First problem with a Honda. Need your opinion.

[JZCivic]

I recently brought my 2007 Civic SI in to the dealership to get looked at because I felt a vibration in the rear of the car. I originally thought it would be a simple wheel alignment and I’d be on my way. I got a call later in the day from one of the Honda Techs explaining to me the problem may be more than a simple alignment and they need the vehicle for an extra day.

The mechanic explained to me that my tires may have cupped and that my cambers and something else will need to be replaced. They showed me that my tires are sitting like /------\ and because of this the inside of my rear tires are heavily worn. The tires were tilted inward bad enough that it is visible to the eye. They said they had to send off a few numbers and information to “Honda Tech Line” and they’ll get back to me.

THREE weeks pass, they said the car was safe to drive and I was driving it during this time, and they finally get back to me. Honda Tech line says it’s a simple wheel alignment and that I have to pay to replace the tires.

WTF? How can some guy on the other side of the country look at some numbers and tell me different than a person who saw it in person? That’s not even the part that ticks me off the most. I got their level B maintenance package at 16,000KM and they didn’t rotate my tires because they said the tires didn’t wear enough to warrant a rotation. Or at least the tires didn’t wear unevenly enough to warrant it. I’ll have to look at my receipt to see what the tread was at when I get home, but to go from perfectly fine to almost bald and needing to be replaced in 8,000KM is a bit absurd. Their excuse is because it’s a sports car and they don’t know how a person is driving it that the tires are only covered for 16,000KM and I noticed the problem when I was at 24,000KM. (I’ve had the car for one year)

So what should I do? Can I fight this thing? I mean honestly, this is a front wheel drive car, how often do rear wheels wear out faster than the front? I've never had a problem with a Honda before so is this common practice to not replace something that is wear-and-tear due to mechanical issues? My front tires are still good and have the majority of the tread left; I don’t even need to replace them. They KNOW it was mechanical that caused this. I mean, if I did a level B maintenance, shouldn’t they have noticed that I was having problems at that point and suggested a wheel alignment? This had to have been happening for a while for the tires to wear this bad. Sure the price of tires aren't that bad, but what if the mechanic is right and this happens down the road again?

[jsb03f]

contact honda of america, file a complaint with your dealer, thats the first thing you do.

[ryryninja]

I can't remember what entails the B package but does it include an alignment? If so they might have screwed up the Toe setting which is how you could eat up the rear tires that fast. Camber wears it unevenly but it won't eat it quick like toe would. Do you have any suspension modifications or are you stock?

[Leonard1818]

Yeah dude, of course you can fight this..... IF you have proof that all maintenance was done properly. I didn't do all the KM --> Mi conversions so I don't know when you had them rotated but as soon as I get my next oil change I'm just going to start having them rotate my tires every oil change. That'll be about every 4500-5K miles. I've waited this time till 7K miles only because they told me to. Plus I had "cupping" and "Feathering" on my tires on my RSX-S so I've kept an eye on the wear on my Si tires and I think it's all good...

But yeah, go ahead and fight it dude, no reason that you should have to buy 2 new tires when you followed routine maintenance. You should only need an alignment about ever 15K miles or like once a year.

[Blktrax]

Yes its absurd, yes honda knows about it, yes there is a fix for it, yes you have to pay for the amount of tire used, (at least thats how it is here in the states). Its a proration of the amount if tire left. Weve gotten honda to goodwill 2 SI's with the issue. Goodluck

TSB:
Applies To: 2006–07 Civic 2-Door – ALL Except Si and Honda Accessory HFP Package
2006–07 Civic 4-Door – ALL Except Si
2006–07 Civic Hybrid – ALL
–072008 Civic Hybrid – From VIN JHMFA3...8S000001 thru JHMFA3...8S010456
Uneven or Rapid Rear Tire Wear
(Supersedes 08-001, dated February 8, 2008, to update the information marked by the black bars)
NOTE: To ensure a proper repair and proper
reimbursement, you must read this entire service
bulletin before doing any work.
SYMPTOM
The customer may complain of uneven or rapid rear
tire wear, a roaring noise from the rear, or a vibration at
highway speeds.
PROBABLE CAUSE
The combination of the tires and the rear suspension
geometry may cause rapid and uneven rear tire wear.
Tires in an advanced stage of this diagonal or inner
edge wear may cause vibration and/or a bad bearing
type noise. (For more details, see TIRE INSPECTION
AND QUALIFICATION on page 2).
CORRECTIVE ACTION
Install a rear upper control arm kit, replace the flange
bolts and the worn tires (see the Tire Replacement
Information chart on page 2), and do a four-wheel
alignment.
PARTS INFORMATION
Rear Upper Control Arm Kit:
P/N 04523-SNA-A00, H/C 8820698
Flange bolt (four required):
P/N 90397-SNA-A00, H/C 8481012
Flange bolt (two required):
P/N 90396-SNA-000, H/C 8178576

