Front Suspension Control Arm problems of the 2006 Honda Civic - part 1

Premature wear and cupping of tires resulting in unstable dangerous tire performance and loud distracting noise apparently due to a manufacturing defect in upper control arm design.

Left front lower control arm right front lower control arm left front strut assembly right front strut assembly power steering fluid leak engine oil leak gasket needed to be replaced rear brake light failed starter failed alternator failed air filter gets clogged prematurely power steering pump hoses cracked and leaked power steering air pressure hoses cracked and leaked power steering intake hose cracked and leaked power steering return hose cracked and leaked master window power switch on driver side window went out and had to be replaced rear brake light went out needs to be replaced so many problems with this car that are v very costly and known manufacturing defects at Honda corp air bags were faulty and contained metal fragments that could kill occupants because they puncture a person's heart and kill them instantly if they get into an accident with unrecalled air bags many people have died from unrepaired recalls on the air bags because of the metal fragments puncturing their hearts causing them instant death or death after five minutes many chp officers have told me they have seen too many deaths from the airbags being unrepaired air bag light comes on even after Honda repaired the air bag on passenger side a few years ago on a recall lighting- on the inside of the car to entry light on the right hand went out window wipers go out often and cost alot of money window wiper container/reservoir failed suspension shocks and struts gone alignment tires cupping and uneven wear and tear and tread lug nuts and wheel studs failed and caused the tire to fall off the axle and flew into traffic causing a very dangerous situation inside passenger and driver side window visors failed immobilizer failed and made the car alarm keep going off without stopping for three days car batteries prematurely fail multiple times starter failed multiple times alternator failed multiple times spark plugs failed multiple times emergency brake came out from the housing trunk light.

I never got informed about this settlement claim. . Read more...

I purchased 2006 Honda Civic ex from person from TX. And I live in la. It had brand new tires on it and 73,000 miles and was in great condition. At 75,000 miles I started hearing noise in rear end like roaring noise. Each time I had it service at local Honda dealer the service advisor said tires or alignment. They knew about the class action law suit and TSB 08-001 but never informed me about it. It took me 4 years and 2 worn out $130 michelin tires each to find the problem online and from my brother. The Honda dealer should have informed me about Honda bad design rear upper control arms earlier and I could have saved myself 2 new tires and lots of headache. But I had it fixed at local shop in bossier city alignment shop for $560. No more noise and car rides like new and tires sit straight as an arrow not cocked out like they did.

I bought the car used and found out there has been a settled class action law suit because the rear control arm causes excessive wear on the rear tires. I guess I am stuck having to make this repair on my own.

A faultily designed upper rear control arm causes uneven tire wear and alignment & braking issues.

The Honda dealership will not replace the control arm in my 2006 Honda Civic for free even though this is a known defect in the manufacturing of the car and a class action lawsuit was recently settled regarding the issue.

Tire wear has been uneven in the rear tires, I had received a repair notice a couple of years ago but I was out of the country for a long time and missed out on the repair window for replacement of tires and super control arm? I think the resulting tire wear is the fault of known defective parts and Honda is acting very responsibly in not recaling for this failure/defect.

Honda knows this is an issue with these cars. I have two for which i¿ve brought several set of tires. It is very obvious that this is an engineering design flaw. Tires wear out very quickly. Road noise us tremendous with heavy thumping. Rear upper control arms are the problem.

Rear tires wearing very rapidly/poor handling over bumps due to factory defect of rear upper control arms. This causes camber to not be adjusted properly without replacing arms. Honda not willing to stand behind their mistake if vehicle is out of warranty. This can become dangerous because tires at first glance (without being underneath the car) will look like they have plenty of life left but on the inner edge the steel cords may be showing. Also with taking a bump as your turning at highway speeds this can cause you to lose control.

The contact owns a 2006 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the rear upper control arm caused the tires to couple. The failure was caused by normal wear and tear when driving the vehicle in cold weather. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the failure and advised that there was no recall for the failure. The contact was advised that the upper control arm would require replacing. The manufacturer was not notified of the defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 101,000.

