Honda Engine Problems

Engine issues make up roughly 16% of all Honda owner complaints. The majority of the issues have been reported by Accord owners.

The complaint we hear about most often is excessive oil consumption in the 2008 Accord.

Common Honda Engine Problems

  1. Oil Dilution in Honda's 1.5L Engine

    Excess fuel vapors in Honda’s 1.5-liter engine aren’t burning off and diluting the engine’s oil. This raises the oil level, triggers warning lights, creates a terrible smell, and brings into question the prospect of long-term damage caused …

    Continue reading article "Oil Dilution in Honda's 1.5L Engine"

  2. CR-V Vibration Defect

    There are so many vibrations in the 2015-2016 CR-V, particularly at low speed or idle, that owners are starting to get sick. Honda has released a series of videos explaining the issue and a technical service bulletin outlining potential sol…

    Continue reading article "CR-V Vibration Defect"

  3. Gas Smell in CR-V Cabin

    Honda says the strong fuel vapors are caused by excess fuel building up in the oil pan. The issue appears to be particularly bad in cold-weather climates. In a letter to consumers, Honda impressively skirted blame by placing it on the drive…

    Continue reading article "Gas Smell in CR-V Cabin"

  4. Heater Doesn't Work

    This popular SUV is terrible at producing heat while idling. In fact, many owners say it won’t produce any at all until they start driving. If you’ve ever had to scrape ice off your windshield you understand how powerful of an ally the defr…

    Continue reading article "Heater Doesn't Work"

  5. Civic Cracked Engine Block

    A manufacturing defect allows the 2006-2009 Civic's engine block to develop a crack, allowing coolant to leak out and cause the engine to overheat and eventually fail. Although never recalled, Honda did extend the Civic's engine warranty to…

    Continue reading article "Civic Cracked Engine Block"

  6. Excessive Oil Consumption

    One of the top complaints about the latest generation of Honda vehicles is how the V6 engines burn through an excessive amounts of oil. Mechanics did their best to place the blame on the owner's driving and maintenance habits, but it was cl…

    Continue reading article "Excessive Oil Consumption"

Where Engine Complaints Happen

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

Worst Models

What Honda Owners Say About Their Engine

Cracked Engine Block and Coolant Leaks in 8th Generation Civic

On some 2006–08 and early production 2009 Civics, the engine (cylinder) block may experience engine coolant leaks, resulting in engine overheating and cracking. It was a Service bulletin 10-048, not a recall. This saved my life. I got my engine for free under this bulletin. It wasn't a recall because the first bulletin stated that these engines MAY or MAY NOT crack.

2008 Civic Owner in TX

Cracked Engine Block and Coolant Leaks in 8th Generation Civic

Suddenly noticed the heat gauge rise quickly. Stopped car right away and checked coolant. Coolant was extremely low and noticed leaking from what i thought was the water pump. Took it to my mechanic only to be told the block was cracked and needed an engine that would cost $2500.

2008 Civic Owner in OH

Recent Engine News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Earth Dreams badged engines are an absolute nightmare for owners.

    The name represents a series of powertrain techology modifications aimed at reducing emissions, improving fuel economy, and boosting performance. To their credit, they've hit those goals but created some big problems in the process.

    Here's a handful of reasons why you might want to avoid getting a car with an Earth Dreams engine anytime soon.…

    keep reading article "4 Reasons You Should Avoid Honda's 1.5L "Earth Dreams" Engines"

  2. Honda will extend the powertrain warranty on more than 1 million vehicles in the US that continue to have oil dilution problems.

    The 1.5-liter Earth Dreams engine is notorious for gasoline diluting the oil, which triggers warning lights, hurts performance, and creates an awful smell inside the cabin. The extended warranty is available to owners in all 50 states despite Honda’s insistence that the issue only happens in extreme cold weather.…

    keep reading article "Honda Extends Powertrain Warranty for 1 Million Vehicles With Oil Dilution Problems"

  3. Honda has been upfront about the 2015 CR-V’s vibration problems. A recently settled lawsuit is asking them to be upfront about the solution, too.

    The automaker has released a series of Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) with suggestions for removing the unwanted vibration. However, not every dealership acknowledges the problem or tells owners about the free repairs. That’s about to change as the settlement requires Honda to directly contact all potentially affected owners about the TSBs.…

    keep reading article "Honda Will be Required to Tell Owners About TSB 15-046"

  5. There’s a fix coming for rising oil levels in the CR-V and Civic, but your eligibility largely depends on where you live.

    Honda’s N60 service campaign will attempt to fix the oil dilution problem with software updates to the transmission control module and electronic fuel injection system. Additionally, drain plug washers and climate control units may be replaced.…

    keep reading article "Honda Has an Oil Dilution Solution, For Some"

  7. In the least surprising news imaginable, Honda has been sued for rising oil levels in their engines with Earth Dreams technology.

    The class-action lawsuit says Honda has concealed its knowledge the Earth Dreams engines are prone to defects that cause fuel to enter the engine oil, damaging the bearings and engines permanently. Decreased oil viscosity and premature wear allegedly cause the CR-V SUVs and Civic cars to stall and fail while driving.…

    keep reading article "It Was Only a Matter of Time Before Honda Got Sued For Rising Oil Levels in the Earth Dreams Engine"

  11. There is something funky about Honda's new Earth Dreams engine, especially in cold-weather climates.

    A growing number of complaints involve high oil levels and the strong smell of gas inside the cabin of the CR-V and, to a lesser extent, the Civic.

    The automaker says the cold climate and short trips cause condensation and excess fuel vapors if the engines don't have time to reach temperatures that would normally burn off the contaminants.

    Honda says excess fuel builds up and stays in the oil pan where it would normally evaporate and recycle through the combustion chamber of the engine.…

    keep reading article "China Rejects Honda’s Recall Plan for CR-Vs With High Oil Levels and Fuel Odors"

  12. The 10th generation Civic is off to a rough start.

    Honda is telling its dealerships to stop selling the 2016 model year until their engines can be fixed. The Civics have problems with the piston pin snap rings, and in some situations the cars were manufactured with missing piston pin snap rings. Owners of 1.5-liter turbocharged cars are not affected and the recall of the 2-liter cars hasn't been officially announced.

    Mechanics are being told to inspect the engine's 4 cylinders using a borescope. There's two issues, however. 1) There aren't enough borescopes to go around and 2) If any problems are found Honda doesn't have replacement parts ready. Other than that, this recall is going swimingly.

    keep reading article "Piston Snap Rings Recalled in the 2016 Civic"

  14. 2015 CR-V owners are sick and tired of their SUVs making them sick and tired. The combination of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) and the new "Earth Dreams" direct-injection engine has created a vibration nightmare.

    Some owners say the vibrations are so bad, especially at low RPMs, they're actually getting nauseous. Well, at least we know what the 'V' in CR-V stands for now.…

    keep reading article "Lawsuit Says the 2015 CR-V Shakes as it Rattles and Rolls"