1996 Honda Accord

WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFICE LIGHT, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO THE NEAREST BUSINESS I THOUGHT WOULD HAVE A MECHANIC, WHICH WAS A QUICK OIL CHANGE TYPE PLACE. OIL WAS POURING FROM MY ENGINE. SEALS AND BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED, INCLUDING THE TIMING BELT SO THE REPAIR WAS OVER $500. HOWEVER, MY CAR WAS STILL LEAKING OIL (WHICH IT HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE). SOON AFTER I RECEIVED HONDA'S BALANCER SHAFT SEAL RECALL INFO IN THE MAIL. THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED SEEMED TO BE PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIR INSPECTED AND TO HAVE THE OIL LEAK CHECKED OUT. I LEFT WITH ANOTHER $250 BILL AND THE MECHANIC FELT THAT MY PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN THE BALANCER SHAFT SEAL BECAUSE THE MECHANIC AT THE QUICK CHANGE PLACE INCORRECTLY LISTED A PART REPLACED AS AN OIL SEAL ON THE INVOICE. THE MECHANIC WHO DID THE ORIGINAL REPAIR TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DEFINITELY THE BAL SHAFT SEAL THAT HE HAD REPLACED AND OFFERED TO CONSULT WITH THE HONDA TECH. HONDA TECH WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND UNINTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE MECHANIC. AFTER I SENT IN ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT I RECENTLY RECEIVED MORE INFO FROM HONDA, WHICH INSTRUCTED ME TO AGAIN HAVE MY REPAIR INSPECTED BY A HONDA DEALER. AGAIN I LEFT WITH A $450 BILL IN ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PERSISTENT OIL LEAK. I HAVE SUBMITTED ALL THE INFO AND INVOICES TO HONDA AND AM WAITING ON REIMBURSEMENT.

FRONT BALANCER SHAFT SEAL BLOW ,OIL GUSHED OUT OF ENGINE IN LESS THEN 10 MINS EST.WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT HAPPENS TO A LOT OF THIS MODEL THAT THE SEAL IS DEFECTIVE BUT HONDA DOES'NT HAVE A FULL RECALL,WILL ONLY FIX WHEN SEAL BLOWS WHICH CAUSES PERMANENT ENGINE DAMAGE IF VECHICLE IS RUNNING.AFTER I GOT MY CAR BACK THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE DEALER SAYS I HAVE TO PAY TO FIND OUT WHY,SHOULD'NT HONDA OF AMERICA PAY SINCE THE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON BEFORE THIS PROBLEM AND START IMMEDIATLY AFTER THEY REPAIRED THE BAD SEALS.I'VE DONE RESEARCH ON YOUR SITE AND OTHERS AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMAN PROBLEM IN COLD REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES IT SEEMS THE SEAL IS MOST DEFINETLY DEFECTIVE BUT HONDA WONT REPAIR UNTIL THE PROBLEM HAPPENS. PLEASE RESPOND THANK YOU, JAMES G NASCIMENTO JNASC770@HOME.COM,159 JORDAN AVE CRANSTON RI 02910,401-942-3265. *AK

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 TO ENGINE VEHICLE. THEY REFUSED TO SUPPLY ME WITH THE COMPLETE BULLETIN REGARDING THE PROBLEM.ONE SERVICE MGR AT ANOTHERDEALERSHIP SAID THIS PROBLEM IS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND HONDA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE FACTORY DEFECT. *AK

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

WHILE DRIVING OIL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON -LOST ALL OIL IN ENGINE. BALANCE SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT ALONG WITH CAM SHAFT SEAL RESULTED IN LOSS OF ALL OIL NO PRIOR WARNING. COST 483.22 REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP. ALL BELTS REQUIRED TO BE CHANGED. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESP FOR COST. DEALERSHIP DID NOT INFORM OF SERVICE BULLITEN NOTIFICATION DTD 10/96. CLIP NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED TO AVOID RE-OCURRANCE.NHTSA SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THESE CLIPS ARE BEING INSTALLED ON CARS WHEN BELTS ARE CHANGED FOR MASINTENANCE AT 90,000. BUT WHAT OF THE OWNERS WHERE THEIR ENGINES ARE DESTROYED BECAUSE HONDA REFUSES TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIR BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURRS. THEY REFUSE TO SUPPLY ME WITH COMPLETE COPY OF SERVICE BULLETIN. I HAVE NOT PAID THE BILL AND WILL NOT BECAUSE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS EVEN ON 1995 MODELS. I HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER POSTING THIS ENTIRE MESSAGE FOR OTHER OWNERS.