A woman turns to TikTok for answers about an issue with her 2014 Honda Civic, and—for once —the internet offers simple, actionable advice.
TikTok user Sari (@sarisahara) posted a video with her question recently. She starts the video by saying, “So I need a car person to tell me what’s going on with my car, because I’m not really sure and I just want to know what kind of fix this is going to be and what it’s going to cost to get fixed.”
She explains that she's the owner of a 2014 Honda Civic. Approximately five or six times, she’s been stopped at a red light or a stop sign and found herself stuck when she lets go of the brake. When she hits the gas, the Civic stops moving, and she gets an alert to turn the car on.
“But I can’t turn the car on, because it’s already on,” she states. “So I hit the button a few times so it moves again.”
She closes the video by saying, “Obviously that’s not normal. And I just don’t know what could be causing that. So if someone could explain that to me, that would be super helpful. And about how much it’s going to cost to get that fixed.”
‘Start Small and Cheap’
Several users offered quick, easy fixes to at least eliminate the obvious, such as changing the batteries on her key fob. If the battery is out, then the car may not recognize it as in the vehicle.
“Start with basics. It could just need a tune up. Worn spark plugs can cause low idle and bad acceleration,” another user added.
The 2014 Honda Civic is equipped with an engine start/stop button, which lets you get into the car, start the engine, turn it off, and lock and unlock it—all with just the press of a few buttons. If you have the fob on you, then you don’t need a key to do any of that. This feature should not be confused with auto start/stop, which is a technology that starts and stops your car’s engine as a way of improving fuel efficiency.
So What’s Actually Wrong With Her 2014 Honda Civic?
In the comments of the TikTok video, a few viewers offered what could be helpful advice. “Could be a few things ranging from electrical to crankshaft to even the fuel system,” wrote one helpful viewer and self-described Honda guy. “I wish I could give you a price estimate, but it ranges!”
Another user agreed that the cost could vary widely. “Could be a simple relay ruse,” they wrote. “$20. Or it could be an electrical or control module. $2,000. Being that it’s random, it’s going to be hard to trace unless there are stored codes that give some indication.”
Someone else put it this way. “You know who could tell you this? A mechanic.”
It’s Not Just Her
This doesn’t appear to be an uncommon problem. Last year, a 2014 Honda Civic owner wrote to the Car Problem Fix and Help Group on Facebook about a similar issue. “It won’t turn on,” he wrote. I changed the start/stop switch, but it still won’t turn on. It also has a new battery.”
One person replied, “You might need to tell the computer that you changed the button over.”
Motor1 reached out to Sari via TikTok for comment. We'll update this article when we hear back.
@sarisahara It’s happened like 5-6 times since April. Sos! #honda #hondacivic #car #cartrouble #2014hondacivic #singlemom #momsover30 #emo #alt #blonde #piercings #coda #driving #blackcar #carguy #carguythings ♬ original sound - sari
