2012 Honda Insight

WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD I NOTICED THAT CAR IS CONSUMING UNUSUAL QUANTITY OF OIL (AROUND 58,000 MILES). A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON 'CHECK EMISSION SYSTEM'. I PULLED THE DIPSTICK AND THERE WAS BARELY ANY OIL ON THE TIP. I PUT 2 QUARTS OF OIL INTO THE ENGINE AND IT STILL DID NOT REACH THE TOP FILL LINE. THE CAR ONLY HOLDS 3.5 QUARTS. THE 'LOW OIL LIGHT' NEVER CAME ON, HOW MUCH OIL HAS TO DISAPPEAR BEFORE THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON? THERE ARE NO OIL LEAKS FROM THE CAR. I NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND OPENED A CASE. THEY ADVISED TO GO TO DEALER TO HAVE 4 'OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS' PERFORMED ' ONE EVERY THOUSAND MILES. I COMPLETED ALL 4 TEST IN AROUND 3 MONTHS, THE TEST VERIFIED THAT THE CAR BURNS UP TO 1.0 QTS/1000 MILES. I NOTIFIED MY REP (AMBER) AT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE RESULTS OF TESTING. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY 'CASE WAS CLOSED' ' MANUFACTURER DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO FIND OUT WHAT THE RESULTS WERE, THEY JUST 'CLOSED' MY CASE. I REQUESTED AMBER RE-OPEN CASE AND TAKE DOWN THE RESULTS. AMBER CONTACTED THE DEALER TO VERIFY THE CONSUMPTION DATA I PROVIDED. SHE THEN STATED 'OUR ENGINEERS HAVE DETERMINED THAT 1.0 TO 1.5 QTS CONSUMED PER 1000 MILES IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE.' I RESPONDED THAT THIS IS 'EXCESSIVE' CONSUMPTION THAT IS NOT NORMAL FOR ANY VEHICLE TO CONSUME THIS MUCH OIL, AND THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT THE DEALER AT THE REQUIRED SERVICE INTERVALS. AMBER REFUSED TO OFFER ANY SOLUTION OR PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS CORRECTING WHAT IS IN MY OPINION AN ENGINE DEFECT. IT APPEARED THAT SHE WAS BASICALLY READING OFF A PREPARED STATEMENT. I NOW HAVE TO ADD ABOUT A QUART EVERY 2 FILL UPS (AROUND 960 MILES). THE OIL COSTS AROUND $10/ QT BUT I FOUND THAT WALMART SELLS A 5 QUART JUG THAT LOWERS THE COST TO $5/QT. I ADD OIL SO FREQUENTLY THAT I LIKELY NEVER HAVE TO 'CHANGE' THE OIL, ALTHOUGH THE FILTER DOES

CAR HAS 95,000 MILES. HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION. ALL 8 SPARK PLUGS HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY 3-4000 MILES. VERY EXPENSIVE. THE PROBLEM IS THE SPARK PLUGS GET FOULED, AND BURNT UP, SO THERE IS NO ELECTRODE LEFT. WHEN THAT HAPPENS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY SLOWS DOWN TO 5 MPH. I ALMOST GOT KILLED AND RUN OVER BY A TRACTOR TRAILER LAST SAT. 10/29/16 ON INTERSTATE 81 SOUTH BY NEW MILFORD, PA. HE WAS RIGHT ON MY BACK. I COULD ONLY SEE HIS GRILL. THE CAR WILL STAY IN THAT MODE, "LIMP MODE" UNTIL REPAIRED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES TO ME IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. NOW CYLINDER 4 IS BLOWN. THIS IS A FAIRLY NEWER CAR AND HONDA REFUSES TO REPAIR IT FOR FREE OR ISSUE A RECALL. MANY OTHER HONDA OWNERS OF THIS CAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM FORCED TO SELL IT FOR A FRACTION OF ITS COST. HELP.

