NHTSA Complaint #10906929 — 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY

ON 8/25/2016 I TOOK MY 2004 ODYSSEY TO ANDERSON HONDA AT PALO ALTO FOR NORMAL OIL CHANGE. AFTER THE WORK WAS DONE THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE OIL DRAIN PLUG WOULD NOT TORQUE DOWN TO SPECS (JUST SPINS). THE OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE OIL PAN. ANDERSON HONDA'S SERVICE ADVISOR DENIED THAT THEY OVER-TORQUED THE PLUG. THE MILEAGE WAS ONLY 67637, THE PLUG HAD BEEN TAKEN OFF AND PUT ON FOR ONLY ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES AND IT'S THE ORIGINAL HONDA PART IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. BEFORE THE OIL CHANGE THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR AND DURING THE LAST TIME MAINTENANCE AT ANOTHER HONDA DEALER THE CAR WAS CHECKED WITH EVERYTHING OK. ON 8/29/2016 I TOOK MY CAR TO VICTORY HONDA AT SAN BRUNO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE OIL PAN WAS REPLACED. THE OLD OIL PAN SHOWED THE SCREW IN THE OIL PAN WAS DAMAGED BY THE STEEL PLUG. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM COULD BE: 1 ANDERSON HONDA'S TECHNICIAN OVER-TORQUED THE PLUG AND DAMAGED THE OIL PAN. BUT THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY ARE HONDA OFFICIAL DEALER AND THEY DIDN'T OVER-TORQUED IT. 2. HONDA'S PARTS OR DESIGNS HAVE DEFECT. THEY SHOULD NOT PUT STEEL PLUG ONTO A SOFT METAL PAN DIRECTLY. I THINK THE COST OF REPLACING DAMAGED OIL PAN SHOULD BE PAID EITHER BY ANDERSON HONDA OR HONDA OF AMERICA. THE CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT PAY FOR THEIR FAULT. THE SAFETY ISSUE OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM IS OIL LEAKING (HARMFUL TO OUR ENVIRONMENT), ENGINE FAILING ON THE ROAD IF DAMAGED PLUG FALLS OFF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE. I DO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HELPS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR