Questions and Answers

Honda Civic Wheel Bearing? Q. Hi! I have a question about this problem that I am experiencing. I have a 1995 Honda Civic DX 4 door Sedan with A/T. When I first got it, I heard a slight noise and slight "thump" (not like hitting a bump though) vibration but it was barely noticeable.

Now, 9,000 miles later and 6 months later, the noise comes in louder around 50-70 mph, and gets quieter after 70, and the "whoomp" feeling is more noticeable especially when turning to the right. I hear the noise from the left wheel and I am guessing that the extra weight on the left wheel from turning right is what makes it get louder. The vibration can be felt at the driver or passenger side floor.

My first thought is that I need a new wheel bearing installed on the front left tire. But, now I am wondering if the alignment could be simply off on that tire. My car stays straight on regular roads but on highways (in the left lanes) it goes a bit left so I have to hold the wheel to keep it straight, maybe that is just from the road being crowned?

If possible, do you think either problem is the culprit? I am not going to do the bearing replacement or alignment myself, I just want to know so that I can tell the mechanic exactly what I'd like done.

Thanks,
Robert

A. First off, let me caution you about going to a mechanic and telling him what you want done. He will do it for you whether it's right or wrong. Let me relate an incident that happened to me a few years ago.

A customer came in and wanted a new carburetor put on his truck. I told him that we would check it out to be sure and let him know. He said he already checked it out and he was sure it was the carburetor and that we should just replace it. Since that's what he wanted, that's what I did. When I was done, it ran just as bad as when it came in. He came back and started complaining that I didn't fix his truck. I agreed with him and told him all I did was follow his instructions and did he want me to actually fix his truck. He agreed and I replaced a broken PCV hose and the truck ran like new.

Also keep in mind that in this venue where I can't actually drive your car and listen to the sounds and what the symptoms are, the best thing I can do is suggest possibilities. With that said, let's talk about your problems.

If a car is being swayed by road crown, it would drift to the right, not the left. The crown makes the center of the road higher so the car would tend to drift downhill, hence to the right.

The symptoms would indicate a bad left wheel bearing. The drift left would seem to confirm that as well as getting worse when turning right. So it's a good assumption that it is a wheel bearing. have the mechanic who will be doing the work drive it and confirm it.

Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA