2008 Honda Civic Suspension
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH REAR TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE REAR TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT HAVE AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSING THE REAR TIRES TO BEND INWARD ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
REAR SUSPENSION CAUSES TIRES TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES, I HAVE TO REPLACE REAR TIRES BECAUSE OF FLAT SPOTS. THE SHOP WHERE I BUY MY TIRES WILL NOT EVEN ROTATE MY TIRES BECAUSE OF THE FLAT SPOTS. HONDA HAS DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE NOISE RESULTING FROM THE FLAT SPOTS IS OBNOXIOUS AND IT IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
PREMATURE TIRE WEAROUT - EXTREME SHAKE, ESPECIALLY AY HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER SAID NOTHING IS WRONG 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. EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATIONS/UNEVEN AND RAPID TIRE WEAR, FLAT SPOTS AND CUPPING ON REAR TIRES WITHIN FIRST 20K. REPLACED WITH FOUR NEW TIRES, THEN EXPERIENCED THE SAME SEVERE VIBRATIONS AND SYMPTOMS AT AROUND 33K. TSB FOR '06-'07 DESCRIBES SAME SYMPTOMS AND NEW CONTROL ARM TO RESOLVE ISSUE. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO HONDA DEALER WITH THIS ISSUE AND THEY STATE THAT MY '08 VEHICLE HAS THE UPDATED CONTROL ARM AND THAT CAR IS "FINE". OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM FOR THE '08 AS WELL AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT "FINE". THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE LISTED ON VARIOUS INTERNET AUTO PROBLEM SITES THAT HAVE ENCOUNTERED EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. *TR
THE SUSPENSION OF THE CARS IS NOT CALIBRATED CORRECTLY PER MY DEALER. THIS LEADS TO PREMATURE TIRE WEAR WHICH COULD LEAD TO FAILURE OF THE TIRES. *TR
THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON MY CAR WAS NOT SUFFICIENTLY LUBRICATED FROM THE FACTORY, LEADING TO "POPPING" AND "CLICKING" (BOTH VERY LOUD AND NOTICEABLE) WHEN TURNING. THE DEALER SAYS THE CIVICS WERE NOT GIVEN SUFFICIENT LUBRICATION AND THE SUSPENSION IS NOT BUILT CORRECTLY. *TR
EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATIONS/UNEVEN AND RAPID TIRE WEAR, FLAT SPOTS AND CUPPING ON REAR TIRES WITHIN FIRST 20K. REPLACED WITH TWO NEW TIRES, THEN EXPERIENCED THE SAME SEVERE VIBRATIONS AND SYMPTOMS AT AROUND 45K. TSB FOR '06-'07 DESCRIBES SAME SYMPTOMS AND NEW CONTROL ARM TO RESOLVE ISSUE. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO SEVERAL HONDA DEALERS WITH THIS ISSUE AND ALL STATE THAT MY '08 VEHICLE HAS THE UPDATED CONTROL ARM AND THAT CAR IS "FINE". OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM FOR THE '08 AS WELL AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT "FINE". *TR
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. *TR
REAR CAMBER NOT IN SPEC CAUSED PRE-MATURE INNER TIRE WEAR POSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK. REAR CAMBER IS NOT ADJUSTABLE. HONDA HAS NOT OFFERED A FIX. *TT
THE REAR TIRES HAVE WORN OUT AT 12000 AND AGAIN AT 23000 MILES. TWO DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS OF TIRES AND ALL ROTATIONS AND ALIGNMENTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED ON SCHEDULE. TIRE MANUFACTURERS WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND HONDA HAS STATED THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TIRE FAILURES. THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE LISTED ON VARIOUS INTERNET AUTO PROBLEM SITES THAT HAVE ENCOUNTERED EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT SHOPS THAT I HAVE CONTACTED INSIST THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION OF THIS VEHICLE AND WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION (HEAVY IN FRONT, LIGHT IN REAR) COMPOUNDS THE PROBLEM. *TR
THERE IS A WELL DOCUMENTED DEFECT IN THE HONDA CIVIC BETWEEN YEARS OF 2006-2009 FOR THE REAR UPPER ARM SUSPENSION. THERE STILL IS A DEFECT IN THE GEOMETRY BY .75 DEGREES AND IS THE REASON FOR EARLY TIRE WEARING. ALL FOUR OF MY TIRES STARTED TO WEAR EARLIER THAN USAGE PERFORMED ON TIRE. AROUND 20,000 MILES THERE WAS EARLY EXCESSIVE WEAR NOTED. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH WEAR ON MY TIRES. I HAD TO REPLACE THEM AT 30-34000 MILES AND BELIEVE IT IS DUE TO THE DEFECT IN THE REAR UPPER ARMS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS AND DEMAND HONDA TO MAKE A RECALL FOR THIS. MANY CONSUMERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND CLASS ACTION SUITS HAVE BEEN FILED. DESPITE THE REPLACEMENT ARM, THERE STILL ARE DOCUMENTS THAT STATE EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AND REPLACEMENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM WAS CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY AND THE REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED AT EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SECURE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS AWARE OF OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL WITH THE SAME FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISHTAIL, AS A RESULT OF REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN THE ALIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS AND THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
