I have a new Honda Civic Hybrid. I had the tires rotated at 12,000 miles. The mileage had dropped from 51 to 43, there was a vibration and a lot of tire noise. After that the noise decreased and the mileage crept back up to 50 and the noise went away. At 15,000 miles the vibration is worse than ever, the noise is a low roar and my mileage is back down to 47, all this with similar driving and fuel purchases. I was told these tires will only last 15,000 to 25,000 miles. I could almost live with that except for the noise!!! What can I do about it?
How often do you check your tire pressure?
First, I think your vehice is out of alignment and that caused the tires to wear irregularly. That in turn generated the noise (which you didn’t notice until the tires were rotated.) and once rotated, the tires are trying to develop a new wear pattern, which caused drag on the vehicle, thereby hurting your fuel economy.
First step is to have the vehicle aligned. 2 things:
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Do not accept that the vehicle CAN’T be adjusted because there aren’t provisions for adjustment. They make eccentric bolts and things like camber kits that are supposed to allow for adjustments, even if the factory didn’t put them in.
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Most factory alignment tolerances (not the target or nominal value - the tolerance around that value) are too wide by half. The alignment should be within the innerhalf of the tolerance.
So on the low end of the scale you are due for tires.
Is there a tire with low noise,that will give you your desired mileage?
Pick a tire,do the alignment,maintain tire pressure.
perhaps they need balanced- - -the little shims/weights they use to balace a tire when new can get knocked off.