1996 Honda Accord

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON. THANKFULLY I WAS JUST REACHING MY DESTINATION. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SAW THAT OIL WAS POURING OUT OF IT! HAD I DRIVEN THIS WAY, ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, MY ENGINE WOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. I HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THE OIL-SOAKED BELTS, ETC DUE TO THIS PART FAILURE. I HAVE SEEN SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM (ONE OF WHOSE CAR'S ENGINE DID "BLOW UP"). THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMONLY KNOWN DEFECT IN THE SEAL. THIS PARTICULAR SEAL IS GENERALLY CHANGED AT AROUND 90,000 MILES WHEN THE TIMING BELT IS REPLACED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALERSHIP SAYS, MANY SEALS BREAK 15-20 THOUSAND MILES PREMATURELY CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS PARTICULAR PART MAY BE RECALLED IN THE NEAR FUTURE; I FEEL THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR THIS SITUATION.

SAME EXACT INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ANOTHER CAR I OWNED, HONDA ACCORD LX 97, AT THE SAME MILEAGE RANGE (59K-60K). ONLY WITH ACCORD 1996, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO STOP ON TIME, AND WAS ABLE TO SAVE THE ENGINE. WHEREAS, IN THE ACCORD 97 SITUATION, I WAS TOO LATE, ALL OF THE OIL CAME OUT, AND ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLY DAMAGED. THE COST OF REPAIRS FOR ACCORD 97 WAS $2,000, IT REQUIRED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE + OIL PUMP, CHANGE OF SEALS AND BELTS. ACCORDING TO THE HONDA ACCORD MANUALS, MAINTENANCE (CHANGE OF TIMING BELTS, ETC.) ON THE CAR SHOULD BE DONE AT AROUND 90K MILES, EXCLUDING THE REGULAR OIL CHANGES. THEREFORE, BOTH INCIDENTS WERE NOT RELATED TO A DELAYED MAINTENANCE, BUT TO AN IRREGULAR FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP AND THE OIL SEAL. BOTH CASES ARE IDENTICAL ON SIMILAR CARS AND DESERVE TO BE INVESTIGATED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, OIL LIGHT INDICATOR SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING. PULLED OFF HIGHWAY AND PROCEEDED TO NEAREST GAS STATION. I TOLD THE GAS STATION MECHANIC THAT MY OIL LIGHT INDICATOR HAD SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING. GAS STATION MECHANIC OPENED UP THE HOOD AND CHECKED THE OIL. DIPSTICK CAME UP DRY. ALL OIL HAD BEEN LOST. GAS STATION MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO PUT TWO QUARTS OF OIL IN VEHICLE. WHILE DOING THIS GAS STATION MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK. HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN REPORTS OF A DEFECTIVE OIL SEAL IN 1996 HONDA ACCORDS AND HE ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP. AT THAT TIME, I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY WHO PROVIDED TOWING SERVICES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ED MORSE HONDA ON US1 IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. I ADVISED MARK GREENE, SERVICE ATTENDANT AT ED MORSE, OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT THE GAS STATION MECHANIC HAD MENTIONED A DEFECTIVE OIL SEAL. I LEFT VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AND THEY PROMISED TO CALL WITH AN ESTIMATE. WHEN MR. GREEN CALLED BACK WITH THE ESTIMATE, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE OIL SEAL WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY HONDA. THE COST TO FIX THE OIL SEAL WAS $510. MR. GREENE ALSO RECOMMENDED REPLACING TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP FOR AN ADDITIONAL $170.