NHTSA Complaint #10188781 — 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY

FAILURE OF GASKET MATERIAL TO CONTAIN OIL WITHIN ENGINE VALVE COVER CYLINDER HEAD HAS CREATED OIL LEAK THAT WAS INITIALLY NOTICED ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. DEALER HAS VERIFIED PROBLEM BY INJECTING DYE AND USING BLACK-LIGHT TO ESTABLISH THE SOURCE OF THE OIL LEAK. THIS MIGHT TYPICALLY BE A NON-ISSUE FOR AN OLDER MODEL YEAR VEHICLE BUT I WOULD NOT EXPECT SUCH A PROBLEM ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN IN SERVICE LESS THAN 4 YEARS AND PERSONALLY OWNED FOR ONLY 2 1/4 YEARS. PROBLEM COULD BE ONE OF MANUFACTURE INSTALLATION OR MATERIAL DEFECT OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. ENGINE FAILURE COULD RESULT IF PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED/RESOLVED. RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THAT COVERS THE LABOR TO DROP THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE VALVE COVER GASKET. THIS OWNER THINKS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE DEALER SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED OR OPERATED IN EXTREME CONDITIONS. *JB