2002 Honda Accord Engine

See attached document for complaint.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD BANG NOISE THAT CAME FROM THE FRONT-END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE WATER HOSE HAD FRACTURED IN HALF AND ANTI-FREEZE HAD SPLATTERED EVERYWHERE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. THE FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER (NORM REEVES HONDA SUPERSTORE CERRITOS 18500 STUDEBAKER RD, CERRITOS, CA 90703; (562) 345-9100) INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WATER HOSE AND THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE IT DID NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTING PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE 304,000.

THE HEADS ON THIS CAR HAVE TO REPLACED, WE PAID OVER $1,000 A FEW YEARS AGO TO REPLACE THE HEADS IN THE CAR. THIS PAST YEAR THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND IT WAS GOING TO COST OVER $1,000 AGAIN. BUT THIS TIME IT CAUSE THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP. THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK IN THE ENGINE CASING BECAUSE OF THE HEAD IN THE CAR.

ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED, THE ENGINE BLOCK IS VERY CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO GET OIL ALL IN IT. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS GIVEN ME A PROBLEM ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED IT USED IN 2011. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD THE MUFFLER FIXED TWICE JUST RECENTLY MARCH 22,2016 COST WAS $422 AND PRIOR IN 2014.. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT JUST KEEPS COMING ON ,AND THE VEHICLE INSPECTION IS FAILING BECAUSE OF EMISSIONS. I AM FEARFUL THAT ODORLESS GASSES ARE SEEPING INTO THE CAR WHICH IS A HAZARD TO MYSELF AND PASSANGERS

MY HONDA WAS IDLING AS I WAS CLEARING THE SNOW OFF OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR, I COULD SMELL EXHAUST FUMES, I ASSUMED IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS IDLING. AS I DROVE HOME, THE SMELL FADED, SO I DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO IT. ON 1/31/15 I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED & THE OIL CHANGED. ASIDE FROM HAVING THE BRAKES & ROTORS REPLACED, ALL WAS WELL & THE CAR PASSED INSPECTION. ON 2/8/15 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE GROCERY STORE. SUDDENLY MY OIL LIGHT STARTS TO BLINK & THE SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES BECOMES OVER WHELMING. I OPENED MY WINDOWS & CONTINUED HOME. I PULLED THE CAR INTO THE GARAGE & NOTICED A TRAIL OF OIL. I BACKED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE & THERE WAS A POOL OF OIL ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. MY HUSBAND & I CHECKED TO BE SURE THE DRAIN PLUG & FILTER WERE INTACT, THEN WE CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND IT WAS EMPTY! WE WERE LUCKY THE ENGINE DID NOT SEIZE UP! WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR NON-HONDA MECHANIC WHO INFORMED US THAT THE BALANCE SEAL HAD BLOWN OUT. AS A RESULT OIL SPRAYED ALL OVER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE.THIS IS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE EXHAUST FUME SMELL PERMEATING THE CABIN. HE TOLD ME THAT HE CAN REPLACE THE SEAL, BUT THAT HE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, PULLEYS, TENSIONER, CAM & CRANK. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT HONDA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM & THAT THE BALANCE SEALS NOW COME WITH A BRACKET TO HOLD THEM IN PLACE. I ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BALANCE SEALS & HE TOLD ME NO, MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I HAD TO PAY $848 TO REPAIR MY CAR DUE TO A BLOWN SEAL THAT HONDA IS AWARE OF. HONDA SHOULD MOST DEFINITELY RECALL THIS MODEL OF ACCORDS & FIX THE BALANCE SEAL ISSUE; FOR NO OTHER REASON OTHER THAN THE DANGEROUS FUMES THAT FILLED THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR. I'D LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR. IF YOU SUDDENLY SMELL EXHAUST FUMES, GET THE BALANCE SEAL CHECKED IMMEDIATELY AS IT IS A WARNING! *TR

THE SEAL ON THE BALANCE SHAFT CAME OUT, DRAINING ALL THE ENGINE OIL OUT OF THE CAR. POSSIBLY CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. THE CAR HAD IT'S TIMING BELT CHANGED, NOW IT HAS TO BE DONE AGAIN. COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ENGINE FIRE. HONDA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL BUT SHOULD. DORMAN MADE A PART TO LOCK THE SEAL IN TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING. HONDA SHOULD HAVE TO REIMBURSE FOR THE EXPENSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE VIOLENTLY WHEN STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE VEHICLE COULD POSSIBLY CONTINUE TO VIBRATE WHEN STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING ON ROADWAY. *TR

