NHTSA Complaint #11383776 — 2005 HONDA CIVIC

YELLOW WARNING LIGHT ON DASH. DIAGNOSTIC REPORTS FROM AUTOZONE INDICATED MISFIRE CODES OF 1, 3, 4, AND RANDOM MISFIRE. RADIATOR FLUID STARTED TO GO DOWN IN ENGINE WITHOUT DRAWING RADIATOR FLUID FROM THE RESERVOIR FOLLOWING A ROUTINE CHANGING OF THE ENGINE BELT IN JUNE 2020. MECHANIC FAILED TO REFILL THE RADIATOR RESERVOIR, BUT MECHANIC AND HONDA DEALERSHIP REPORT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. A SIMILAR PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR HAD 88,000 MILES ON IT, AND A MECHANIC IN SILICON VALLEY FAILED TO REHOOK UP THE RADIATOR RESERVOIR WHILE WORKING ON THE SRS. AFTER DRIVING 699 MILES TO PORTLAND, OR, THE CAR OVERHEATED ON A CITY STREET, WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED, AND TOWED TO A GARAGE. THE GARAGE FOUND RADIATOR FLUID TO BE LOW IN THE RADIATOR, REFILLED IT, LET IT IDLE FOR TWO HOURS, AND THE CAR WAS THEN DRIVEN TO SEATTLE, AND IMMEDIATELY TO THE BAY AREA AFTER THAT. WHILE CROSSING THE CALIFORNIA BORDER IN THE MOUNTAINS AND SNOW, THE HEAD GASKET COMPLETELY FAILED, AND THE CAR WAS NO LONGER DRIVEABLE. STATE PATROL GAVE ME A RIDE TO YREKA WHERE I PURCHASED A GALLON OF RADIATOR FLUID FROM BAXTER AUTO PARTS, AND LIMPED BACK TO THE BAY AREA TO HAVE A HEAD GASKET DONE AT THE COLLEGE OF ALAMEDA. THE MECHANIC WHO DID THE SRS REPORTS THE HOSE NOT BEING HOOKED UP WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT THIS CAR WAS MORE PRONE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE FACT THAT BOTH HEAD GASKETS FAILED WITH THE RESERVOIR NOT BEING HOOKED UP OR OPERABLE RAISES A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO HONDA AMERICA, BUT HONDA SAYS THEY HAVE NO FURTHER INFORMATION, NOR HAS A RECALL BEEN FILED. RESEARCH SUGGEST THAT HONDA CIVIC ENGINES FROM 2001-2005 HAVE A MUCH HIGHER INCIDENCE OF HEAD GASKET FAILURES, AND I AM WONDERING WHY HONDA HASN'T RECALLED THE HEAD GASKET?