NHTSA Complaint #11182105 — 2011 HONDA ACCORD

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (55 MPH) AND THEN SLOWING DOWN FOR TRAFFIC, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL ACTUATOR APPARENTLY STUCK. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOLLOWED BY WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPES. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE LACK OF POWER TRYING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL THE CAR WAS AT A SERVICE SHOP. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THE ENGINE WENT FROM 6 CYLINDERS TO 3 CYLINDERS (ECO MODE) BUT NEVER RECOVERED. THE TROUBLE CODE WAS: P3400 MEANS THAT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) HAS DETECTED AN ABNORMALITY IN THE CYLINDER DEACTIVATION SYSTEM FOR ENGINE BANK ONE. BANK 1 DENOTES THE BANK OF THE ENGINE WHICH CONTAINS THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER. THIS PROBLEMS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY OTHER CONSUMERS. HONDA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE AND RECALL THE VTC ACTUATORS.