My buddy (whom I’ll call “Brian” because, well, that’s his name) was once married to a gorgeous but rather empty-headed girl named Irene (also her real name). Over the course of his twenty-odd year marriage, he would unfailingly buy her a new Honda Accord every two years or so. When I asked Brian why always an Accord, his answer was quite succinct:
“Because not even Irene can fuck up a Honda.”
Well, that may have been true back then, but apparently it’s not so true anymore:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into more than 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles over defective connecting rod bearings that can cause complete engine failure. The probe targets 3.5-liter V6 engines in popular models including the Honda Pilot, Odyssey, and Ridgeline, along with several Acura vehicles.
The investigation underscores growing safety concerns about widespread engine problems that could leave drivers stranded or create hazardous situations on busy roadways.
Federal regulators opened the probe on August 20. They are focusing on the J35 V6 engine used across multiple Honda and Acura model lines. The investigation covers 2016–2020 Acura MDX vehicles, 2018–2020 Acura TLX models, 2018–2020 Honda Odyssey minivans, 2016–2020 Honda Pilot SUVs, and 2017–2019 Honda Ridgeline pickup trucks.
NHTSA has received at least 414 complaints involving engine failure tied to the defective connecting rod bearings.
Oops.
Strange that this problem should surface in their V6 engines; I always thought they’d be bulletproof compared to the smaller 2-liter 4-bangers, but there ya go.
Readers thinking of buy a new-model Honda with said engine: caveat emptor.
I’d still probably pick it over the recent spat of problems with the Chevy V8. But honestly, 414 complaints across what, probably several hundred thousand of them sold over a 4 year period? Not too shabby.
The only real issue is that, like most modern small performance engines, it’s an interference design. So any little problem quickly becomes a big problem as those tend to grenade themselves.
If I read your blog post correctly, the problem is one part within the engine… the bearings… or probably only one of the six bearings. So piggy backing on what Don wrote, that’s 414 bearings out of 6 times the hundreds of thousands of engines to which he refers. Sounds like a quality control problem from one of their suppliers.
I wonder how other makes and models have as few problems within their venue?
Trying to get every last 1/10th of a mile per gallon in order to appease the environmental standards gods is costly. Engines run hotter, oil is thinner, systems are more and more complex, all sorts of things are done that would never had been considered without an legal club being threatened.
Is this related? I don’t know, but it would not surprise me one bit.
I’ve got one of those vehicles, a 2019 Ridgeline. Only 73,000 miles on it so far, and no engine problems. I have to agree with Raven, though – the car mistreats that engine in order to get maximum mileage. One of its tricks is that it can shut down three cylinders when lightly loaded (as when cruising on the highway, for example). That seems like it would load some of the big-end bearings more than others, which may be contributing to this problem.
But, yeah. 414 complaints out of over 1.4 million engines? That’s lost in the noise, and hardly seems worth a government investigation.
It’s a “Japanese manufacturer” sized defect, like the five Mazda engines someone was measuring with a micrometer some twenty-five years ago who stopped in the middle to get another micrometer because the parts he was measuring all had identical dimensions to the accuracy of the micrometers.
I currently drive a 2018 Toyota RAV4 XLE with about 96,000 miles. Bought it used at 60 k 3 years ago.
Been rear ended 3 times by asshole Massachusetts drivers in under 1 year. Got a new bumper. Demanded Oem parts from insurance.
Fuel pump needed replacing – pump was fine but smelled gas when filled up. Top cover was cracked and Pump and cover are one piece. Covered under warranty. At first dealer said nothing wrong. Argued with me. Wanted me to pay to drop gas tank (no access to pump on Toyotas from cabin like Honda so had to drop tank). The private mechanic I go to has seen a couple of these on the Toyotas. He told me about it and I went back and raised hell at the dealer.
All lights came on on the dashboard except check engine light about a year ago or so. Drove fine. Hub was mechanically fine but the sensor inside stopped working. Dealer replaced hub under warranty. A week or so later noise. Dealer said axle has rust where it meets hub that needs cleaning. I called Toyota corp. covered under warranty for a new axle.
Point is. I like my Toyota. So far never left me stranded. But all cars break.
I like Toyota Honda and Subaru. Right now I have a Toyota. It’s a good car. Time will tell if it’s a great car.
I think Honda’s ride better and have peppier engines. Toyotas are supposed to be more reliable. Years ago I had Hondas. I really enjoyed the 2002 Honda CRV I had long ago
Subarus ride very smooth. Great vehicles.
I hope my rav lasts a long time. New vehicles all seem to have issues. Toyota tundras had engines failing (turbo 3.4) and that was allegedly metal from machining. And Tacoma’s are new now with turbo 4 cylinders.
I like the looks of the ridgeline and likely the majority of people don’t need more of a truck. It’s a comfortable suv with a bed. Tacoma is small in the back seat. I like tacomas. But I think if I was buying I’d pick a ridgeline.
No one is building anything with the quality they used to. Sad to see. And things cost more now.
All the auto companies build a crap engine. It was hit or miss with Ford’s Eco Boost engines. GM’s recent V8 engine failures – neighbor just got a re-manufactured replacement in his truck that has 35k miles on it. Toyota’s V8’s that had the starter solenoids start gumming up after 5 years. That is an all day job because the intake has to come off. Same goes for Stellantis. I know of 2 Jeeps, a Compass and Patriot, that dropped bearings and the bolts holding the heads on are braking when they are removed. Replacement engines are rare and expensive with both being what I consider fairly new. Everything I have has 100k+ and is at least 7 years old. Mechanically, I am comfortable of all 3 making a coast to coast run, I just have to remember to turn off the AC in the mountains.
If you don’t mind used get a 2006 to 2014 generation 1 Honda ridgeline. Usually if you change the timing belt and fluids and Plugs every 100k they last a while.
I had just under 200,000 on a 2002 Honda CRV when I traded it away back around 2014. Just needed to have front struts and a timing chain cover resealed. I should have done the work and drove it longer. Was a good vehicle.
If I had to buy a new car and I will some day I’d trust Honda or Toyota or Subaru. Japanese stuff is better then any domestic car.
Irene may not be able to fuck up a Honda. But the EPA and USGOV can fuck up anything.
Engines while not simple are proven and understood technology. But trying to meet all the EPA standards, adds a lot of extra bullshit in there, that makes it bound to fail, e.g. smaller engines, trying to move bigger cars, cylinder deactivation, etc.
Automakers are also trying to pocket extra $$$ by outsourcing parts manufacturing to whatever entity makes the cheapest Chineezeium. Its not to pass the savings on to the consumer.
Its also why any Energy* appliance sucks. We know how to build shit, we just don’t anymore.
There is nothing in the world that is so bad that any government agency can’t make even worse