1996 HONDA ACCORD Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline Problems

THE BALANCER SHAFT SEAL ON THE CAR HAS BLOWN. CAUSING THE OIL TO DRAIN OUT AT AN ALARMING RATE. TO FIX THE PROBLEM THE ENGINE MUST BE PULLED OUT TAKE APART THEN REPLACED. ALL OF THIS FOR A SEAL THAT COSTS NO MORE THAN 20 DOLLARS. MR

CAME OUT OF CHURCH AND NOTICED A LINE OF FLUID GOING TO CAR. THEN DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS DRAINING OIL LIKE CRAZY. I HAD IT TOWED AND FOUND THAT IT WAS A BALANCER SEAL THAT WENT BAD. WHEN I LEFT CHURCH I FOLLOWED THE LINE OF OIL ALL THE WAY HOME WHERE IT STARTED LEAKING WHEN I WAS IDLING WHILE WAITING FOR MY FAMILY TO GET INTO THE CAR. THERE WAS NO WARNINGS OR LIGHTS. THE OIL ALL GONE WHEN I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH $608 BILL. BUT MOST OF ALL HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN DAMAMGED? WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS WILL THIS CAUSE ME TO HAVE IN THE FUTURE?*AK

DRIVING DOWN STREET AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON..PROCEEDED TO STORE AND PUT OIL IN CAR, DROVE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THEN I DETERMINED THAT ALL THE OIL HAD DRAINED OUT. OIL IS POURING OUT OF MY CAR FASTER THAN I CAN PUT IT IN. SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I'VE FOUND THAT OTHER HONDA ACCORD OWNERS OF THE 1996 MODEL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I EVEN NOTICED THAT ONE HAD A RECALL FOR THE DAMAGED PART. I HAVE NO RECALL AND HAVE LIVED IN THE SAME LOCATION..JUST 5 MINUTES FROM THE HONDA DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. MY CAR IS SOAKED IN OIL FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK..TIRES INCLUDED. I'M SURPRISED IT DIDN'T CATCH FIRE. PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THESE DEFECTS AND SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY.*AK

THE MECHANIC FOUND OIL LEAK AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CAUSED BY A DISLODGED SEAL ON THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT.

I HAD TO HAVE THE BALANCER SHAFT SEALS REPLACED ON MY 96 ACCORD AFTER THEIR COMPLETE FAILURE AT A COST OF $700. IN OCTOBER I RECEIVED WORD THAT THE CAR WAS BEING RECALLED FOR HE PROBLEM AND THAT I COULD SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT. WAS TOLD TO EXPECT PAYMENT IN 8 WEEKS. THAT WAS 8 MONTHS AGO. HONDA IS NOT PROCESSING THESE REIMBURSEMENTS IN EVEN A REMOTELY TIMELY MANNER. THEY CLAI THEY UNDERESTIMATED THE TIME INVOLED, BUT EVEN IF THEY PROCESS 5 A DAY THEY SHOULD BE MAILING OUT CHECKS. THEY ARE STONEWALLING, AND REFUSE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CONSUMER OVER THE MATER.*AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SEVERE ENGINE OIL LEAK AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS, THE MANUFACTURER HAD SENT A PRODUCT UPDATE CAMPAIGN STATING THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE BALANCE SEAL OIL SHAFT, THE CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

AN OIL SEAL FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE OIL TO DRAIN OUT RAPIDLY AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP, A PRODUCT UPDATE CAMPAIGN WAS SENT REGARDING THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE, HOWEVER CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

I WAS JUST RECENTLY MADE AWARE THAT THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED WITH THE OIL SEAL FAILURE WAS NOT UNIQUE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED OUT OF A LEASE WITH ONLY 18,000 MILES. ALL SERVICE HAS BEEN DONE AT HIDY HONDA BEAVERCREEK, OHIO SINCE I'VE ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

THE OIL SEAL FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS, THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE CAR, HOWEVER READ WHERE THERE WAS A A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REGARDING A DEFECTIVE OIL SEAL AND WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED. *SLC

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

OIL SEAL FAILED WITH NO WARNING WHILE DIRVING AT LOW SPEED IN PARKING LOT. OIL LOSS ESTIMATED AT 1 QUART PER 3 MINUTES AT ENGINE IDLE RPM. WHEN DRIVEN (AFTER OIL REFILL) OIL SOAKS L. FT. BRAKE CALIPER AND ALL ENGINE BELTS. IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT PREVENTED DRIVING TO ENGINE SEIZURE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, OIL INDICATIOR LIGHT STARTED TO FALSHING. LOST ALL OIL IN ENGINE. BALANCE SHAFT SEAL BURST. TIMING BELT AND OTHER BELTS REPLACED. COST $700. ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR (FRONT & BACK) POWER LOCKS ARE INOP.

