Other Handling

djm · 29th January 2008, 00:32

I'm finding my 2.2ex is handling far less well these days. Today I pulled off at a junction, dry day, no ice, and the VSA kicked in. This happened to me once or twice recently. The tyres show no signs of uneven wear, and there is plenty of tread left.

Can anyone suggest a possible cause as its getting to the stage where I don't trust the cars handling capabilities.
The car is 7 months old with nearly 10,000 on the clock.

FWH · 29th January 2008, 06:22

Have you checked the tyre pressures?

Pottsy · 29th January 2008, 08:12

If it was cold it's possibly the fact that the summer tyres that are fitted to the car do not perform well at all below 7C.

l-noel · 29th January 2008, 09:13

I would agree with FWH with the tyres pressure. It could also be a local problem with the road surface (oil or othe greasy products on the road surface)

Have you had this problem at every juctions ?

Pottsy · 29th January 2008, 09:24

It's also possible that the front tyres are quite worn (even though the tread is still legal) and some brands of tyre get quite hard when worn.

So:
What make front tyres?
What pressure?
How much tread?
What temperature?

djm · 30th January 2008, 01:11

[quote=Pottsy;140846]It's also possible that the front tyres are quite worn (even though the tread is still legal) and some brands of tyre get quite hard when worn.

So:
What make front tyres - am not near car at mo but they're the ones that came with the car
What pressure? - 34 on the front, 31 on the rear as per the manual - checked on Saturday
How much tread? not sure, will have to measure but several mm easily.
What temperature? - about 9c I think.

The car at times feels unstable. At a different junction today, as I slowed to approach it the car behaved oddly, like the steering oversteered or something. One thing it has done is made me slow down my driving a bit!

If it isn't the tyres,could it be the shocks?

FWH · 30th January 2008, 06:13

Perhaps.

Could this be related?
Wobbly FN2 Type R

Pottsy · 30th January 2008, 09:03

Failed dampers will make the car feel wallowy or imprecise when at speed. If the car did some odd steering at low speed, then this could be a fault with the EPS (you need to go to the dealer as soon as possible). One car had a loose bolt that the caused the suspension to fail, but you would have some bad rattling first if this was the case.

If the bizarre steering effect is just subtle, it could just be the tyres moving around on ridges in the road. Your EX is on 17" 225 tyres which are quite wide, and will do this wriggling on uneven surfaces at low speed. It seems to get worse as the tyres wear and get harder.

Pottsy · 30th January 2008, 19:51

Winter tyre posts now here.

djm · 8th February 2008, 13:19

It happened again the other day. I was slowly accelerating in 4th gear, and I felt the right side slip, this time the VSA kicked. Conditions were dry and about 9c again.

The front tyres are more worn than the rears but still appear to have plenty of tread. I'll try and upload some images later.

I can't really describe the problem as anything other than a sudden loss of traction for no apparent reason.

Are there known issues with the front shocks? It could be the tracking - is that a Honda job as I hear your average kwik fit doesn't have the necessary bits to adjust the rear wheels.

DeanFYoung · 8th February 2008, 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by djm

It happened again the other day. I was slowly accelerating in 4th gear, and I felt the right side slip, this time the VSA kicked. Conditions were dry and about 9c again.

The front tyres are more worn than the rears but still appear to have plenty of tread. I'll try and upload some images later.

I can't really describe the problem as anything other than a sudden loss of traction for no apparent reason.

Are there known issues with the front shocks? It could be the tracking - is that a Honda job as I hear your average kwik fit doesn't have the necessary bits to adjust the rear wheels.

Was their much camber on the road? Did it pull to one side as you were accelerating?
How hard acceleration?
Were there leaves / oil or mud on the road
What was the condition of the road, was it quite a shiney surface (i.e quite worn?)

