The driver's side rear end on my 06 civic is leaning 5/8" - 3/4" lower then the passenger side. When I first noticed it about a month ago, the service dept at the dealership replaced the strut and spring on that side. Immediately after doing it, it was off by 1/4". A week later it was back to being 5/8" off. Now the factory rep is telling my dealership that a lean of up to 5/8" is "normal". A 5/*" lean is VERY noticeable. I don't know about you, but I would have serious reservations about buying any car that was leaning that much to one side or the other. I doubt I could even get a decent trade-in value for it with it in this condition.
Is this factory rep giving us the run-around? I don't see any other cars running around with that much lean. The service tech at the dealership agrees with me. We measured over 20 cars on his lot, both new and used, and didn't find any with more than 1/4" difference from one side to the other.

 

Personally I think they're bullshitting you. If it were normal they wouldn't have replaced the strut and spring to begin with!

 

The dealer replaced the strut and spring without consulting the factory tech. When that didn't work he called the rep and was told at that time that the lean is normal. Now the dealer is saying he can't do anything under warranty because of what the factory rep said.
Does anybody else have anything more than a 1/4" lean to their civics?

 

Keep complaining, I was once told that this odd high-pitched noise coming out of my driver side door speaker on heavy bass was normal as well. After 3-4 complaints, they finally switched out the speakers.

 

I called the Honda Consumer Assistance number today and the lady I spoke with agreed that 5/8" - 3/4" lean is not normal. At first she suggested that I take it to another dealership for a second opinion. I told her that it was the Factory Tech that was saying it was normal and that the dealership agreed with me. She then said she was going to contact someone further up the line and contact my dealership with further instructions. We'll see what comes of it, but at least now I have started the ball rolling and can hopefully get some resolution. I'll keep you posted.

 

REPPIN MIDWEST!!!!! k back on subject I noticed this on my ride too the other day. I took it in for service to have my first oil change done and a tire rotation. I mentioned something to the tech when he was pulling my car in. He never said anything about it after my car was done, but it wasnt leaning anymore I know it was up on a lift to rotate the tires other than that im clueless.

 

i don't understand what do you mean lean
and how do i check for the lean!?

 

2 ways really..... look at your car from the back... and the other is after noticing the lean... take a tape measure and measure both sides ground to wheel well? (assuming you already checked the tire preasure) lol. Mine was more of a visual like "YO! wtf is up with the back of my car *insert 2-3 head tilts*"

 

Yeah, I measured mine at the wheel wells, from the ground at the center of the wheel, after making sure the air pressure in the wheels was equal of course. I've noticed now that the amount of lean changes. This morning it was 3/8", this afternoon it was 5/8" again.

 

is there a dead body in your trunk? lol

 

^^^LOL. so im kind confused?? are u saying that the amount of lean you are having is like a camber problem??? if so get a camber kit maybe it will help straighten out the wheel. If im totally rong at what ur saying please correct me.

 

not the wheel itself leaning, but one side being lower than the other so that the car looks like it is sitting crooked from behind. The entire car is leaning (or at least the back half)

 

yeah i just checked mine it seem fine

 

No, the wheels aren't leaning, the whole car body itself is not level.

And no, there's no dead body in the trunk, unless my wife gets her hands on the Factory tech who says this is normal... She really liked her Civic up until now. With the body being unlevel she says it has all the appeal of 10 year old Ford Festiva!

 

o0o ok gotcha now i understand. that sucks bad. are u sure that you are checking it on a level surface???

 

Here's an update on this issue.
Honda Consumer Assistance got back to me and guess what, her reply was that a lean of up to 5/8" is considered normal!
So while Honda touts their world class engineering, they can't make a car that sits level?!?! My daughter is driving a 95 Ford Escort that only has a 1/4" lean and she's been in 3 accidents with it! Maybe if I can get someone to rear end me it will straighten the fricken thing out.
I'm thinking of trading it in, if I can get the issue past a dealers inspection, maybe put some weight in the trunk on the passenger side to level it out
What's the name of that other car company that starts with an H, I hear their making some quality cars these days....