3.2

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
43,390 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2008 Honda Civic:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #23

Oct 172011

Civic 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
The vehicle has defective upper control arms and flange bolts which cause the tires to wear fast and dangerously, as well at cause the car to shake in the back while driving. This is a defect in the car and Honda will pay for it but only if the vehicle is still under factory warranty. By the time I bought the car and noticed the problem it was out of warranty. This is unacceptable! it is a defect! they should have to pay for it!

- Columbia, MO, USA

problem #22

Mar 072012

Civic

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 4 mph on snowy and slushy road conditions, the rear end of the vehicle lost traction and skidded. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle. In addition, the rear end of the vehicle fishtailed on wet roads. Upon inspection, it was found that the two rear tires on the vehicle had prematurely worn. The rear tires were replaced previously by an independent mechanic. Six months later, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

- Bridgeview, IL, USA

problem #21

Dec 302010

Civic

  • 93,000 miles
This vehicle was having a continuous roaring noise from the rear when the vehicle is being driven. Took to proctor Honda of tallahassee and mentioned the problem. Honda dealer noticed the rear tires were beginning to cup and rotated tires to address sound issue and blamed the tires as the malfunctioning part by recommending a tire replacement. At that time the tire toyo spectrums were only 1 year and 9 months old having being installed on 3/2009, had a 65K tread life warranty. The 2006 and 2007 models of Honda Civic had technical service bulletins issued regarding the rear upper control arms causing uneven wear of rear tires (cupping) service bulletin number : 08-001date of bulletin : Feb 08, 2008, NHTSA item number : 10024687. This Honda was purchased on 11/2007 and was obviously manufactured during the 2007 year. The proctor Honda mechanics believe that the rear upper control arms have already been replaced on this vehicle but I have no documentation revealing a date any such work was done. I have contacted the previous dealer hennessey Honda and the previous owner and neither have had these upper control arms replaced. Now in May 2012 these tires that were rotated with the tires on the vehicle that were not cupping in 2010 are now severely cupped ( high /low areas) while the front tires are not cupped at all from my inspection. Seems isolated to the rear of vehicle. The rear cupping occurs primarily on the inside part of the tire nearest to the vehicle but it is severe. This vehicle has already had the lower engine block replaced due to cracking coolant passages which I might emphasize that the 2007 Honda Civic also has issues with. This is my mom's vehicle and I want her to be safe driving this and do not want to keep buying new tires ( of a different brand) only to have them prematurely worn and cupping of tires caused as well. Please investigate this issue "??"

- Tallahassee, FL, USA

problem #20

Mar 162012

Civic

  • 160,000 miles
While driving home from work I noticed a slight wobble from the rear of the car. About a mile down the road I heard what sounded like a tire pop.what actually happened was my rear driver side lower control arm had snapped completely through, about 2 inches in from the bolt connecting it to the wheel assembly. Honda has admitted to having a problem with their 06 and 07 model rear control arms not by issuing a recall but a service bulletin both in Jan. And Feb. Of 2008. I believe there still was a problem in several 2008 models that were manufactured in 2007. I contacted american Honda and the rep. There said they will not do anything about this problem. All the mechanics I have talked to have said it was a clean snap and that there was no rust involved. I think this problem deserves to be looked at closer than it seems to be.

- Cambridge, MD, USA

problem #19

Apr 012009

Civic

  • 15,000 miles
At about 15,000 miles, we had to replace the original 2 rear tires due to uneven wear. We replaced the tires and had to replace them again at 40,000. Now, at 60,000, the rear tires are unevenly wearing again so much so that the car is nearly undrivable on the highway due to the shaking. We've had the alignment and balance checked multiple times and nothing has been off and the tires have been rotated at every other oil change.. we've tried different brands of tires and nothing seems to be helping the problem. Every time we've contacted Honda, they've insisted the tires haven't been balanced correctly (even though it was done at their dealer) or that we've gone 500 miles too far past getting them rotated and thus won't replace them. Needless to say, we'll be buying a Toyota or Ford next time.

- Champaign, IL, USA

problem #18

Mar 122009

Civic 4-cyl

  • 17,000 miles
I purchased a 2008 Honda Civic new from the dealer. At the present time I am on my second set of tires and my third rear driver side tire. I keep these tires inflated properly and rotate them at 5000 miles. The driver side rear tire begins to cup after a few thousand miles. I drive in a reasonable manner and am not abusive to the vehicle. On replacing the driver side tire my auto repair facility suggested that they check the alignment of the vehicle. The alignment numbers on the rear were way out of specification and my mechanic said the new tire would not have lasted long.this has been a problem since the vehicle was new. This premature tire wear presents a serious safety issue on these vehicles. My repair facility advised me there is a kit repair for this problem. Why hasn't Honda addressed this problem?