Both upper rear control arms on this vehicle are faulty. They cause the tires to ride on an angle causing excessive ware on the tires.

Rear control arms too short, causing rear tires to wear unevenly and prematurely. [known issue with several hundred complaints noted online in various forums]. Could contribute to an accident, especially on wet roads if condition of tire is not noted. Same issue also caused excessive road noise and "wobbly" rear end at freeway speeds. Again, could contribute to an accident.

Uneven tire wear and vibrations when traveling on highway. Honda had a recall to repair control arm. Had repair done 6 years ago. It was a factory/manufacturing problem. It is happening again. Called dealer who said Honda only honors one repair. Any subsequent repairs are at my expense. Dealer will not do permanent fix. Tires wear unevenly due to problem. Have bought several tires. Have had premature brake wear and strut replacement due to manufacturing issues. Also, catalytic converter now going out prematurely. Nothing covered by Honda. Many complaints on the internet. Class action lawsuit forming. Why does Honda not stand behind its product and permanently repair manufacturing defects/problems?.

I purchased the car in August 2010. Per the Honda service bulletin issued Feb 2008 (which I was unaware of til the problem), I have had a mechanic confirm my complaints/problem--uneven/rapid rear tire wear, a very loud roaring noise from the rear, and vibration at highway speed--meaning I have a faulty rear upper control arm kit. I have called Honda and they said since it's not a "recall" they will not replace this. Their service bulletin clearly states I need a new rear upper control arm kit, replace the flange bolts too, which also means alignment with purchase of new tires.

2006 Honda Civic. Consumer writes in regards to defective design of rear suspension the consumer stated due to the defect/poor design of the rear control arms, the rear tires were wearing unevenly and prematurely. Last week, the dealer discovered that the left rear tire was worn down to the cord on the inside part of the tire. The dealer suggested a four-wheel alignment and two new rear tires, but failed to mention the issue with the control arms. The consumer learned of a service bulletin that was issued to dealers, by Honda to replace the rear control arms. The consumer took a copy of the bulletin to the dealership and is now negotiating with them to replace the control arms.

Premature and uneven wear on rear tires. Honda has a service bulletin, 08-001, which addresses a problem with rear upper control arm. Upper control arm needs to be replaced on 2006 and 2007 models due to poor design. However, Honda is waiting until people complain before they are replacing the control arms. Honda changed the design on 2008 and newer Civics. On my car, a mechanic noticed that the left rear tire was wore down to the cord on the inside part of the tire, which could have caused a blowout. Also, tire tread on inside part of right rear tire was noticeably worn, although not as bad as left rear tire. Tire tread on front tires is fine. And tire tread on the outside part of the rear tires is fine. Very difficult to see the damaged portion of the rear tires without having car up on rack.

My rear tires on my '06 were making a roaring noise and vibrating at highway speeds. After putting 15,000 miles on it (bought used with 64,404 miles on it), my tires wore out due to uneven tire wear at the inner edges. Fortunately by chance, just before we embarked on a 1500 mile trip, I just accidentally happened to notice that the belts were showing on the inner edge of my right rear tire. This was not readily noticeable from the outside of the car, until I crawled under the back end of my car to check on something else. From the appearance of the outer edges and mid-sections of my tires, I never would have guessed that my tires were in need of immediate replacement and that this was an accident just waiting to happen! after inspecting the other tires on my car, I ended up replacing a total of three tires. However, this will not correct the problem with my tire-eating car, since the rear upper control arms require replacement, as outlined in Honda TSB 08-001. I went to the local Honda dealer and was informed by a service rep that they handle these claims on a case-by-case basis. Since I did not save my worn out tires and due to the current mileage on my car, I decided that it would probably be a waste of time for me to try to get Honda to replace the control arms at their expense. After reviewing TSB 08-001, it is my opinion that Honda should do the right thing and initiate an immediate safety recall to correct this condition. Premature tire wear due to the rear upper control arm configuration appears to be a very common issue with these 06 & 07 Civic models, as indicated by the number of complaints and by the large number of aftermarket adjustable rear upper control arms/camber kits that are currently available. My Civic now stays parked in the driveway all of the time. This is a very dangerous condition that is not easily or readily noticeable to consumers!.

