Wow this thread started back in July and the issue has not been resolved.

What is Arbitration?

Texas has two different arbitration programs, a manufacturer-sponsored arbitration program, and a State sponsored arbitration program.
Under the State Lemon Law, the consumer must request arbitration with the Texas Motor Vehicle Board. Consumers requesting relief under the State Lemon Law must proceed through the Arbitration Board. If the Board rejects a dispute, or the decision rendered by the Board is unsatisfactory, the consumer may take the claim to a Court of Law. However, a consumer does not have to pursue the State Lemon Law and in some cases it is advisable not to.

The Federal Lemon Law provides that manufacturers may set up arbitration programs. These programs receive consumers' complaints and are supposed to attempt to resolve the legitimate ones prior to a lawsuit being filed with a Court of Law. If the manufacturer has properly set up such a program, then the consumer's case must first proceed through such a program. However, not all the manufacturers have such arbitration programs and many times the vehicle is ineligible for arbitration due to age or mileage, per the arbitration programs' own rules.

Texas (TX) Lemon Law Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Kahn & Associates, L.L.C.

 

I work for a Honda dealership, which is a far drive from you. But we are the only Presidents awarded Dealership in the region and we give loaner cars for free, fyi. I hope American Honda is able to help you resolve this issue. I know a bunch of dealers here in Houston can be useless sometimes.

 

Yeah they can be. Lol I don't know what they're doing any different than the last times they had it. I did receive a call this evening from the service manager saying they're still working on it. Said they can't find anything wrong. They've always said that. I'm losing complete faith in Hondas employees at this dealer. Lol I was told this would happen. They're gonna give it back, AGAIN, and say we can't reproduce the problem. Well that's not gonna cut it with me. I've proven there's a problem. Did they're procedures they asked and it showed proof. So idk what's gonna happen. All I know is this cars a lemon by Texas state law standards and they should replace it or if they don't want me as a Honda customer anymore then refund me every penny I've spent and send me on my way. This is very very frustrating. :-(

 

Oh and to cjecpa, thanks for the link. I've seen a few other sites but none seemed as legit and informative as the one u posted. I'll give them a call when and if Honda won't do the right thing. I really hope it don't come to that. Im not a fan of courts. Lol

 

Hoping I hear something today!

 

Your not the only one my friend. I drive like a complete asshole in my fit. Have a cold air intake, bigger headers, new bigger exhaust, plus some minor other things but I have always gotten 20-25 mpg no matter what I have had done to it. I beat the living piss out of the car. And I have always had the same outcome. Hope you hear something soon very interested.

 

Well I wish I did, then I'd have a reason! However I don't. So to update this matter, Honda dealer called me today at 5 to say the car can be picked up. They done all the diagnostics they can, drove it, and there saying everything checks out. Saying they can't get it to go as low as I'm claiming. Saying upper management wants me to take a worksheet and go to same gas station same pump three more times and keep it documented. Lol I just did that for them 9 times!!! I told them that! I asked to start arbitration proceedings cause I'm claiming lemon. They said I'd have to call Honda to start it. Said it was a long and horrible process. Said it would take forever. Saying it don't usually achieve much. I'm at a loss as to what to do here. I mean I'm at the point of hiring an Atty. Honda dealers saying that would be a waste of my time and money. I just don't really know what to do here. Try negotiating more when I pick the car up on Monday morn or just take it and hire an Atty. I don't want to piss them off to the point they won't work with me. They're saying were on ur side! It don't feel like it! Any advice? What would u guys do? I feel as if they wanna send me back out in it and maybe put a device hidden on my car to monitor my driving style when I bring it back after this worksheet. Its not an issue as I'm not a hard driver but it feels dirty to think it may be a reality. I don't know anymore. I'm very very frustrated. I'm at the point of ruining my credit by handing in the car with the keys and saying bye. It makes me NEVER want to buy a new car again. Just buy and drive beaters. Idk. Sooooo frustrated.

 

Do you let the car idle when you start it?

What does the bar graph show as your mpg when you drive a steady 30 mph? 60 mph? Have you reset the trip odometer to have the computer calculate actual mpg every month or two?

 

Dont let yourself get frustrated.
Realize there are going to be a few bad apples in ANY bunch.

What I do recommend is you unhook your NEGATIVE battery cable. Once unhooked, hop in and press the brake pedal a few times. This verifies power drain.

Leave it unhooked for several minutes.

Now hook the cable back up (making sure battery terminals are clean!) and turn the car on.
allow the car to idle until the radiator fans have kicked on more often then once every few minutes.


This is a rough but easy way for the car computer to recognize the environment, set a correct idle speed, and get a rough calibration for fueling.

Now go out on a drive and see if the car feels sluggish or good.

If its sluggish, nothing was gained, and you should follow through on your lemon process.