IN OCTOBER 2016, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO SCOTT ROBINSON HONDA IN TORRANCE DUE TO A CHECK OIL LIGHT THAT CAME ON THE DAY BEFORE. AFTER A DAY OF DIAGNOSIS, HONDA DETERMINED THE ENGINE ON MY INSIGHT WAS BURNING OIL TOO RAPIDLY, AND THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN OCCURRING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. ALTHOUGH THIS OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM IS A WELL-KNOWN FAULT TO THE FIRST GENERATION OF MY VEHICLE AND HAD BEEN PERSISTENT SINCE MY INITIAL PURCHASE, SCOTT ROBINSON HONDA IN TORRANCE AND AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR BECAUSE MY VEHICLE HAD JUST EXCEEDED THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY LIMIT, JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE. WITH A LITTLE RESEARCH, I CAME ACROSS SOTO, ET AL V. AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO, INC, CASE NO. 3:12-CV-1377-SI (US DISTRICT COURT, NORTHERN DISTRICT CALIFORNIA). THE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT STATES: 'A SYSTEMATIC DESIGN DEFECT THAT ENABLES OIL TO ENTER INTO THE ENGINE'S COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THIS LEADS TO PREMATURE SPARK PLUG DEGRADATION AND ENGINE MALFUNCTION.' IN THE CASE, IT WAS REVEALED HONDA ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM IN THE JULY 2011 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #11-033 STATING THAT 'THE VCM (VARIABLE CYLINDER MANAGEMENT) MAY BE REPEATEDLY SWITCHING ON AND OFF DURING LIGHT THROTTLE OPERATION, AT CRUISING SPEEDS, ON FLAT ROADS.' IN ENGLISH? THE ENGINE IS WORKING MUCH HARDER THAN IT HAS TO IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. HONDA'S CONDUCT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES A COMPANY INCAPABLE OF HONEST BUSINESS PRACTICE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SEARCH THROUGH A DECADE OF LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN ORDER TO MAKE A KNOWLEDGEABLE CAR PURCHASE. IT'S APPARENT THAT HONDA KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WELL BEFORE MY VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED, AS WAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN HONDA'S INTERNAL EMAILS, AND IS USING WELL WRITTEN LEGAL MANEUVERS TO EXPLOIT CONSUMERS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

SINCE NOVEMBER 2015, I'VE HAD TO ADD ONE QUART 0W-20 FULL SYNTHETIC OIL TO MAINTAIN ITS OIL LEVEL. I'D DRIVEN ABOUT 875 MILES PER WEEK AT THAT POINT. THE PROBLEM PROGRESSED AND THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS ACCELERATING AND WOULD STALL OUT ON OCCASION. I HAD A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE WHERE THE CAR STALLED OUT IN TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE TRYING TO PULL OUT ON TO THE ROAD, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ON TO A MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY. THE FUEL ECONOMY SHARPLY DECLINED SINCE THEN. THE SPARK PLUGS FAILED PREMATURELY, AND NOW THE LONG BLOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AFTER GIVING OUT FOR THE FINAL TIME IN JUNE 2016. THE REPAIR IS $9,700 FOR A VEHICLE I STILL OWE $9,000 ON. HONDA NEEDS TO STAND BY ITS PRODUCT AND MAKE IT SAFE FOR ITS CONSUMERS TO DRIVE. THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY NEGLIGENT IN THIS MATTER, ISSUING SETTLEMENTS AND EXTENDED WARRANTIES TO ONLY THE V6 ENGINES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND SELECT V4 ENGINES ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, PREFERENCE GOING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, DID ALL SERVICING EXCLUSIVELY AT HONDA-CERTIFIED DEALERSHIPS, AND WHO ARE BARELY OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY. A VEHICLE OF THIS CALIBER SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 85K MILES OR SO. THE PROBLEMS STARTED AROUND 68K MILES, BUT THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY ONLY COVERS UP TO 60K MILES.

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF OIL OVER DECREASING AMOUNT OF MILES TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR NOW LOSES 1.5 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES (VERIFIED BY LOCAL HONDA DEALER). THIS ISSUE CAUSES THE SPARK PLUGS TO FOUL OUT LEADING TO CARS THAT STALL WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAPPENED TO ME ONCE WHILE DRIVING IN A CITY AND THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BAD SPARK PLUGS AND THE CAR WAS BACK ON IT'S WAY, BUT THE CAR IS STILL BURNING THE OIL AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS SITUATION HAPPENS AGAIN. THIS INCIDENT STARTED IN DECEMBER, 2015 AND PERSISTS TO THIS DAY.

