[ImmortalZ]

Did my fourth (15k) service today. Brake problems were reported to a different SA and there was thorough work done. After service, I got out and tested the brakes and it was bliss! The old bitey feeling was back. But now that I'm home after spending hours in the traffic, it seems to be back to the old self again. I might have adjusted and just imagining things.

Anyway, I shall take some extra care during the coming long distance trip this weekend and report back again.

Total cost was 1500/-. Detailed breakup in my ownership thread .

Re: mukesh, can you clarify what you mean by bumps?

[mukeshgoel]

Hi

What I meant will be clear from the following link:

Why are Infiniti G35 Coupe Tires so Loud?

Please read from: "Below is another view of the same tire. You can see that the far edge of the tire is no longer a nice smooth circular space. Instead it looks like a bunch of straight edges connected to form a circular-ish shape. Perhaps it has become a "tricontagon" (a 30 sided shape)."

By the way, my Civic's tyres are not as bad as mentioned in the link.

[ImmortalZ]

Hmm, well, I was thinking about your problem while having dinner. Our cars have a McPherson strut at the front and double wishbone at the back. The struts are inferior to the double wishbones in terms of suspension performance, but they are compact, letting Honda have a bigger engine bay.

The disadvantage with struts is that they cannot mover vertically without some change of camber. That is, when the wheels move up when the damper compresses due to bumps/heavy weight, the camber changes, causing uneven wear on the tread. It's been a while since I read up on the whole thing, but I think it adds negative camber as the wheel moves up.

Having the wheels rotated periodically should theoretically help keep this effect minimal.

I'm just thinking here. Maybe not having the wheels rotated did you in?

OT : Older Hondas are prized mainly because of their having double wishbones at the front and back. At the price point, no other car is as light or has as good a chassis.

[alankarm@sancha]

Originally Posted by mukeshgoel

Went to another A.S.S. (Ring Road Honda, Sec-18, Gurgaon). Found somebody I knew from senior management. He instructed his staff to get all things checked thoroughly.

They lifted the car, checked the bearings by rotating the tyres and said they are OK. They also visually inspected the shockers for leakage and bend and told me that they are also OK as there is no machine to check the shockers and this is the only method to check the shockers.

They also got the alignment checked and that was also ok well within range.

Then they got the vehicle history by calling their Peera Garhi branch and found out that as per records, in the last 27k, the tyre rotation has never been done. I also don't remember if it was done or not. They told me that this was the reason for those irregular bumps of tyres. Well, is it possible ?

I asked them what if I get the tyres changed and they also get these bumps in 2 months? They assured me that every other thing in the car is fine. I asked them to give it writing so that I can sue them if my new tyres are damaged which they mentioned on the invoice "Shocker and all bearings found ok".

Friendly suggestion from the alignment person, that don't get the tyres changed. There is enough life in them for another 15k kms. Front tyres are Ok, rear tyres have more bumps that too inner side of tyres, get the rear tyres inside out and it will be better becasue inner side of tyres bears most of the car weight.

Just for the trial got it done outside A.S.S. and it improved quite a bit.

So question guys, can tyres have uneven bumps if we dont get them rotated? Any other suggestion about the tyres?

Thanks.

I have faced a similar problem. You can check my earlier posts. This irregular wear (iriver wear as the tyre guys termed it) wa noticed in my 2 rear tyres (Goodyear) at just 10,000 km. Kept on increasing. I made a lot of noise. Goodyear replaced the 2 tyres reluctantly, blaming the car suspensions(which I think are the main culprits) at about 18,000 km. The problem did no recurr. There used to be a loud suspension noise earlier, this also seems to have died down now. I am at about 62,000 kms now.

[sandeep108]

Originally Posted by alankarm@sancha

I have faced a similar problem. You can check my earlier posts. This irregular wear (iriver wear as the tyre guys termed it) wa noticed in my 2 rear tyres (Goodyear) at just 10,000 km. Kept on increasing. I made a lot of noise. Goodyear replaced the 2 tyres reluctantly, blaming the car suspensions(which I think are the main culprits) at about 18,000 km. The problem did no recurr. There used to be a loud suspension noise earlier, this also seems to have died down now. I am at about 62,000 kms now.

