4.5

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
24,151 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.

problem #28

Nov 192016

Civic

  • 195,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic equipped with westlake tires (na), size: P205/55/16 (na). While driving 50 mph, there was a vibration in the tires. The contact performed a diagnostic test on the tires and determined that the tires needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the tires were purchased recently. The vehicle failure mileage was 195,000. The VIN and tire failure mileage were not provided.

- Yuma, AZ, USA

problem #27

Sep 092008

Civic 4-cyl

  • 3,000 miles
When I purchases the car in 2008, even during the test drive, the car seemed excessively loud but the salesman stated that it was just the bad road we were on. I purchased the vehicle and the sound just got worse, to the point that I could not even hear people while using my cell phone. I had to purchase 3 sets of tires in addition to the original set. Each time, the mechanic told me the tires were to the point of being extremely dangerous. Again, the mechanic is stating that my tires are to a very dangerous point and I need new ones. This will be 5 sets of tires in 5 years.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #26

Apr 012010

Civic

  • 17,500 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic equipped with Bridgestone all season 89H tires, size P205/55/R16. The contact stated that after having regular maintenance performed the mechanic advised him that all four tires were bald. He was advised that it was unusual for tires to bald at such low mileage. The vehicle was repaired for four new tires. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 17,500. The VIN was unavailable.

- Yale, MI, USA

problem #25

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 #24

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 #23

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 #22

Jun 272011

Civic 4-cyl

  • 16,000 miles
My '08 Honda Civic hybrid wears tires abnormally, leading to unsafe driving conditions, especially on wet or frosty surfaces. I have contacted Honda yearly about this problem, having had to replace tires at intervals of approximately 15,000 miles. At this low mileage, my tires were bald in spots. Although Honda has subsidized the cost of new tires, at 50%, they have not fixed the defect which continues to cause this abnormal tire wear.

- Vacaville, CA, USA

problem #21

Mar 152010

Civic

  • 20,000 miles
Premature tire wearout - extreme shake, especially ay highway speeds. Dealer said nothing is wrong, even though they asked me if it was shaking/vibrating. Tires will not pass inspection & need to be replaced. (they were actually worn at 20K) car handles horrible in inclement weather. Based on other complaints, I expect this to be an issue every 20K until Honda steps up and admits they have a rear suspension issue with the '08S.

- Ballston Lake, NY, USA

problem #20

Jun 012009

Civic 4-cyl

  • 22,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the rear suspension was causing the tires to wear prematurely every 20,000 miles. In addition, when driving over wet or inclement road surfaces, the vehicle would become difficult to control and spin abnormally. The original tires were replaced in December 2008 and the replacement tires were replaced in July 2009. There were no recalls for the tires. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but provided no further assistance. The current mileage was 59,800 and the failure mileage was 22,000. Updated 03/24/11 updated 06/30/11

- Vesta, MN, USA

problem #19

Oct 102010

Civic 4-cyl

  • 15,000 miles
2008 Honda Civic hybrid experiencing severe tire cupping for 3rd time. Vehicle is having it's 3rd set of tires put on at 51,000 miles. Fuel economy is dramatically lower as well. Honda has agreed (2nd time now) to pay 50% of another new set of tires. Vehicle has been aligned and tires have been rotated as advised. I know two other persons in my city with the tire cupping issue. This problem is also rampant on the internet. Honda has no solution to fix the cause of the severe tire cupping problems. Owners are being forced to get half life out of their tire purchases.

- Appleton, WI, USA

problem #18

Jun 022010

Civic

  • 20,000 miles
I have a 2008 Honda Civic ex-L. the car currently has 23,700 miles on it. I have been hearing a loud vibration noise on the back of the car for sometime now and after I just had my tires rotated, I have found that the back tires have flat spots on them. I have done some research and have found that many many other consumers are having this same complaint and have had no luck with Honda in fixing the problem. From what I have researched it is because of the control arm that is making the tires wear out fast. I have contact the dealer and they state they are unaware of any such problem, which I find very hard to believe. Some people have went to other dealers and were told that Honda didn't feel this was a big enough problem for a recall. Well if that is the case then why don't they fix these cars> are they waiting for deaths to occur from faulty tires? I want my car fixed it is unfortunate, but I still owe 17000 on it and I don't want to just throw that money out the window if I have to be buying tires every few months.

- Auburndale, FL, USA

problem #17

Aug 162009

Civic

  • 20,000 miles
Severe tire cupping, early tire failure. Dealer unable to fix cause of problem, they state that it results from a design flaw (non-adjustable cambers/arms). Tires failed at 20,000 miles and are failing again at 44,000 miles. I had to fight with Honda to get them to go 50/50 on the first set of replaced (dunlop) tires. They argues that I had enjoyed using them for 1/2 their life, so 50% was their maximum dollar match. I was also told to "rotate" my tires more frequently, even though I had service records showing that I do rotate on a routine basis at the dealership. From what I am researching online, Honda has a big problem going on with tire cupping on the Civic hybrids. My hope is that this is researched by the NHTSA more thoroughly. I am seeing numerous complaints on your website about this issue.....some are filed under "tires" while others filed under "rear suspension". I'm guessing the choose to file under "rear suspension" because dealers like mine are stating that this is a camber issue. On a side note, and this is odd to me, the dealership could not bring my alignment into manufacture recommended "spec" either. The numbers are significantly "off" where Honda says they should be. Ironic"?"