Uneven tire wear. Honda claims this is intended but the car goes through brand new tires on the rear every 7500 miles. The rear control arm puts negitive camber and toe on the tire causes the inside of the tire to wear bald very quickly even when drving on the interstate. This is a serious issue, if you dont check the tires daily for wear you wouldn't notice it. I didn't notice it till my tire popped. Luckily I wasn't on a major road or this could have been a horrible incident.

Rear upper control arms cause rear tires to go and stay out of alignment. This causes excessive tire wear and potential failure well before tire's maximum mileage rating. I am on my third set of tires with only 43,850 miles on the car. Honda issued a service bulletin in 2008 about this but didn't inform consumers.

Have had all services performed at regular intervals. Had noticed a growling/humming/harmonic howl while driving at highway speeds. Had my mechanic (non-Honda) check out front end, had transaxle serviced, new tires balanced, etc. Said cv joints, bearings, everything checked out & must be "noisy" tires. After several months noise seems to get worse & didn't want to replace brand new tires. Scheduled another appointment where mechanic found that rear axle is cambered in causing uneven tire wear and (now) really loud howl (can't carry on a conversation in back seat). . Also notice some "sway" at times. My mechanic stated a "repair kit" to fix the control arm issue would cost about $750 installed but was difficult to get. I then started internet research & found that this is a very widespread problem (sb 08-001), has been known for a long time but no owner notification. I am in the process of contacting my Honda dealer that sold me the car, but don't expect much of a response since no recall has (yet) been issued. I consider the vehicle dangerous at this point and will have to use an alternate vehicle for a necessary trip out of town.

I have a 2006 Civic and the rear upper control arms are defective resulting in premature tire wear and the rear of the car swaying especially in the snow. The tires were replaced at 30,000 and need to be replaced again at 60,000. There is a service bulletin released to acknowledge the problem, but when I called my local dealership they said the control arms were defective and would need to be covered at my cost of $455. 00. I would like to purchase new tires at this time, but do not want to replace them at 90,000 miles. This problem is not only costly to the owners of 2006-2007 Civics, but is also dangerous.

The contact owns a 2006 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the rear tires would wear prematurely. The dealer diagnosed that the control arm in the rear suspension was defective. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 10 and the current mileage was 135,075.

First set of tires repeatedly became cupped and caused high road noise. Rear end bounced and swayed. Repeated tire rotations and spin balancing of all four wheels failed to rectify. I replaced ties at 33,800. Second set of tire because cupped, rear end unstable. Tire rotation made problem worse. Replaced rear shocks. No effect; continued unstable and rear end swayed. When on rough pavement. Second set of tires cupped and noisy by 33,000 miles. Went to Honda dealer asked for complete analysis. They said front end and suspension are sound. I was told that we have "outdated" upper control arms on the rear wheels that are "famous in Honda garages for eating tires. " service manager said these parts must be replaced before alignment is possible. He said there has never been a recall issued. I called american Honda. They informed me they did want to discuss the issue and that they would offer a small amount toward my replacing the parts. They will not stand behind this part even though it was a known manufacturing defect which was subsequently replaced on newer models. I consider the car unsafe due to rear end instability.

The contact owns a 2006 Honda Civic. The contact stated the rear upper control arms are causing the tires to cup and wears rapidly at 15,000. This is a known design flaw that the manufacturer has recognized in the TSB (NHTSA #10024687). The contact called the manufacturer regarding the control arms and the stated they refuse to handle the cost of the repairs. The contact stated this is a major safety issue that the manufacturer is ignoring. The failure mileage was 67,000.