- Stevensville, MD, USA

problem #17

Feb 122009

Civic 4-cyl

  • 55,000 miles
My wife purchased her Honda Civic brand new from the dealer. Approx. 50,000 we started to notice humming and vibration in the front end along with excessive wear on the tires. Since then I have replaced several sets of tires. Have approx 75,000 on the car and were having front end problems that cannot seemed to be corrected. At various speeds we get a pulsating or vibration out of the right side; and we've had to have several brake jobs as a result including replacing the rotor, caliper, etc. The tires have been rotated multiple times and the vibration is still present. It appears that now the newer set of tires we have are now cupping. It's my understanding there is a tsb from Honda on these issues in particular the upper camber which causes the onset of the problems I'm experiencing right now with my car. It's my belief there should be a recall on this car for this reason. I'm out alot of money and I believe Honda should be held accountable for fixing their design flaw. Honda tsb 08-001 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.

- Franklin, WI, USA

problem #16

Dec 312011

Civic 4-cyl

  • miles
I had to have all four tires replaced on my 2008 Honda Civic LX at 34,658 mi. July 2010. When I brought my Civic in for its routine check up, which I do whenever I'm at 15% oil life, I complained of a roaring noise from my tires. The Honda tech guy said my tires were badly worn and suggested I buy new tires immediately. Kuhmo tires, the brand I bought from Honda, have a 60000 mi. Warranty. That same roaring noise is back and I went in for my routine check up and was told that my tires need to be replaced at 61285 mi. December 31, 2011. One tech guy hinted that there have been problems with the rear-upper control arm causing possible problems with certain Civics. If this is the case, I want it corrected, and I want my tires replaced at no cost to me. Honda tells me they don't know what the problem is and will allow me to pay full price for new tires while they try to get me a 50% prorated reimbursement from kuhmo. I am not satisfied with this at all. This is a costly safety issue. There has been heavy rainfall in my area and my car hydroplanes. I told the Honda service department this, and they said that it is because of my worn tires. I get my tires aligned and rotated on their recommended schedule. If there is a defective part that is causing the premature wear of my tires and is putting my life and the lives of my family as well as others on the road at risk, Honda must take responsibility for this problem and correct it.

- Russellville, AL, USA

problem #15

May 172010

Civic 4-cyl

  • 78,103 miles
At 78,000 miles I began to notice unusual road noise. ( humming) less than a year later I'm experiencing horrific road noise (peaks near 55 mph) and now unusual tire wear. Tires are rotated, balanced and front end aligned regularly. I thought maybe bearing problems. Local mechanic checked and said no. Tire dealership thought the same, checked and said no. Honda dealership said tires needed rotation to eliminate the problem. (did not help) back to tire dealership, they believe I need a kit for rear cam arms. Noise so loud I sometimes use ear plugs to drown out sound/not safe.

- Iota, LA, USA

problem #14

Sep 062011

Civic

  • 105,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, he noticed a loud popping noise. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they advised him that the front passenger axle was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages were approximately 105,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Perea, KY, USA

problem #13

May 162011

Civic

  • 30,200 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic LX. The contact stated that when driving at low speeds of approximately 5 mph and attempting a turn, the vehicle would exhibit a loud noise. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they advised her that the front driver and passenger axle was fractured and needed to be replaced. This failure recurred three times prior to the most recent failure and the axles were repaired. The vehicle was not further repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they opened a case on the contact's behalf. The failure mileage was approximately 30,200.

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #12

Feb 012010

Civic 4-cyl

  • 23,000 miles
The front and rear suspension has sagged about to and inch from new and the rear suspension has a rough ride. The rear suspension absorbs bumps badly. With very little bump and slow rebound and all at only 18 months at 23,000 miles. Took it to a Honda dealer and they said there was nothing wrong and it was at factory specs. I am a five day a week work commuter with 35 mile round trip a day and it is only my self with no luggage. For the car to perform that bad so soon. Makes you rethink in Honda's reliability performance and trade in for another brand.

- Monrovia , CA, USA

problem #11

Jul 012009

Civic

  • 20,000 miles
2 sets of tires wearing prematurely cupping vehicle maintained properly Honda dealership said it was the tires and found no problem with the car tried to blame the tires turns out it's a suspension problem with the passenger control arm and is also due to the weight of the vehicle according to other complaints on line that sound just like this car.