- Appleton, WI, USA

problem #16

Feb 252010

Civic

  • 27,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Civic. The vehicle was equipped with Bridgestone turanza EL400 tires, and tire size 205/55/16H(na). The contact was driving down an incline, approximately 35 mph. The road surface was dry. There was a loud thumping noise coming from the rear tires. The vehicle began to shake violently and slide. The authorized dealer was notified of the failures. The technician stated that the tires required replacement with an alignment. The vehicle has not been repaired nor have the tires been replaced. The failure mileage was 27,000. The current mileage was 27,215. Updated 05/12/10 updated 05/14/10.

- Thelma, KY, USA

problem #15

Nov 252009

Civic

  • 20,000 miles
Purchased a 2008 Honda Civic from local dealer new. This vehicle had alot of road noise for the get go..but saw online that road noise was one of the problems with Honda's. had my car regularly serviced at the same dealership over the last year. Last month Dec 2009 road noise became excessive and took car into dealership. They looked the car over and said tires had excessive wear because I had not rotated them every 5000 miles. Car is a year old has 20000 miles and has had road noise all along. Dealer refused to replace tires and denied problem. Car now has nearly 30,000 miles and is undrivable at this point. Haven't replaced tires as it is not affordable. But car is unsafe to drive. Dealer said suspension problems noted in 2006-07 models has been fixed, but problem seems rampant in the 2008 if you look on the internet as well as safety reports yet nothing has been recalled, and Honda is not standing by their product. Now I am still paying for a car that sits in the driveway and is unsafe to drive...cant sell an unsafe vehicle..please investigate this problem.

- Pooler, GA, USA

problem #14

Oct 182009

Civic

  • 23,300 miles
1. had car tires rotated every 7500 miles at oil change time. At 23300 after rear tires were put on front in rotation, tires would bounce and were noisy and there was vibration. Tires were cupped and ruined. Dealer said need new tires and alignment. Got new tires, at costco, and alignment at dealer. Dealer gives paper work and still out of spec. Original tires. Issue on 2006 thru some 2008 Honda Civic hybrids was rear control arms issues. Still an issue, premature wear and cupping causing potential for accident. Honda dealer says nothing wrong, but this is an issue. Others on internet also show same problem with premature tire wear.

- Addison, IL, USA

problem #13

Sep 252009

Civic

  • 15,300 miles
I have a 2008 Honda Civic coupe. After 15,000 miles the rear tires had to be replaced due to a loud rumbling noise that the mechanic said was separated belts. I have read other complaints on this issue and the outcome was Honda pointing fingers at Bridgestone and vice-versa. Do I have any recourse with the car company or tire manufacturer?

- Hernando, MS, USA

problem #12

Aug 252009

Civic

  • 15,437 miles
Our 2008 Honda Civic coupe developed a road noise in the rear tires at about 12K miles. Tires have been rotated every 5K and I have service order requests to back this up. At 15kmiles the noise had gotten unbearable. I asked my local mechanic to check and see if there was anything obvious before I took it to the Honda dealer and he noted that the rear tires appeared to have the belts slipped and that the right tire appeared worn out. I called Honda and they directed me to Bridgestone who told me the tires were worn out because Honda has a chassis problem and that the tires were not warranted for wear. Honda said there is no technical issues with their suspension and they couldn't help me. So I have a car with tires that are worn out at 15K miles and I have no recourse but to eat it and hope that the next set of tires wears better. This is unsafe in my opinion. Poot tire wear can only come from so many things. I have air pressure monitoring system, so it wasn't improper inflation, the vehicle is new so it isn't suspension issues, the tires were rotated twice in first 10K miles (documented). I guess having unsafe tires on a one year old automobile is not a big deal for Honda, but it is for me. Having a 1 year old auto in the drive way that we are scared to drive out of the neighborgood isn't a good thing.

- Porstmouth, VA, USA

problem #11

Aug 252009

Civic

  • 15,437 miles
Our 2008 Honda Civic coupe developed a road noise in the rear tires at about 12K miles. Tires have been rotated every 5K and I have service order requests to back this up. At 15kmiles the noise had gotten unbearable. I asked my local mechanic to check and see if there was anything obvious before I took it to the Honda dealer and he noted that the rear tires appeared to have the belts slipped and that the right tire appeared worn out. I called Honda and they directed me to Bridgestone who told me the tires were worn out because Honda has a chassis problem and that the tires were not warranted for wear. Honda said there is no technical issues with their suspension and they couldn't help me. So I have a car with tires that are worn out at 15K miles and I have no recourse but to eat it and hope that the next set of tires wears better. This is unsafe in my opinion. Poot tire wear can only come from so many things. I have air pressure monitoring system, so it wasn't improper inflation, the vehicle is new so it isn't suspension issues, the tires were rotated twice in first 10K miles (documented). I guess having unsafe tires on a one year old automobile is not a big deal for Honda, but it is for me. Having a 1 year old auto in the drive way that we are scared to drive out of the neighborgood isn't a good thing.

- Porstmouth, VA, USA

problem #10

May 122009

Civic

  • 19,500 miles
I have a 2008 Honda Civic LX 4 door and my rear tires are cupping and have flat spots. I do not drive hard and it seems there is a problem... this car is brand new and I am concerned. I keep my tires properly inflated and look at them often. I believe this may be a suspension issue. I think a recall is needed seeing that I have other friends with this issue as well.

- Canoga Park , CA, USA

problem #9

Mar 152009

Civic

  • miles
Tire failure on a 2008 Honda Civic - Bridgestone turanza EL400 H bl 205/55R16 the consumers son was driving on the interstate, when all of a sudden he heard a loud explosion and almost lost control of the vehicle. He pulled over and discovered the tire suffered a massive blowout. The service center stated there was a piece of glass in the tire which may have caused the blowout. The consumer didn't believe that a small piece of glass would cause that kind of a blowout.

- Pontotoc, MS, USA

Read the next 8 complaints »