2004 Honda CR-V Engine

PURCHASED 2004 HONDA CR-V JANUARY 2004 FROM CONTINENTAL HONDA IN ANCHORAGE ALASKA. WE TOOK IT IN FOR ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE (5,000 MILES) ON JUNE 16TH. AFTER DRIVING THE 15 MILES HOME, THE ENGINE STARTED BILLOWING SMOKE, AND SPUING OIL (THE TRAIL OF OIL CAN STILL BE SEEN ON THE STREET). THE DEALER HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, THEY EXPLAINED IT AS A FAULTY OIL GASKET, AND OFFERED A FREE OIL CHANGE. AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW WEEKS, I NOTICED A CLACKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I HAD THE TECHINTIANS CHECK IT OUT DURING THE SECOND OIL CHANGE ON AUGUST 16. AFTER TWO WEEKS OF LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM, THEY DEDUCED THERE WAS SOME "SCORING" INSIDE THE PISTONS AND THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE SHORTBLOCK. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A FLUKE (A FIRST TIME INCIDENT) AND THAT THE ENGINE WILL BE SENT TO HONDA USA FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. I FINALLY GOT THE CALL YESTERDAY (SEPTEMBER 9) THAT THE CAR WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. IN ALL FAIRNESS, THE EMPLOYEES AT THE DEALERSHIP WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS.*AK

CONSUMER FILED COMPLAINT BECAUSE SHE WAS UPSET ABOUT GETTING AN OIL CHANGE. SHE WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK

HAVING JUST HAD THE FIRST OIL CHANGE PERFORMED ON MY 2004 HONDA CR-V, I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHICH PERFORMED THE OIL CHANGE (HANOVER HONDA IN HANOVER, PA) WHEN SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS. I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE STREET AND THE IGNITION SWITCHED OFF WITHIN SECONDS OF THE LOW OIL WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. I WAS TOLD BY THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER THAT IT APPEARED THE OIL FILTER WAS DEFECTIVE. AFTER HEARING REPORTS IN THE NEWS (ON JULY 9, 2004) OF OTHER CR-V OWNER WHO EXPERIENCED FIRES IN THEIR VEHICLES THAT SEEMED TO ORIGINATE WITH THE OIL FILTER, I WANTED TO FILE THIS REPORT WITH NHTSA.*AK

THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL ONTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD. *NM THE CONSUMER NOTICED A POOL OF OIL UNDER THE VEHICLE. IN TAKING THE VEHICLE IN TO GET SERVICED THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT WHEN GETTING THE PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE THE TECHNICIAN NEVER REMOVED THE OLD OIL FILTER GASKET AND PLACED A NEW GASKET OVER THE OLD ONE. WHEN THE ENGINE GOT HOT THE OIL LEAKED BETWEEN THE TWO GASKETS. *TC SEE ODI 10092496 ALSO. *DSY

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE STARTED LEAKING OIL FROM THE AREA AROUND THE OIL FILTER. THE OIL LEAKED ONTO THE HOT ENGINE WHICH RESULTED IN SMOKE. *NM *SC *JB

AT 4500 MILES, I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO GET THE OIL CHANGED. AFTER I HAD DRIVEN HOME FROM GETTING MY OIL CHANGED, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL, AND I FOUND OIL LEAKING FROM MY CAR. AT FIRST IT WAS LEAKING ABOUT 20 DROPS A MIN, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY, IT WAS ONLY LEAKING 15 DROPS A MINUTE. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND HAD IT INSPECTED THE NEXT DAY, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY REASON WHY MY CAR WAS LEAKING OIL.*AK

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A NEW 2004 HONDA CRV ON JUNE 27, 2004. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT I WAS INFORMED NOT ONLY OF THIS WEBSITE BUT OF THE FIRES THAT EVERYONE IS COMPLAINING ABOUT AFTER THEY GET THEIR OIL CHANGED. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT A LARGE CORPORATION LIKE HONDA IS ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS. OR HOW A SAFETY RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED YET. WHY IS IT WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? SOON I WILL HAVE TO HAVE MY OIL CHANGED AND THAT IS TERRIFYING TO ME. HOW ABOUT THE NEXT TIME AND THE NEXT TIME I HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE MY OIL CHANGED? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN WHENEVER THE OIL IS CHANGED THROUGHTOUT THE LIFE OF MY CAR? DO I JUST PRAY I GET A SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT KNOWS WHAT TO DO? AS THE NHTSA YOU NEED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS. *AK