I own a 2006 Honda Civic. The rear tires are cupping (others call it see-saw pattern ). There is technical service bulletin for the lower control arm, dated February, 2008 that exactly describes the problem. The vehicle had three sets of new tires since it was purchased. First I thought it was a tire problem and I kept changing the tires, only to discover after the car was out of warranty, that it was a manufacturing defect. I contacted the manufacturer, and I spoke to crystal from american Honda motor who refused to offer any assistance, stating that it was my fault that " I did not give them the opportunity to fix the car" . The service bulletin was not communicated to me, I found out through my research, but in the meantime the warranty expired.

2006 Honda Civic ex 4 door sedan. Problem with the rear upper control arms: I was driving the car, and noticed suddenly that the tires start making horrible noises, almost sounding as if I had a flat tire. The effect on driving was very bad- control and steering were effected. I checked the tires, but didn't notice anything specific except for wear issues. Taking it in to Honda, they said that "no one could fix the problem except for Honda". They said that a "new, updated part" had been released a year and a half ago (when my car was still under warranty). There was a technical service bulletin issued, so the problem was well known. They still have not issued a recall. This is a serious danger to driver safety.

Honda 2006 defective rear upper control arms that causes rear tires to wear on the inside. Honda service bulletin 08-001.

Defective rear upper control arms which cause excessive tire wear. Only a service bulletin was issued from Honda. The bad part is when the service bulletin was issued in July 2008 my vehicle was under warranty. There's trust issues with my dealer (phil bachman Honda) which I feel should have been looking out for me their customer and made me aware of this but that didn't happen so I am paying $700 instead of Honda. When I contacted Honda the representative chris tried to point the problem to me for not replacing my tires with the same brand that come on it from the factory. How crazy this proves Honda is a company of placing the blame on others instead of taking ownership / fixing the bad control arms they installed. I read the complaints and see that basically every brand of tire has been damaged due to this. This should be reclassified as a recall and everyone paid back for there repairs and prorated tire cost - in my case Honda owes me $220 for the control arm repair and $150 prorated tires. This must be the Honda's new mind set never take ownership. It also may have to do with having 3 recalls already.

The contact owns a 2006 Honda Civic. While exiting a parking space the rear passenger side wheel bent to the right, which then jammed into the wheel rail. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, and a technician concluded that the rear lower control arm had fractured. The vehicle has not been repaired, but was still at the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 85,000. Updated 11/03/09 the consumer stated the control arm broke in half which caused the wheel to jam into the wheel well. Updated 11/03/09.

The contact owns a 2006 Honda Civic. The rear control arm system caused the tire to prematurely fail. While driving ,the driver side rear tire blew-out. No repairs were made. The current mileage was 88,000. The failure mileage was 51,000.

Abnormal rear tire wear, after only 10,000 miles tires were down to the cords. The geometry is wrong on the rear suspension. The upper control arm is too short. When the car is loaded the problem makes tire wear even worse.

Back tires keep needing to be replaced. . . 2 times already in past 2 years!! uneven wearing on tires. . I have been told its an upper control arm by Honda dealer but probably a defect in design.

I have noticed that there is noise during driving which appear to be from the tires and it can be annoying at points. I read about the service bulletin about the upper control arms and my car has the problems that occur to having a bad control arm. The inner portion of my tires are wearing out faster than the other parts of the tires. Honda and the dealership I go to won't cover the replacement of the control arms because I am out of warranty. I didn't know about the control arm issue until recently. I have bought another set of tires because the first set started to make the steering wheel vibrate during speeds above 60 mph. Honda should make this a recall or cover all the costs of replacing these parts even if the car is out of warranty. The car owner shouldn't have to pay for fixing this issue.

I have a 2006 Honda Civic that is getting severe uneven tire wear on the back tires. Honda does have a service bulletin (08-001) about design flaw in the control arms that are causing the problem. The issue seems to be, in my experience, that they really don't want to do anything unless you push the issue. And they want to charge for the fix. Unfortunately, I prematurely ruined two sets of tires before I was aware of this problem. I am currently fighting with the dealership to do the repair at no charge and am having no luck.