NHTSA Complaint #11129945 — 2012 HONDA INSIGHT

MY DAUGHTER'S HONDA INSIGHT EXPERIENCED THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. HER VEHICLE LATER HAD SEVERE ENGINE PROBLEMS AND STALLED AT 6:00 AM ON I-64. A HONDA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS DAMAGE TO CYLINDER, PISTON, CYLINDER HEAD AND VALVES OF CYLINDER NUMBER 3. ALL OTHER CYLINDERS WERE WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE NOTICE SENT TO CONSUMERS OMITTED THAT THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE AND AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMERS WITH LITTLE OR NO MECHANICAL KNOWLEDGE WHO PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED, MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WILL NOT BE AWARE OF THE RISK AND SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM. THOSE WHO NOTICE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION MAY ASSUME THAT IT IS FROM AGE AND NOT A DESIGN DEFECT THAT COULD PLACE THEIR LIFE IN DANGER. THE SERVICE BULLETIN SENT BY HONDA TO ITS DEALERSHIPS IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THAT PROVIDED THE CONSUMER WITH ONE EXCEPTION. THE SERVICE BULLETIN INCLUDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DESCRIBING THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FROM THE MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT. WHEN THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF THIS MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT OCCUR IT THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY LOSES POWER AND WILL NOT RUN. IN MY DAUGHTER'S CASE IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC. HOWEVER, SHE WAS ON I-64 ABOUT TO MERGE ONTO I-95. HAD THE ENGINE FAILED AT A LATER TIME IN THE DAY SHE WOULD HAVE LOST POWER IN TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. VEHICLES BEHIND HER WOULD HAVE NO REASON TO EXPECT A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION. THE POTENTIAL FOR REAR-END COLLISIONS AND/OR CRASHES WHILE THE OPERATOR OF THIS MODEL HONDA IS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITH NO POWER IS VERY HIGH.