1994 Honda Accord

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND NOTICED BLUE AND BLACK SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE HOOD AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND DETECTED NO FLAMES. THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, THE CAM SHAFT SEALS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED WITH NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

RE: HONDA BALANCER SHAFT DEFECTIVE OIL SEAL AND BLOWOUT PROBLEM. I RECENTLY AND SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH 94 HONDA ACCORD. MY FAMILY AND I HAD BEEN ON A TRIP TO L.A. AND BACK ON SEVERAL FREEWAYS, THE SEAL BLEWOUT AND THE OIL WAS DRAINED WITHIN MINUTES. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FREEZE UP AND CREATED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. I CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY HAD A VERY INDIFFERENT ATTITUDE, THEY SAID THEY MADE A PUBLIC OFFER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BUT THAT OFFER HAS NOW "EXPIRED". "IT WASN'T OFFICALLY A RECALL SO WE DON'T HAVE TO FIX ANYTHING". "IT WASN'T OFFICALLY PEGGED AS A SAFETY ISSUE, SO NO RECALL WAS IMPOSED." TRUST ME, LOSING YOUR OIL SUDDENLY AT HIGH SPEEDS CAN VERY EASILY BECOME A' SAFETY ' ISSUE! I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE N.H.T.S.A. TO RECONSIDER THE PROBLEM AND MAKE IT A RECALL ! LET'S TAKE THE INDIFFERENT ATTITUDE AWAY FROM SMUGG AUTOMAKERS THAT ARE VERY AWARE OF "SAFETY" PROBLEMS, THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT WERE NOT CORRECTED. A $5 RETAINER (THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE ) WOULD AVOID THIS PROBLEM! PLEASE ENFORCE A RECALL ON HONDA AND MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ERROR IN DESIGN. THANK YOU, TOM ROSS. *AK

BROUGHT CAR TO MIKE PIAZZA LANGHORNE PA HONDA DEALER (1908 E. LINCOLN HWY - 215-702-1500 / ) - REFUSED TO FIX DEFECT UNLESS I PAID $68 IN THE EVENT THAT THE DEALERSHIP MAY BREAK AN AFTERMARKET IGNITION WIRE WHILE CONDUCTING THEIR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I ELECTED NOT TO HAVE THE DEFECT FIXED AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THEY WANTED ME TO PAY ADDITIONAL MONEY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEFECT OCCURRED OUT OF MY CONTROL. MY QUESTION, AM I LIABLE FOR THIS OCCURRENCE UNDER A MFG RECALL? ISN'T A MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBLE TO FIX DEFECTIVE PRODUCT FREE OF CHARGE? IS THIS HOW THEY GO ABOUT MAKING MONEY ON RECALLS? A DEFECTIVE PART - IS A DEFECTIVE PART. IT SHOULD BE CORRECTED NO MATTER WHAT EXPENSE IS TO COME TO THE MANUFACTURER. WHAT ARE THE QUALITY CONTROLS METHODS GOING ON AT HONDA MFG PLANT TO ELIMINATE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT? THIS LANGHORNE DEALERSHIP IS LOOKING FOR $68 IF THEY BREAK A PART TO GET TO THE DEFECTIVE PART. I WOULD LIKE ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT REGARDING CONSUMER RELATED PROBLEMS WITH MANUFACTURERS. WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS TO INNOCENT CONSUMERS FACED WITH RECALL PROBLEMS. I WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE PARTIES INVOLVED AND HOW WE CAN RECTIFY THIS SITUATION. DT

CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A SEAL THAT HOLDS OIL IN CAR, SEAL MAY POP AND COME OUT, CAUSING ALL OIL TO COME OUT AT ONE TIME. CONSUMER FEEL THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF ALL OF THE OIL COMES OUT AT ONCE, VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, COULD BE ON A HIGHWAY, OR BUSY STREET COULD CAUSE AND ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL POPPED OUT DUMPING THE ENTIRE ENGINE'S OIL ONTO MY DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO NEWPORT, RI ($80) THEN THERE WERE EXTENSIVE DAMAGES INCURRED BY THE LEAKING OIL WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERAL BELTS BECOMING CONTAMINATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ($574 TOTAL REPAIR COST). I JUST RECENTLY (11/27/02) RECEIVED NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE RECALL OF THIS PART AND AM FURIOUS THAT HONDA'S NEGLIGENCE RESULTED IN A LARGE REPAIR BILL AND THANK GOODENSS THAT MY ENGINE DIDN'T SEIZE BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING IT WHEN IT HAPPENED.*AK

MY BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL FAILED, AND PUMPED OUT ALL THE OIL IN MY ENGINE. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS PART OF AN ON GOING PRODUCT UPDATE. HONDA AMERICA AGREED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR TO THE SEAL, BUT THE TIMING BELT ALSO NEEDS REPLACEMENT DUE TO OIL SATURATION FROM THE FAILED OIL SEAL. THEY STATE THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THIS, AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $410 FOR THIS REPAIR! IN THE HONDA CAMPAIN, IT MANDATES A CHANGE OF THE TIMING BELT. I WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS, AND IF THE TIMING BELT FAILS DUE TO THE OIL, WILL HONDA BE LIABLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS, DAMAGE, OR INJURY THIS MAY CAUSE? IF THE TIMING BELT SNAPS, I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD LOSE ANY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES BECAUSE THE ENGINE WOULD DIE.*AK