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
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME MY PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR MOUNT HAS COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF!!
BOUGHT THE CAR 2 DAYS AGO. DID TEST DRIVE IT WITH NO NOTABLE ISSUES. I DID NOT TAKE IT ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND THE SALESMAN INSISTED NOT TO GO ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO ROAD CONSTRUCTION OUTSIDE THE DEALERSHIP. SO ON THE WAY HOME I DID TAKE THE HIGHWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP FOLLOWING MY HUSBAND OUT OF THE AREA UNTIL I GOT TO FAMILIAR TERRITORY. THEN HE GOT BEHIND ME. WELL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I FELT THE CAR SWAYING SIDE TO SIDE HAVING TROUBLE STAYING BETWEEN THE LINES. DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT AND WHEN I WOULD HIT A BUMP THE BACK END OF THE CAR MOVED ALL OVER THE PLACE. WELL WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I GOT HOME I MENTIONED IT TO HIM AND HE SAID WHEN HE WAS BEHIND ME HE NOTICED THE RIGHT BACK OF THE CAR WAS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN. WITH THAT SAID I HAVE A 16 MONTH OLD GRANDSON THAT I INTEND TO HAVE IN MY CAR ON OCCASION AND IT'S SCARY TO THINK THAT MY CAR MAY NOT BE SAFE FOR THE ROAD AND/OR PUT MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE IN DANGER. THE SALESMAN SHOWED ME THE CARFAX REPORT AND SERVICES THAT WERE DONE ON THE CAR. BUT DID NOT DISCLOSED ANYTHING OF WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING WITH THE VEHICLE
ONE OF THE CONTROL ARMS, I BELIEVE IT IS CALLED, WENT BAD AND CRACKED. THE FRONT ONES WENT BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT WERE UNDER WARRANTY. THESE WOULD BE THE ARMS THAT CONNECT AND HOLD THE TIRES/BRAKES BUT NOT THE SUSPENSION. I MAY HAVE REFERRED TO THEM WRONG, BUT THEY WENT BAD NONETHELESS.
LIKE MANY OF THE TIRE WEAR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS VEHICLE, REAR TIRES DEVELOPED IRREGULAR FLAT SPOTS, AND REAR TIRES WERE VERY NOISY. TALKED WITH KEN IN TORRANCE, CA (AMERICAN HONDA) BUT HONDA REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. AFTER TWO SETS OF TIRES IN 33,000 MILES, KEN AGREED TO PAY 50% OF NEXT TIRE PURCHASE. IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, THEN WHY WOULD KEN AGREE TO PAY HALF OF NEXT TIRE PURCHASE?
GEOMETRY PROBLEM ON SUSPENSION CAUSES EXCESSIVE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. THE DRIVER MAY BE UNAWARE OF THIS DAMAGE BECAUSE THE OUTSIDE OF ALL THE TIRES APPEAR FINE. IF NO CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE INSIDE TREAD OF THE TIRE IS DONE, DANGEROUS CONDITIONS CAN BE OVERLOOKED. THIS PUTS THE PASSENGERS OF THIS CAR AND ANYONE AROUND IT IN DANGER. HONDA SHOULD RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE DIES IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY
THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNT HAS FAILED AND IS VIBRATING LOUDLY. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON HAS FAILED @ 50K ON 2 HONDA CIVIC GENERATION 8'S THAT I OWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, IT VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNT AND TORQUE STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
UNEVEN TIRE WEAR ON THE INSIDE TREAD OF REAR WHEELS. CAN'T SEE THE WEAR SINCE IT IS ON THE INSIDE SO THE TIRE LOOKS FINE ON THE OUTSIDE BUT IS WORN SO BAD ON THE INSIDE A BLOWOUT COULD HAPPEN EASILY. PROBLEM CAUSED BELT SEPARATION AND EXTREME UNEVEN WEAR. THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE SUSPENSION DESIGN. THIS IS COSTING A TON OF MONEY IN REPLACEMENT TIRES AND TIRES FOR THIS MODEL CAR COST A FORTUNE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE WAS POWERED ON, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 9/4/14*CN THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED JULY 25, 2014. THE MOTOR MOUNT FAILED. UPDATED 1/5/2015 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE WEARING OUT PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS WRONG AND THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING UP PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
EXCESSIVE REAR WHEEL WEAR(INSIDE ON BOTH TIRES) CAUSING PREMATURE REPLACEMENT AND POSSIBLE TIRE FAILURE. *TR
