1998 Honda Civic

I HAVE A 1998 HONDA SHADOW AERO (VT1100-C3) VIN[XXX] THAT HAS DEVELOPED AN OIL GUIDE PLUG LEAK. THIS LEAK RESULTS IN OIL BEING PUMPED OUT OF THE LOWER PORTION OF THE ENGINE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE. IT HAS BEEN A PROVEN INHERENT DESIGN PROBLEM IN MODEL YEARS 1998 THROUGH 2001. HONDA HAS ISSUED A WARNING AND THE REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS IN THEIR SEPTEMBER 1999 ISSUE OF THE HONDA WRENCH PUBLICATION. THE DEALERSHIPS THAT I HAVE CONTACTED DO NOT CLAIM KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM OR THE ARTICLE FROM HONDA. MY UNDERSTANDING IS HONDA STILL REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT. I STAY IN CONTACT WITH A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS SAME STYLE MOTORCYCLE VIA THE INTERNET AND THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. I AM GOING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE AS I DO NOT CONSIDER THE MOTORCYCLE SAFE TO OPERATE IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AND FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AND WILL ENCOURAGE FELLOW AERO OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM TO DO THE SAME. I WILL KEEP A FILE WITH MY REPAIR INFORMATION IN THE EVENT HONDA COMES FORWARD AND ACKNOWLEDGES THIS FLAW IN THEIR DESIGN AND ISSUES A RECALL. *JB *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1998 HONDA CRV, WITH ABOUT 100,000 MILAGE,ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. REPAIRED THE DISTRIBUTOR SENSOR. TOOK IT BACK FOUR MORE TIMES AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUE TO STAY ON. A WEEK LATER, TOOK IT IN TO DEALE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC, VALVE #3 & 4, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THEY RECOMMENDED A NEW CYLINDER HEAD. NOTIFIED HONDA MANUFACTURER AND THEY DECIDED TO PAY HALF OF THE COST. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN GOOD CARE OF MY CAR, AND HAVE THE INVOICES TO PROOF IT. I THINK HONDA KNOWS THERE IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPLETE REPAIR COST. I AM STILL PAYING ON MY CAR AND THIS IS A FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.*AK

CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT EXHAUST MANIFOLD PIPE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL, AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WANTED TO CANCEL HIS COMPLAINT. HE WAS ADVISED BY HONDA SERVICE MANAGER TO TAKE HIS VEHICLE TO ANY DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION. DEFECTIVE PART IMMEDIATELY REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. *TC

CONSUMER STATED THAT GRANDDAUGHTER BOUGHT A CERTIFIED HONDA CIVIC AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ONE MONTH AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS DONE BY THE DEALER THAT SOLD HER THE VEHICLE. THEN, POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED, AND IT WAS REPAIRED 2 MONTHS LATER. IN MAY OF THIS YEAR THE SAME THING HAPPENED POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKED AGAIN. *AK THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT 89440 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO SHIFTING PROBLEMS AT 90552 MILES. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDED REPLACING WHICH WAS NOT MOUNTED PROPERLY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE LIKE THE MUFFLER HAD GONE BAD. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON EARLIER MODEL YEARS, AND THE MANUFACTURER EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE MANIFOLD WITH A REINFORCED PART. *JB

10 MONTHS AGO I BECAME AWARE OF EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE MY 98 HONDA CIVIC LX VIN-[XXX]. THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE WHEN I IDLED THE CAR FOR A QUICK WARM UP BEFORE DRIVING. *LA THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND I WAS GETTING HEADACHES EACH DAY AFTER MY COMMUTE TO WORK. COMPLAINED OF I REMOVED THE HEAT SHIELD FROM THE ENGINE TO INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE OF THE EXHAUST LEAK. I FOUND THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD SPLIT APPROX. ON EACH SIDE OF THE "Y" FOR A TOTAL CRACK OF 6 INCHES. THIS WAS ALLOWING LARGE AMOUNTS OF EXHAUST GAS TO ENTER THE CABIN WHEN USING THE HEATER OR A/C. I WAS INFORMED BY FOUR HONDA DEALERS LOCALLY THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WELL KNOWN AND ALL 7 LOCAL DEALERS HAD MANY MANIFOLDS IN STOCK IN THEIR PARTS DEPARTMENT. THIS WAS AN INDICATION TO ME THAT MANY OF THESE WERE BREAKING AND I WAS FAR FROM ALONE ON THIS ISSUE. THE REPLACEMENT MANIFOLD PART NUMBER IS- 18160-P2E-A12. AT KEN GARFF HONDA IN OGDEN UTAH, I WAS TOLD THAT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE PROBLEM FOR 8 YEARS OR 80K MILES. (MY CIVIC HAS 93,000 MILES) THEY STATED THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR 96,97 AND 98 HONDA CIVICS TO HAVE. MY CONCERN IS IF I HAD SUFFICIENT EXHAUST GAS IN MY CABIN TO MAKE ME ILL AND THE PROBLEM WAS WIDESPREAD THAT THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY / HEALTH ISSUE. A PERSON SITTING IN THEIR CLOSED, IDLING CAR WITH THE AC/HEATER ON THEY COULD POTENTIALLY SUCCUMB TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. WITH THE ABOVE IN MIND, I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-999-1009 TO RELAY MY INFORMATION AND DISCUSS THE ISSUE. I SPOKE WITH A WOMAN NAMED [XXX] WHO TOLD ME SHE WOULD RECORD MY CONCERN. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT WERE NO SYMPTOMS TO ALERT ME TO THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN ODOR. A NON "AUTO SAVVY" PERSON COULD EASILY OVERLOOK THE GRADUALLY WORSENING PROBLEM JUST LIKE I DID UNTIL THEY DIED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE OF THIS ISSUE FURTHER AND I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE DUE TO THE FEEDBACK I GOT. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F