MY 2002 HONDA ACCORD LX-V6 HAS DEVELOPED PREMATURE FAILURE OF BOTH THE FRONT AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF HONDA V6 VEHICLES, FOR WHICH HONDA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB). MOTOR MOUNTS ARE NOT A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEM; THEY ARE NOT LISTED IN THE HONDA RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR HONDA ACCORDS UP TO 120,000 MILES AS AN ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR INSPECTED. MANY EXPERTS SUGGEST THAT MOTOR MOUNTS SHOULD OUTLAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR; HENCE THIS CLEARLY REPRESENTS A PREMATURE FAILURE OF A CRITICAL ENGINE SAFETY COMPONENT. THE BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS REPRESENT A 'SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT' AS DESCRIBED IN THE U.S. CODE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY (TITLE 49, CHAPTER 301). A SAFETY DEFECT IS DEFINED AS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE OR ITEM OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT THAT POSES AN RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, AND MAY EXIST IN A GROUP OF VEHICLES OF THE SAME DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE, OR ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT OF THE SAME TYPE AND MANUFACTURE. BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS (ENGINE MOUNTS) ARE DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED DUE TO WEDGED LINKAGES CAUSING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DRIVING WITH DAMAGED ENGINE MOUNTS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. THE ENGINE CAN ALSO SPIN FRONT WARD AND DAMAGE THE RADIATOR WITH THE FAN BLADES. THE NHTSA HAS PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZING BROKEN ENGINE MOUNTS AS A 'SAFETY-RELATED' DEFECT. ON OCTOBER 15, 1971, NHTSA ISSUED A CONSUMER PROTECTION BULLETIN ADVISING MOTORISTS OF THE "POTENTIAL RISKS" OF BROKEN GM ENGINE MOUNTS. *TR UPDATED 03/01/10 UPDATED 03/08/10 UPDATED 03/12/10

MY CASE IS VERY SIMILAR TO ODI ID NUMBER: 10251868. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE BURST. ENGINE OIL LEAKED INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM ALSO. THE HONDA DEALER TORN DOWN THE ENGINE, AND DID A SERIES OF INSPECTIONS, LEAK DOWN TEST, AND PRESSURE TEST. NO VISIBLE SIGN OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. NO SIGNS OF WARPING AND/OR CRACKS ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT IS PROBABLY DUE TO A VERY POROUS CYLINDER HEAD. THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE OVERHEATING IS AS FOLLOWS: THE POROUS CYLINDER HEAD ALLOWED ENGINE OIL TO LEAK INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE OIL DETERIORATED THE RUBBER GASKET ON THE THERMOSTAT. (THIS WAS INDICATED BY FRESH ENGINE OIL RESIDUE FOUND ON THE DAMAGED RUBBER GASKET OF THE ORIGINAL THERMOSTAT.) THE DETERIORATED RUBBER GASKET BLOCKED THE FLOW OF THE COOLANT. WITHOUT ENOUGH FLOW RATE TO COOL DOWN THE SYSTEM, THE COOLANT BOILED INSIDE THE HOSES. PRESSURE BUILT UP, AND THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE BURST. COOLANT LEAKED OUT FROM THE DAMAGED HOSE, AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE CAR HAS THIS PROBLEM. IT HAS NO MAJOR PROBLEMS BEFORE. I COMPLETED ALL NECESSARY MAINTENANCE ON TIME ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ALL MAJOR MAINTENANCE SERVICES WERE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE WHOLE CYLINDER HEAD, BUT THE TOTAL REPAIR COST FOR IT, INCLUDING CHANGING THE OIL-CONTAMINATED HOSES AND OTHERS, COST MORE THAN $4200. IT'S JUST TOO EXPENSIVE. ALL THE OLD PARTS (DAMAGED HOSES, THERMOSTAT, ETC) ARE AVAILABLE. FYI, IF IT HELPS ANY INVESTIGATIONS, THIS CAR IS STILL TORN APART AT THE DEALER AS OF TODAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V226000. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT TAKE ANY LIABILITY FOR THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 60,000.

