NHTSA Complaint #10906768 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER MIDNIGHT AND NOTICED A SMELL. I LOOKED FOR SMOKE AND SAW NONE. I GOT STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND CHECKED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND SAW IT WAS AT 3/4 RATHER THAN 1/2 AND JUMPED TO FULL WHILE WAITING AT THE RED LIGHT. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATORS EVER LIT UP. I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION AND HAD IT TOWED HOME AND THEN AGAIN TO THE HONDA DEALER I GO TO FOR MY MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS IN THE MORNING. THEY CALLED LATER THAT AFTERNOON TO SAY IT WAS A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK AND WOULD BE $5000 + TAX FOR A NEW BLOCK. THEY TRIED TO GET HONDA TO HONOR THE TSB-08-044 WARRANTY BUT IT WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE TIME FRAME FOR THE WARRANTY SO HONDA REFUSED. THE CAR HAS AROUND 148K MILES ON IT AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN FOR ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2010 AT 30K MILES. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK EVEN THOUGH THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 8 YEARS HAPPENED IN AUGUST 2010. I DID HOWEVER GET THE AIRBAG RECALL NOTICE EARLIER THIS YEAR, SO HONDA KNOWS I OWN THE CAR AND SHOULD HAVE LET ME KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE WARRANTY. CHECKING ON THE INTERNET, THIS ENGINE BLOCK FAILURE IS STILL HAPPENING TO WAY TOO MANY HONDA CIVICS AFTER 10 YEARS WITH MANY RANGES OF MILEAGE, BUT HONDA IS REFUSING TO HELP IN ANY WAY FOR A KNOWN CASTING ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK. MY TWO PREVIOUS HONDA CIVICS I OWNED FOR 11 YEARS WITH 208 K MILES AND 9 YEARS WITH 205K MILES AND NEITHER OF THEM HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE HONDA DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE CAR IN 2010 SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND DIDN'T AND HONDA ITSELF SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSIONS IN 2010 AND 2013 BUT DIDN'T. ENGINE BLOCKS DO NOT NORMALLY FAIL SO I BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE COSTS NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THE PROBLEM TO OCCUR.