2006 Honda CR-V exterior spare tire carrier safety problem. My vehicle recently required the spare tire be removed from the vehicle to replace a road hazard damaged tire. On removing the spare tire cover, it was noticed that only two of the three tire lugs that support the tire were in place. The vehicle came with three tire lugs for the spare, as this was noticed when a different spare tire cover was installed within the first month of vehicle ownership. The damaged tire was replaced with a new tire and the serviceman went to place this new tire on the exterior spare tire carrier. He sheared off one more of the lugs and stated that he had not applied excessive force to have this happen. He also mentioned that this was the second lug now missing and that the spare tire should not be placed on the exterior spare tire carrier with only a single lug to carry the weight of the spare tire. The spare tire was placed in the interior rear storage area. I was given the sheared off lug, which I still have in my possession, should it be required to determine if structural failure was the result by examination of a metallurgist. Contacting the dealer where the vehicle was purchased (Honda of bowie, md), the dealership would not correct the problem, at no cost to me, as a latent defect, as they stated it was beyond the normal warranty period. They questioned whether the vehicle had been serviced according to the service manual. I responded that the spare tire carrier lugs are not a serviceable item (except to tighten the lugs to retain the tire) and that the lugs should last the life of the vehicle. I was referred to the next Honda level of appeal, where I am still awaiting a resolution. I feel this is a safety problem in that the spare tire can possibly fall off the vehicle if the spare tire lugs fail, and would like to have this documented for other CR-V owners to help with similar problems.

- Bowie, MD, USA