Pottsy · 8th February 2008, 13:59

djm,

I have never managed to get the wheels slipping in fourth, so I suspect that this is a VSA fault. If the VSA thinks the wheels are slipping then it will reduce the power and possibly operate individual brakes. I would suggest taking it to your dealer and tell him that the VSA comes on randomly when driving gently.

djm · 8th February 2008, 14:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeanFYoung

Was their much camber on the road? Did it pull to one side as you were accelerating?
How hard acceleration?
Were there leaves / oil or mud on the road
What was the condition of the road, was it quite a shiney surface (i.e quite worn?)

Camber - not sure. It was accelerating straight and then loss of traction and a slight pull to the right. VSA kicked in and I immediately took my foot off accelerator.
Acceleration. VERY gentle.
Leaves on the road, definitely no. Mud, no. Oil, couldn't honestly say.

I'd say the surface was perhaps a year old, fairly smooth but not what I'd call fully shiny.

I think I will take it to the dealer - I've got several rattles and squeaks for them to fix too.

charlas · 8th February 2008, 16:15

Damaged anti roll bar... Had this on the wife's Octavia. Fixed under warranty and all happy as larry now.

Certainly worth trying a bit of driving with the windows down, see if you can hear any clunks or claks, could point at a suspension issue.

djm · 16th February 2008, 12:53

OK, last night I was driving through Birmingham and turned a 45degree corner, and felt the car lose its grip and had to brake. Now, it was 1c, so it may well have been down to frosty conditions, but I just don't recall this problem in my Renault Clio.

I just don't trust the handling of the car anymore. It seems to lose traction at the most inopportune moments.

She's booked for a visit to the stealer next Friday, though I don't hold out much hope for them fixing it - this is it's 5th visit just to stop the creaking roof lining.

29th January 2008, 00:32	#1 (permalink)
djm Wheelnut Join Date: 7th June 2007 Posts: 76 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader: (0)	Handling I'm finding my 2.2ex is handling far less well these days. Today I pulled off at a junction, dry day, no ice, and the VSA kicked in. This happened to me once or twice recently. The tyres show no signs of uneven wear, and there is plenty of tread left. Can anyone suggest a possible cause as its getting to the stage where I don't trust the cars handling capabilities. The car is 7 months old with nearly 10,000 on the clock.

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This thread is about: Handling, it's in Wheels, Tyres, Suspension and Brakes at the Honda Civic forum Civinfo; I'm finding my 2.2ex is handling far less well these days. Today I pulled off at a junction, dry day, no ice, and the VSA ...

29th January 2008, 06:22	#2 (permalink)
FWH Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 3rd June 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 5,920 Thanks: 14 Thanked 66 Times in 61 Posts iTrader: (0)	Have you checked the tyre pressures?

29th January 2008, 08:12	#3 (permalink)
Pottsy Administrator Civinfo master Join Date: 10th April 2006 Location: Leics Posts: 5,441 Thanks: 22 Thanked 158 Times in 95 Posts iTrader: (0)	If it was cold it's possibly the fact that the summer tyres that are fitted to the car do not perform well at all below 7C.

29th January 2008, 09:13	#4 (permalink)
l-noel Wine and cooking ! Rocketship door handle Join Date: 5th December 2006 Location: Roanne-France Posts: 1,299 Thanks: 4 Thanked 8 Times in 4 Posts iTrader: (0)	I would agree with FWH with the tyres pressure. It could also be a local problem with the road surface (oil or othe greasy products on the road surface) Have you had this problem at every juctions ?

29th January 2008, 09:24	#5 (permalink)
Pottsy Administrator Civinfo master Join Date: 10th April 2006 Location: Leics Posts: 5,441 Thanks: 22 Thanked 158 Times in 95 Posts iTrader: (0)	It's also possible that the front tyres are quite worn (even though the tread is still legal) and some brands of tyre get quite hard when worn. So: What make front tyres? What pressure? How much tread? What temperature?

