2014 Honda Civic LX recalled over tire issue

Honda is recalling 9,816 Civic LX sedans and coupes from the 2014 model year due to a potential tire issue. The problem concerns the mounting of the tires -- Honda believes the tire bead may have gotten pinched between the assembly equipment and the steel wheel rims, which in turn may have caused damage to the tire. This problem could potentially cause the tire to lose air, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall is confined to the 2014 Civic LX which is the base trim level, a model which is equipped with steel wheels with wheelcovers, rather than alloy wheels found on the higher-spec versions of the popular sedans and coupes.

The affected vehicles were manufactured between Nov. 26, 2013, and Jan. 21, 2014, and the majority of the cars produced had not yet been sold. The recall began March 28, 2014, and right now Honda is in the process of notifying owners. The fix is a relatively simple one and will performed at the dealer level; after an inspection for damage, the tires will be replaced free of charge.

The 2014 Honda Civic went on sale in early December of 2013, and starts at $18,980 for the base LX model, while the top of the line EX trim models are priced at $25,030. The Civic's 1.8-liter four-cylinder is coupled either with a five-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Owners may contact Honda at (800) 999-1009 for more information about this recall, and use the following Honda code for this recall as a reference: JD8. Owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration safety hotline at (888) 327-4236 or visit the recall website.

By Jay Ramey