The Internet is abuzz with complaints about uneven and rapid rear tire wear in 2006-2009 Honda Civics. The uneven tire wear is also causing issues with brakes and causing vibrations at highway speeds for some drivers.

The Problem

Hundreds of Civic owners are rallying together to raise awareness about the defectively short Rear-Upper Control Arms that are causing their tires to wear rapidly and unevenly.

Honda is claiming the combination of the stock tires, rear suspension geometry and alignment angles are what's causing the tire wear and recommends the installation of new control rear arms stamped with the letter “C” to fix the problem. On February 8th, 2008 they issues a TSB (TSB 08-001) describing repair procedures for certified mechanics — more details on that below. The new control arms take out .75º of camber from the rear.

Unfortunately most of the time Honda dealers are only willing to cover the cost of the control arms, but not the cost of new tires. What's worse is some owners are claiming that even after going through the repairs outlined in the TSB their cars are still "eating up" rear tires. According to one: “...the rear wheel geometry will not allow for carrying any kind of load for extended distances” Not a good sign for anyone looking to use their can for anything more than trips to the grocery store.

Honda Issues a TSB 08-001

On February 8th, 2008 Honda issues a Technical Service Bulletin for 2006-07 Civic 2-door and 4-door vehicles regarding "Uneven or Rapid Tire Wear". Honda Civic Si's are not covered. In the TSB, Honda lists the probable cause as a “combination of the tires and the rear suspension geometry may cause rapid or uneven tire wear”. They go on to point out that worn tires will cause vibration and/or bad bearing noise, especially at highway speeds.

For recommended service, Honda tells its mechanics to install a rear upper control arm kit, replace the flange bolts and the worn tires and do a 4-wheel alignment.

Honda offered to only pay a prorated amount for replacement of tires due to this problem, based on mileage. In addition, to qualify for tire replacement:

• The tires must have been properly maintained (inflation and balancing)
• The tires must not show signs of abuse, although this seems subjective
• Tires must not show signs of diagonal or inner edge wear and fall within the "abnormal wear range" as defined by the TSB.

What Models Are Affected

The TSB, however, does not cover all the Civics that are experiencing problems. Below is a list of Civics where owners have experienced this rapid and uneven tire wear:

• 2006 Honda Civic
• 2007 Honda Civic
• 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
• 2008 Honda Civic
• 2009 Honda Civic
• 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid

Class Action Lawsuit

Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman, LLC are collecting information for a class action lawsuit to protect Civic owners. The lawsuit alleges the OEM rear upper control arms are too short and cause tire misalignment. It also alleges that Honda knew this when it published a TSB and a redesigned control arm part.

What Owners Are Saying

2007 Honda Civic

Just had to purchase the 4th set of tires for my 2007 Honda Civic. The original set lasted 26K, the next set 41K (dangerously pushed), the next only 26K and now I have a new set. Tires only last one year max. This last set wore so unevenly. I'm sick of it. This is the 4th set of tires for 93,000 miles of driving (all interstate).

Mark H. on CarComplaints.com

2006 Honda Civic

As stated on here by previous persons...this was a MESS of an issue and thank god someone at the shop had heard about this problem. I am just concerned that Honda isn't paying for their design flaw. Anyone owning a Honda Civic should be aware of this issue as it will cause severe unusual rear/ early tire wear and cause suspension problems as well. I know NOW the problem is well documented... too bad it's people on the FREAKING internet helping out, rather than HONDA.

Honda... pay for your MISTAKE... don't have your customers do it.

ksparamedic1976 on CarComplaints.com

Actions You Can Take & Possible Recourse

This step is crucial. Don't just complain on forums; The sites below actually manage your complaint in ways that allow useful statistics and they report dangerous trends to the authorities. Law firms often contact these sites for help with Class Action lawsuits. Make sure to file your complaint on all three sites, we can't stress that enough.

1. Step 1: File Your Complaint at CarComplaints.com

   CarComplaints.com is a free resource dedicated to uncovering car problem trends and informing the consumer. File Your Complaint

2. Step 2: Notify the Center for Auto Safety

   The Center for Auto Safety is an organization that informs consumers about auto safety issues. Notify the CAS

3. Step 3: Report a Safety Concern to the NHTSA

   The NHTSA directs highway safety and has the authority to force recalls to be issued following investigations. Report Your Concern

Have Your Say

Let us know if you've experienced this problem, know of a potential fix or just want to voice how frustrated you are: