NHTSA Complaint #11194469 — 2018 HONDA ACCORD

DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, 65 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. SUDDENLY, WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND VEHICLE ABRUPTLY AND QUICKLY DECELERATED FROM 65 TO 20 MPH, FORCING ME TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CAR. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, I RE-STARTED THE CAR A FEW MINUTES LATER AND DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT A COUPLE MILES AHEAD AT A REDUCE SPEED. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. THE HONDA DEALER IN ORCHARD PARK, NY ,WHERE THE CAR WAS TOWED, TOLD ME THAT THE OIL LEVEL WAS EXTREMELY HIGH, AND CHANGED MY OIL TO BRING IT TO A NORMAL OIL LEVEL. THE DEALER FURTHER TOLD ME THAT THE BECAUSE I DRIVE SHORT TRIPS AND THE WEATHER HAS BEEN COLD THAT IS WHY GASOLINE IS GOING INTO THE OIL AND GIVING ME ENGINE TROUBLE ON MY NEW CAR. MY HONDA DEALER IN ROCHESTER, NY CONFIRMED THE SAME AND SAID TO DRIVE MY CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME TO HELP AVOID THIS ISSUE. MY DRIVING HABITS AS A STUDENT LIVING ON A SMALL CAMPUS, IN A COLD AREA, ARE THAT OF A FEW SHORT DRIVES A DAY TO CLASSES. I USE MY CAR PRIMARILY FOR DRIVING MYSELF HOME AND TO SCHOOL WHICH IS A 2 HOUR DRIVE. THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY HONDA ACCORD, AND BOTH HONDA DEALERSHIPS SAID THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE HONDA CR-V & CIVIC BUT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY ISSUES WITH A HONDA ACCORD. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT MY NEW 2018 HONDA ACCORD WITH 2220 MILES HAS THE SAME ISSUE, AND THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION ON THE HIGHWAY SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME AND MY FAMILY AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL I DID NOT GET HURT OR MY CAR MALFUNCTIONING DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND CAUSE INJURY TO OTHER DRIVERS.