Hi All
Single Female here and needs help. You know the joke about what is written on our foreheads when we take our car in for service...well I think I got screwed, but help me out here.
2008 Civic Coupe, no modifications-purchased in June 08.
April 21st took my car in for tire rotation at 7,926 miles.
May 22nd took my car in as the power steering rack needed to be replaced, yeah get that,wouldn't keep fluid so they replaced it and the paperwork states includes alignment. The car did pull to the right but I was told it would not be perfect because of roads here in SW Florida. Ok...fine.
Last week, August 1st, my car pulled so far off to the right it had to get out of its own way, seriously bad I was glad no one was next to me. Took it to the dealership for an alignment. The mechanic came out with the specs on the alignment and proceeded to tell me I need two new tires at 11,000 miles, WHAT, 11,000 is all I get out of stock tires.

He printed out the alighment specs and gave them to me and asked if I had any kind of accident or went down into a large hole because the numbers were really off. I did not, my car is my baby...He asked if the car had been aligned when the steering rack was replaced, I told him that I assumed so.
If anyone can help me understand this better I would appreciate it. If something is wrong with the car should I bring this to Honda's attendtion and get Honda to pay for new tires and the alignment I just had? Should I call American Honda on this, our local Honda dealer has a terrible reputation in town.... Thanks in Advance

Here are the numbers he printed out:

Frnt: left
Actual -0.2 Before 0.0 Specified Range -0.5 0.5 Camber
**** ***** 6.0 8.0 Caster
0.03 -1.07 -0.08 0.08 Toe

Frnt: right
Actual -0.2 Before 0.0 Specified Range -0.5 0.5 Camber
**** ***** 6.0 8.0 Caster
-0.01 -0.46 -0.08 0.08 Toe

Front
Actual -0.0 Before 0.2 Specified Range -0.6 0.6 Cross Camber
**** ***** ************ Cross Caster
0.02 -1.53 -0.16 0.16 Total Toe

Rear: Left
Actual -1.1 Before -1.1 Specified Range -2.3 -0.4 Camber
Acutal 0.9 Before 0.24 Specified Range 0.04 1.16 Toe

Rear Right
Actual -0.8 Before -0.8 Specified Range 0.04 0.16 Camber
Acutal 0.07 Before 0.12 Specified Rnage 1.04 0.16 Toe

Rear

Actual -0.3 Before -0.3 Specified Range ******* Cross Camber
Actual 0.16 Before 0.35 Specified Range 0.08 0.31 Total Toe
Acutal 0.01 Before 0.06 Specified Range ******* Thrust Angle

Steering wheel was not level before alignment

 

I would recheck with the dealer that did the steering rack replacement, being an 08 I assume it was done under warranty, is that correct?

If so, then when they replased the steering rack a wheel alignment should have been done, by the sounds of it, and if it was done at all, something was left loose for it to get as bad as it did, or the "tech" doing the alignment does not know how to do his job.

If the shop that installed the steering rack messed up, they should be resposible for the tires.

Again, go back to the dealer, ask for service manager, show him/her paperwork for work done, if not satisfied with responce ask to see the GM, if still not satisfied fire off an email to Honda USA, have name of dealership, service manager and GM and a copy of any work done. 94

 

Thanks so very much for your note,
Yes it was under warranty when the rack was replaced. I have a call into the dealership, they are checking to see if an alignment was actually done with the replacement of the steering rack and will call me back.

Stay Tuned!!

 

props for finding honda-tech, making a thread with great english, awesome details and easy to read paragraphs!

 

So the dealership is refunding my alignment costs, said that the alignment was done at the time of the rack replacement, the numbers "before" are what the car had on the May alignment/rack replacement visit. He said that my tires should have a good 5,000 miles on them, that the advisor was only warning me that Honda doesn't warranty the tread wear or something along those lines on stock tires and my tires are only at 15+-% worn and if I keep the inflation up to about 34 pounds I should be good for about 5,000 more miles on them.

Thank you for your response, I think I have found a good home for my car questions.

Robin

 

Thats good news, hopefully you will not have any more problems with your 08, but do come back if you have any questions, there are many good forms for just about anything for/about your Honda. 94

 

Post pictures


Oh and pictures of the car too

 

i hope it wasnt germain honda....i have a personal grudge against germain.