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Honda Civic Hybrid Tire/Wheel Questions

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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Posting of personal contact information and phone numbers is not permitted as we cannot verify that phone numbers belong to the people that they are claimed to be for, and those people may not want their names and phone numbers posted on a public message board.

    Please do not post such information as the posts will be removed.
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    rabpeterabpete Member Posts: 2
    Any one have a copy to post. Cat is out of the bag.
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    rabpeterabpete Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone notice the vibration and noisy tires (Dunlaps) on the 4 door Civic Hybrid? Honda dealer says I am being "too picky, it is not a luxury car," but it seems from other posts they have had a problem with the back end. Thoughts?
    I did find a recall on several manufacturing months for faulty seals on the rear bearings -- recall # 07V399000--3/24/2005 to 09/01/2006.
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    edeberghedebergh Member Posts: 3
    My husband and I bought a civic hybrid 2007. It is vibrating also. Most noticeable at 85km. They have checked numerous things. Rotated tires, alignment, tried other tires (we have Toyo winter tires which we bought this winter. The car is only 10 months old and vibrated on its original tires. The dealer had the car for three weeks and is now saying it is an "inherent characteristic" of the car. What? We did not have a vibration when we bought the car. It started about 5 months into owning it and has continued and gotten worse. Anyone else experiencing this?
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    edeberghedebergh Member Posts: 3
    we have a HCH 2007 that is 10 months old. At about 5 months, we also began experiencing a vibration mainly at 85km though you could feel it at lower speeds. The dealer agreed that there was a vibration and rotated the tires, did an alignment and switched the tires with a new hybrid on the lot and took two hybrids from the lot for a drive to compare to our car. Final result we got our car back after three weeks and the vibration still exists. Honda has stated in the end that there is a vibration but it is a natural characteristic of the hybrid. What? The vibration is so bad that you feel numb after driving the car for an hour. Any thoughts?
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    tomnkimtomnkim Member Posts: 1
    Just gor back from the dealer and was told about my rear wheels. Shocked and never heard of TSB -08-001. Dealer fixed the problem and then asked if I wanted to purchase new tires. WHAT! They have 18K miles with 5/32" on them and the inside was gone. I asked where did you take the measurement, from the middle of the tire, YEP??? I understand the pro-rated caculation and frankly don't care. My tires that I originally paid for will not last for more the 20K miles. Honda is asking me to drive my family with inferior tires, damage caused by a manufactures defect. I must replace them now and absorb the cost. Hey HONDA, you just lost another customer and I'm serously considering a lawsuit. I truely believe that this merits a class action lawsuit if Honda new that the control arms were defective. Someone will have to die before Honda will take ownership. How can a company claim safety when they will not back their own product. Every tire on 06 and 07 Civic's should be replaced, regardless of how many miles. I just received a call from Honda and got the same song and dance as many others. There's nothing that can be done! Car of the year??? No more Honda in my future!
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    paisan1paisan1 Member Posts: 11
    i had the same vibration even after the service bulletin was implemented.the vibration is different in that it is there all the time.not as bad as before.i think i have developed a sensitivity to it.the service rep who drove with me agreed that there was a vibration,and that it seemed to be associated with road conditions.he also agreed that there was a vibration when on a new smooth surface.later told me he drove a new hybrid with the same vibration.end result is i am driving the car for awhile to see if it gets worse and the tires wear properly.i thought this would all get fixed..at least my dealer is working with me and not blowing me off......
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    jcampajcampa Member Posts: 14
    Hey I'm with you, my Honda has cost me about 1500.00 dollars and when the fix was done on this car, it cost me an additional 600.00 dollars when I had to go over a curb and damage was done under the car when I had to get out of traffic. Honda said I caused the damage and should have been killed changing the tire before they would reimburse my cost. Just wonderfull people, I just want to sell this pieceo of crap.

    Cheers and keep in touch
    jcampa@tceq.state.tx.us
    lusena@peoplepc.com

    Get the word out DO NOT BUY HONDA :mad:
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    xmasbabyxmasbaby Member Posts: 3
    The problem isn't limited to the hybrid. I bought a 2007 civic in October 2007. Today (March 22) I took the car to my dealer because of the vibration and roaring. Honda confirmed the manufacturer defect and while that part is under warranty, they want to charge me $60 per tire for tire replacement because of the wear the defect has caused on the current tires. Since this is a factory defect that is covered under warranty and that the defect is the cause of the abnormal wear on the tires and the reason for replace, I do not feel that I should have to pay anything. The company should have to eat the cost of the new tires. I agree with others on this thread, my faith in Honda has wavered and this will probably be the last Honda I buy.
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    jcampajcampa Member Posts: 14
    Hang in there, Honda does not make a good product, and my HONDA is up for sale now. Get the word out do not buy HONDA, Maybe someone will start a class action law suit over this.

