NHTSA Complaint #10915390 — 2012 HONDA INSIGHT

IN OCTOBER 2016, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO SCOTT ROBINSON HONDA IN TORRANCE DUE TO A CHECK OIL LIGHT THAT CAME ON THE DAY BEFORE. AFTER A DAY OF DIAGNOSIS, HONDA DETERMINED THE ENGINE ON MY INSIGHT WAS BURNING OIL TOO RAPIDLY, AND THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN OCCURRING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. ALTHOUGH THIS OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM IS A WELL-KNOWN FAULT TO THE FIRST GENERATION OF MY VEHICLE AND HAD BEEN PERSISTENT SINCE MY INITIAL PURCHASE, SCOTT ROBINSON HONDA IN TORRANCE AND AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR BECAUSE MY VEHICLE HAD JUST EXCEEDED THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY LIMIT, JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE. WITH A LITTLE RESEARCH, I CAME ACROSS SOTO, ET AL V. AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO, INC, CASE NO. 3:12-CV-1377-SI (US DISTRICT COURT, NORTHERN DISTRICT CALIFORNIA). THE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT STATES: 'A SYSTEMATIC DESIGN DEFECT THAT ENABLES OIL TO ENTER INTO THE ENGINE'S COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THIS LEADS TO PREMATURE SPARK PLUG DEGRADATION AND ENGINE MALFUNCTION.' IN THE CASE, IT WAS REVEALED HONDA ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM IN THE JULY 2011 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #11-033 STATING THAT 'THE VCM (VARIABLE CYLINDER MANAGEMENT) MAY BE REPEATEDLY SWITCHING ON AND OFF DURING LIGHT THROTTLE OPERATION, AT CRUISING SPEEDS, ON FLAT ROADS.' IN ENGLISH? THE ENGINE IS WORKING MUCH HARDER THAN IT HAS TO IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. HONDA'S CONDUCT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES A COMPANY INCAPABLE OF HONEST BUSINESS PRACTICE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SEARCH THROUGH A DECADE OF LEGAL DOCUMENTATION IN ORDER TO MAKE A KNOWLEDGEABLE CAR PURCHASE. IT'S APPARENT THAT HONDA KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WELL BEFORE MY VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED, AS WAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN HONDA'S INTERNAL EMAILS, AND IS USING WELL WRITTEN LEGAL MANEUVERS TO EXPLOIT CONSUMERS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.