1996 Honda Accord

I HAD TO HAVE THE BALANCER SHAFT SEALS REPLACED ON MY 96 ACCORD AFTER THEIR COMPLETE FAILURE AT A COST OF $700. IN OCTOBER I RECEIVED WORD THAT THE CAR WAS BEING RECALLED FOR HE PROBLEM AND THAT I COULD SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT. WAS TOLD TO EXPECT PAYMENT IN 8 WEEKS. THAT WAS 8 MONTHS AGO. HONDA IS NOT PROCESSING THESE REIMBURSEMENTS IN EVEN A REMOTELY TIMELY MANNER. THEY CLAI THEY UNDERESTIMATED THE TIME INVOLED, BUT EVEN IF THEY PROCESS 5 A DAY THEY SHOULD BE MAILING OUT CHECKS. THEY ARE STONEWALLING, AND REFUSE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CONSUMER OVER THE MATER.*AK

WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFICE LIGHT, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO THE NEAREST BUSINESS I THOUGHT WOULD HAVE A MECHANIC, WHICH WAS A QUICK OIL CHANGE TYPE PLACE. OIL WAS POURING FROM MY ENGINE. SEALS AND BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED, INCLUDING THE TIMING BELT SO THE REPAIR WAS OVER $500. HOWEVER, MY CAR WAS STILL LEAKING OIL (WHICH IT HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE). SOON AFTER I RECEIVED HONDA'S BALANCER SHAFT SEAL RECALL INFO IN THE MAIL. THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED SEEMED TO BE PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIR INSPECTED AND TO HAVE THE OIL LEAK CHECKED OUT. I LEFT WITH ANOTHER $250 BILL AND THE MECHANIC FELT THAT MY PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN THE BALANCER SHAFT SEAL BECAUSE THE MECHANIC AT THE QUICK CHANGE PLACE INCORRECTLY LISTED A PART REPLACED AS AN OIL SEAL ON THE INVOICE. THE MECHANIC WHO DID THE ORIGINAL REPAIR TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DEFINITELY THE BAL SHAFT SEAL THAT HE HAD REPLACED AND OFFERED TO CONSULT WITH THE HONDA TECH. HONDA TECH WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND UNINTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE MECHANIC. AFTER I SENT IN ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT I RECENTLY RECEIVED MORE INFO FROM HONDA, WHICH INSTRUCTED ME TO AGAIN HAVE MY REPAIR INSPECTED BY A HONDA DEALER. AGAIN I LEFT WITH A $450 BILL IN ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PERSISTENT OIL LEAK. I HAVE SUBMITTED ALL THE INFO AND INVOICES TO HONDA AND AM WAITING ON REIMBURSEMENT.

WHILE DRIVING, THE OIL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND FOUND THAT IT TOOK ALMOST 4 QUARTS OF OIL TO FILL IT BACK UP. I THEN STARTED THE CAR TO SEE WHY AND WHERE THE OIL WAS COMING FROM AND IT WAS GUSHING OUT OF THE TIMING BELT COVER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A BLOWN BALANCER SHAFT SEAL. AFTER EVERYTHING WAS ADDED UP, IT COST $653.80 TO REPAIR. WE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO THE DEALER WHEN THE CAR WAS BEING REPAIRED, BUT WERE TOLD IT WAS A WEARABLE PART THAT WE WERE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE GO. MY FATHER RECENTLY TOLD ME HE READ IN A LOCAL NEWSPAPER AUTOMOTIVE COLUMN THAT A WOMAN HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I LOOKED UP THE NHTSA WEBSITE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT, AND WAS VERY SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY 15 MONTH OLD SON, AND THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOSS OF OIL, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THIS PROBLEM HOPEFULLY HONDA WILL ISSUE A RECALL; HOWEVER, WE ARE STILL OUT $653.80.*AK