    Cheers :mad:
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    aueaue Member Posts: 16
    I naively thought that Honda was to cars what Mac is to computers, in other words, a little more expensive but worth it because the design and craftsmanship is better. I have now changed my opinion. All car companies are owned and run by crooks and liars. Count me in on the class action suit.
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    xmasbabyxmasbaby Member Posts: 3
    Count me in on the class action law suite too! This company needs to realize that quality means more than quantity and lives are worth more than money.
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    You cannot use the Edmunds forums to organize any legal action. If you wish to start a blog on your CarSpace page about the troubles with your vehicle and connect with other members experiencing similar issues, that's the way to go.
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    hickstimhickstim Member Posts: 3
    I was thinking about buying an 08' HCH, but now i'm not sure now. Are there any people out there that have good luck with these newer models?
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    pammycpammyc Member Posts: 3
    How much would I make an offer at the dealership? Of course they inflate the price not only because its a hybrid but its white, and I'm a female buyer. I don;t put up with the shenanigans and won't think twice about walking out once the dealer starts with the head games. (They'll be calling me everyday then offering me a deal)

    The car has 23,284 miles on it, no frills (ie; roof, leather). The asking price is unlisted which tells me its going to be pricey. I really just want something great on gas. Like the rest of us!!! Here's the car:

    link title
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    krishi2001krishi2001 Member Posts: 6
    Don't mean to discourage you but I wouldn't count on getting a bargain since gas prices are high. I bought mine new from a dealership I always buy my cars from and have gotten good deals on cars that were on high demand or backordered until the Civic Hybrid, I got $300 off list because of my loyal customer status. If you want a hybrid, go for the Prius, I wish I did.
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    pammycpammyc Member Posts: 3
    Why do you wish you'd gotten the Prius? What don't you like about the civic?

    I've been watching for the Prius too but the new ones, (I can't find anything before the '08) they're going for $25G's and better, avg about @ 27Gs.

    For that much I could get a Infiniti or Saab..
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    jcampajcampa Member Posts: 14
    Hey Girl:

    Don't do it, Tell HONDA to bite the big one. They are going to rip you off this car has had 6 recalls on tech data problems along with the big one on rear control arms that wipe out tires. Honda is a rip off and the more people that realize that will only fix Honda :mad: . Again Don't do it go with a Toyota, you will be better off also look at the new Hybrid Malibu it is HOT. That is what we are going to.

    Cheers and Good LUCK :)
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    pammycpammyc Member Posts: 3
    THANKS EVERYONE!!!! Great info and I'll certainly heed your advice.
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    brw115brw115 Member Posts: 13
    Honda is really messing up on this one. I too have a 2007 Civic with the same tire problems as being described in this forum. I have taken my car to the dealer twice with complaints about uneven tire wear and poor handling and have been assured that I am imagining everything. The tires that have been on the rear the longest have signs of separation and very different wear than those that have been on the front the longest. There is a definite problem with handling when the worn tires are on the front but my Honda Service Manager says nothing is wrong with the tires. I even wrote Honda HQ and received a response that they know of no problem with the cheap Bridgestone tires being put on these cars.
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    hybridblueshybridblues Member Posts: 13
    I recommend that everyone with this problem (unusual rear tire wear/noise), report it to NHSTA: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm

    Since Honda will not take direct responsibility for this safety issue but rather leads their customers astray with bogus and infuriating explanations of crappy tires, driving habits, rotation issues, etc., it is important that we collectively force their hand. I thought Honda's reputation for reliability, safety, and customer satisfaction would not put their customers and their families at risk but obviously I was naive. Just replacing the rear upper control arms would save a lot of aggravation, accidents, money, and perhaps lives.
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    aueaue Member Posts: 16
    If your goal is high mileage and you aren't as concerned about reducing your carbon footprint, the Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris might be better choices than any of the hybrids - cheaper initially and gas mileage almost as good.
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    hybridblueshybridblues Member Posts: 13
    For those with tire woes, a very helpful link below (applies to most Civics). Seems that many dealers need to be pushed.

    http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f12/negative-camber-problem-what-you-need-do-- get-upper-control-arms-replaced-17377/
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    mzipmzip Member Posts: 1
    Asked the service mgr today about TSB 08-001 and he said our cars, by VIN, yes we have 2 06 HCH's eating tires, were not covered under the TSB. Why? The TSB says "all except si" well, we don't have an si. Any ideas on how to get them to fix this?

