NHTSA Complaint #715790 — 1994 HONDA ACCORD

MY VEHICLE HAD THE OIL PUMP SEAL "FALL OUT," CAUSING A LARGE VOLUME OF OIL TO BE PUMPED OUT OF THE ENGINE. FORTUNATELY THE ENGINE WAS NOT DAMAGED AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING USED FOR A TRIP OF ABOUT THREE MILES, AND WAS TURNED OFF BEFORE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED. MY AUTO TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THIS SEAL WAS LAYING INSIDE THE TIMING BELT COVER. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAS REPAIRED A NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. HE ALSO TOLD ME HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND HAS DESIGNED A RETAINER TO INSTALL TO KEEP THE SEAL FROM FALLING OUT. THIS RETAINER WAS INSTALLED BY HIM, PLUS A BUNCH OF OTHER BELTS THAT HAD BEEN SOAKED BY OIL AND RENDERED UNUSABLE. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER, BUT MY TECHNICIAN HAS TOLD ME THAT HONDA IS NOT OFFERING ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN COVERING THIS REPAIR, WHICH JUST COST ME $390.00. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL (IT LOST THREE QUARTS OF OIL OVER A DISTANCE OF A MILE OR LESS; IT ONLY HOLDS FOUR QUARTS!), POTENTIALLY CAUSING ENGINE LOCKUP AND THE REPLACEMENT OF AN ENGINE, PLUS OUR INCONVENIENCE. THIS IS APPARENTLY A DESIGN FLAW, AS HONDA HAS IMPLICITLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY DESIGNING AND MANUFACTURING THIS RETAINER FOR THE OIL PUMP SEAL. I THINK HONDA OWES ME SOME MONEY, AND I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A VOLUNTARY RECALL FROM HONDA TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THAT IS MY OPINION. I KNOW THE VEHICLE HAS 90000 MILES, BUT THIS WASN'T A PART THAT WORE OUT - IT FELL OUT! THAT IS PRIMARILY WHAT MY OPINION IS BASED ON. INCIDENTALLY, THIS VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED REGULAR MAINTENANCE FROM ME AND MY TECHNICIAN. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU. *AK