View Full Version : Oil changes said to ignite Hondas (CR-V)


1SICKLEX
07-09-04, 12:36 PM
http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/09/news/international/honda_fires.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1895&ncid=1895&e=5&u=/nm/20040709/us_nm/autos_honda_fires_dc

Honda Vehicle Fires Linked to Oil Changes - Report

Fri Jul 9,12:56 AM ET

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - At least 27 Honda CR-V sport-utility vehicles from the 2003 and 2004 model years burst into flames shortly after getting their first oil changes, The Washington Post reported on Friday,



No injuries were reported, but many of the vehicles were destroyed, usually with 10,000 miles or fewer on their odometers, the newspaper said, citing records provided to the U.S. government by Honda.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration investigated the situation and concluded July 1 that the cases were the fault of dealerships or others who improperly installed oil filters, the newspaper said.

According to the report, NHTSA and American Honda Motor Co. (news - web sites) agreed that oil from the filters most likely leaked onto the vehicles' hot exhaust systems, quickly igniting.

"We consulted with Honda. Honda concluded it was a technician's error, and they have taken steps to make sure service technicians who work on this vehicle understand that they need to be particularly diligent when they replace the oil filter," NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson was quoted as saying.

Honda doesn't know why the fires are happening in only the two most recent CR-V model years and not earlier ones, spokesman Andy Boyd told the newspaper "That's the part we're still investigating," he said.

There were about 140,000 CR-Vs sold in the United States in 2003 and Honda said 22 of them caught fire from the apparent oil filter problem, the Post reported. So far this year, five owners of 2004 CR-Vs have reported such fires to NHTSA, the newspaper said.

VSsc400
07-09-04, 12:41 PM
damn... not looking good for hondas these days...

brendanlim
07-09-04, 12:42 PM
Wow -- sounds pretty safe to me :thumbdn: :o

Richie
07-09-04, 12:43 PM
Wow, that is pretty bad!!!
Hope no one got hurt.

mmarshall
07-09-04, 12:58 PM
Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/09/news/international/honda_fires.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1895&ncid=1895&e=5&u=/nm/20040709/us_nm/autos_honda_fires_dc

Honda Vehicle Fires Linked to Oil Changes - Report

Fri Jul 9,12:56 AM ET

Add U.S. National - Reuters to My Yahoo!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - At least 27 Honda CR-V sport-utility vehicles from the 2003 and 2004 model years burst into flames shortly after getting their first oil changes, The Washington Post reported on Friday,



No injuries were reported, but many of the vehicles were destroyed, usually with 10,000 miles or fewer on their odometers, the newspaper said, citing records provided to the U.S. government by Honda.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration investigated the situation and concluded July 1 that the cases were the fault of dealerships or others who improperly installed oil filters, the newspaper said.

According to the report, NHTSA and American Honda Motor Co. (news - web sites) agreed that oil from the filters most likely leaked onto the vehicles' hot exhaust systems, quickly igniting.

"We consulted with Honda. Honda concluded it was a technician's error, and they have taken steps to make sure service technicians who work on this vehicle understand that they need to be particularly diligent when they replace the oil filter," NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson was quoted as saying.

Honda doesn't know why the fires are happening in only the two most recent CR-V model years and not earlier ones, spokesman Andy Boyd told the newspaper "That's the part we're still investigating," he said.

There were about 140,000 CR-Vs sold in the United States in 2003 and Honda said 22 of them caught fire from the apparent oil filter problem, the Post reported. So far this year, five owners of 2004 CR-Vs have reported such fires to NHTSA, the newspaper said.


Dunno...part of this sounds like BS to me. If the filter is screwed on properly and the rubber O-ring has a thin film of oil on it and seated correctly, and if the filter is tightened three-fourths of a turn after contact, that almost always seals it up OK. Now, if the damn filters are STILL leaking, that doesn't sound like a technician's error to me.....that is either a design or production problem with the filter, though it could also be defective threads on the engine block.
What do you guys think....does this make sense?

lexusk8
07-09-04, 02:09 PM
I'm a little worried because my friend and his wife just bought a 2004 CR-V a few months ago, and I'm not sure if they had any problems with oil changes yet. I better check up on them :egads:

Gojirra99
07-09-04, 02:18 PM
22 out of 140,000 doesn't remotely sound like a widespread problem to me, at least not yet.:confused:

Lsportline43
07-09-04, 02:47 PM
Things like this are bound to happen when you don't purchase a Toyota. :D

nthach
07-09-04, 10:00 PM
Well, i know Honda switched oil filter OEMs from Filtech to Fram...

XeroK00L
07-09-04, 10:58 PM
Wow...imagine a mom having to scramble to the rear and unbuckle the seat belts of the two child seats and save the two small kids one by one...all when the car bursts into flames!!:eek1:

Hopefully they're truly individual cases.

joshthorsc
07-10-04, 03:42 AM
I don't know what's going on w/ honda these days. They seem to be going down hill. My friend had just bought a 2003 civic and about 2-3 days later, his car just died on him. He called honda the next day really pissed off and they gave him a new car and said his other civic was a defect. :thumbdn:

1SICKLEX
07-10-04, 07:33 AM
Originally posted by SexySC
22 out of 140,000 doesn't remotely sound like a widespread problem to me, at least not yet.:confused:

Hey, I just found the article. It is dangerous though:eek1:
I change my own oil for instance, if my car caught on fire, I would be scarred for life (mentally).

Gojirra99
07-10-04, 07:56 AM
Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
Hey, I just found the article. It is dangerous though:eek1:
I change my own oil for instance, if my car caught on fire, I would be scarred for life (mentally).

I was addressing the article, not the fact that you posted it. Since when did you become so sensitive ? :D

1SICKLEX
07-10-04, 10:17 AM
Originally posted by SexySC
I was addressing the article, not the fact that you posted it. Since when did you become so sensitive ? :D

I've taken a beating here and on some other forums recently....:D