NHTSA Complaint #10891741 — 2008 HONDA ACCORD

THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY ON THE FREEWAY, BEING DRIVEN AT APPROXIMATELY 64 MPH - THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON (CHECK ENGINE, LOW OIL, TEMPERATURE..) - SUDDENLY THERE WAS A METAL CLANK FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A PLUME OF THICK CLEAR SMOKE THAT COMPLETELY ENGULFED THE CAR AS THE ENGINE STALLED AND DIED - WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS. THE SMOKE CLEARED RAPIDLY, AND LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, NOTHING SEEMED TO BE AMISS. NO FIRE, NO MORE SMOKE, NO LEAKING FLUIDS, BUT THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO RE-START IT PRODUCED ONLY THE CLICK OF THE STARTER - THE ENGINE REFUSED TO TURN OVER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO OIL IN THE ENGINE WHICH HAD CAUSED IT TO SEIZE. FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS THE CAR HAS BEEN BURNING QUITE A SIGNIFICANT BIT OF OIL. DURING THAT PERIOD, IT NEEDED AT LEAST TWO TWO QUARTS OF OIL BETWEEN SCHEDULED OIL CHANGES - THERE NEVER WAS ANY OIL LEAK. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, IT WAS TOPPED OFF WITH TWO QUARTS OF OIL WHEN THE LOW OIL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS FINALLY OPENED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PISTON ROD HAD SNAPPED OFF WHEN THE ENGINE RAN DRY OF OIL (SEE ATTACHED PICTURES). SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT HONDA IS AWARE OF SEVERAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION FOR THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE CONFIGURATION AND MODEL YEAR (2008 3.5L V6 PZEV). I HAVE ALSO DISCOVERED OFFICIAL SEVERAL HONDA SERVICE BULLETINS THAT ARE RELEVANT AND PERTINENT TO THIS ISSUE. SO FAR, MY BEST ATTEMPTS TO GET A RESOLUTION FROM AMERICAN HONDA HAS PRODUCED NO RESULT EVEN THOUGH I SUBMITTED DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE THAT THE CAR WAS SERVICED REGULARLY AS PER HONDA'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND ITS LONG HISTORY OF PROBLEMS AND REPAIRS RELATING TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION.