NHTSA Complaint #10649668 — 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY

MY 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING VAN HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE ICON APPEARING ON MY DASH. I CALLED MY DEALER, FOR THIS PROBLEM WASN'T RESOLVED ON THE LAST SERVICE VISIT. THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN. I ADDED 3/4 QT. OF OIL DUE TO THE OIL LEVEL, AT LAST CHECK FINE, NOW INDICATED THE LEVEL TO BE AT ITS LOWEST POINT IN THE APPROVED RANGE FOR RUNABILITY. SERVICES PERFORMED, AND WHEN I PICKED IT UP, I NOTICED THE ENGINE ICON STILL FLASHING ON THE DASH. WENT IN TO GET A SERVICE ADVISOR TO VIEW, AND ON A SECOND RE-START THIS HAD DISAPPEARED. THINKING ALL WAS NOW WELL (AND WAS THIS POSSIBLY TIED TO A SOFTWARE UPDATE SERVICE?), TOOK THE VEHICLE ABOUT 35 MILES HOME TO A GROCERY STORE. WHEN I HAD FINISHED SHOPPING, AND STARTED MY VAN, THERE IT WAS AGAIN, THE ENGINE ICON, FLASHING AWAY. THE NEXT DAY I REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALER, AND THEY SAID BRING IT IN. AS THE ENGINE WAS VISIBLY HOT, I SAID I WOULD TRY AND HOPED TO MAKE IT THERE. GETTING OF THE TURNPIKE EXIT, MY VAN ENGINE QUIT AND LUCKILY I COASTED IN TO A PARK 'N RIDE PARKING LOT. I CALLED MY DEALER TO FIND OUT THEY HAD NO WRECKER BUT USED A SERVICE. THEY TOLD ME TO GET IT THERE SO THEY COULD LOOK AT IT. I COOLED THE ENGINE WITH HOOD UP ON A COOL RAINY DAY, AND RE-STARTED MY VAN, AND MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS SUPPLIED WITH A LOANER CAR, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHECK OVER MY VAN ON THE NEXT DAY. AFTER EVERYTHING, WE WERE NOTIFIED WE HAD BLOWN A HEAD GASKET, LEADING TO FAILURE OF OUR ENGINE. THIS IN SPITE OF MAINTAINING ALL FLUID LEVELS PROPERLY! WE WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE, AND NO, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WE PURCHASED DOES NOT COVER THIS WORK. VERY, VERY ANGRY!! *TR