2003 HONDA CRV SLIPS OUT OF CORRECT TIMING FREQUENTLY RESULTING IN UNRELIABLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND A LOUD TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN RUNNING. THIS DEFECT IN THE ENGINE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PIEDMONT HONDA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 2 SEPARATE SERVICE VISITS (9/13/2003, 4/30/2004). THE PIEDMONT HONDA DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO CORRECT THE DEFECT AND STATED CHECKED VEHICLE AND COMPARED TO A NEW VEHICLE. SOUND IS NOT ABNORMAL AND IS CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE. PERFORMS AS DESIGNED PIEDMONT HONDAS REFUSAL HAS DIRECTLY RESULTED IN THE ENGINE STALLING OUT ON ONE OCCASION (8/16/2004) AND REFUSING TO START ON 2 OTHER OCCASIONS (7/28/2004, 8/1/2004). BOTH TIMES THAT THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START THE OWNER WAS STRANDED AT THE LEAST OPPORTUNE TIME.*AK

THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE LEAKED OIL ONTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD. *NM THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT DURING A PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE THE TECHNICIAN FAILED TO REMOVE THE ORIGINAL RUBBER GASKET BEFORE INSTALLING THE NEW ONE. *NM SEE ODI 10095399 ALSO. *DSY

(1) VEHICLE (2004 HONDA CR-V, VIN#SHSRD68474U20079) WAS BROUGHT INTO BRAHMAN HONDA (LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN MIAMI) FOR ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE ON APRIL 12TH, 2004. CONTINUED NORMAL USAGE OF VEHICLE UNTIL ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON JUNE 16TH, 2004 AT 8PM.*AK (2) VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN NORMAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ALONG MAJOR STREET. AS THE VEHICLE WE BEING DRIVEN, IT BEGAN EMITTING LARGE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE VEHICLE AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND MOVE THE DISABLED VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAK CAN BE FOUND. EVIDENCE OF OIL LEAKAGE CAN BE FOUND INSIDE AND UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. (3) VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO BRAHMAN HONDA. PENDING INSPECTION BY INSURANCE COMPANY AND HONDA MECHANICS.

MY 2004 HONDA CRV IGNITED AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THIS OCCURRED THE SAME DAY AS THE FIRST OIL CHANGE. MILEAGE WAS 5,400.*AK

AS NEW OWNER OF CR-V AFTER READ SO MANY COMPLAINT REGARDS THE ENGINE FIRE AFTER OIL CHANGE, I DECIDE TO FILE A COMPLAINT TO HONDA FOR ITS IRRESPONSIBLE/INEFFECTIVE ACTIONS TO PREVENT ENGINE FIRE. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SO MANY FIRE CASES EVEN UP TODAY, YET HONDA STILL DID NOT WANT TO RECALL OR TAKE REAL ACTION TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT IS VERY SCARY TO IMAGE THE WORSE CASE - IF YOU GOT THE ENGINE FIRE IN ONE LANE HIGHWAY IN THE MOUNTAIN AREA, THERE IS NO SIGNAL FOR CELL PHONE TO CALL 911 TOO. IT IS ALSO DANGEROUS TO WALK OR EVEN STAY IN THAT TYPE OF HIGHWAY. OWNER OF CR-V HAVE NO PEACE OF MIND TO DRIVE IT AFTER OIL CHANGE. ESPECIALLY SOME ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED TWO MONTHS LATER AFTER OIL CHANGE BASED ON COMPLAINT CASE. HONDA SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. HONDA SHOULD NOT JUST LAY THE RESPONSIBILITY DOWN TO TECHNICIAN. WHY ONLY CR-V CAUGHT FIRE? NOT PILOT? NOT SUV FROM OTHER MAKERS? THE ENGINE FIRE CANNOT BE SIMPLY EXPLAINED BY THE SLOPPY JOB OF TECHNICIAN PERFORMED AS IT HAPPENED/HAPPENS AT DIFFERENT STATES IN US. NHTSA, PLEASE OPEN THE INVESTIGATION AGAIN AS NUMBER OF ENGINE FIRE ARE INCREASING ACROSS US. PLEASE GIVE CONSUMER SAFE SUV AS IT SHOULD BE.*AK