[Leonard1818]

Originally Posted by Blktrax

Yes its absurd, yes honda knows about it, yes there is a fix for it, yes you have to pay for the amount of tire used, (at least thats how it is here in the states). Its a proration of the amount if tire left.

TSB:
Applies To: 2006–07 Civic 2-Door – ALL Except Si and Honda Accessory HFP Package
2006–07 Civic 4-Door – ALL Except Si
2006–07 Civic Hybrid – ALL
–072008 Civic Hybrid – From VIN JHMFA3...8S000001 thru JHMFA3...8S010456
Uneven or Rapid Rear Tire Wear
(Supersedes 08-001, dated February 8, 2008, to update the information marked by the black bars)
NOTE: To ensure a proper repair and proper
reimbursement, you must read this entire service
bulletin before doing any work.
SYMPTOM
The customer may complain of uneven or rapid rear
tire wear, a roaring noise from the rear, or a vibration at
highway speeds.
PROBABLE CAUSE
The combination of the tires and the rear suspension
geometry may cause rapid and uneven rear tire wear.
Tires in an advanced stage of this diagonal or inner
edge wear may cause vibration and/or a bad bearing
type noise. (For more details, see TIRE INSPECTION
AND QUALIFICATION on page 2).
CORRECTIVE ACTION
Install a rear upper control arm kit, replace the flange
bolts and the worn tires (see the Tire Replacement
Information chart on page 2), and do a four-wheel
alignment.
PARTS INFORMATION
Rear Upper Control Arm Kit:
P/N 04523-SNA-A00, H/C 8820698
Flange bolt (four required):
P/N 90397-SNA-A00, H/C 8481012
Flange bolt (two required):
P/N 90396-SNA-000, H/C 8178576

That TSB says all except Si. The threadstarter has an Si...

[JZCivic]

I just gave them a call and pointed out that Technical Service Bulletin and they said the same thing, doesn't cover the SI.

I've always followed the regular maintenance that Honda says I should follow. I asked them what was my tire wear when I got them checked when I was at 16,000KM and they said they don't have it on record. So now I have to go home and see if I can find my paper that said what they were at when I was done. I have a feeling my tires were at 9/32 at 16,000KM. They are telling me that my right-rear tire is at 3/32 and my left-rear tire is at 4/32 and my front tires are both at 5/32. For me to lose that much tread in 8,000KM sucks hard.

Do the Michelin Pilots really only last 25,000KM?

[Blktrax]

Yes i know that and the edit i added, that the dealer has the ability to good will work, and may cover the labor but not the tires.

[JZCivic]

When you say goodwill, did they replace everything that the TSB mentioned? My dealership is telling me they'll only do a wheel alignment free of charge when I purchase the tires and send me on my way. I asked them what should I do if this happens again and they didn't really give me an answer.

[Blktrax]

It depends really, we had one SI brand new that the ALignment was F**Ked up right off the truck cause of how it was chained down. The alignment machine tells the story. If it can be adjusted within the specs with out replacing parts then it doesnt need the parts.

If theyre goodwill-ing the alignment, thats ok, but it doesnt make sence to do and alignment on bad tires. If youre polite but firm about it, or call Honda customer care, Im sure you can get some reimbusrment on the tires.

Average spirited driver life I've personaly seen form stock SI tires is 20k to 27k Miles. And thats Bowlingball smooth at that milage.

[JZCivic]

So I'm at home now and got a chance to take a look at my Maintenance B report. At 16,000KM my tires were at 9/32 in the front and 8/32 in the back. So already it was wearing in the back more than the front. Is this normal for the Civic SI? Then in 8,000KM my tires wore down to 5/32 in the front and 3/32 in the back. That's messed up.