LOL, tread pattern, LOL, This is the first time you have posted anything about waiting two months, what else have you left out?

Again the tread pattern has no effect or bearing on the computer in your Honda, the size of the tire does, Let me ask you this question, did you see any Honda personnel take a tape measure and measure the tires circumference?

Just because the original tire as an example was a Bridgestone P195/70/15 and another tire made by lets say Michelin is a P195/70/15 does not mean those two tires are the same size circumference. They could very well be an inch to two inches off from each other.

Your Honda's engine computer has sensor's that measure the rotations of your tires, (more then likely the ABS system that keeps this measurement) i.e. how many times they rotate for a known distance, if you put a tire on the car that was a different circumference i.e. taller or shorter then the o.e.m. tire that came on the car your computer will not act properly because it is reading either a speed that is to fast or to slow for that tire and the computer is trying to counter that which results in the problem you were having.

Again the computer could care less what the tread pattern looks like on your tires, it dose not make a difference.

I think you are confusing what the Honda personnel found, the representative saw the different tread pattern and it was his first clue that the tire you replaced may have not been the correct circumference.

I bet if you measured your replacement tire and the original tire they are a different circumference.

 

One last thing, if you were to stand two tires next to each other that were only one inch different in circumference you would have a hard time seeing any difference in the size as the circumference is spread around the entire tire, however your cars computer controls would know right away that something was not correct and the computer system would start trying to compensate for it.

 

I would agree that the tire's tread pattern would have little effect on the computer systems. Circumference is the key here, and this should only have an impact if the difference occurs across the front axle. I believe an ABS sensor would possibly pick up the circumference difference on the rear, but that shouldn't cause any driveability concern.

By the way, there is no traction control on the HCHII.

Lastly, what about use of the "space saver" donut spare? That certainly has a circumference difference vs. the regular tires. If you want to see if the problem recurs, mount up the spare and go for a test drive!

 

I doubt the space saver spare would ever be an issue due to you will only have it on the the car for a short time before you have the proper tire back on it.

Now if you buy a different tire and put it on as your new replacement and it is of the wrong circumference, I would expect the computer to adjust within about 50 miles or so give a take a few miles to either side of that and that is when the problems will start.

I bet it is the ABS sensors that are sending the signal to the computer and that is what was causing the problem, if you have one tire spinning at a different speed then the others when you apply the brakes the computer is going to read that and think something is wrong.

I would also bet that the circumference of the spare is programed into the computer system so that it does not go crazy for a short time and distance, but if you were to try and keep the space saver spare tire on for a extended time I bet you would run into similar problems with it as well.

Or Honda may have the size of the space saver spare programed into the computer system so that it knows when that circumference of tire is on the car and reprograms it self to shut down other systems that require the proper circumference tire. Kind of like how if ABS fails the brakes still work just like before ABS was invented and installed on cars.

Another brought up the weight of the tire, while I would not think the weight would have been a factor at first, after thinking about it, weight just may also play a role as when you take off or stop it would be more mass and could lag a tad bit thereby sending a signal to the computer and the computer could be trying to compensate for that as well. I would think you would need a good 10 pound or more in weight deference for that to happen. I still think it is the circumference that was the problem as that would play the biggest role, the computer is looking for certain set values that are programed into the system and if you fall out of those values that is when the computer would start acting funny.

One last thing about the tread pattern issue, if your Honda came with winter tires and you lived in Florida and did not need winter tires, according to what the owner of the car with a problem said, you would be completely out of luck in changing over to a good tread design that is better in rain. I still think that the only reason tread pattern was brought up is that is what tipped off the Honda rep that the tire could be the cause, he saw a tread pattern that was different then the other tires and figured that the tire was not the correct circumference.

I know I will never convince the poster of that car that the tread pattern has nothing to do with his problem as he has it set in his mind that it was the tread pattern that caused his problem.

You could run a slick tire, a winter stud tread tire and a summer tread tire on the car at the same time as long as all if the tires were of the same circumference the car and computer would never know it.

About the only thing I could see that might cause a problem with a proper circumference tire would be the rubber compound, if you put a tire that was so much harder then the original or way way softer, that when you take off or apply the brakes that tires handling i.e. traction ability might play a role in confusing the computer, but you have to be at some pretty extreme rubber compounds for softness or hardness to have the tire grip far more then the others or have so much less grip that it would cause problems.

 

I bet if you measured your replacement tire and the original tire they are a different circumference



Its too late to measure now as the tire is gone, however to be more accurate, the measurement would have to be done while the tire is inflated to the same psi AND the tire mounted to the car and lowered to the ground (with tape measure under it) so the sidewall flex characteristic of the tire mfg comes into play when measuring the tire.

No matter what, this is an informative post and something to be aware of.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

I appreciate it.

 

Same TIRE SIZE does not = same circumference.

 

MY CAR DID THE SAME THING...

When I had about 7000 miles on my 2006 HCH, I ruined one of my tires my running over a large chuck of metal in a construction zone. No one had the Dunlop in stock, so I had to order the matching tire from the dealer, which meant about a 5 day wait. In the meantime, I bought a "same size" used tire to run on for the week instead of the spare.

Two days later, my RPMs started "sticking". I thought something was wrong with the CVT as the transmission didn't seem to be acting "variable" at all. I took it in on the 2nd day, and the mechanic could not repeat the problem. I took the car home unable to duplicate it myself. I got the new matching tire two days later and haven't seen the RPM problem since. I'm now at 9500 miles.

Based on the similarities of our problems occurring with a different tire, I think we can justify to that it was, in fact, the sensitivity of the car to the "mis-matched" tire.

 

FamilyMan,

was the tire on the front? The original poster never mentioned where the 'different' tire was on his.

Had to be front in your case, correct?

I am guessing 'front' on the other one too.

 

Actually, the original poster said the 'different' tire was a rear tire. Check back in the thread.