NHTSA Complaint #10149834 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

2001+ CIVIC STRUT BEARING AND STEERING DEFECT ON THE 2001 CIVIC THE STRUT BEARING (SHOCK UPPER BEARING, NOT THE WHEEL BEARING) IS A PLASTIC COMPONENT AND NOT A BALL BEARING AS ON THE 2002 AND UP CIVICS. THIS PLASTIC BEARING HAVE MORE FRICTION THAN A BALL BEARING. THAT MORE FRICTION RESULT IN YOU (DRIVER) HAVE TO APPLY MORE FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND EVEN IN ALL THE STEERING COMPONENTS CAUSING WEAR ON THE PARTS. ANOTHER FACT IS WHEN THE WHEEL (AND TIRE) HIT ON A HOLE THE PLASTIC BEARING DOESN'T "RESIST" THE IMPACT (AS A METAL BALL BEARING CAN DO). THIS RESULT IN FAST WEAR AND DEFORMATION TO THE PART. THIS PLASTIC BEARING, (THAT YOU CAN EASILY BEND WITH YOUR HANDS AND ISN'T WELL ENGINEERED) CAN'T SUPPORT A 2500 POUNDS CAR HITTING A HOLE AT 60 MPH (120 MPH SPEED LIMIT; AS SAFETY FACTOR). WHEN THE BEARING FAILS THE WHEELS CAN'T BE TURNED WELL AND SOME TIMES THE SPRING SEATS HIT (OR SCUFF) THE STRUT TOWER RESULTING IN A NON WELL STEERING AT ALL. EVEN THIS CAUSES DAMAGE TO OTHER STEERING AND SUSPENSION PARTS. THIS RESULT IN SOME PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMMON SUBJECTS IN MANY 2001 CIVICS AS YOU CAN SEE IN CAR FORUMS: THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T RETURN TO ITS CENTER POSITION AFTER TURNING IN ANY DIRECTION, WHEEL MISALIGNMENT, VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL, PARTS AND TIRES UNUSUAL WEAR, SOUNDS AND CLICKS ON THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, AND OTHERS. IS KNOWN MISALIGNED VEHICLES, WORN STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, VIBRATIONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AFFECTS THE VEHICLE DRIVABILITY AND CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND INJURIES. THE VIBRATIONS AND THE EXCESS OF FORCE THAT HAVE TO BE APPLIED TO THE STEERING WHEEL, AS ON OTHER MECHANICAL PARTS, CAN CAUSE HEALTH DISEASES. AS MENTIONED, HONDA CORRECT THIS DEFECT ON THE LATER MODELS FROM 2002 REPLACING THE PLASTIC BEARING WITH A METAL BALL BEARING AND DOING SOME CHANGES TO THE UPPER SPRING SEATS AND OTHER COMPONENTS. *JB