Some other Civic Hybrids I see from the same time period also have apparent rust in the same areas (doors, rear windows, trunk lid). I get the impression that the gasoline-fueled Civics from the same period don’t, but of course I have no hard stats.
I also see that dust (brake dust?) tends to accumulate on the rear of the rear doors, close to the location of the hybrid battery.
Can there be any link between the “hybrid” characteristic and the premature rust?
Other possible factors : as far as i can tell, all Civic Hybrids were made in a single factory in Japan; some were sitting on dealer lots for a long time.
Poking around on the net it seems that, contrary to your impression, Civics from that era are prone to body rust whether they are hybrids or not. I’m guessing that they changed something in the paint formula or rust proofing chemicals that they used that didn’t work out too well in the long run. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the fact that yours is a hybrid.
ETA: There’s a recall on some Civics due to paint issues. I found references to 2007 Civics being recalled. I don’t know if they had that issue sorted out by the 2009 models or not. Might be worth checking into.
There was a general recall of 2009 Civics because they had added some metal trim on the trunk lid for that model year and a rust problem developed around that trim (ISTR it was specifically mentioned that it was due to a galvanic reaction between the two metals, and they were adding an insulator in between). But that only affected the trunk lid.
There is one potential issue with the hybrid system and rust. Because the engine cycles on and off, the exhaust system sometimes doesn’t warm up fully, so you get condensation building up in the exhaust and on the back of the car. The exhaust systems on hybrids are generally stainless, but if there is an issue with rust on the back of the car (like that trunk lid issue) the condensation from the exhaust can exacerbate it.
most rust issues on a modern car are because there was one or more spots which water, salt, or other corrosives could get trapped in and sit. body design tries to avoid this but sometimes things get overlooked.
If the Civic Hybrid works anything like my Honda Insight did then it’s worth noting that they don’t operate like Priuses. If the car is rolling, the engine is on. The car needs a bunch of things to happen in order to shut off the engine and one of them is that the car is at a full stop. On top of that, the engine was small enough that it warmed up very quickly. My heat would turn on within a mile or two of pulling out of my garage. I know that doesn’t mean the exhaust was warmed up, but it likely only took an extra minute or two more than any other car of it’s size. The only issue I can see is that in winter the exhaust system may have cooled off very rapidly without hot gases moving through it for 30 seconds here or there.
But, I just wanted to point out that it’s not that you’re ever going 20 minutes on battery power, it’s just 30 seconds here and and 30 seconds there.
up until the latest Accord Hybrid, Honda’s cars have used what they call IMA or “Integrated Motor Assist.” It’s more or less a glorified auto stop/start system like the eAssist on some GM cars, and can’t move the car under electric power alone.
Well, it’s more than that, it’s a stop/start system, but it’s also a big honkin’ electric motor that helps the gas engine. Take a look at the block for the Insight. You can see the IC engine at the top and the DC motor at the bottom.
