1994 Honda Accord

BALANCER SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT. ALL ENGINE OIL QUICKLY LOST. CAMSHAFT FROZE IN HEAD. CRANKSHAFT CONTINUED TO TURN, STRIPPING TEETH OFF OF TIMING BELT. OIL SOAKED BRAKE PADS, TIRES AND BELTS. MECHANIC SAID ENGINE NEEDS REPLACEMENT, DAMAGE IRREPAIRABLE. HEAD, CRANKSHAFT, AND PISTONS DAMAGED. REPAIR COSTS $2000 -$4000. CAR LOST ALL POWER AND WAS STRANDED IN THE ROAD, COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT. IF I HAD TO STOP IN A HURRY, COULD HAVE CRASHED DUE TO OIL SOAKED BRAKES. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THIS ENGINE. I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLANTS ON THIS SAME FAULTY OIL SEAL. *AK

VEHICLE BEGAN POURING OUT OIL FROM WITHIN THE TIMING COVER. ENDED UP REPLACING ALL BELTS INCLUDING TIMING BELT DUE TO OIL HAVING COVERED EVERYTHING. ALSO REPLACED WATER PUMP WHILE UNIT WAS OPEN. MECHANIC SAID BALANCE SHAFT SEAL WAS CAUSE OF PROBLEM - SAID IT WAS THE 4TH HE HAD SEEN IN ABOUT THE LAST WEEK THAT INVOLVED AN ACCORD. RESEARCHED RECALL INFO ON INTERNET AND DISCOVERED IN USA TODAY SEPT 19,2000 THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN OHIO MANUFACTERED CARS AND THOSE WERE BEING RECALLED FOR WHAT APPEARS AS THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN HOWEVER. MADE A CALL TO HONDA MOTOR CO., SAID THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE IN PARTICULAR BUT THAT THEY RECEIVED THEIR INFO FROM NHTSA AND COULD NOT HELP ME SINCE THERE WAS NO EXISTING RECALL. SEEMS A HONDA SHOULD GO MORE THAT 50,000 WITHOUT MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR WORK. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!*AK

AS I TURNED ON THE IGNITION, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, SIGNALLING THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. ACCORDING TO THE HONDA DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE, THE MODULATOR IS LEAKING. BOTH THE MODULATOR AND ACCUMULATOR HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $1500.00. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS AT TWO HONDA DEALERS IN MY AREA (OPEN ROAD HONDA, EDISON, NJ; Z&W HONDA, PRINCETON, NJ) THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON '94 HONDAS, AND THAT THE ABS BREAKDOWN IS THE RESULT OF INADEQUATE DESIGN. THESE PARTS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD, HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED TO PREVENT BREAKAGE. THE ABS SYSTEM IS A TRUE SAFETY FEATURE, AND I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BEEN FORCED TO RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR.*AK

ENGINE OIL SEAL RETAINER WAS OMITTED BY FACTORY. HONDA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL, AS THEREHAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF DEFECT. SEAL RUPTURED WHILE I WAS DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE AND I SAW OIL POURING FROM ENGINE WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. DEFECT COULD HAVE CAUSED ENGINE TO RUN DRY OF OIL AND RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC FIRE RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH TO OCCUOPANTS. HONDA REDUCED COST OF REPAIR TO $332 , BUT SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL.*AK