    Had an 06 Odyssey before the HCH's and had to trade it due to unsafe vibration that led to hydroplaning in rain. Now I'm stuck in these 2 cars for at least 2 more years and can't afford new tires every 25000 miles! I don't even care about the tire reimbursement, I just want the alignment problems fixed so my tires will last 60000 mi like on all other cars (hondas) I've owned.
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    2007civichybri2007civichybri Member Posts: 4
    Just for Information I have had the Service Bulletin work performed, (4) new tires installed, two provided by Honda and two @ $148. (half price from Honda Dealer) 50% wear as per the Bulletin. Now at 5000 miles noise is returning at 35 to 45 mph. Dealer cross rotated rear tires to see if noise would smooth out. Service rep did admit there was still wear on the rear tires. Per Service Rep. he checked with Honda and Honda said they had had no complaints of rear tire noise and uneven wear after Service Bulletin had been performed. No sure of how to proceed, since rear tires were cross rotated, approx. 1000 mile ago, I reckon in an attempt to correct the abnormal wear, by doing the cross rotation with the rear tires, I have not been able to rotate the tires from front to rear and I still have rear tire noise, even though it does seem to be a little better. But cross rotation is only masking the problem, uneven tire wear is still occurring. Not sure how to proceed at this point.
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    fishhawk_iifishhawk_ii Member Posts: 3
    My Honda service rep told me my noise was due to a tire that couldn't be balanced. Thanks to Edmonds Forum, I was armed with the necessary info. Took it back to the dealer and insisted that they check the upper rear control arms. They confirmed they needed replacement but said it was out of warranty. I told them I notified them while it was under warranty and they dragged their feet. Called Honda of America, told them I previously worked in critical safety warranty issues for another manufacturer, that I was afraid for my family's safety to drive the car, and that it was parked at the dealer until they fixed it at their cost. Told them that by ignoring a serious safety issue, they were putting the lives of their customers at risk.

    They called back within 24 hours and approved the repair under warranty (saving me $450). Since I had 45,000 miles on the original Dunlops, I didn't them to cover new tires. Put new Michelins on it last week and was shocked to see one rear tire was down the the steel on the inner edge (not readily visible on the rear tires).

    Be very careful. No wonder my car was hydroplaning in the slightest rain. This problem will eventually result in a fatality. Hopefully Honda of America will come out with a fix before then. I filed a complaint with NTIS.

    I'll be watching for a recurrence and will be right back to the dealership if the new tires become noisy.">
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    bigal26bigal26 Member Posts: 1
    We have an 2005 HCH. We purchased a lifetime alignment from a national car service shop. We have been told they can not adjust everything because of a design built in this car, something to do the the Caster. They also said that they had installed an after market kit on another persons car to allow correct adjustment. The Honda dealer gave some sort of story based on the way roads are engineered.

    We bought the car new in '05 and have not had it pulling to the right until this spring after we took the winter tires off ( a whole other story).

    Can anyone shed more light on this.

    Thanks
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    jcampajcampa Member Posts: 14
    The TSB came out in May of 2007 and the bulletin came out by VIN and it included the HCH, I know that much. I have been trying to get Honda since November of 2007 to fix problems and to reimburse me of my cost, but they have gotten to big and think they don't have to fix anything. I am telling everyone I know not to buy Honda.