30th January 2008, 01:11	#6 (permalink)
djm Wheelnut Join Date: 7th June 2007 Posts: 76 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader: (0)	[quote=Pottsy;140846]It's also possible that the front tyres are quite worn (even though the tread is still legal) and some brands of tyre get quite hard when worn. So: What make front tyres - am not near car at mo but they're the ones that came with the car What pressure? - 34 on the front, 31 on the rear as per the manual - checked on Saturday How much tread? not sure, will have to measure but several mm easily. What temperature? - about 9c I think. The car at times feels unstable. At a different junction today, as I slowed to approach it the car behaved oddly, like the steering oversteered or something. One thing it has done is made me slow down my driving a bit! If it isn't the tyres,could it be the shocks?

30th January 2008, 06:13	#7 (permalink)
FWH Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 3rd June 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 5,920 Thanks: 14 Thanked 66 Times in 61 Posts iTrader: (0)	Perhaps. Could this be related? Wobbly FN2 Type R

30th January 2008, 09:03	#8 (permalink)
Pottsy Administrator Civinfo master Join Date: 10th April 2006 Location: Leics Posts: 5,441 Thanks: 22 Thanked 158 Times in 95 Posts iTrader: (0)	Failed dampers will make the car feel wallowy or imprecise when at speed. If the car did some odd steering at low speed, then this could be a fault with the EPS (you need to go to the dealer as soon as possible). One car had a loose bolt that the caused the suspension to fail, but you would have some bad rattling first if this was the case. If the bizarre steering effect is just subtle, it could just be the tyres moving around on ridges in the road. Your EX is on 17" 225 tyres which are quite wide, and will do this wriggling on uneven surfaces at low speed. It seems to get worse as the tyres wear and get harder.

30th January 2008, 19:51	#9 (permalink)
Pottsy Administrator Civinfo master Join Date: 10th April 2006 Location: Leics Posts: 5,441 Thanks: 22 Thanked 158 Times in 95 Posts iTrader: (0)	Winter tyre posts now here.

8th February 2008, 13:19	#10 (permalink)
djm Wheelnut Join Date: 7th June 2007 Posts: 76 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader: (0)	It happened again the other day. I was slowly accelerating in 4th gear, and I felt the right side slip, this time the VSA kicked. Conditions were dry and about 9c again. The front tyres are more worn than the rears but still appear to have plenty of tread. I'll try and upload some images later. I can't really describe the problem as anything other than a sudden loss of traction for no apparent reason. Are there known issues with the front shocks? It could be the tracking - is that a Honda job as I hear your average kwik fit doesn't have the necessary bits to adjust the rear wheels.

8th February 2008, 13:59	#12 (permalink)
Pottsy Administrator Civinfo master Join Date: 10th April 2006 Location: Leics Posts: 5,441 Thanks: 22 Thanked 158 Times in 95 Posts iTrader: (0)	djm, I have never managed to get the wheels slipping in fourth, so I suspect that this is a VSA fault. If the VSA thinks the wheels are slipping then it will reduce the power and possibly operate individual brakes. I would suggest taking it to your dealer and tell him that the VSA comes on randomly when driving gently.

8th February 2008, 16:15	#14 (permalink)
charlas i-VTEC Junkie Locking Wheelnut Join Date: 29th January 2008 Location: Leics/Warwick Posts: 159 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader: (0)	Damaged anti roll bar... Had this on the wife's Octavia. Fixed under warranty and all happy as larry now. Certainly worth trying a bit of driving with the windows down, see if you can hear any clunks or claks, could point at a suspension issue.

16th February 2008, 12:53	#15 (permalink)
djm Wheelnut Join Date: 7th June 2007 Posts: 76 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader: (0)	OK, last night I was driving through Birmingham and turned a 45degree corner, and felt the car lose its grip and had to brake. Now, it was 1c, so it may well have been down to frosty conditions, but I just don't recall this problem in my Renault Clio. I just don't trust the handling of the car anymore. It seems to lose traction at the most inopportune moments. She's booked for a visit to the stealer next Friday, though I don't hold out much hope for them fixing it - this is it's 5th visit just to stop the creaking roof lining.