Then you never found out the cause?

[alankarm@sancha]

Originally Posted by sandeep108

Then you never found out the cause?

If you check up, I've had so many issues with the CIVIC, that I did not pursue the matter since it seemed to cure itself. Not a very good car at this price, I must say. And it is 66,000+ km and not 62,000. :-)

[alankarm@sancha]

This service bulletin of Honda USA can be checked for this common problem.

[mukeshgoel]

Originally Posted by alankarm@sancha

This service bulletin of Honda USA can be checked for this common problem.

Very good information indeed. Thanks.

But in India, Honda *** is not qualified enough to know the problem. How will they replace Rear Upper Control Arm Kit (P/N 04523-SNA-A01, H/C 9113184). They have not even heard of this term.

Also, according to this they should re-imburse 50% of my tyres (Is it valid even for 3 years/27k old tyres?)

Guys, what should be my action now ?

[laluks]

Dont generalise.

If it was a common problem in Indian models / cars then the service note would be available and service centres would take care.

I had taken the same perception for a suspension related issue which was known in the 8th gen Civic in some parts of the world. It is something about a knocking sound coming from the rear suspension, a similar issue I also had. I also searched the web, got such a service bulletin, equipped went to the service centre.

They cordially took note of what I said to them. Looked at the service bulletin I had shown them. They immediately told me let us check the part number in question. Showed to me, and clarified that is not used in Indian version. Further they went on to show the service bullettin that they had for Indian version for a similar issue and even checked that on to my car. Issue was I digged some sand sometime and it was somewhere between the moving parts which caused some uncomfortable sounds.

Regarding service bullettins, yes they know - if relevant to indian makes. So take all informations that you get with its relevance and do not generalise.

[ImmortalZ]

That service bulletin looks interesting. Problem is that the part numbers all change because our Civic uses a different chassis (FD1 instead of their FAx). It probably applies though - because the chassis only differs slightly for LHD.

If you tire has the same style of diagonal lines of treadwear, then this can be a good weapon to convince the dealer, IMHO. Print it out/take it on USB and show it to them. Make them inspect/replace the control arms. I know for a fact that these guys do receive these service bulletins.

[manim]

Going for my 45K routine service tomorrow for my Civic-AT. (TVS, Madurai).
Was told that charges will be less than Rs.1,000/-.

No complaints, car is great! (except for some front tyre noise).

Was quoted an sky-high Rs,2,800/-(+taxes) for the cost of new wiper blades.
The service adviser told me that since mine is an 2007 model, the rubber alone could not be changed. It seems that the full set has to be changed for the above amount.
Is it true? He also told that I cannot buy from outside for Civic. Any help ? .

[sandeep108]

That appears to be a bit of bunkum by the SA. There is no difference in wipers between the first civics and the current model. But the rubber itself is daylight robbery - costs now about 800/- (as against 400 a year ago) for just 2 tiny strips, while Bosch sells entire wiper blade assembly for other large cars for as little as 300/-.

You can check if Bosch has released rubber for civic and ask him to change it. Or you can easily do it yourself as given in the manual.

[ImmortalZ]

The 2007 blades and 2008 blades are the same. New Civics come with a different wiper set.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by ImmortalZ

The 2007 blades and 2008 blades are the same. New Civics come with a different wiper set.

What's different in the 2009 models?

[ImmortalZ]

They have the same type of blades that the ANHC has, but of a different size. I don't have a picture. The top support portion, which is hard rubber in the old Civics have been replaced with some sort of metal/plastic thing. The blades are different too, supposedly coated with "MOS2", whatever that is.

It isn't your average wiper blade though - the metal arm still connects on a single point.

EDIT : MOS2 is a solid lubricant (molybdenum disulphide) that is used in conjunction with graphite on the edges of wiper blade tips.