to a Premio (I would never sell my car with all these unattended) purely because the level of support from that dealer is unmatched. Giving it one more shot at another place I found recently (the Hub also just did nothing to fix the brake issue and just “reset” the ABS sensors, whatever that means). The brakes are a bit better, but the pedal still can be pushed to the floor after the car comes to a stop, which means there is most likely an issue with the Master Brake Cylinder or water/air in the brake lines.

BTW all this is on a factory brand new car I purchased and imported  so it is disappointing. I still love the ride though.

Thanks for all your advice and help across the years. I ended up buying a civic sedan with around 50k on the clock. Had to do around 200k of repairs (the common oil leak and did full cleanup of turbo oil lines, changed timing belt). I also did a full service and changed all the fluids so it feels quite fresh now. Did everything at the hub because everyone says company sucks for civics. Company quoted around 600k for the same repair and service. They seem to add 50k labour to every individual job they do.

Although most say company maintenance is essential for selling vehicles, I feel like they will do more bad than good with all the information given here. Btw the people at the hub seem quite knowledgeable and explained the common issues in civics quite well. 

So far so good. Feels amazing to drive and solid pickup.

Using Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 fully synthetic recommended by the Hub.

Fuel is around 8-9 in the city for the sedan. 

Wondering what else I should do for preemptive maintenance? Like should I do an A/C checkup? Currently it seems fine and sufficiently cools but not sure if it has a leak..

[sathyajithj99]

11 hours ago, randika171 said:

Thanks for all your advice and help across the years. I ended up buying a civic sedan with around 50k on the clock. Had to do around 200k of repairs (the common oil leak and did full cleanup of turbo oil lines, changed timing belt). I also did a full service and changed all the fluids so it feels quite fresh now. Did everything at the hub because everyone says company sucks for civics. Company quoted around 600k for the same repair and service. They seem to add 50k labour to every individual job they do.

Although most say company maintenance is essential for selling vehicles, I feel like they will do more bad than good with all the information given here. Btw the people at the hub seem quite knowledgeable and explained the common issues in civics quite well. 

So far so good. Feels amazing to drive and solid pickup.

Using Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 fully synthetic recommended by the Hub.

Fuel is around 8-9 in the city for the sedan. 

Wondering what else I should do for preemptive maintenance? Like should I do an A/C checkup? Currently it seems fine and sufficiently cools but not sure if it has a leak..

Photos please 

[misnad]

13 hours ago, randika171 said:

Thanks for all your advice and help across the years. I ended up buying a civic sedan with around 50k on the clock. Had to do around 200k of repairs (the common oil leak and did full cleanup of turbo oil lines, changed timing belt). I also did a full service and changed all the fluids so it feels quite fresh now. Did everything at the hub because everyone says company sucks for civics. Company quoted around 600k for the same repair and service. They seem to add 50k labour to every individual job they do.

Although most say company maintenance is essential for selling vehicles, I feel like they will do more bad than good with all the information given here. Btw the people at the hub seem quite knowledgeable and explained the common issues in civics quite well. 

So far so good. Feels amazing to drive and solid pickup.

Using Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 fully synthetic recommended by the Hub.

Fuel is around 8-9 in the city for the sedan. 

Wondering what else I should do for preemptive maintenance? Like should I do an A/C checkup? Currently it seems fine and sufficiently cools but not sure if it has a leak..

Congrats on your purchase! I’d recommend checking the oil next time and see if it is of the right standard expected of your car. For example, mine recommends 5w30 ACEA A5, so I use Castrol Edge Professional A5 (gold can) now. Take care of the fluids and you’ll have a great ride overall.

For your AC, does it make any hissing noises inside the cabin? If not, that’s just fine and leave it as is. You’ll need to be cautious about the type of refrigerant in use. Mine uses r1234yf and got messed up when the agent decided to mix it with r134a. Eventually had to change the condenser due to a leak, completely flush it and convert to r134a. R1234yf is super expensive!

Last thing is your wheel alignment. Just get that checked once and you’re golden.

Other than that, just keep the car clean and it’ll serve you well. Oh and just get the 12v battery tested too in case that needs replacing, but I’m sure your service report would’ve checked that too. 

All the best with the new drive! You’re sure to enjoy it.

[randika171]

3 hours ago, misnad said:

Congrats on your purchase! I’d recommend checking the oil next time and see if it is of the right standard expected of your car. For example, mine recommends 5w30 ACEA A5, so I use Castrol Edge Professional A5 (gold can) now. Take care of the fluids and you’ll have a great ride overall.

For your AC, does it make any hissing noises inside the cabin? If not, that’s just fine and leave it as is. You’ll need to be cautious about the type of refrigerant in use. Mine uses r1234yf and got messed up when the agent decided to mix it with r134a. Eventually had to change the condenser due to a leak, completely flush it and convert to r134a. R1234yf is super expensive!

Last thing is your wheel alignment. Just get that checked once and you’re golden.

Other than that, just keep the car clean and it’ll serve you well. Oh and just get the 12v battery tested too in case that needs replacing, but I’m sure your service report would’ve checked that too. 

All the best with the new drive! You’re sure to enjoy it.

Thank you! Oil cap says ACEA C2 which matches with the Mobil 1 ESP so should be good. Did full service, changed all fluids, wheel alignment, interior clean and 12v battery test at the Hub. The battery apparently has 98% health but auto start stop is not working. Not needed anyway. 

I do hear a small hissing noise and a small fan noise at some times when the a/c is working but noticed the hissing noise goes away with some time. The fan noise is constant (very light but there). I keep the temp at 25 degrees and it seems sufficient. Wondering if I should get it checked.

Btw, I took it to company for a checkup and asked about the oil. They still recommend semi synthetic for some reason and keep telling me how so many civics come to get service done here and they put that oil to everything. I'm gonna stay away from them lol