EXTREME VIBRATION IN REAR SUSPENSION OF 2008 HONDA CIVIC EX. THIRD SET OF TIRES (CURRENT ODOMETER READING IS 64K MILES) DUE TO "CUPPING". HONDA DEALER STATES THAT CUPPING DUE TO LACK OF ROTATION OF TIRES AND DENIES ANY HISTORY OF SUSPENSION ISSUES FOR THIS MODEL. *TR
REAR TIRE CUPPING ON 2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID- DEALER CHANGED REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS @ 12,000 MILE. I CHANGED TIRES @ 15,000 -- NEW TIRES ARE DOING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
EVER SINCE I BOUGHT MY 2008 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN EX-L I HAVE HAD A VIBRATION, TIRE CUPPING AND SEVER NOISE IN THE REAR END SUSPENSION AND WHEELS. HONDA CLAIMS IT IS BECAUSE OF IMPROPER TIRE ROTATION INTERVALS. TIRE CUPPING IS NOT DUE TO IMPROPER TIRE ROTATION. IT IS DUE TO LACK OF PROPER SHOCK ABSORBING. I HAVE HAD MY CIVIC BACK FOR THIS PROBLEM EVERY 10,000 MILES WITH NO SOLUTION FROM HONDA. AT 26000 MILES I REPLACED THE REAR TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE BADLY CUPPED. NOW MY NEW TIRES ARE CUPPED AS WELL. AFTER REPEATED WHEEL BALANCING, ALIGNMENTS AND MANY ATTEMPTS TO HAVE HONDA FIX IT I REPLACED THE REAR SHOCKS WITH HEAVY DUTY SHOCK TO NO AVAIL. THE LAST CAR I OWNED THAT SHOWED SIGNS OF REAR TIRE CUPPING WAS MY 1970 FIAT 850 RACER. I REPLACED THE REAR PRODUCTION SHOCKS WITH KONI ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS AND THE CUPPING CEASED. AGAIN HONDA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM AND NEEDS A REMEDY. *TR
ON JUNE 20, 2010, MY WIFE TOOK HER MOTHER ON A TRIP TO THE MIDWEST. WHEN SHE STARTED BACK, THE SHAKING BECAME EXTREMELY BAD, AND THE NOISE WAS DEAFENING. THE CLOSEST HONDA DEALER WAS MIDDLEKAUFF HONDA, TWIN FALLS IDAHO. THEY SAID SHE WAS RUNNING ON THE STEEL BELTS OF THE 2 REAR TIRES, AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE THE HONDA PARTS TO CORRECT/REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE HONDA PARTS, BUT HE WOULD DO A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, AND WITH 2 NEW TIRES SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET HOME, THEN TAKE THE ISSUE UP WITH OUR LOCAL HONDA DEALER. THE COST OF THIS SERVICE, AND (INFERIOR) TIRES TO THE VEHICLE WAS $269.31. ON JULY 16, 2010 WE TOOK THE CAR (MILEAGE 26234) INTO OUR DEALER WHO REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PARTS AND DID ANOTHER ALIGNMENT AT NO CHARGE TO US. OUR SERVICE MANAGER ASKED WHY TWIN FALLS HONDA DID A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT, AS IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE HONDA PARTS. WE TOLD HIM THE TWIN FALLS HONDA DEALER SAID IT SHOULD BE DONE. OUR LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US THAT THE HONDA CIVIC HYBRID IS VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT THE TYPE OF TIRES YOU PUT ON IT. THE DELTA MAJESTIC TIRES PUT ON IN TWIN FALLS, BESIDES BEING NOISIER, MAY REDUCE GAS MILEAGE. HE SAID THE ORIGINAL DUNLOP TIRES WOULD HAVE BEEN BEST. WE ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH HONDA USA REGARDING THIS DEFECT, THE DAMAGE CAUSED, WHAT IT HAS COST US, AND LOVED ONES LIVES PUT IN JEOPARDY! THIS WAS CAUSED BY A KNOWN DEFECT, PER HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 08-001. WE ARE ASKING THAT HONDA USA LIVE UP TO IT'S REPUTATION FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, WITHOUT US NEEDING TO SEEK FURTHER RECOURSE, AND THAT; OUR UNNECESSARY MONEY SPENT FOR THE 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND 2 INFERIOR TIRES IN TWIN FALLS BE REFUNDED TO US, AND ALL FOUR TIRES BE REPLACED WITH THE ORIGINAL DUNLOP MODEL. *TR
2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID - REAR TIRES WEAR EXCESSIVELY EVEN AFTER SERVICE BULLETIN TSB 08-001 HAS BEEN DONE. REAR TIRES BECOME NOISY WITH THE INSIDE WEAR AND CUPPING. EVENTUALLY, FOR A NON-OBSERVANT DRIVER, THERE WILL BE A BLOWOUT. *TR
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.