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM HOME. I STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND NOTICED SMOKE. I DIDNT' KNOW IT WAS MY CAR AT THE TIME. I DROVE A HALF A BLOCK AND MY CAR FILLED UP WITH SMOKE. I IMMEDIATLY PULLED OVER AND A PERSON BEHIND ME STOPPED AND TOLD ME SHE SAW FLAMES FROM MY CAR. I HAD IMMEDIALTLY TURNED MY CAR OFF AS SOON AS I PARKED IT, SO I DID NOT SEE THE FLAMES. AN ADDITIONAL MAN DROVE UP AND SAID HE HAD SEEN THE FIRE ALSO. OIL HAD POURED OUT FROM UNDER MY CAR. I HAD JUST HAD MY FIRST OIL CHANGE ON MONDAY AUG 23RD. I HAVE APPROXIMATLY 5500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT IS A 2004 HONDA CRV. MY DEALERSHIP (CHEZIC SAYERS) HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BY CAMPUS TOWING. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS THE THIRD CRV THAT HE HAD TOWED WITH FIRE DAMAGE IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS.(HIS NAME WAS PHIL) I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IF THIS HAS HAPPENED THIS MANY TIMES. I ALSO LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET AND IT SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN 27 FIRES LINKED TO OIL CHANGES IN THIS VEHICLE. I FIND THAT APPALLING. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT! AS OF RIGHT NOW, I AM NOT SURE OF THE CAUSE BECAUSE IT WAS AFTER 5PM BY THE TIME THE DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT THE CAR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME TOMORROW. I AM ASSUMING SOMEONE WILL CALL ME TO FIND OUT WHAT THE EXACT PROBLEM WAS AND TO FIND OUT HOW IT WAS HANDLED.*AK

KNOWING THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD IN GETTING THE OIL CHANGED IN MY 2004 HONDA CR-V, I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING A SOLUTION. IN THAT PROCESS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL AUTO SERVICE PLACES THAT THEY WILL NOT SERVICE MY CAR DUE TO THE LIABILITIES INVOLVED. THEY TOLD ME THAT OTHER VEHICLES DO NOT CATCH ON FIRE WHEN A GASKET IS LEFT ON OR SOME OIL LEAKS OUT, SO SOMETHING WAS CHANGED IN THE CR-V ENGINE THAT IS ALLOWING THE OIL TO NOW REACH THE MANIFOLD. I WILL NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN THE TIME COMES TO DEAL WITH THIS. HONDA MUST TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB

VEHICLE WAS STALLING AND SKIPPING AT TIMES ON LONG TRIPS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER WAS HOT. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HONDA DEALER BUT THEY FOUND NO COMPUTER CODES TO SPECIFY THE PROBLEM. THEY THEN CLAIMED THAT THE GAS TANK HAD WATER IN IT AND CHARGED THE CONSUMER $560. WITHIN AN HOUR OF LEAVING THE DEALER THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TOT HE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. THE VEHICLE ON HAS 6000 MILES. *NM

HAVING SEEN THE NEWS REPORTS ON TELEVISION AND IN MY LOCAL NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE FIRES RESULTING AFTER THE FIRST OIL CHANGE ON 03-04 HONDA CR-VS I WAS MORE THAN APPREHENSIVE ABOUT MY FIRST OIL CHANGE. I CALLED MY DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND MENTIONED THE FIRE PROBLEM. THE DEALER WAS UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEM. NOW I'M EVEN MORE CONCERNED! HOW CAN THIS BE? ISN'T HONDA DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE?

AFTER HAVING THE OIL CHANGED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *JB

THE OIL FILTER WAS CHANGED ON THE FIRST OIL CHANGE FOR A NEW VEHICLE WHEN THE FILRE WAS CHANGE ONE OF THE GASKETS STUCK TO THE ENGINE,THE DOUBLE BANDED GASKET BURST AND OIL WAS RELEASED ONTO THE EXHAUST, CAUSING A FIRE.*AK A NEW OIL FILTER WAS INSTALLED AFTER THE EXTRA GASKET WAS REMOVED.

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB SEE ODI 10081292, SAME VIN. *DSY

OIL CHANGE TO 2004 HONDA CRV RESULTED IN THE PREDECESSOR OF A FIRE. AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR, A CUSTOMER CAME RUNNING OUT POUNDING ON MY WINDOW. THERE WAS OIL SPEWING OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. I HAD JUST READ THE WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE REGARDING RECENT FIRES TO CRV'S AFTER OIL CHANGES. I SHOWING THE ARTICLE TO THE TECHNICIAN AND HE ASSURED ME EVEERYTHING WOULD BE FINE. TO NO AVAIL. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST SHODDY MECHANICS WORK. TOO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. INCLUDING ME! SEE ODI 10083308, SAME VIN. *DSY

A THOUSAND MILES AFTER THE FIRST OIL CHANGE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. THE FIRE WAS DUE TO POORLY INSTALLED OIL FILTERS. DEALER WAS REPLACING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT RESISTANC. *AK