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THE END OF MAR 2008 WITH 83000 MILES ON IT. APPROX 30 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE I TOOK IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, RADIATOR FLUSH AND TUNE UP. A WEEK LATER MY CAR OVERHEATED, THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE HAD BLOWN. A NEW MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAW EVIDENCE OF STOP LEAK AND SAID IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE IT HAD BEEN FLUSHED-HE TOOK CARE OF IT PROPERLY. THEN, APPROX 30 DAYS LATER I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR IT'S SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE AND HE SAID THERE WAS OIL LEAKING INTO THE RADIATOR FLUIDS-RIGHT NOW IT IS A ONE WAY LEAK, THE ANTIFREEZE IS NOT LEAKING INTO THE OIL. HE RECOMMENDED A HEAD GASKET JOB. DURING THE REPAIR IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD A RECENT HEAD JOB DONE AND HE PUT OUT A QUERY ONLINE. THE INFORMATION THAT CAME BACK WAS THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM THAT HONDA WAS AWARE OF, BUT SEEMED TO BE KEEPING QUIET ABOUT-THEY HAD NOT ISSUED ANY SERVICE WARNINGS, SUGGESTIONS, OR RECALLS-THEY WERE DEALING WITH IT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS...MECHANICS HAVE DETERMINED BY TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM (HEAD JOBS, REPLACING RADIATORS, ETC) AND IT NOT BEING SOLVED THAT IT IS A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. MY MECHANIC AND I AGREED TO WATCH IT CLOSELY AND BE VERY DILIGENT WITH OIL CHANGES. WITH EACH OIL CHANGE HE ALSO INCLUDES A RADIATOR FLUSH AS THERE IS ALWAYS OIL IN THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW TANK AS WELL AS THE OIL LEVELS ARE NEAR EMPTY. LAST NIGHT ON THE WAY HOME IT OVERHEATED AGAIN AND WHEN WE LOOKED IN THE RADIATOR IT WAS FULL OF SLUDGE. MY "RELIABLE" USED CAR PURCHASE LESS THAN NINE MONTHS AGO HAS BECOME A GREATER EXPENSE TO ME THAN IF I HAD PURCHASED A BRAND NEW CAR. THE ONLY REASON I PURCHASED THIS CAR WAS BECAUSE OF ITS RELIABLE REPUTATION AND THE MOST AFFORDABLE OF A USED CARS. I SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD THIS CAR, OR TO GET RID OF IT AND GET A NEW ONE. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY WELCOMED! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER FOR A ROUTINE TUNE-UP AND WAS INFORMED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE MECHANIC FLUSHED THE COOLING SYSTEM AND THE CONTACT DROVE TO HER RESIDENCE. A FEW DAYS LATER, SHE WANTED A SECOND OPINION AND DROVE TO A HONDA DEALER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAS SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO CONFIRM THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND STALLS. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHEN THIS OCCURS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON MAY 31, 2008 AND THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE UNTIL JUNE 4, 2008. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE ON JUNE 5, 2008, BUT SHE ENDED UP RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE BECAUSE THE DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CODE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,860 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE ENGINE STALLING REPEATEDLY. *MR *NM

RECALL 02V226000 CONCERNING TIMING BELT/WATER PUMP. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO SEE IF THIS VEHICLE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

CONSUMER WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE COVER MOTOR MOUNT PROBLEM. *JB

THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER HAD INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. *AK *JB *NLM

IN JULY OF 2002, I PURCHASED A 2002 HONDA 919. IMMEDIATELY, I NOTICED THAT MY JACKET SMELLED OF EXHAUST FUMES. NOT THE SULFUR - ROTTEN EGG SMELL, BUT EXHAUST FUMES. ONE FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN AUGUST 2002, I TOOK MY WIFE FOR A RIDE - SHE WAS THE PASSENGER. AFTER ABOUT A 45-MINUTE RIDE, SHE COMPLAINED OF A HEADACHE AND WAS GENERALLY JUST FEELING CRAPPY. SO MUCH FOR OUR ROMANTIC AFTERNOON. TO TOP IT ALL OFF, I TOOK MY 6 YEAR OLD SON FOR A RIDE, AND IN TRAFFIC, HE FELL ASLEEP AND ABOUT FELL OFF THE BIKE. HE COULD HAVE DIED, WE WERE IN TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO GRAB HIM WITH ONE HAND AND PULL OVER. I CONTACTED MY DEALER, ROB EIDMANN OF ST. JOE HONDA (816-671-0671) ON MANY OCCASSIONS, AND HE COULD DO NOTHING. I WAS IN LONG BEACH AT THE INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE AND MENTIONED IT TO A HONDA REPRESENTATIVE, WHO PASSED ME ALONG TO "THE NATIONAL SERVICE MANAGER", TO WHOM I ALSO TOLD MY STORY TOO. THEY WERE IN DENIAL, SAID THEY HAD NO OTHER COMPLAINTS, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. TO REMEDY THE SITUATION ON MY OWN, I PAID FOR AND INSTALLED AN EXHAUST FROM ANOTHER HONDA MODEL THAT EXITS THE BIKE LOWER. HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE, BUT AM NOT REAL HAPPY ABOUT THIS WHOLE ORDEAL. I HAVE LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS ALSO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT CAN WE DO?*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY SHE HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WILL NOT RESTART DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING THE MOTOR WAS ABOUT TO FAIL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. *YH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON, RAN ROUGH, AND WAS SLUGGLISH. *SCC

CONSUMER HAS PROBLEMS WITH HER ENGINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR

VEHICLE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING STALL WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SURGED. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SURGE, DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP GOING UP OVER A LANDSCAPE TIMBER AND STRUCK A CONCRETE BLOCK WALL. UNKNOWN REASON FOR THE ENGINE TO SURGE. DRIVER REPORTED THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE FROM FORWARD PROGRESS. DT