    Get a copy of the TSB and see if your car is in the specified VIN number and then take it back to the dealership and shove it up his butt, until he fixes it. I had to leave the car in Oklahoma City until they fixed it. That is all that I know. :mad:
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    greencivic3greencivic3 Member Posts: 1
    I sympathize with all that have chimed in with rear tire wear on their Honda Civic, be it a 2 door, 4 door, Hybrid, gas engine, or GX natural gas vehicle. The problem exists in the new body style, 2006 and later, as well as prior model years. I have a 2006 Civic GX and the rear tire wear was excessive and tire noise unacceptable. That is the bad news. The good news is the problem is repairable on all Civic models. More often than not, tire wear and noise will NOT be corrected by Honda’s Technical Service Bulletin (not to mention is does not include vehicles built prior to 2006). The problem is too much rear camber, and the resolution too extensive for this forum. If anyone would like more information they can email me at civicgxNGV_1@verizon.net, and I will be happy to give you direction.
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    highmpghighmpg Member Posts: 9
    Has anyone been able to connect alignment issue for HCH to the large variations in MPG that users report? One person struggles to obtain high 30's and other report 50+ as a routine happening.
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    paisan1paisan1 Member Posts: 11
    i have just completed a road trip of 6,500 miles.the TSB was applied to my honda in Feb.the new tires i received from honda at no charge show only normal wear after this trip.i still feel a vibration,but seems to be associated with road surface and feel from regenerative braking more than alignment.car does not pull of road is flat.wind is still a problem,and cement roads with grooves move the car all over.my mileage on this trip was always around 38-40 mpg,but i was traveliong at 75-80 most of the time.i have given up on the 47-50 mpg...too much work.i also have found that shifting into "S" uses more of the engine as well as the electrics,and acceleration is much improved. i had a ball fooling with BMW's ,etc on the trip.i am sure they were surprised that my little Honda Hybrid would catch and pass them at 100 +.sure had fun.fun always trumps 50mpg....arthur
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    magold3magold3 Member Posts: 1
    My 2006 Civic Si just had a rear blowout on the passenger side while I was doing 65 on the highway. The car lurked uncontrollably to the left. I hit the concrete barrier headon. The airbags saved me.