2008 CIVIC EX COUPE. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH REAR TIRES AT AROUND 20,000 MILES DUE TO A SLIGHTLY VISIBLE FLAT SPOT ON THE TIRES THAT WAS CAUSING A PROGRESSIVELY LOUD ROAR. ON INITIAL INSPECTION, THE TIRE DEALER ADVISED ME THE TIRES LOOKED FINE AS THEY STILL HAD PLENTY OF TREAD AND APPEARED TO BE EVEN WEAR. HOWEVER, ON CLOSER EXAMINATION I WAS ABLE TO POINT OUT THE FLAT SPOTS VISIBLE ON THE CENTER OF THE TIRE. TIRE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN CAUSE. WHEN I HAD REPLACED THE SECOND REAR TIRE, THE TIRE DEALER THOUGHT THAT THE BELTING HAD SLIPPED. I JUST ASSUMED I HAD A BAD SET OF TIRES. THE WEAR DID NOT LOOK LIKE TYPICAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY MISALIGNMENT. THE SAME PROBLEMS HAS AGAIN APPEARED WITH ABOUT 25,000 MILES ON THE NEW REAR TIRES. I NOW HAVE DISCOVERED THAT HONDA HAS SERVICE BULLETIN 08-001 WHICH DESCRIBES MY EXACT SYMPTOM AND REQUIRES THE UPPER CONTROL ARM TO BE REPLACED.. HONDA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS. HONDA SHOULD NOTIFY OWNERS AND TIRE DEALERS OF THIS POSSIBLE FAILURE SO CONSUMERS ARE AWARE ON HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. BESIDES, THE EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE THAT EVENTUALLY APPEARS, THE VIBRATION WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO COMPLETE TIRE FAILURE. *TR
FAULTY REAR UPPER ARMS IN THE 2008 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID CAUSING REAR TIRES TO BECOME SEVERELY CUPPED. I SPOKE TO HONDA CORPORATE MANAGER WHO SAID THAT THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE TIRES. *TR
ALTHOUGH HAVE HAD TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED AT 10,000. AT 13,000 NOTICED TIRE NOISE AND DISCOVERED CUPPING AND UNEVEN WEAR ON REAR TIRES. HONDA DEALER IN LANCASTER, PA SAID COULD DO NOTHING, NOT EVEN CHECK ALIGNMENT UNLESS I PAID. I HAD ALIGNMENT CHECKED AT ANOTHER GARAGE. ALL IS WITHIN SPECS. HE SAID A LOT OF THE CIVICS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. HE PUT THE BEST 2 TIRES ON FRONT. I INFLATE MY TIRES TO 36 LBS SO THAT TIRES RIDE ON CENTER AND MAKE LESS NOISE. PRESENT MILEAGE 18,000. *TR
PREMATURE REAR TIRE WEAR. *TR
A ROARING NOISE FROM THE REAR TIRES STARTED WHILE ON A ROAD TRIP. WHEN I GOT HOME, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. BEFORE I WENT IN, I HAD DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SO I WAS PRETTY SURE IT WAS THE CONTROL ARM DEFECT THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING. I TOLD THE PEOPLE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT SERVICE BULLETIN 08-001 WHICH SAYS THAT 06-07 CIVICS HAVE DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS. AS EXPECTED, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE CUPPED AND THAT I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. FIRST OFF, HONDA DOES NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE SERVICE BULLETIN UNLESS YOU PRINT IT OUT AND GIVE IT TO THEM. THEY KNOW IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL THEY GET SUED BECAUSE SOMEONE LOSES CONTROL OF THEIR CAR AND GETS HURT. *TR
I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY STARTED SWERVING TO MY LEFT. I PRESSED MY BRAKES AND I HEARD A LITTLE EXPLOSION, BUT I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT. MY CAR STARTED SWERVING EVEN MORE AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL. MY CAR SPUN AND HIT ANOTHER CAR AND THEN SPUN AGAIN AND ENDED UP CRASHING INTO THE LEFT SIDE DIVIDER. WHEN POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, THEY NOTICED MY WHEEL WAS POPPED OUT. THE WHEEL MALFUNCTION MUST HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE WHEEL POPPED OUT EVEN BEFORE I HIT THE DIVIDER. *TR
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? *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2008 Honda Civic has 76 Suspension complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.