1996 Honda Accord Engine

BALANCER SHAFT SEAL COVER, LOWER AREA OF MOTOR WAS BEING SCRAPED BY TIMING BELT, CAUSING CHIRPING NOISE AT LOW MPH, I.E. 5 MPH. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE IS PARK IN DRIVEWAY CONSUMER NOTICED OIL ON SPOTS. VEHICLE LOST ABOUT 2 QUARTS OF OIL PER MONTH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMAITION.*AK

AN OIL SEAL FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE OIL TO DRAIN OUT RAPIDLY AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP, A PRODUCT UPDATE CAMPAIGN WAS SENT REGARDING THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE, HOWEVER CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

COMPLETE DRAINAGE OF OIL FROM ENGINE DUE TO BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL FAILURE. OIL BLOWN ONTO ENGINE, UNDERCARRAIGE AND TIMING BELT.

THE MECHANIC FOUND OIL LEAK AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CAUSED BY A DISLODGED SEAL ON THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT.

I WAS JUST RECENTLY MADE AWARE THAT THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED WITH THE OIL SEAL FAILURE WAS NOT UNIQUE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED OUT OF A LEASE WITH ONLY 18,000 MILES. ALL SERVICE HAS BEEN DONE AT HIDY HONDA BEAVERCREEK, OHIO SINCE I'VE ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

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

BALNCER OIL SHAFT GAVE OUT AND CAR LEAKED ALL OIL OUT IMMEDIATELY AND ENGINE SEIZED AND WE HAD TO REPLCE ENGINE AT THE COST OF $2,860 (USED ENGINE) - HONDA HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE - RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE AND HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THEM TO OBTAIN REIMBURSEMENT AND HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE NOVEMBER. *AK

OIL SEAL FAILED WITH NO WARNING WHILE DIRVING AT LOW SPEED IN PARKING LOT. OIL LOSS ESTIMATED AT 1 QUART PER 3 MINUTES AT ENGINE IDLE RPM. WHEN DRIVEN (AFTER OIL REFILL) OIL SOAKS L. FT. BRAKE CALIPER AND ALL ENGINE BELTS. IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT PREVENTED DRIVING TO ENGINE SEIZURE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WAS TRAVELING 70MPH WHEN SUDDENLY ENGINE SEIZED UP, VEHICLE HAD STOPPED, LOST ALL POWER, AND OIL WAS SHOOTING OUT EVERY WHERE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT ENGINE HAD BLEWN UP, AND THAT WAS REASON FOR OIL LEAKING. WOULD REPLACE BLOWN ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE. RECEIVED A PRODUCT RECALL LETTER IN MAIL REGARDING ENGINE RECALL. DO NOT HAVE OLD ENGINE.*AK

THE OIL SEAL FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS, THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE CAR, HOWEVER READ WHERE THERE WAS A A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REGARDING A DEFECTIVE OIL SEAL AND WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED. *SLC

THE BALANCER SHAFT SEAL FAILED,CAUSING ALL OF THE ENGINE'S OIL TO PUMP OUT. *AK

WHILE PARKING VEHICLE NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDER VEHICLE. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT BALANCING SHAFT SEAL WAS CAUSE OF OIL LEAKAGE. REPAIRS DONE AT NO COST TO CONSUMER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DEATILS. *AK

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

ENGINE OIL SEAL BLOW-WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF OIL.*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.

BALANCER SHAFT SEAL LEAK IN THE ENGINE; FULL TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, OTHER BELT, BELT COMPRESSOR TO BE REPLACED AT COST OF $750. *AK

VEHICLE WILL NOT HOLD OIL. WHEN STARTING CAR AND PUTTING OIL IN, IT WILL LEAK RIGHT OUT. *AK

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.

OIL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. LOST ALL OIL IN ENGINE.BALANCE SHAFT SEAL LEAK. TIMING BELT, OTHER BELTS REPLACED. $400 REPAIR

OIL LEAK AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CAUSED BY A DISLODGED SEAL ON THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT

A FEW MINUTES AFTER LEAVING A RETAIL BUSINESS, THE BUSINESSMAN CALLED ME ON MY CELL PHONE TO ADVISE ME THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF FRESH OIL WHERE I HAD PARKED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER ON THE FREEWAY ONLY TO FIND OIL GUSHING OUT OF MY ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE FREEWAY AND WENT TO THE 7-11 AT THE TOP OF THE EXIT RAMP. I ADDED 4 QUARTS OF OIL AND DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AWAY. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP ALL THE OIL HAD GUSHED OUT AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE SEAL ON THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT HAD BECOME DISLODGED. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $750 TO REPAIR. THE TIMING BELT WAS FULL OF OIL SO IT TOO HAD TO BE REPLACED. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE ALERT BUSINESSMAN AND THE FLUKE THAT I HAD GIVEN HIM MY PHONE NUMBER, I NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL EITHER THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND/OR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER SEEMED UNFAZED BY THE POTENTIAL DISASTER THAT I NARROWLY AVERTED SIMPLY BY A FLUKE OF CHANCE. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM GETTING KILLED IF THE CAR CATCHES ON FIRE AND SEIZES UP WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS!!

BALANCE SHAFT SEAL WENT BAD.ENGINE LOST OIL,CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE.HONDA DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE ENGINE. *AK

DIDN'T KNOW THAT OIL WAS LEAKING OUT FROM ENGINE UNTIL OIL LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED OIL. WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. PUT IN A QUART TO GET TO SERVICE STATION AND IT TO LEAKED OUT. LUCKY, THAT THERE WAS NO MAJOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT, THIS WAS THE 4TH ONE THEY FIXED SO FAR THIS YEAR AND THAT THERE IS A FIX TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AND THAT ONLY DEALERS AND SERVICE STATIONS WERE NOTIFIED. WHY NOT THE OWNERS? FROM READING THE COMPLAINTS, IT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *AK