Honda is sending letters to about 318,000 owners of its popular CR-V mini-SUV, warning owners to take precautions to avoid engine fires if they have not yet done their first oil change. Oil dripping onto the exhaust system has caused fires that destroyed at least 72 Honda CR-V SUVs from the 2003 and 2004 model years.
Honda is also instructing dealers to replace the oil filters on all unsold CR-Vs from the 2003, 2004 and 2005 model years and says it has made changes in its manufacturing process to prevent the problem in the future.
The problem occurs when mechanics remove the original oil filter at the first oil change. The filter's rubber gasket tends to remain stuck in the engine block, which prevents the new filter from sealing properly. Oil then leaks out onto a hot manifold, potentially starting a fire.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been investigating the oil leaks in an off-and-on manner. It opened a preliminary investigation earlier this year, then cloed it, then reopened it after the problem persisted.
The question of why the seals stick has been a contentious one. Dealers have accused Honda of scapegoating them and Honda has implied that some dealer technicians have not followed proper procedures. Now, Honda says it thinks it has found the answer: two suppliers changed the formulation of the materials used in the gasket and the resulting mixture tended to react to the temperatures and humidity encountered when the cars were shipped to the U.S., becoming stickier than intended.
The suppliers are adding silicone to the mixture to make the seals less sticky.
Iin its letter, Honda tells owners that if they had their first oil change more than a month ago and their vehicle has not smoked or caught fire, they probably do not have to worry about it, but offers a free check-up anyway.
Those who take their car in for its first oil change should ask to see the gasket from the original oil filter, to ensure that it didn't stick to the engine block.
Honda still insists the problem lies mostly with the dealers and says it would not be liable for any damages resulting from the oil filter problem. "The liability remains with the dealer," a spokesman said.
