Date: 2004-09-09
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
NHTSA Action Number: EA04027
Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Subject: UNDERHOOD FIRES
Opened From: 2004-09-09 - 2005-01-19
Summary
IN DOCUMENTS PROVIDED DURING EA04-027, HONDA IDENTIFIED A MECHANISM WHICH CAUSES THE RUBBER SEAL (GASKET) OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) OIL FILTER TO ADHERE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.IF AN ADHERED SEAL REMAINS WHEN THE OE FILTER IS REMOVED AND A NEW FILTER IS INSTALLED, A DOUBLE GASKET CONDITION RESULTS.A SUBSEQUENT RUPTURE OF THE EXTRANEOUS SEAL CAN RESULT IN OIL CONTACTING NEARBY EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.THROUGHOUT ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI, HONDA HAS MAINTAINED THAT IT IS THE SERVICING TECHNICIAN?S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSPECT FOR AND REMOVE THE SEAL PRIOR TO INSTALLING A NEW FILTER.ODI?S ANALYSIS FOUND THAT SEAL ADHESION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH TECHNICIAN ERROR AND EXHAUST COMPONENT LOCATION, RESULTED IN A HIGH RATE OF SUBJECT VEHICLE OIL FILTER FIRES COMPARED TO EARLIER MODELS AND PEERS.VEHICLES THAT HAVE NOT HAD THE OE FILTER DISTURBED ARE NOT AT RISK.SERVICE REPLACEMENT FILTER SEALS, WHICH ARE MANUFACTURED BY A DIFFERENT SUPPLIER, DO NOT EXHIBIT THE SEAL ADHESION CONDITION.THEREFORE, IF THE INITIAL OIL CHANGE IS DONE PROPERLY, THE ELEVATED FIRE RISK IS ELIMINATED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE VEHICLE?S LIFE.BASED ON AVERAGE MILEAGE ACCUMULATION AND OIL SERVICE INTERVAL, ODI ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE RECEIVED THEIR INITIAL OIL CHANGE AND ARE NO LONGER AT AN ELEVATED RISK.HONDA CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE FILTER SEAL TO PREVENT THE ADHESION CONDITION AND INTRODUCED THE NEW SEAL AT BOTH CR-V ASSEMBLY PLANTS IN DECEMBER 2004.IN A DECEMBER 8, 2004 LETTER TO ODI, HONDA COMMITTED TO SEND A NOTIFICATION TO SUBJECT VEHICLE OWNERS ADVISING OF THE FIRE RISK IF AN OIL CHANGE IS IMPROPERLY PERFORMED.THE LETTER DISCUSSES MEASURES CONSUMERS CAN TAKE TO ENSURE THE FIRST OIL CHANGE IS DONE PROPERLY.LETTER MAILINGS COMMENCED ON DECEMBER 10, 2004.OWNERS WHO HAVE RECENTLY HAD THEIR FIRST OIL CHANGE PERFORMED AND ARE UNSURE IF IT WAS DONE CORRECTLY CAN HAVE IT INSPECTED BY A HONDA DEALER AT NO CHARGE; IF AN IMPROPER FILTER INSTALLATION IS DETECTED, A FREE REMEDY WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE DEALER.UNSOLD SUBJECT VEHICLES IN DEALER STOCK (~20,000 UNITS) WILL HAVE THE OE FILTER REPLACED WITH A SERVICE COMPONENT PRIOR TO RETAIL.THE INJURY NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED WHEN A CONSUMER SLIPPED ON OIL THAT LEAKED FROM THEIR VEHICLE.RECENT REPORT TRENDS INDICATE THAT HONDA?S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OIL FILTER SERVICE PROFICIENCY AT THEIR DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE.SEE THE EA04-027 SUMMARY REPORT FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS INVESTIGATION.
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