The Lemon IndexTires wearing on one edge or in patches usually point to alignment or suspension problems.
Get it checked. Usually fine to drive. Get an alignment check before the tires wear through.
Wheel alignment out of spec. Then: wrong tire pressure; worn shocks or struts (patchy cupping).
Owners describe this in 2,896 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Honda Civic.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Honda Civic | 115 | 9% |
| 2006 Honda Civic | 99 | 7% |
| 2008 Honda Civic | 55 | 6% |
| 2003 Nissan 350Z | 47 | 17% |
| 2008 Chevrolet Impala | 27 | 3% |
| 2007 Chevrolet Impala | 21 | 3% |
| 2009 Honda Civic | 20 | 5% |
| 2004 Nissan 350Z | 17 | 12% |
| 2004 Toyota Sienna | 16 | 0.8% |
| 2009 Ford Focus | 16 | 7% |
| 2006 Mazda5 | 13 | 17% |
| 2005 Toyota Sienna | 10 | 0.9% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2003 Nissan 350Z · 17% 2007 Honda Civic · 9% 2009 Ford Focus · 7% 2006 Honda Civic · 7% 2008 Honda Civic · 6% 2009 Honda Civic · 5% 2007 Chevrolet Impala · 3% 2008 Chevrolet Impala · 3%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of uneven tire wear
- Wheel alignment out of spec
- Wrong tire pressure
- Worn shocks or struts (patchy cupping)
- Worn suspension bushings or ball joints
- Tires not rotated
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive with uneven tire wear?
Get it checked. Usually fine to drive. Get an alignment check before the tires wear through.
Get help right away if you see cords or wires showing; a tire has a bulge.
Of the 2,896 complaints describing it, 2% mention a crash and 0.7% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: suspension (50%), tires (38%), wheels (14%), steering (11%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 25,000 miles.
Most reports by make: Honda (419), Ford (360), Toyota (305), Chevrolet (227), Dodge (226).
What owners say it cost to fix
Repair bills owners named in complaints that describe this symptom (steering, suspension repairs): the middle half ran $250 to $1,100, typical $628, from 25 bills.
Each figure is one repair bill as an owner wrote it in a complaint, not a quote for your car. Prices vary with the part, the shop and the year.
Related symptoms
Humming noise while driving Car pulls to one side Car shakes at highway speed Clicking noise when turning Clunking noise over bumps Steering wheel hard to turn
Quick answers
What causes uneven tire wear?
Tires wearing on one edge or in patches usually point to alignment or suspension problems. Common causes: wheel alignment out of spec; wrong tire pressure; worn shocks or struts (patchy cupping); worn suspension bushings or ball joints; tires not rotated.
Is it safe to drive with uneven tire wear?
Get it checked. Usually fine to drive. Get an alignment check before the tires wear through.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Nissan 350Z. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
How much does it cost to fix?
In 25 repair bills owners named in complaints describing it, the middle half ran $250 to $1,100. The right repair depends on the cause.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup