[sputnik]

Took Papaya into Firestone one week ago for 4 new tires, OEM Potenzas. AKAIK the car was on the original tires and the rubber was looking kind of crackly. Only three days later the new right front tire blew out...traveling on a smooth stretch of road about 35 mph when I heard a "pop". There were no steering or handling problems. Stupid of me, but I didn't think the tire had actually collapsed until I reached a stopping place and looked. It was completely flat. By then I'd gone over a mile beyond the "pop".

Firestone checked and said the seal had breeched due to cold weather. Initally they refused to replace the blown tire and were only going to reset it, but I must have looked like this :evil: because they ordered another from Nashvile and made the replacement yesteday at NC.

All this week I've been noticing a loud, low pitched clicking sound when braking. The sound only occurs w/ braking, not simply slowing. Today Papaya visited the Honda dealership and the advisor said the front pads and rotors looked bad. Pads were replaced and the front rotors resurfaced. I still hear the sound occasionally, but it is considerably muted.

I have a few questions:
1. IC Search suggests mutiple possiblities for brake clicking...a normal sound due to pad movement? abnormal sound due to loose wheel lugs? Anything to do w/ the antilock feature? I'm hoping it's a normal sound.

2. No techs mentioned damage to the wheel, but my husband voiced concern about rim warping. I'm hoping that the light weight of the Insight limits that risk.

3. BTW, the little 12V battery under the hood was replaced today too. She still had the original 12V, continuosly showing a red "eye" no matter what the level of distilled water and replacement was long overdue. Papaya now has a brand new Honda Genuine 500CCA/85RC Group Size 51. Is this the Civic battery which I've read about or is it special to the Insight?

Sorry to be so wordy. Thank-you for suggestions.

 

[HafNHaf]

the 51 is a civic battery. the insight battery is very small, like a motorcycle battery. i used an optima yellow-top, so i can play my tunes while working on the car, etc. no worries about running that thing down!

as for "the seal had breeched due to cold weather", what a line of crap! i guess they dont use tires up North, right? I wonder what they use instead? MATTRACKS on an insight???

 

[Insightful Trekker]

1) The only brake clicking that I am aware of is when changing direction F -> R and back. E.g. back out of the driveway and click or click-click, then on the next near-by stop when traveling forward the same. A single or double click sometimes is a result of the pads shifting in the calipers, normal. In theory each individual pad could produce its own click (4 clicks) but I've never heard one do it.

2) Damage to a rim from running on a flat would be to the bead seat from abrasion. From your description such didn't and couldn't have happened in this case. Should it have gotten hot enough to "warp" the aluminum rim then the tire would have been a puddle of rubber too. Should any pot hole etc. have been able to hit the rim without the additional inflated rubber "cushion" and bent, then it would have been easily seen during the balance operation when replacing the tire. The question is whether or not Firestone would take the responsibility for that too. But a bent rim won't balance and some type of abnormal shake or shimmy would be apparent. If not then its not bent sufficiently to be of any consequence.

3) You installed a generic sized battery. Nothing special about it. Nor does the Insight require anything special in this department unless you want ultimate light weight for MPG madness.

HTH!

 

[sputnik]

Thanks for the helpful info.

Sounds like the new Civic battery should do just fine. This time last year I asked Honda to check the 12V as it was looking pretty grungy. They said cold crank tests were OK and the battery could stay. But this time it didn't test well, hence the new one. Six years on the original 12V is pretty good, right?

Not noticing any shaking, so I'm hopeful that no wheel harm was done. After the "pop" I drove over a road reflector and the bump sensation was definitely noticable. I pulled to a stop very soon after that. Thankfully no potholes encountered (believe me Alabama roads have them). This car is certainly a trooper.

Thanks again.

 

[sputnik]

Quick update in case this is helpful

Rear brake clinking only worsened into really loud clanking that sounded as if something was ready to fall off the car. Papaya returned to the Honda dealership a week later. They checked the rear brakes and said these were waaaay out of adjustment. Firestone must have yanked something back there loose during the tire replacement. Honda made the adjustment at no charge and apologized for missing it on the first visit.

The blown new tire and miscellaneous work sure took a toll on milage...our worst tank ever at 47 mpg average. Will try for better