If the car feels BETTER then you have just been a victim of a burp in the car computer. These things do happen, and a battery/ecu reset like described should honestly be done with every big season change, aka, for most of the US, 3-4 times a year

EDIT this reset will lock factory radio. Use 1-6 and punch in the code that is in your glovebox, or call a honda dealership to get the code location. It is in multiple locations on the car for security reasons, and for you to enjoy your radio from your own hands rather then having a dealership get directly involved

EDIT2 you will need a 10mm wrench to remove negative cable

EDIT3 I drive 65% city 30% highway 5% time idling (military, waiting on formations, etc..) and my average mileage NEVER goes under 24mpg. When im more like 50% highway its never under 30mpg average (2013 Base Manual)

 

I appreciate the advice. Yes I've reset it by disconnecting the neg terminal. The dealer said they did it too. I'm honestly done trying to fix it. I shouldn't have to. Honda should fix it or replace my car. Plain and simple. I just don't feel like they care at all! I do believe I've made up my mind to hire an Atty and let them deal with Honda. I'm spent. I've def lost allll faith in Hondas, sad sad sad for me too after being Honda loyal for 20+ yrs. :-(

 

I dont mean to be negative, but I think its extremely foolish and ignorant to give up hondas on one incident. Hondas are great little buggers!

It sounds PERFECTLY reasonable to have honda either fix or replace the car. It is unreasonable to have to continue to deal with it.


But seriously, driving style can effect it HUGELY. If you meep meep ever so slowly from a stoplight going up to speed, you will probably NEVER see north of 25mpg average if you do a lot of city driving.


I think you should play with a few different driving styles. Ive owned nearly every civic from 1988 through 2001 at least once. I learned early on that hondas like getting their throttle abused to get up to speed, then you cruise, and sit there sipping the gas.

I see most people getting low mileage in otherwise perfect hondas when they come from a larger motor, even if it was an accord v6 down to the almighty fuel saving civic VX. I got nearly 65mph in my old VX, while other people couldnt get 40mpg.


Maybe Im a bit biased, but I do believe in experimenting.

I will say this though. Sign a car rental contract out to your dealership with 0$ payments, and have them borrow the car while you use a rental. The rental agreement covers the car and you if something happens. Let them actually drive it and see if they get the same results

Something like that will be in agreement from the dealership owner. it is an immensly SMALL chance they will do it, but if they bite, that is a good way of PROVING to them your car is a bad apple amongst a huge bushel of gemstones!

EDIT when I say "they like to get their throttle abused" I mean it loosely. Dont slam the pedal down like a teenager, but use a little right foot motivation to get the car up to speed with the flow of traffic. If you pay attention to your fuel gallons per mile gauge in teh center of your cluster, you can learn what causes bad mileage. my car says 12 or 14mpg whenever im accelerating. so, with shorter time accelerating and more time cruising at speed, of course hte MPGs are going to go north!

 

Sir. I'm no where near a teenager. I'm 39 yes old. Lol as far as Hondas, sir I've actually owned 36 of em. From 79 civics to 85 crx to 91 crx to accords to integras. I won't give up on Hondas of the past. I'm referring to the new ones. Apparently they're just not built at the quality level they once were. Honda won't keep it anymore. They said they don't have the manpower?? I see ur points too, however easy to say when its not happening to you. Lol this process has been hell. Not fun at all.I've experimented alllllll types of drive styles as well. The cars a piece of shit.period.

 

And I did not come from a bigger motor. Idk if u read the whole thread. I came from an 09 fit to this 11 fit. The 09 had no issues with this , yet this one does? Hence not the driver!! I too believe in experimenting, but that roads been traveled. Honda is failing! Period.

 

Look I appreciate alllll the advice from everyone on how to improve the mpg. I've tried practically everything I can. Sad thing is though is I shouldn't have to. The car states 28 city 31hwy. Its no where near that. Hondas apparently stumped.The big picture here is the cars been in service too many times for this to still be a problem. I just want what's right to happen. If it were any of you I'm sure you'd feel the same way. I just don't know what else to do except go the Atty route which sucks in itself.

 

I don't understand what this worksheet and 3 time fill up with documentation they're wanting me to do (basically AGAIN!) is going to show that the 9+ receipts I already did this with didn't. I feel like they're just trying to sweep me under the rug. Kinda upsetting!

 

You've completed due diligence trying to solve the issue. Unfortunately the lemon laws favor the dealers, and MPG is a grey area where it would be difficult to prove it's defective. If it were me I'd be looking to trade and take the few grand loss and move on. Life's too short to be stuck with an aggravation like this.

Skimming the thread I don't see where you've attempted a controlled experiment, taking the car on the road for a steady 55mph run over 60 miles or so. I think you said the car's avg mpg display is accurate according to your manual calculations, just clear it and see what it says after a leisurely hour's drive.

 

Were do you drive? Mostly flat or are you perpetually driving on an incline, lol. I think dealer is telling you they cant recreate because they arn't driving a full tanks worth

 

I agree with steve244. I think if you start chasing the rabit down the hole with the lemon law theyll slap you with "there hasn't been three repairs"

 

I agree its frustrating. $&@!ing frustrating. I hate going to dealers for repairs. I have a horror story with my 350z that has since made me not like nissan anymore. Plus nissans wiring diagrams is like crack head engineering

 

I get up to 38mpg highway with the a/c on, but in Baltimore city traffic average around 21mpg. I think it's normal.