NHTSA Complaint #10365100 — 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY

OUR 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. SHE MANAGED TO MAKE IT HOME, BUT BETWEEN THE POWER LOSS AND THE NOISE STARTING TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, SHE WAS NERVOUS. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A GENTILE HONDA IN RACINE WI. THEY REPORTED THAT THE SPARK PLUG WAS PULLED OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD WHEN THE COIL-PACK "POPPED". I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS A MATERIAL FAILURE IN THE CYLINDER HEAD WHICH CAUSED THE SPARK PLUG THREADS TO FAIL, WHICH RESULTED IN THE COIL-PACK SHORTING TO GROUND ON THE HEAD, AND CAUSING AN OVER-CURRENT CONDITION THROUGH THE COIL WHICH CAUSED THE COIL-PACK TO EXPLODE. GENTILE HONDA WANTS TO DO A MACHINIST REPAIR ON THE CYLINDER HEAD WHILE IT'S STILL ON THE ENGINE ($730.42). NORTH AMERICAN HONDA WANTS TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER WITH SOME MONETARY ASSISTANCE FOR A TOTAL OF $1500. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AT THIS TIME TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A MATERIAL DEFECT CAUSED BY HONDA'S PART VENDOR. GENTILE HONDA CLAIMS THE COIL-PACK PULLED THE PLUG OUT OF THE ALUMINUM HEAD. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AS THE TENSILE/SHEAR STRENGTH OF THE PLASTIC COIL-PACK IS FAR LESS THAN THE TENSILE/SHEAR STRENGTH OF THE ALUMINUM ALLOY HEAD. THE ATOMIZED FUEL BEING ADDED TO THE CYLINDER WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE BY BEING IGNITED AS IT WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER THROUGH THE SPARK PLUG HOLE. *TR