ON JULY 22, I HAD AN OIL CHANGE PERFORMED ON MY 2004 HONDA CR-V AT THE TEXACO XPRESS LUBE IN NORWAY, MAINE. EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, WHEN I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. (IT MAY HAVE BEEN LEAKING PRIOR TO THIS DATE, BUT I USUALLY PARK OUTSIDE ON THE GRAVEL, AND THE OIL SPILL MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN APPARENT.) I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL, AND IT WAS STILL READING FULL. THE NEXT DAY, ON SEPTEMBER 20, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THAT MORNING AND HAD TO MAKE A STOP HALFWAY THERE. I NOTICED AT THIS TIME THAT THE CAR SMELLED A LITTLE STRANGE. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE ON, SO I ASSUMED THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. AS SUCH, I CONTINUED MY TRIP DOWN TO WESTBROOK, MAINE, PLANNING TO DRIVE DIRECTLY TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. WHEN I EXITED THE TURNPIKE AND SLOWED THE CAR, ALL OF A SUDDEN SMOKE AND STEAM CAME POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND FLOODED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR THROUGH ALL THE VENTS. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND CALLED AAA, WHO TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP (MAINE MALL MOTORS IN SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE). AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR, THEY TOLD ME THE OIL FILTER WAS NOT PUT ON CORRECTLY DURING THE LAST OIL CHANGE AND HAD WORKED LOOSE, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN BURNING THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME HE WAS AMAZED THE CAR DIDNT GO UP IN FLAMESTHATS HOW BADLY IT WAS BURNED. MY CAR ENDED UP BEING IN THE SHOP FOR THREE DAYS. THE DAMAGE DONE TO MY CAR TOTALED $782.71. IN ADDITION, I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THREE DAYS, WHICH TOTALED $115.50. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE DOUBLE GASKET CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

IT WAS JUST 2-3 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2004 HONDA SUV WHEN THE FIRST STORY CAME OUT ON THE WASHINGTON POST ABOUT THE CRV'S BURSTING INTO FLAMES. *AK I WAS TOLD BY HONDA THAT I COULD NO LONGER TAKE THE CAR BACK I WOULD HAVE TO TRY TO RE-SELL IT AND TAKE THE LOSS MYSELF. HERE I AM GETTING CLOSE TO TO THE 5000 MILE, WHICH WILL BE MY VERY FIRST OIL CHANGE, AND I SEE ANOTHER FOLLOW UP STORY ON THE WASHINGTRON POST REGARDING THE SAME THING. AND STILL NOTHING BEING DONE ABOUT IT. DEPENDING ON SOME EMAILS AND LETTERS BEING SENT BY HONDA IS NOT RESOLVING THE ISSUE. I AM COMPLETELY AFRAID OF GETTING MY FIRST OIL CHANGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I SEE THAT OTHER CONSUMERS ARE TAKING THEIR CRV'S TO THE HONDA DEALERS AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. WHAT GUARANTEE DO I HAVE? HOW SAFE AM I SUPPOSE TO FEEL WHEN THE HONDA DEALERS STILL DON'T DO THE OIL CHANGE RIGHT? I AM IN AWE THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS WAITING FOR A HIGH DEATH TOLL TO FINALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. HOW MANY DEATHS WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU GUYS TO WAKE UP AND TELL HONDA TO DO A RECALL? HOW MANY LIVES HAVE TO BE TAKEN FOR YOU TO SEE THAT THIS IS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE? I AM SCARED OF EVEN PARKING MY CAR IN THE GARAGE AFTER MY FIRST OIL CHANGE. IT ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT YOU AND HONDA ARE TRYING ITS BEST TO SAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND PREFER TO RISK THOUSANDS OF LIVES. AND YET, THE CONSUMER IS STUCK WITH THE PROBLEM AND FOOTING THE BILL IF THAT OCCURS. I'M SURPRISED I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY LAWSUITS. IT'S TO TIME TO TAKE ACTION. I AM COMPLETELY DISSAPOINTED WITH HONDA AND REGRET EVER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE FROM THEM. THEY HAVE NOT COME FORTH FOR THE CONSUMER. I HOPE THE NEXT TIME I WRITE TO YOU IS NOT BECAUSE I'M HAVING TO COMPLAIN AND WRITE A DETAILED REPORT OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO ME.

THE OIL WAS CHANGED IN OUR 2004 HONDA CRV AND THEN AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THERE WAS A MASSIVE OIL LEAK CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF I270 WITH TRAFFIC WIZZING BY A SPEEDS OVER 70 MPH. MY WIFE WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE CAR DID NOT CATCH FIRE OR THAT SHE DID NOT GET HIT FROM THE REAR.*AK