Honda issue, disturbing.

[mrbrian200]

Saw this on the evening news tonight.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Cl ... 43384.html

(Synopsis - multiple Honda CRV owners MY15 to MYcurrent report very strong gasoline fumes in the passenger compartment, dealer in warranty service cannot or will not resolve)

It's disturbing dealer service techs/Honda US don't appear to elevate instances of this issue to high priority and issue a fix. Seems they've been on the slide since the early 2000s. I'm not at all impressed with a friends '15 civic. He's had failures with convenience/infotainment systems and got a runaround from the dealer until he resorted to being a PIA. Old roommate of his once had a late '90-something Accord which was a really good car.

[June]

Honda does not care! They left faulty gas tanks in civics in the 1980's that exploded when the cars were rear ended. It took children strapped in the back seat burning alive before the news media ran with it and then they tried blaming the American car that hit it at first knowing that many had already burned up under the same type wreck and endless more burned. I don't know that Honda ever fixed those cars as the stories were in the news for years and Honda refused to recall them to add a shield to prevent the problem. June

[mrbrian200]

One of the cars I initially considered before I bought a P2 Volvo was an early 2000s Loaded V6 Accord or Acura TL. But those have rotton transmissions. Yes Volvo had their own problem with the T6 but it only affected 2 model years '03-04 (within the first year, Volvo became aware of failures and fixed it on the new ones **pronto** by '05). Honda rolled out vehicles (anything equipped with the 3L V6) with rotten transmissions, only issuing remedial fixes which didn't really extend the life of those gearboxes. And this went on for something like 6 or 8 years starting late '90s up to around MY05 or 06. That was an eye opener as before this discovery of long unresolved failure prone ATs, I was one of those who put Honda on a very high pedestal. I wasn't aware of the civic fuel tank issue from the '80s.

Edit: I may have had a couple (not really all that major) issues to resolve on my S60 when I first bought it. But with those issues fixed I've had a good year since then to really appreciate the car. I think it's safe to say I'm a Volvo for lifer at this point. The 06 S60 2.5T was my first Volvo and it won't be my last. When my sisters VW puked earlier this spring I had zero qualms about steering her into an XC90 (just not a 03-04 T6). I found her a nice dealer maintained '03 2.5T. That reminds me I need to call Volvo of Lisle and get more detailed records for the XC before they get purged. All I have now is major points of service that show up on Carfax, for example I don't know exactly what was done at the 90k service 6 mos ago. Timing belt was done by them around that same time. Some of the references on the title service history are a little vague for me, such as "reprogram computer"

[93Regina]

...gasoline fumes in the passenger compartment

On one forum thread, they suggest an exhaust leak.

"You have an exhaust leak most likely. Probably near the cat - jack up the car and see if you can notice any smoke coming from the flex pipe area. "

Gas and exhaust fumes are worlds apart...if gas fumes, there should have been lots of explosions.

At what point does this issue appear for most...after warranty?

On most vehicles, this would not be an issue until a long time afterwards vehicle was sold. If the "flex pipe" is the issue, maybe too much flexing.

[oragex]

Honda does not care! They left faulty gas tanks in civics in the 1980's that exploded when the cars were rear ended.

I didn't know about this, I drove a 1991 Civic. Do you have a link with the story?

[oragex]

On one forum thread, they suggest an exhaust leak.

the law suit talks rather about gasoline smell, but both are not good to smell, gasoline is potentially carcinogenic while exhaust fumes we all know the risks and should never leak inside the cabin. companies go through good and bad periods, sometimes for decades, depends what happens to their management team. both toyota and honda had been there. I think honda had a lower period after 2000 up until 2015. their later civic may not have tons of problems, but they are cheap build without the old quality. I drove a 2014 at my job and the large dash molded plastic is worst than plastics on items from a dollar store. even their engine which was Honda's specialty is now far from the great old 1.5 and 1.8l. Hopefully the 2017 civic will be a turning point but for sure both Honda and Toyota will never be the same as they were in 1985-2000.

[mrbrian200]

On one forum thread, they suggest an exhaust leak.

Exhaust fumes shouldn't smell like raw gas. My bet would either be bad seals at the top of the fuel tank, either the main o-ring that seals the tank or the fuel line quick connects (and there's some way for these fumes to make their way into the passenger compartment around the rear floor pan/ quarter panels). Or an under hood leak, either the lines/rail or vapor canister, with fumes getting sucked in by the climate control fan. Strong gasoline fumes should be sooo easy to trace. That's why it's troubling. I really get the impression dealer service techs are complete morons and/or Honda US genuinely does not care. This will probably end up with the NHTSA having to force the issue. Some OEs just don't stand behind their products like they should. Honda risks loosing their longer term brand reputation and ending up in the same position Chrysler was at in during the early 2000s.

[93Regina]

Exhaust fumes...

FWIW, 1993-245 Volvo with a window down at 30 mph plus, will suck road dust and exhaust fumes into vehicle, despite having a new stock exhaust system.

Without specific details, I can't say if this Honda matter is a maintenance issue, or something like my 1993-245.

[93Regina]

1980's that exploded when the cars were rear ended.

The Pinto Fire Controversy - 1971-1980 Ford Pinto

[June]

Honda does not care! They left faulty gas tanks in civics in the 1980's that exploded when the cars were rear ended.

I didn't know about this, I drove a 1991 Civic. Do you have a link with the story?

The three children burned alive in the back seat of a mid 80's Civic as the mother watched in horror from inside the convenience store in Tampa Florida where I am from. When it first hit the papers and local news in Tampa the Buick that rear ended the Civic was blamed for the fire. It was not long before it hit national news and that many of those Civic cars burst into flames when hit from behind. Back then their was no internet, Fox News, CNBC. We did have CNN if you lived in a area with cable. I do remember a newscast mentioning the low cost to Honda to retrofit a shield which Honda was refusing to voluntary do. Weather the government ever forced Honda I can't say. You must understand the world pre Internet ran a lot slower, and car companies got away with a lot of crappie designed cars without a network of owners posting on social media making the company admit a problem. My first new car was a Buick Electra Park Avenue which came with a three month warranty which was industry standard, so without tens of thousands of warranty claims on a particular model with a particular problem I am not sure if the companies even cared. Volvo even then cared about the consumer giving us safe and reliable well built cars which is why I bought my first Volvo a 1989 740 GLT. I saw a commercial on TV of a 740 driving off a cliff and how the belted occupants would have survived. I knew then the Buick would be replaced with a Volvo my next trade. I have never looked back. June