NHTSA Complaint #10098403 — 2004 HONDA CR-V

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