Honda City: common faults & what to check

Which Honda City are you looking at?

2 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

1 variant documented

2009–2020GM2009–2020GM1.5 petrolPetrolDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Aero777 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 my.

Hybrid

1 variant documented

2009–2020GM2009–2020GM1.5 hybrid (Grace)HybridDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Aero777 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 my.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Honda City

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Honda City before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start then drive in stop-go and up a hill, feeling for judder and shift hesitation.

  See why

  i-DCD 7-speed dual-clutch failure (Grace hybrid)

  The Honda Grace/City hybrid does not use a CVT - it uses Honda's 7-speed dual-clutch i-DCD gearbox (same unit as the JDM Fit/Vezel hybrid), which had a troubled launch. Honda issued a series of Japan recalls for the DCT control software that could cause a delay driving off, inability to move, or juddering/harsh shifts. The dry-clutch design overheats in stop-go traffic and wears; owners report overheating warnings and loss of drive uphill. Grey-import Graces often never received the corrective firmware, and fault code P2857 (clutch pressure) is common. Ignored, it progresses from judder to non-engagement and full DCT replacement.

  What you would notice

  • Shudder/judder pulling away from a stop
  • Jerky, harsh or delayed shifts
  • Transmission-overheat warning in traffic
  • Hesitation or loss of drive on uphill starts

  Typically $3,500–$9,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Inspect the rubber boot for splitting or grease loss.

  See why

  Front Lower Control Arm Ball Joint Wear

  The front lower control arm on the City GM6/GM8 uses a pressed-in ball joint that is not separately serviceable from the arm on most parts-supply channels, meaning wear requires arm replacement. The joint's polymer-lined socket wears under the combined radial and axial loads of front suspension travel, particularly in markets with variable road surfaces, causing increasing play that affects steering accuracy and allows the knuckle to move in ways the ABS and VSA sensors do not expect. Undetected wear can progress to sudden joint separation, which results in immediate loss of front wheel steering control.

  What you would notice

  • Clunking or knocking from the front suspension over bumps or during slow cornering
  • Vague or wandering steering feel with slight shimmy at highway speeds
  • Uneven or accelerated inner front tyre wear

  Typically $350–$900 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Test drive at 30–50 km/h with light throttle on flat road — feel for a rhythmic shudder through the floor or seat.

  See why

  CVT (Earth Dreams) Belt Judder Under Light Load

  The Honda City GM6 automatic variants use a CVT with a dry-start pushbelt design that is sensitive to degraded CVT fluid, particularly after intervals exceeding 40,000 km without a fluid change. Degraded fluid loses its friction-modifier package, causing the steel pushbelt to slip micro-incrementally against the pulley faces under light-load acceleration from low speeds, producing a characteristic judder or shudder felt through the drivetrain. Left unaddressed, belt-to-pulley contact wear accelerates and can require full CVT replacement.

  What you would notice

  • Vibration or judder felt through the car body during gentle acceleration from 20–60 km/h
  • Shudder that disappears under firm throttle or at higher speeds
  • CVT fluid that is brown or smells burnt on inspection

  Typically $250–$4,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Cold-start the engine and listen immediately for top-end rattle.

  See why

  L13Z / L15Z Timing Chain Cold-Start Rattle

  Honda City models using the L13Z and L15Z 1.3–1.5L engines share the same hydraulic timing chain tensioner design and documented cold-start rattle pattern as other Honda L-series small engines. Rattle is caused by slow oil pressure build-up at the tensioner and is exacerbated by infrequent oil changes or incorrect viscosity oil. The fault is documented by NZ and AU City owners across multiple model years.

  What you would notice

  • Metallic rattle from engine top end at cold start clearing within seconds
  • Rattle worsens progressively if oil changes are delayed
  • VVT or camshaft position fault codes
  • Occasional rough idle when fully cold

  Typically $900–$2,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Inspect the rubber boots for splits or displacement.

  See why

  Front and Rear Brake Caliper Guide Pin Seizure

  The City GM6/GM8 uses sliding-type brake calipers front and rear where the caliper body floats on two steel guide pins that are coated in rubber boots filled with brake grease. In humid or coastal environments, the boots crack with age and allow moisture to contact the pin and its aluminium bracket bore, causing galvanic corrosion that locks the guide pin in place. A seized guide pin prevents the caliper from retracting after brake application, causing the outer pad to remain pressed against the rotor, leading to rapid pad wear on one side, rotor scoring, and brake drag that generates heat sufficient to cause brake fluid boil in extreme cases.

  What you would notice

  • Uneven brake pad wear with the outer pad significantly thinner than the inner pad on the same axle
  • Brake drag, pulling to one side under braking, or a hot wheel/burning smell after normal driving

  Typically $150–$700 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check for illuminated EPS warning light in the instrument cluster.

  See why

  Electric Power Steering Column Motor Failure

  The City GM6/GM8 uses a column-mounted electric power steering (C-EPS) unit where the assist motor and torque sensor are integrated into the steering column assembly. The motor brushes and the torque sensor wiring harness connector are susceptible to moisture ingress through the firewall grommet and column shroud seams, causing intermittent assist dropout or, in advanced cases, complete assist failure. Honda issued a warranty extension on related EPS complaints in several markets, and DTC P0-series EPS codes stored in the body control module confirm electrical faults rather than mechanical ones.

  What you would notice

  • EPS warning light illuminating intermittently, particularly in wet or humid conditions
  • Sudden increase in steering effort at low speeds with no warning light

  Typically $800–$2,800 to put right.

Honda City service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Honda City. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Honda City’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• CVT Gearbox Repair Cost
• DSG and Dual-Clutch Gearbox Repair Cost

Other Honda models