My dealer diagnosed my car with the dreaded problem many of you have described. The dealer thanked me for my research, so thanks to all of you for your helpful posts.

The part is back-ordered and they hope to have it in a week. It will then take 3-4 days to fix they say. This is the first of these they have seen.

I asked them whether or not Honda has a TSB on this. They said it doesn't but they do have a "Service News Article". I don't understand the difference.

While I am hopeful they will fix the car properly, I am not happy with the situation. I intend to press Honda for extended warranty coverage for the entire car.

They have told me it is okay to drive the car as much as i want.

 

Yeah if you don't mind your fuel economy and performance go in the toilet. Tell then that you are scared to let you wife drive it and you want a loaner until it is fixed. The Honda Zone tech guy will cover the loaner, but you gotta press them for it. We got a new accord for a week while they got the parts and fixed the car.

 

Thanks for the advice. I am now driving a new Civic while my car is repaired. They have the tool, but are still saying 4-5 days for part backorder and 2 days to repair once they have the part.

 

Welcome to the club dealing with the motor rotor sensor. I had the exact same symptoms you did at about 3000 miles after purchase. After replacing the sensor in February, everything is fine again and I haven't experienced any more problems. That was about 4000 miles ago. As others have stated, this is a known problem for Honda and I have not heard of anyone having any further problems after the sensor was replaced. The sensor deals with controlling the current to the electric motor (IMA). I'm sure one of our on-line experts can explain more about the IMA if you need it. My VIN number last five digits is 04325, manufactured in October 2006. This may give you an idea of where you stand in the manufacturing order with the early number VIN's for 2007s and the problem.

 

How do you interpret the VIN number and manufacture date? My last 5 digits are 11546. Today should be the day my Honda dealership gets the tool to fix the sensor. At least they got the part ready to be replaced. I am really wanting to get this issue resolved. It has been 3 weeks in the shop today. Once it gets fixed, I will keep everyone posted as to how the car works.

 

VIN - according to the service manual

JHMFA362*7S000001

JHM - Manufacturer, Model, Type --- Honda Motor Co. , Honda passenger vehicle
FA3 - Line, Body, Engine Type --- Civic Hybrid / LDA2
6 - Body Type & Transmission Type --- 4 door Sedan / CVT
2 - Vehicle Grade (series) --- MX
* - Check Digit
7 - Model Year --- 2007
S - Factory Code --- Suzuka Factory, Japan
000001 - Serial Number --- USA Models
800001 - Serial Number --- Canada Models

The manufacture date is on the inside driver door next to the tire pressure sticker.

Your serial number is the 11546th to come off the line. Yours is the highest number yet I have heard of with this problem.

The reason it has taken so long is that Honda lends out the tool for the fix and has to wait to get it back from one dealer before they can ship it to another dealer. This is what my dealer told me. So if one dealer just sits on it for awhile, it holds up the process for others.

 

Perfect...One tool...I'll have to check my VIN, I bought mine the end of December of '06. I am almost up to 4500 miles now.

 

My dealer tells me they have the tool from Honda but that the part is backordered and they still don't know when it will be in.

 

Oh, don't worry. All of that part is at the dealerships that are waiting on the tool that your dealer has. j/k, just trying to lighten the atmosphere

 

The dealer now tells me the car is apart and will be ready late tomorrow afternoon. It seems this is quite an event for the dealership.