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION - HONDA INSIGHT 2012. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING, TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER AND DEALER FOUND NO OIL (ALTHOUGH CAR STATED IT WAS AT 50%). DEALER ADDED OIL, SUGGESTED I RETURN AFTER 1,000 MILES. BROUGHT BACK CAR AFTER 1,500 MILES AND DEALER SAID THAT PER HONDA, CAR MUST HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK AFTER 1,000 MILES. NO NOTICEABLE OIL LOSS. AT NEXT OIL CHANGE, DEALER FOUND OIL TO BE VERY LOW. BROUGHT BACK CAR AFTER AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 MILES AND HONDA PERFORMED OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. TEST CAME BACK NEGATIVE. LATEST OIL CHANGE, NOW INDICATOR STATES AT 60% OIL AND ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED WHILE DRIVING ON JUNE 4TH. DEALER FOUND NO OIL. DEALER IS NOW PERFORMING A OVERHAUL ON MY ENGINE. DEALER WILL HAVE MY CAR FOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK OR MAYBE TWO AS I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE TWO OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AHEAD OF ME. DEALER OFFERED CAR RENTAL.

I BOUGHT MY INSIGHT NEW IN 2012. I NOW HAVE 74K MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 55K MILES MY INSIGHT BEGAN TO HAVE AN "EMISSIONS" ERROR CODE. AFTER SOME INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE OIL WAS LOW (2-3 QUARTS). THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE THAT TIME EVERY 5-6 WEEKS, ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH I DRIVE THE CAR. THE "EMISSIONS" ERROR ILLUMINATES, I CHECK THE OIL AND IT IS LOW. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN LAST MONTH. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SERVICED RELIGIOUSLY AT THE DEALERSHIP FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND HAVE NOT MISSED AN OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION, ETC.

I PURCHASED MY CAR IN JULY 2015 FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 64K MILES ON IT. A MONTH LATER MY CHECK EMISSIONS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE CAR HAD RECEIVED A COMPLETE OIL CHANGE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT BUT I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SERVICE SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME MY CAR WAS LOW ON OIL. A MONTH LATER THE CHECK EMISSIONS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. IT WAS A QUART LOW. I ADDED A QUART (NOT CHEAP FOR HYBRIDS AS HONDA RECOMMENDS API PREMIUM GRADE 0W-20 DETERGENT OIL ONLY). ANOTHER MONTH PASSES AND THE CHECK EMISSIONS LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AFTER I JUST TURNED THE IGNITION ON. ALSO I HAD STARTED EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE STALLING. EXAMPLE, GOING FROM BREAKING TO ACCELERATING IT SIMPLY STALLS. TAKES ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATION BEGINS TO ENGAGE. IN DECEMBER, AS I DROVE UP A HILL THE CAR STARTED STUTTERING. AT THE TOP OF THE HILL MY SPEED DROPPED TO 16 MPH AND WOULDN'T GO ANY FASTER. I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WAITED A FEW MINUTES THEN STARTED IT AGAIN. I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND IT CRAWLED TO 11 MPH. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME I NEEDED SPARK PLUGS. THAT WAS 12/18/2015. MILEAGE WAS AT AROUND 66K. A WEEK LATER THEY SAID THE OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE CYLINDERS AND THEY NEEDED TO CHECK WITH HONDA TO SEE WHAT REPAIRS THEY WERE WILLING TO COVER. ESTIMATED PARTS/LABOR=$8000. IT'S NOT ON THE RECALL LIST BUT SHOULD BE, AS THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS. HONDA IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE A LOANER VEHICLE DURING THIS WHOLE ORDEAL. MY SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME I COULD PICK UP MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS FROM MY CAR AS IT DIDN'T APPEAR I WOULD BE GETTING IT BACK ANYTIME SOON! I LOVED MY CAR AND THE HONDA BRAND BUT THIS HAS TURNED ME COMPLETELY OFF. TODAY IS 1/11/2016 AND STILL NO WORD FROM HONDA ABOUT MY CAR OR THE RESPONSIBILITY THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE.