NHTSA Complaint #10560067 — 2007 HONDA CIVIC

CAR ENGINE WAS RUNNING "ROUGH" UPON START FOR 2 DAYS; WORKED OUT AFTER DRIVING 1-2 MILES. DROVE 15 MILES AND STOPPED TO FILL UP WITH GAS. LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AFTER FILL UP,ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. HAD CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO HAD PERFORMED LAST OIL CHANGE AND MAJOR SERVICE (A MONTH OR SO PREVIOUSLY). MECHANIC IDENTIFIED PROBLEM WITH #4 CYLINDER. MECHANIC SWAPPED SPARK PLUG IN #4 CYLINDER WITH SPARK PLUG IN #2 CYLINDER. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN. PROBLEM AGAIN WITH #4 CYLINDER. REPLACED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND ENGINE AIR FILTER. ONE WEEK LATER, HEATER STOPPED WORKING. NEXT DAY, RADIATOR (COOLANT) GAUGE ON DASH MOVED UP PAST MID-POINT AND HITS 3/4 POINT. I STOPPED DRIVING AND HAD A FRIEND BRING COOLANT WHICH WAS 1 GAL LOW! (NOTE: MECHANIC CHECKED AND FOUND COOLANT LEVEL FULL WHEN CAR WAS IN FOR ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM LESS THAN A 10 DAYS PREVIOUSLY. I DRIVE LESS THAN 15 MILES PER DAY...ALL LOW SPEED. I PARK OFF STREET AND HAVE CAR IN ONE SPOT FOR 9 HOURS DURING WORK AND NEVER SAW ANY FLUID ON PARKING SPOT.) ADDED COOLANT. 1 WEEK LATER (COOLANT) GAUGE ON DASH MOVED UP PAST MID-POINT AND HIT 3/4 POINT (AFTER DRIVING 5 MILES AT 45 M.P.H. OR LESS). STOPPED DRIVING. CHECKED COOLANT LEVEL WHICH WAS FINE (FULL). THAT NIGHT GOT LETTER IN MAIL FROM HONDA SAYING THAT 2006 - 2009 CIVICS MAY HAVE CRACKED ENGINE BLOCKS. ALL "SYMPTOMS" DESCRIBED IN HONDA LETTER MATCHED WHAT I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING (UNEXPLAINED/UNDETECTED COOLANT LOSS, OVERHEATING, ENGINE PROBLEM AS EVIDENCED BY DASH INDICATOR). BROUGHT CAR TO HONDA DEALER. THEY SAID NO PROBLEM WITH ENGINE BLOCK. I ASKED THEM TO CHECK RADIATOR THERMOSTAT. THEY SAID NO PROBLEM. THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY I LOST COOLANT. I AM IN PROCESS OF GETTING SECOND OPINION BECAUSE I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HONDA IS COMMITTED TO FIXING THE PROBLEM (WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT). *TR