NHTSA Complaint #10689595 — 2012 HONDA INSIGHT

APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS AGO I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A SLIGHT TICKING SOUND. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS A QUART LOW SO I ADDED A QUART. I DIDN'T CHECK IT AGAIN BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR THAT TICKING NOISE AGAIN. APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH LATER I TOOK IT TO HONDA IN STOCKTON, CA. TO HAVE A NOISE CHECKED THAT I THOUGHT WAS A BRAKE ISSUE. THERE WAS ALSO A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR THAT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING SCRAPING OR DRAGGING. WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP THE MAN SAID THAT IT WAS A QUART LOW AND THAT IF I DIDN'T ALWAYS KEEP MY OIL CHECKED THEN IT WOULD VOID MY WARRANTIES. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD JUST ADDED A WHOLE QUART A MONTH EARLIER. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD PUSH IT THROUGH THIS TIME AND TO MAKE SURE I CHECKED IT REGULARLY, AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO CHECK A CAR'S OIL THAT OFTEN AND I HAD THIS ONE SERVICED REGULARLY AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS LOW AGAIN, SO I STARTED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO IT AND CHECK IT REGULARLY. I KEPT THE RADIO OFF SO I COULD LISTEN TO THE ENGINE FOR THAT TICKING NOISE AND SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO CHECK AND ADD 1/2 OF A QUART EVERY SINGLE WEEK. IT IS A ROUTINE NOW AS THE NOISE WILL GET LOUDER, IT LOSES POWER, I CHECK IT AND IT IS FAITHFULLY 1/2 QUART LOW, SO I ADD IT. I CALLED HONDA SERVICE IN LODI, CA. (WHERE I USUALLY TAKE IT FOR OIL CHANGES) AND TOLD HIM THE STORY. HE SAID THAT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DETERMINE IF IT IS USING OIL I HAVE TO BRING IT IN, HAVE THEM DO AN OIL CHANGE, THEN HAVE ME BRING IT BACK IN ONCE A WEEK SO THEY CAN CHECK IT AND DOCUMENT IT- I LIVE 45 MINUTES AWAY AND THAT IS THE CLOSEST ONE! HE SAID THAT AT THAT POINT I WILL HAVE TO APPROVE A TOTAL BREAK-DOWN ($1200 POSSIBLY OUT-OF-POCKET) TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND TO SEE IF IT WILL BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND IT ONLY HAS 89K MI ON IT AND I ALWAYS GET IT SERVICED ON TIME AND TAKE CARE OF IT. *TR