Honda Motor Co. is alerting Civic owners in the United Kingdom of a faulty handbrake. The move was made after customers complained that the handbrake did not stick when applying it while pushing the release button, according to New Car Net. Reports added dozens of cars have to roll away from where the sedans were parked.

The Japanese automaker is sending out letters to nearly 80,000 Civic owners notifying them of a potential problem with the sedan’s handbrake. The letter tells the car owners to get in touch with their local Honda dealer for free replacement of the handbrake. The automaker will be sending out the letters throughout March and April.

“As a responsible car manufacturer we felt it was important for us to inform our customers as soon as possible. We are asking customers to visit their local Honda dealer and have a new handbrake fitted free of charge. We appreciate that this is an inconvenience for customers,” a Honda spokesperson said.

The handbrake problem applies to the automaker’s best-selling sedan built between November 2006 and October 2007 at Honda's factory in South Marston, near Swindon in Wiltshire. It is believed the problem affects about one in every 1,000 Civics, Auto Trader said.

"We do apologize for any inconvenience to customers," the spokesperson added.

Honda recommends that drivers do not push the release button when using the handbrake as it could result in the handbrake not locking. The Civic user manual states the handbrake should be activated by just pulling up the handbrake and not applying the button – which could result in the brake not activating, according to AHN.

The latest generation Honda Civic famed for its spaceship-like dynamic design went on sale in 2006. The automaker redesigned the car to give it a curvaceous aura. It is equipped with ABS and side and curtain airbags.

To note, the 2006 models obtained ULEV-2 (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) certification. What’s more, the 2006 Civic is given the 1.8 liter engine – more powerful than its ancestors’ whilst retaining almost the same fuel economy rate.

Last year, the Type-R hot hatch and Type-S joined the range with an eco-friendly hybrid model that went on sale at the end of 2007. Hybrids are sold with relatively few options such as automatic day/night compass mirrors, navigation system, and wheel locks.