SAME EXACT INCIDENT HAPPENED TO ANOTHER CAR I OWNED, HONDA ACCORD LX 97, AT THE SAME MILEAGE RANGE (59K-60K). ONLY WITH ACCORD 1996, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO STOP ON TIME, AND WAS ABLE TO SAVE THE ENGINE. WHEREAS, IN THE ACCORD 97 SITUATION, I WAS TOO LATE, ALL OF THE OIL CAME OUT, AND ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLY DAMAGED. THE COST OF REPAIRS FOR ACCORD 97 WAS $2,000, IT REQUIRED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE + OIL PUMP, CHANGE OF SEALS AND BELTS. ACCORDING TO THE HONDA ACCORD MANUALS, MAINTENANCE (CHANGE OF TIMING BELTS, ETC.) ON THE CAR SHOULD BE DONE AT AROUND 90K MILES, EXCLUDING THE REGULAR OIL CHANGES. THEREFORE, BOTH INCIDENTS WERE NOT RELATED TO A DELAYED MAINTENANCE, BUT TO AN IRREGULAR FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP AND THE OIL SEAL. BOTH CASES ARE IDENTICAL ON SIMILAR CARS AND DESERVE TO BE INVESTIGATED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, OIL LIGHT INDICATOR SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING. PULLED OFF HIGHWAY AND PROCEEDED TO NEAREST GAS STATION. I TOLD THE GAS STATION MECHANIC THAT MY OIL LIGHT INDICATOR HAD SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING. GAS STATION MECHANIC OPENED UP THE HOOD AND CHECKED THE OIL. DIPSTICK CAME UP DRY. ALL OIL HAD BEEN LOST. GAS STATION MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO PUT TWO QUARTS OF OIL IN VEHICLE. WHILE DOING THIS GAS STATION MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK. HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN REPORTS OF A DEFECTIVE OIL SEAL IN 1996 HONDA ACCORDS AND HE ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP. AT THAT TIME, I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY WHO PROVIDED TOWING SERVICES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ED MORSE HONDA ON US1 IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. I ADVISED MARK GREENE, SERVICE ATTENDANT AT ED MORSE, OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I ALSO TOLD HIM...

OIL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. LOST ALL OIL IN ENGINE.BALANCE SHAFT SEAL LEAK. TIMING BELT, OTHER BELTS REPLACED. $400 REPAIR

OIL LEAK AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CAUSED BY A DISLODGED SEAL ON THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT

OIL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. LOST ALL OIL IN ENGINE.BALANCE SHAFT SEAL LEAK. TIMING BELT, OTHER BELTS REPLACED. $400 REPAIR

OIL LEAK AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CAUSED BY A DISLODGED SEAL ON THE FRONT BALANCER SHAFT

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ENGINE JUST DIED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.DEALERSHIPS WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *AK DISCOVERED LOOSE IGNITER CONNECTION AND THE IGNITION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. *YH

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...

WHILE DRIVING-OIL INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHING. INDICATION OF LOSS OF ALL OIL. ABLE TO MAKE IT TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN. DISCOVERED THAT BALANCE SHAFT SEAL & CAM SHAFT HAD POPPED OUT. RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL OIL IN ENGINE> THIS IS FRONT BALANCE SHAFT. ALL BELTS AND FLUIDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $483.22. WHICH HAS NOT BEEN PAID. QUESTIONED THE SERVICE MANAGER REGARDING THIS AS A FACTORY PROBLEM. TOLD NO. EVEN THOUGH SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS. A CLIP IN NEEDED TO BE PLACED ON THESE SHAFT SEALS TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM CONTINUING TO OCCURR AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN REVIEWING THE WORK ORDER THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE CLIP WAS APPLIED. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER SAID THEY KNEW A PROBLEM EXISTS BUT WOULD NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR COST AND POSSIBLE PERMANENT DAMAGE...

