# Honda Civic high reverse acceleration **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 14, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228 "2019-06-14T14:59:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_Norman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/rebecca_norman/32/16396_2.png) [@Rebecca\_Norman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rebecca_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/1 "2019-06-14T14:59:21Z")
09 Honda Civic sedan. Last week my car was kicking on the fan and rpms would jump then fall quickly like it was about to stall. Fan would shut off at this point, then repeat. Took it to mechanic and they said throttle body needed cleaned. Car is no longer doing that but when I put it in reverse now, let my foot of the brake, it takes off. Also, when I am driving and let my foot off the brake it does not decellerate like it should, almost like in cruise control. Also, rpms are higher when in park, about 2000. Which is abnormal for my car as rpms were always around 1500. It was not doing anything like this before I took it to the mechanic. The obvious suggestion would be to take it back to mechanic but I’d like some insight first as I’m not sure if to trust them or not. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/2 "2019-06-14T15:02:46Z")
> [@Rebecca\_Norman](#): > > The obvious suggestion would be to take it back to mechanic but I’d like some insight first as I’m not sure if to trust them or not. You give them one chance to solve this and if they can’t you find another shop . Also if you mess with it or someone else does then the original shop does not have to warranty their work. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/3 "2019-06-14T15:03:51Z")
Sounds like he might have set the idle high. Some Hondas will rev up and down when they’re low on coolant. Given that your fan keeps kicking in like that, I’d check coolant levels. ---
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_Norman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/rebecca_norman/32/16396_2.png) [@Rebecca\_Norman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rebecca_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/4 "2019-06-14T15:05:26Z")
Coolant level is fine, fan is no longer kicking on. Also, when it was kicking on, it was not overheating and temp was normal. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/5 "2019-06-14T15:17:27Z")
Your idle RPM (I assume automatic transmission here) should be 750-850rpm. Sounds like the idle hasn’t been right since you got the car. I would be looking at vacuum leaks, throttle position sensor, and I’d want to know if the mechanic messed with the throttle body because that can cause problems. But it may just be that you need to hook it up to a bi-directional scanner and relearn the idle and the throttle position sensor calibrations. ---
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_Norman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/rebecca_norman/32/16396_2.png) [@Rebecca\_Norman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rebecca_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/6 "2019-06-14T15:19:45Z")
I’m sorry I should have been more clear about rpms. They are usually that low in PARK, higher when driving. In park they are about 800, when driving, about 2000 And as I stated, the mechanic cleaned the throttle body. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/7 "2019-06-14T15:20:47Z")
In that case, what did this sentence refer to? > [@Rebecca\_Norman](#): > > Which is abnormal for my car as rpms were always around 1500. ---
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_Norman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/rebecca_norman/32/16396_2.png) [@Rebecca\_Norman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rebecca_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/8 "2019-06-14T15:25:18Z")
I meant 1500 while driving , highest would be 2000 ---
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_Norman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/rebecca_norman/32/16396_2.png) [@Rebecca\_Norman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rebecca_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/9 "2019-06-14T15:26:50Z")
Oh and I have never had a check engine light before and still don’t now. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/10 "2019-06-14T15:27:21Z")
Just to make sure we’re clear, the RPMs have not _gone up while driving_ since the mechanic touched it, correct? So the situation now is that while in park, the RPMs are around 2,000 whereas they used to be around 800? If both of the above are true, I would lean toward needing to relearn idle/throttle position sensor subsequent to the mechanic cleaning the throttle body. ---
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_Norman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/rebecca_norman/32/16396_2.png) [@Rebecca\_Norman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rebecca_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/11 "2019-06-14T15:31:35Z")
Yes correct. I have always taken really good care of the car. My mom bought it new and I’ve had it for 3 years. My dad was a “car guy” so he was anal about keeping up with any little thing off. Thanks for your help!! ---
**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/12 "2019-06-14T21:04:42Z")
Have your Dad look up the procedure for idle relearn for this vehicle. It is pretty straightforward and can be done without a scantool. ---
**Author:** ![Rebecca\_Norman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/rebecca_norman/32/16396_2.png) [@Rebecca\_Norman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rebecca_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/13 "2019-06-14T21:05:59Z")
Unfortunately my dad is not well and can’t do much with cars anymore 😔 ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2019, 3:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-civic-high-reverse-acceleration/142228/14 "2019-06-15T03:40:27Z")
You did not say the mechanic cleaned the throttle body. You wrote that he said it needed cleaning.