- Camilla, GA, USA

problem #10

Oct 042009

Civic

  • 200,000 miles
Defective wheel suspension on Honda Civic hybrid leading to excessive and unsafe wear on tires with corresponding road noise. Dealer seemed puzzled why tires should be worn so quickly, suggested rotation, which we had already done according to their specifications. Dealer offered no compensation for tire wear, as they stated that tires were not under warranty. After reading numerous complaints we realize the necessity of adding ours as nothing will be done to correct this defect in design unless everyone with this problem speaks out. Dealer seems oblivous that this problem exists.

- Harrah, OK, USA

problem #9

Sep 102009

Civic

  • 11,800 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic. The rear control arms have failed, which caused excessive tire wear. This conditions made the tires tilt inward. This also caused the vehicle to drift when driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but they could not aligned the rear wheels to the correct specifications. The Honda manufacturer stated that they would investigate the failure. He never received a response. The failure mileage was 11,800. The consumer stated Honda California called and said they investigated and found there as no problem. The consumer asked why on the alignment report it stated that both rear wheels showed the negative camber outside of range that they allow. His response was that he didn't see a problem, but would put the consumer on record. The consumer contacted the dealership and was told they would investigate his complaint off the record. The consumer was offered 4 new tires, which does nothing to correct the problem of keeping the vehicle in a straight line on the highway. The consumer stated the vehicle needed an adjustable rear suspension arm to correct the problem, before the tires become worn out. Updated 11/16/09 updated 11/17/09 updated 11/18/09.

- Silver Bay, MN, USA

problem #8

Jun 052009

Civic

  • 12,000 miles
Rear tires worn out at 12, ,000 miles with flat spots. The dealer said this was caused by not rotating tires at 10,000 miles. The dealer also claimed that the front end was out of alignment. I do not believe any of this. It looks like Honda is telling everyone the same story. This started on 2006 Honda Civics and the problem still exists on my 2008 Civic. Everyone I talk to has had tire problems. Can you help before someone gets killed?

- Halifax, VA, USA

problem #7

Mar 012008

Civic 4-cyl

  • 17,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic hybrid. The front tires had worn out rapidly. The mechanic stated that they couldn't replace the tires since the problem was related to the cambers which caused them to wear and cup. They also advised her that the solution was to have the tires rotated after each oil change. She stated that the failure wass due to a manufacturers defect. The failure mileage was 17,000 and the current mileage is near 40,000.updated 01/20/10. Updated 01/21/10.

- Cochran, GA, USA

problem #6

Aug 152008

Civic

  • 12,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic. While driving approximately 70 mph, the contact heard a loud whining noise coming from the tire area. The noise became audible while driving at any speed. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection and they recommended that the tires be rotated. The tires were rotated, but the noise continued. On a separate occasion, four tires were replaced, but the failure still continued. The tires required constant rotation. The contact stated that the failure was not associated with defective tires, but possibly a malfunction with the vehicle's suspension system. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 12,000 and current mileage was 34,000.

- Havana, AZ, USA

problem #5

May 252009

Civic

  • 29,000 miles
My daughter lisa adkins and I own a 2008 Honda Civic LX. I sent this to the dealer that worked on it and based on my own investigation there seems to be a serious production defect with some of those vehicles. My daughter lisa adkins took her/my 2008 Honda Civic LX to your service dept on memorial day. To say I'm mad is just not a good enough description of how I feel. The car had a loud knocking noise, high vibration and back tires basically wiped out. Now you guys did provide service however little that was and false advice which is worse than none. 1) the service dept lied to my daughter about the problem which seems to be inherent in an unknown percentage of 2008 Honda Civics. I don't know why. Maybe they came off the same assembly line with a bad frame alignment or what ever. I do not know but I am going to find out. 2) the service guy said the tires weren't covered by the warranty. That really bleeped out off. There is a production problem with that car and you guys know it, and tried to hide it from my daughter with '!@#$% and tried to say it wasn't covered by warranty so she would have to pay for it. 3) you kind of made my daughter feel like this was her fault. Well kiss my ?!@#$% we'll see about that. I told her to return it to you guys and me/you/Honda and the national transportation safety board will sort out the bodies. 4) in the 1980S I found a similar type thing with a tire called brigestone and never let it go until, well you know fella. As far as I am concerned you and your dealership have no regard for the safety of my daughter, my grandson or anyone else that rides in that car so just wait and see what happens you under a rock ?!@#$%.

- Humble, TX, USA

problem #4

Jan 142009

Civic

  • 10,000 miles
Rear end alignment problem with Honda Civic hybrid, tires wear excessively, cupping etc.

- Freeman, MO, USA

Read the next 3 complaints »