    Sounds like these control arms could be the cause. Who do you think I should contact?
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    mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    It's normal for any car with a blown rear tire to be difficult to control.You just have to be careful to not hit the brake hard and steer very carefully.
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    advisradvisr Member Posts: 1
    I have a box of tissue here for your tears. All cars have issues and Honda handles the small amount of service bulletins they have great. Tires wear out, and due to the upper control arm issue the tire wear and or feathering is exaggerated. The fact that Honda is willing to pay for a portion of the tires is actually pretty strong. Before you shed anymore tears, you might want to make a phone call to the American Honda customer service center.The 800 number is in the owners manual, and I bet if you express your concern(don't be an [non-permissible content removed]), Honda will authorize replacing 2 tires at no charge. They are a great company with a customer satisfaction rating that is unsurpassed.
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    dongadonga Member Posts: 9
    After 40,000+ miles, I replaced OEM tires with Pirelli P4's. Coincidentally, the average mpg went from 42-48 down to 32-36 and has stayed there for the last 10,000 miles. Because I filled the tank and drove to the dealership for service right after that, I noticed I had 42mpg before the service. The drop happened right after the service. American Honda was of absolutely no use on this issue and the dealership check the car out a couple of time but can find nothing wrong with the car. Is it possible the tires can make that difference? Anyone have any experience with different tires on this car?
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    mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    What kind of service did you have?
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    dongadonga Member Posts: 9
    The code was for B1, but basically it was an oil change and brake inspection. Not sure, but that pulsating hum from the back end seems to have started sometime after that.
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    dongadonga Member Posts: 9
    Sorry, had to rewrite this post. I just found out about this topic. Please see my message, #62, about the same issue. As a cause for the mpg drop, the topic of tires came up and my thought was, if the tires are good for 10-12 mpg, I should have bought a standard Civic and put those tires on it instead of paying for the Hybrid option. Know what I mean? I am, however, starting to think the tires are the culprit in our situation, but not ready to buy another set of tires just yet. If you want to hear more about what I've been thought with Honda on this problem, let me know and I'll fill you in. At any rate, please let me know what you come up with and I'll keep you posted on what we find. By the way, the Pirelli P4's I bought are all season, too.
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    lyninmainelyninmaine Member Posts: 15
    Let's see how good Honda America really is at taking responsibility for themselves. I started complaining about the tires in December of 2007 when my car had about 16000 miles. I am 51 and I have been driving in New England winters for a long time. I was swerving and frightened (and probably being sworn at by the folks stuck behind me) going 5 mph in the snow. Why was my 2006 HCH the WORST car in the snow? I complained to the dealer's service department and then to Honda America. I was told to put snow tires on it and I did. I took the snow tires off in April. The tires have less than 18,700 miles on them, but now the Honda dealer says because the car is over 20,000 miles, they can't help me. I have proven the subtracted winter tire time miles too. I had the control arms changed today. I called Honda America. A very nice young man took down my details as best he could. I was told someone would get back to me within 48 hours. These tires are so loud my husband wears a noise cancellation Bose headset and I stuff tissue in my ears when we use the HCH. We like his 99 Camry a lot better. Hmmmm, I have liked every other car I've owned better....and is anyone really getting 50 mpg? Ummmmmm, nope....but that is our fault too. So far I am feeling ripped off. I hope Honda America makes good and changes their image back into a good one. As a business person, I cannot believe they are being so nonchalant about losing their customer base over some control arms and tires. If they gave us safe tires, it might make us forget we are only getting 32-44 mpg.
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    aueaue Member Posts: 16
    If Honda is such a great company they need to issue a recall for the bad control arms and not leave it up to the customers to find out about the TSB through websites and blogs. The local dealer lied about the TSB until I found it online and confronted them with it.
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    lyninmainelyninmaine Member Posts: 15
    My local dealer told me the control arms needed replacing and set me up for an appointment when I was having an inspection done. Honda never sent a recall notice.
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    cbr1000rrcbr1000rr Member Posts: 12
    I too was experiencing loud tire noise while driving. The noise seemed to increase with speed. Initially, I thought my wheel bearings were bad and requested they replace them. A trusted tech inspected my bearings and advised they were fine. I was really confused and concerned about the noise coming from the rear, so I searched the news groups some more. Found the issue about the control arms, and it all made sense to me. If you view your 2006-2007 from the rear, you can see the rear wheels leaning to the inside of the car, similar to a car carrying a full load. That bad tire angle causes the tires to wear wrong (feather and/or cup) that eventually causes loud road noise. I contacted the Honda Parts dept and ordered the control arm kit. I actually watched the tech replace the control arms, and he changed my rear tires (that I purchased). Didn't need to replace the front because I never rotated the tires. I didn't request reimbursement for the damaged tires, because I have SI wheels on my Hybrid. I was just extremely happy to have the problem resolved. I would recommend all 2006-2007 owners to have the control arms replaced. Honda will not issue a recall until someone is hurt as a result and it becomes a safety issue.
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    mgrantazmgrantaz Member Posts: 11
    I guess I need control arms and new tires, too. I just returned from a 1000 mile freeway trip and my 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid with 26K miles was shaking, vibrating, and pounding sooooo hard and loud that I could not drive betwee 70-80 MPH! It was as if the wheels were all going to come off. I noticed vibration/noise at 65 MPH and it increased and peaked at 75 MPH, while calming down around 81 MPH (speed limits here are 75 MPH). A call to the dealer's service dept. is my first priority Monday!
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    lyninmainelyninmaine Member Posts: 15
    Call Honda right away! They tried to say I wore out my tires by not rotating them....even though the wear is clearly from misalignment. Not rotating the tires would have saved the front ones. My dealer set me up for the new control arms and replaced them free. The front and rear alignment was free too. The vibration started after the alignment. I am waiting for a call back from Honda America. If I don't get 4 new tires, my next call will be to my attorney.
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    jcampajcampa Member Posts: 14
    Honda America is a work of art. They will lie and tell you nothing even though the problem is theirs and the damn dealerships go along with them. Get the word out DO NOT BUY HONDA they SUCK, that is the bottom line it is not only the hybrids it is all civic's. Notify NTSB and your Congressmen because the NTSB has sat on their dumb [non-permissible content removed] and let this one go on way to long. :mad:
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    mgrantazmgrantaz Member Posts: 11
    I rotated my tires at every oil change. Last year, my auto service company noticed they were "cupping," which makes sense now that I know the control arms are defective or too loose. I then took them to a tire dealer to rotate and rebalance all four ($40) because of the vibration that started last year. That "seemed" to help. But now, although I don't see any worse cupping or wear, my 2007 HCH is ready to fly apart at 75 MPH. Cars that pass can even hear the noise it is so loud. And even at other speeds my tires are so loud that I cannot use my Bluetooth headset for my cell phone in the car. I didn't have time to call them today...probably by
    Wednesday. :(
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    lyninmainelyninmaine Member Posts: 15
    What is NTSB?
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    dave161dave161 Member Posts: 3
    Had the rear control arms replaced but I had to pay the entire cost of a set of new tires. Any update that Honda will admit their mistake or of any class action lawsuit?
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    dave161dave161 Member Posts: 3
    National Traffic Safety Board (I think on the "B"). I had no luck with them, or MI attorney general. No luck with Ralph Nader's group either.
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    jcampajcampa Member Posts: 14
    Once they fail to do something, start burning up the emails and Phones to your State Senator's and Representative's to let them know that NTSB is blowing you off and if your from either Illinois or Arizona, you could contact either Obama or McCain's staff to see if they really care or if their staff really wants to hear what we/you really have to say. (Joke, but it does sound Good)

    Cheers :mad:
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