DIDN'T KNOW THAT OIL WAS LEAKING OUT FROM ENGINE UNTIL OIL LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED OIL. WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. PUT IN A QUART TO GET TO SERVICE STATION AND IT TO LEAKED OUT. LUCKY, THAT THERE WAS NO MAJOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT, THIS WAS THE 4TH ONE THEY FIXED SO FAR THIS YEAR AND THAT THERE IS A FIX TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AND THAT ONLY DEALERS AND SERVICE STATIONS WERE NOTIFIED. WHY NOT THE OWNERS? FROM READING THE COMPLAINTS, IT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT A CAR WITH ONLY 39,500 MILES IDLES, ACTS LIKE IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO STALL!! I BOUGHT HONDA FOR IT'S QUALITY AND WHAT I GOT WAS A LEMON WITH ONLY 39,500 MILES ON IT! CHECKED TO SEE IF IT HAD BEEN SLAVAGED BUT NO RECORDS FOUND? *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

OIL SEAL FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE. YH

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING. MECHANIC SAID IT HAD NO OIL . DEALER HAD JUST CHANGED OIL. *AK

LOST ENGINE OIL. BLANCE SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF SEAL, TIMING BELT AND BALANCE SHAFT BELT.

BALANCE SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT OF ENGINE AND OIL SOAKED ENTIRE ENGINE INCLD. TIMING BELT,AUX.BELT,SPARK PLUG RINGS. INFORMED BY BOTH HONDA DEALEARSHIP AND AN INDEPENDANT SHOP THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM AND IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. HONDA REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH PAYMENT. TOOK CAR TO AN INDEPENDANT A

OIL PUMP SEAL BLEW WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION CAUSING ALL THE OIL TO IMMEDIATELY DRAIN FROM THE CAR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S TIMING BELTS AND AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TIME BELT. IF THE CAR HADN'T BEEN IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ENGINE WOULD'VE SEIZED. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE ISSUED AN UPGRADE KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BUT THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED CAR OWNERS. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED SO THEY CAN GET IT FIXED BEFORE IT BLOWS AND CAUSES ADDITIONAL DAMAGE.

OIL PUMP SEAL BLEW WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION CAUSING ALL THE OIL TO IMMEDIATELY DRAIN FROM THE CAR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S TIMING BELTS AND AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TIME BELT. IF THE CAR HADN'T BEEN IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ENGINE WOULD'VE SEIZED. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE ISSUED AN UPGRADE KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BUT THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED CAR OWNERS. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED SO THEY CAN GET IT FIXED BEFORE IT BLOWS AND CAUSES ADDITIONAL DAMAGE.

THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL OF OIL AS RESULT OF RUPTURE OF ENGINE SEAL. THIS IN TURN CAUSED DAMAGE TO TIMING BELT AND CRANKSHAFT BELT. SPOKE WITH WRECKER OPERATOR (FORMER CONTRACTOR FOR HONDA) AND MECHANIC AND BOTH INDICATED THIS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM IN HONDA'S OF THIS PARTICULAR MODEL.

MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY AND GAVE THE CAR TO HER GRANDSON. HE WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK. HE PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE SPEED AT ENGINE STOP WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. HE HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN 961001B, NHTSA ID #SB049981, ISSUED 1096, LISTED IN THE NHTSA DATABASE ON THE BALANCE SHAFT SEAL WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE FAILED. THE CAR IS NOW AT JACK ELLENA HONDA IN LAWRENCE, KS (785) 843-0550 WITH A BLOWN ENGINE. AMERICAN HONDA DOEST NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD COVER THE BURDEN OF A NEW REPLACEMENT ENGINE, THOUGH THEY HAVE AGREED TO A 50% REPLACEMENT COST OF A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. THE CAR IS JUST 2000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD.

THE CAR HAS LEAKED OIL SINCE 20,000 MILES AND AT 45,000 DEALER FOUND A CRACKED ENGINE

ENGINE OVERHEATS AND HAS MADE NOISE SINCE OWNERSHIP, OVERHEATS EVEN WHEN GAUGE DOES NOT INDICATE. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).

ENIGNE MAKES TICKING NOISES.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN GEAR INDICATOR BEGINS FLASHING AND VEHICLE WILL NOT GO ABOVE 25 MPH. VEHICLE WILL EVENTUALLY ATTAIN HIGHER SPEEDS BUT WITH SLUGGISH PERFORMANCE.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON, IN FOR REPAIR ,AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 80 MILES LIGHT COME ON AGAIN. *AK

ENGINE LUGS AT 2000 RPM, CAUSING ENGINE TO RESONATE. *DH