3 motor mounts broken, and I'm Stock!!!

[pappaljf]

Here's the story

I was driving around one day, and all of a sudden, a hear a sort of scratching noise at low RPMs. it sounds like something is grinding in the tranny. The easisest way to make this happen is to blip the throttle in 1st or second. Anyway, I take it into the dealership, hoping to cop a new tranny.


They call me back, and say THREE of the four motor mounts are broken. Two upper and one lower need to be replaced. My engine was basically shaking all over the place. The crazy thing is, I've already had a mount replaced under warranty ~5k miles ago. It was making the same damn noise then.


Has anyone experienced this, and can anyone explain? The 135 WHP I put down should rip the engine off the mounts like this! My engine is STOCk. I'll 'spiritedly drive' every now and again, but I certainly don't take my car to the track or anything like that.

I noticed another post like this about someone who bought ES motor mounts being told his stock mounts were jacked. Is this an unknown issue with our cars?

[02civicSI]

damn. makes me want to get those es motor mounts even sooner.

[bioevolve]

Sounds like something else is wrong, if it keeps breaking motor mounts. Maybe a design engine placement error. If you break another one, maybe you should get a another Si.

[pappaljf]

I'm actually looking into an RSX Type S. I've had nothing but hassles with the SI. It seems like either people have no problems, or a ton of problems. My tranny is giving me so many headaches, my struts make ungodly noises going over bumps, and for some reason my motor mounts keep breaking.

'll keep everyone updated.

[i-WERKS]

I'm curious as to what sound it's making. Sometimes when I drive in 1st or 2nd gear and hit the throttle, it makes a squeeky noise. I think I may have the same problem. This only happens when I take off or blip the throttle at low rpms.
Could someone post a picture of where I can find the mounts and if it's possible to visually check them?

BTW Did honda replace them under warranty?

[02SilverSiHB]

I'm starting to see a lot of people have these problems with the si and motor mounts...how many miles do you have on the car?

[pappaljf]

I had ~20k miles when I first noticed the noise. It was fixed and now it's happened again at 26k miles.

Interestingly, the motor mount that was originally replaced was one of the three broken ones.

The noise is best described as a grinding, scratching sound. It's best heard in first, second, and third gear, under heavy acceleration. Bumps can also bring out the noise. It's infrequent, but sounds AWFUL when you do hear it.

Bioevolve has me worried. Can anyone suggest what underlying problem might be causing mounts to repeatedly break? Should I allow Honda to simply replace the mounts and send me on my way?

Also, should I be driving the car around? The dealership called and wants me to pick it up tommorrow because the parts won't be in for a week and a half. With 3 broken mounts, is it safe?

Please give me info here, this crap, along with the worsening tranny problems and my new squeaks from the front supsension have me seriously considering jumping ship for an RSX-S.

[pappaljf]

I-werks

Hells yeah they're replacing those mounts, my car is stock except for Rota Subs and JDM H's.

[pappaljf]

Update:

Went to the dealership today. They basically said the car was safe to drive, and they wanted me to take it until the mounts came in (1 week or so)


The service manager asked me if I had any aftermaket mods to the shift linkage (short throw kit, I guess?) I told her "no, just a shift knob" She then had the balls to ask me "Do you drive big trucks?" implying that I shift the car roughly. I responded that the shifts had progressively become worse, and that anyone who drives the car will say that they have to shift harder than you would think.

Several interesting things:

1. She acknowledge that motor mount problems can lead to transmission problems. Does anyone here know about this connection?

2. She said that the mounts were not *broken* As those were the exact words of my service advisor, I was a bit skeptical. The dealership has placed those mounts on order, and she said there was something wrong with them. I imagine they're showing wear, or cracking, or something. She wouldn't tell me exactly what's wrong with them, it's like a freaking mystery game over there.

3. Driving around today was worse as ever. The noises originate from the driver's side of the car. Ungodly creaking while accelerating in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.

I've researched on CLUBRSX, there are threads that basically say that stock motor mounts suck and always break. Most of these guys are running A2's on the track frequently, so I don't understand why I'm having similar problems.

Interestingly, there is a Mugen Mount kit, it replaces 3 of the stock mounts entirely and costs like 500 bucks.

Anyway, this is really a glorified bump, I'm curious for input on this ongoing problem.

[TrippZ]

mounts are hollow in the middle right, maybe there's too much play in there. considered putting in inserts?

[PeteSan3]

Where can you buy these ES motor mount inserts from?

[02NJHondaep3]

I have the same problem only I broke one and all i have is an intake. Honda bitched at me until finally they agreed to replace it. I'm driving on my ripped mount until the part comes in. They said I abused the car.I'm so pissed at them right now. Since you broke yours I feel much better now cause theres a chance that it was a faulty part and the people at my honda are dickheads. I hope everything works out for you and hopefully me cause I'll make honda hear it.

[pappaljf]

The dealership service manager ATTEMPTED to ascertain if I had 'abused' the car, and caused damage to the mounts. She's also pulling my service records from the last dealership. This will be fixed under warranty, as the car is stock and I don't do 6k clutch dumps.

