NHTSA Complaint #726479 — 1996 HONDA ACCORD

RE-SUBMIT//STATE REPORTED INCORRECTLY. WHILE DRIVING OIL LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON/LOST ALL OIL IN ENGINE. NO PRIOR WARNING. ABLE TO MAKE IT TO DEALER TOLD THAT BALANCE SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT AND ALSO CAM SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT AT SAME TIME. REQUIRED TO REPLACE BOTH SEALS AND ALL FLUIDS/ALL BELTS REPLACED -COST - $483.22. DEALER CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF PRIOR NOTIFICATION FROM MANUFACTURER OF PROBLEM OR OFFER TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER FOR PAYMENT AND COST RESPONSIBILITY. ABLE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM THIS SITE THAT SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED ON BOTH 1995/1996 HONDA ACCORDS WITH THIS PROBLEM. DISLODGED SEAL ON THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT. DATED 10/96. BILL NOT PAID. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AT FIRST ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECT AND REMEDY BUT REFUSES TO CONFIRM IN WRITING. CLIP IS NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED ON VEHICLE WHICH WILL ENABLE PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. CLIPS ARE BEING INSTALLED NOW AS PART OF MAINTENANCE WHEN BELTS ARE CHANGED AT 90,000 AND ABOVE BUT MANUFACTUER WILL NOT INSTALL CLIPS ON CARS WITHOUT CUSTOMER TAKING FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. ONE DEALER WHOM I CONTACTED INDICATED THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND BROUGHT CAR IN BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON BOTH 1995 AND 1996 ACCORDS BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO SUPPLY ME WITH COMPLETE SERVICE BULLETIN AND HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE UNAWARE OF SUCH A BULLETIN IN EXISTENCE. I HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION IN ABLE TO BE POSTED IN IT'S ENTIRETY SO THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN OR WILL EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM KNOW OF THE CONDITION AND THE MANFACTURER'S POSITION.I*AK