2007 Honda Civic

THE VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK DUE TO A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. THIS VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER BE DRIVEN AND WHILE IT IS IN OTHERWISE EXCELLENT CONDITION, REPAIRS ARE ECONOMICALLY UNFEASIBLE. THIS IS A 2007 HONDA CIVIC EX WITH THE R18 ENGINE. IT HAS A CLEAN TITLE AND I AM THE FIRST AND ONLY OWNER. THERE HAVE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SIMILAR FAILURES IN THE 2007, 2008 AND 2009 MODEL YEAR HONDA CIVICS WITH THIS ENGINE DUE TO BAD METALLURGY AND WEAK CASTING DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. HONDA KNOWS THAT THESE ARE DEFECTIVE ENGINES AS THEY CREATED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 10-048 IN RESPONSE TO THESE FAILURES. THEY DID NOT HOWEVER ISSUE A RECALL. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THIS FAILURE COULD OCCUR IN HIGHWAY DRIVING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND SEIZE AND THE DRIVER COULD THEREFORE POTENTIALLY BE UNABLE TO LEAVE THE ACTIVE TRAFFIC LANES. REGARDLESS, EVEN IF THE DRIVER COULD MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER, THAT IS NOT A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION JUST AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY. THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR FAILURES ON VARIOUS OWNER GROUP WEBSITES.

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISE QUICKLY PAST IT'S NORMAL RANGE. I QUICKLY GOT OFF THE ROAD AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP AND THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO FLUID IN THE RADIATOR. HE DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK. HE INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH 2007 CIVICS. HE TOLD ME I COULD PUT ANOTHER MOTOR IN IT OR BUY ANOTHER CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND I HAD EVERY INTENTION TO KEEP IT FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT HONDA DID NOT INFORM ME OF THE DEFECTS IN THE ENGINE.

AS MANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE, I HAVE A LEAKING COOLANT CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK DUE TO POOR CASTING, THUS RESULTING IN THE CAR TO DANGEROUSLY OVERHEAT. I HAVE VISITED A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY HAVE CONFIRMED IT IS A FAULTY PROBLEM AMONG MANY CIVICS MANUFACTURED THAT GENERATION. THE PROBLEM OTHERS AND I ENCOUNTER IS THE FACT THAT THE CAR EXCEEDS THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY. TO MAKE THE DILEMA WORSE, THE HONDA MANUFACTURING COMPANY DOES GUARANTEE FULL RECOMPENSATION. THEY SUGGEST FOR ONE TO GO IN FOR $100 + INSPECTION THAT DOES NOT COMPLETELY GUARANTEE AID. THE PROBLEMS I ENCOUNTER INCLUDE: AN ONGOING LEAK OF DANGEROUS COOLANT LIQUIDS WHILE DRIVING/PARKED, EXCESSIVE OVERHEATING OF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING, AND THE TEAR DOWN OF PARTS(COILS, CYLINDERS, AND SPARK PLUGS) DUE TO UNSTABLE/WORRISOME HIGH TEMPERATURES. I HAVE OVERLOOKED MANY FORUMS AND THREADS OF UNHAPPY HONDA DRIVERS THAT ARE ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAVE. THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FOUND HERE HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN RECENT DAYS. I PLEAD/BEG FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE! MANY OF THE PEOPLE ENCOUNTERING THIS PROBLEM ARE OF LOW INCOME, FEW OF WHICH CANNOT AFFORD REPAIR COSTS AND/OR PURCHASING A NEW VEHICLE; WE PURCHASE THESE TYPE OF CARS FOR THEIR SO-CALLED RELIABILITY. IN MY CASE, I AM A UNIVERSITY STUDENT WHO VITALLY NEEDS A SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION. ONE MAY ARGUE THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS THE SOLUTION, BUT THAT LIMITS MY POSSIBILITY FRONTIER AS I ALSO HAVE TO WORK; PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COSTS TIME ONE COULD BE USING ELSEWHERE. TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THIS DEFECT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC. THERE IS HIGH CORRELATION BETWEEN ENGINE OVERHEATING AND ACCIDENTS THAT ARE WORRISOME.

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTED FUMING WITH WHITE SMOKE AND IT GOT INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE CAR AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS AT 100% ALL OF A SUDDEN AND HAD TO PULL THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND HONDA HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 10-048. BUT I WAS NEVER MAILED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WHEN CONTACTED HONDA MENTIONED THEY DO NOT HAVE TO UPDATE ME EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. HONDA REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN REALLY RUDE AND DID NOT REPLY OR RAKE MY CALL FOR MORE THAN 10 DAYS TO REPLY ABOUT MY CASE. INSTEAD WHEN SHE CALLED SHE MENTIONED THAT ITS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND THEY WILL NOT COVER IT.