My car's a clunker, pure and simple. Problem after problem. My seatbelts don't even tension properly (they just sort of hang there)

The suspension rattles

The tranny shifts like crap

Motor mounts keep breaking (apparently compounding my transmission problems?!)


I'm test driving an RSX-S this week, and if all goes well, I'll be trading my angry hamster in before christmas. Enough is Enough. Too many problems, service people are too rude, and the car just doesn't cut it for me any more.

Anyone else feel that the Civic SI is a blemish on Honda's good reputation for reliability? Or are their standards in the toilet?

[Makross]

Just when i squealed third gear for the first time i startin to hear these noises tooo from first to second gear. :confusem:

[ATRIOT]

Originally posted by pappaljf
The dealership service manager ATTEMPTED to ascertain if I had 'abused' the car, and caused damage to the mounts. She's also pulling my service records from the last dealership. This will be fixed under warranty, as the car is stock and I don't do 6k clutch dumps.

My car's a clunker, pure and simple. Problem after problem. My seatbelts don't even tension properly (they just sort of hang there)

The suspension rattles

The tranny shifts like crap

Motor mounts keep breaking (apparently compounding my transmission problems?!)


I'm test driving an RSX-S this week, and if all goes well, I'll be trading my angry hamster in before christmas. Enough is Enough. Too many problems, service people are too rude, and the car just doesn't cut it for me any more.

Anyone else feel that the Civic SI is a blemish on Honda's good reputation for reliability? Or are their standards in the toilet?

Please phone Honda USA about your experiances dealing with the service department at your dealership. Theres no excuse for them to be rude at all. Poor service makes me :yellm:

[pappaljf]

Here's the follow up

Called the dealership today, two weeks after they said they had 'ordered' the mounts. It turns out, three of my motor mounts were moderately worn, not broken. Regardless, the dealer diagnosed this as the source of the noise. The district American honda rep decided to cancel the parts order, and so now it looks like honda won't repair it. The manager basically said I had have too many repairs done. My only complaints have been a creaking clutch, crappy shifts, and now this weird noise from behind the dash. I know probably half this board has had creaky clutch noises or crappy shifts. The service manager said 'all cars make noises.' That got me really mad. Looks like I'm heading to another freakin' dealer. Seems like a waste oftime, since this district manager will probably just deny the repair again.

I doubt anyone here cares. My car sucks. Honda dealers are gay. I really don't have much more fight in me.

Should I bring the car to a mechanic, get what's wrong in writing, bring it to the dealer, and sue if they don't repair it? This shit should be under warranty!

[intelli]

I've been lucky and never had the problems you are having with a dealer, however my father had similar problems with an Acura dealer. In his case the dealer refused to change a timing belt on schedule at 60,000 miles (1986 Integra). They thought it was supposed to be done at 90,000 like most Honad's and Acura at that time. Well at 71,000 miles guess what? It went and the repair bill was close to $3000.00. After a battle with the dealer, my father contacted American Honda. Within a couple of days he had a check for the full amount minus the cost of the timing belt.

Call or better yet write American Honda. They can be very helpful. The last thing they need is more bad press on these boards.

Good Luck.

[pappaljf]

got the letter already written.

Here's my plan.


When I come back from vacation, I'm going straight to the dealership that's jerking me around. I'm bringing 50 copies of the letter of complaint I just wrote. I'm driving up to the service lane like they didn't say anything, and describing the problem again. If I get ANY crap, I'm going to just start wandering around the lot, giving copies of my complaint letter to any and every one.

I suspect they can't simply deny me warranty repairs, And if they do, I intend to get that denial in writing. And then take that letter personally to Honda's office in Torrance if I have to.

Definately the last Honda I buy. Sucks.

[2.0L Monster]

Honda dealers hate when you mention the lemon law.

[pappaljf]

doesn't lemon law only apply until 20k miles?

[rs_1101]

yea in some ways honda has let the consumer down alot these last few years. i heart my si, but im thoroughly dissapointed with some of the crap honda has done to our car. its fatter. it shifts too low. i mean seriously.
sure our si is the most powerful ever, but its SLOW. jesus youd think that as time goes by, cars would become faster and better? no. the si is turning into a watered down dorm car. i heart my si, but everywhere i look on it, it seems like honda screwed something up in some small way.
low revs
heavy body
sunroof should be optional
minivan appearance
problematic tranny
weak motor mounts

i think, not one, not two but all of us should write to honda or do some kind of demonstration or petition or something. honda needs to know that its designers and engineers are smoking crack

[pappaljf]

My problem isn't one of a slow car, mini van look, or anything like that. I knew what I was buying. I didn't know a honda dealership would flat out deny me warranty repairs.

Understand that there are no 'failure to reproduce speeches.' This 'creaking coffin' noise is loud and obvious. The dealership knows all about it, but doesn't want to fix it. I'm so pissed. Don't you guys get tired of dealers screwing with you? Aren't you tired of just be assumed to be a ricer?

My clutch master, crappy shifting, and a previous broken mount were replaced under warranty. Does this qualify me as a 'problem' customer?