REAR TIRES WEAR OUT PREMATURELY DUE TO REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS (UPPER CONTROL ARMS? INCORRECT FACTORY REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECS?). AT ONLY 80,000 MILES, I AM ON MY FIFTH SET OF NEW TIRES -- ALL DUE TO "ABNORMAL WEAR PATTERNS ON REAR TIRES." A MECHANIC AT THE LOCAL FIRESTONE STORE SUGGESTED THAT THE REAR WHEEL TOE-IN BE SET @ 0 DEGREES INSTEAD OF THE STATED FACTORY SPECS, BUT HONDA HAS ALREADY RECALLED MY 2006 CIVIC LX AND FIXED THE REAR SUSPENSION UPPER CONTROL ARMS IN A RECALL (ITS REAR TIRES HAVE WORN OUT PREMATURELY, ALSO, BUT THIS PARTICULAR RECALL DID NOT COVER MY 2008 CIVIC, WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE A WORSE CASE OF THE SAME PROBLEM). WHY DID THE RECALL NOT COVER MY 2008 CIVIC, TOO?). *TR
THE REAR TIRES HAD EXCESSIVE AND UNEVEN TIRE WEAR THAT CAUSED PREMATURE TIRE CHANGE. ALSO IT CAUSED A VIBRATION AND LOUD NOISE LEVEL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM IS THE COST OF TIRE REPLACEMENT. ALSO THE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BY HONDA. *TR
THE REAR TIRE WORE OUT FAST, THEY WERE CUPPING AND VIBRATING AND NOISY/THUMPING STARTING AROUND 25,000 MILES. AT 30,000 MILES I COULD NOT WAIT ANYMORE. I BOUGHT 2 NEW TIRES FOR THE BACK, THE FRONT TIRES WERE STILL OK. THEN I TOOK IT TO ROUND ROCK HONDA FOR ALIGNMENT. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD THEN, I HAD THE NEW TIRES AT THE FRONT. AFTER ANOTHER 20K MILES, I REPLACED THE 2 OLD TIRES WITH NEW ONES. I KEPT BALANCING AND ROTATING THE TIRES. BUT AT AROUND 70K MILES THE REAR TIRES STARTED TO WEAR OUT AGAIN. I ROTATE AND BALANCED THE TIRES. NOW AT 88K MILES, THE CAR STARTS TO VIBRATE AND NOISY AGAIN AT 65MPH. THE TIRES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR 60-70K, BUT THE UNEVEN WEAR SHOWING UP AROUND 30K . I CHECKED W/ DISCOUNT TIRE, THEY CLAIM CIVIC HAS PROBLEMS W/ TIRE WEAR. SO I CHECKED ON INTERNET, FOUND THE ISSUE ABOUT HONDA CIVIC PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. I WENT TO ROUND ROCK HONDA, BUT THEY WON'T REPLACE NEW CONTROL REAR ARMS AND DO ALIGNMENT FOR FREE. I HAVE TO PAY AROUND $450.00. I FILED THIS COMPLAIN FIRST. I'M PLANNING TO REPLACE THE OLD TWO TIRES AGAIN FOR NOW. THE LOOK FOR HONDA TO REPLACE NEW CONTROL REAR ARMS AND DO ALIGNMENT FOR FREE. I CALLED ANOTHER HONDA DEALER TO VERIFY, THEY ARE CLAIMING THERE IS NO ISSUE W/ 2008 CIVIC LX SEDAN, WHICH IS NOT LISTED IN THE TSB 08-001 (2006 AND 2007 ONLY). SO I GUESS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS TIRE WEARING FAST ISSUE YET. IF HONDA KEEPS PLAYING DUMB, MY LAST RESORT WOULD PROBABLY BE SELLING THIS CIVIC AND CONSIDER BUYING A TOYOTA INSTEAD OF A HONDA. *TR
REAR TIRES WEAR PREMATURELY AND IN A VERY ODD FASHION (UNEVEN, HI-LO BANDS ACROSS THE TREAD) CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT THUMPING SOUND AND VIBRATION. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THE REAR SHOCKS WERE THE CAUSE (@55-60K MILES). THE SHOCKS AND TIRES WERE REPLACE AND THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN! 90%+ OF MY DRIVING IS DONE ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT POORLY MAINTAINED BACK ROADS. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION ON THESE VEHICLES THAT HONDA NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS. *TR
TL* 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.
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. *TR
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. *JS
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? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE WEARING PREMATURELY AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN ALIGNMENT WHERE THE DEALER LOCATED A FAILURE WITHIN THE REAR PASSENGER CONTROL ARM. THE CONTROL ARM WAS NOT THE CORRECT SIZE AND WAS ENTIRELY TOO SHORT FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH AN AFTERMARKET CONTROL ARM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
2008 CIVIC (PURCHASED NEW) CURRENTLY HAS 29,000 MILES AND JUST INSTALLED MY SECOND NEW SET OF TIRES. I ROTATE THE TIRES ON A REGULAR BASIS BUT THE REARS CONTINUE TO WEAR PREMATURELY ON THE INSIDES. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE ALIGNMENT AND "FIXED" THE OUT OF TOLERANCE ISSUE BUT WASN'T WILLING TO REPLACE THE TIRES. CAR IS STILL BURNING THROUGH TIRES EVERY 15K, VERY NOTICEABLE ROAD NOISE, AND MILEAGE CONTINUES TO RUN 25% BELOW SALES QUOTES. VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ON PACKED SNOW WITHOUT FISHTAILING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC LX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE WEARING PREMATURELY AND WOULD SOMETIMES LEAN TO ONE SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE REAR CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.
TL* 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.
TL* 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.
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. *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.