NHTSA Complaint #10170329 — 2001 HONDA CR-V

ROUGH IDLE, ENGINE WOULD STUMBLE BUT RECOVER SEVERAL TIMES WHEN IDLING BEFORE FULLY WARMED UP, POOR FUEL MILEAGE. NO MIL (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT), AND NO CODES OR PENDING CODES DETECTED. DEALER TESTED AND STRONGLY RECOMMENDED VALVE ADJUSTMENT. ONLY 63K MILES ON IT AND VALVES WERE NOT NOISY. OWNER'S MANUAL STATES, "ADJUST VALVES AT 105, 000 MILES OR IF NOISY". NEITHER WERE TRUE. I RESEARCHED CR-V MESSAGE BOARDS AND FOUND LOTS OF "1ST GEN." CR-V'S (MAINLY FROM '99 TO '01) WERE HAVING PROBLEM WHEREBY SOME VALVE SEATS WERE RECEDING INTO CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING NEED FOR PREMATURE VALVE ADJUSTMENTS, BURNT EXHAUST VALVES, OR SOME EVEN NEEDING TO REPLACE CYLINDER HEAD. MOST PEOPLE WHO HAD THE MORE SEVERE PROBLEMS ALSO EXPERIENCED MIL LIGHTING UP & CODE INDICATING ENGINE MISFIRE. I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA CORP SEVERAL TIMES. THE 1ST TIME WAS LIKE PULLING TEETH TO GET THEM TO ADMIT THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND THE CORRESPONDING TSB (SERVICE BULLETIN) SENT TO DEALERS. THEY FINALLY ADMITTED IT. BUT AFTER REVIEWING MY CASE TWICE, BOTH TIMES THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE VALVE ADJUSTMENT. THEY CLAIMED: 1) DEALERS ARE FRANCHISED & HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM, 2) IT'S A MACHINE, AND MACHINES NEED ADJUSTING FROM TIME TO TIME, 3) I DIDN'T PURCHASE EXTENDED WARRANTY SO THEY CAN'T HELP ME, 4) MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IS JUST A GENERAL GUIDELINE, VALVES SHOULD BE ADJUSTED SOONER, AND 5) SHOULD I REQUIRE CYLINDER HEAD REPLACEMENT IN THE FUTURE, THEY MIGHT OFFER ME SOME KIND OF RESTITUTION, BUT NO GUARANTEES. ENGINE RUNS FINE NOW AFTER VALVE ADJUSTMENT, BUT WHO'S TO SAY IN ANOTHER 10 TO 30K IT WON'T NEED IT AGAIN, PERHAPS ONLY TO FIND OUT IT'S TOO FAR OUT OF SPEC & WILL NEED NEW CYL. HEAD! IT'S PRINTED CLEARLY, IN BLACK & WHITE IN OWNER'S MANUAL: "ADJUST VALVES AT 105,000 MILES OR IF NOISY". PERHAPS WE SHOULD START CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST HONDA. THEY NEED TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, REDESIGN THE CYL. HEADS AND DO A RECALL! BUYERS BEWARE! *NM