Civic oil consumption

Have a 2001 Honda Civic with 58,000 miles that is using about a quart
of oil every thousand miles. Had the local dealer do a consumption
test, the technician confirmed and documented the usage and advised it
was excessive. However, the service manager reports it as "normal",
and claims the Honda Care warranty will not cover repairs. The car was
purchased used with 16,000 from the same dealership. I should also add
the motor has some piston slap when started cold, however the oil has
been changed regularly by this very same dealer since i purchased it.

I asked the service manager how many customers they had with Normal
usage of 1qt./1000 miles and he had no response. The guy is pretty new
to this dealer, and i would say he is stonewalling me at this point and
not providing any assistance. He did recommend i have the motor taken
down to see if they can find the cause of the problem, however i would
be responsbile for the cost's, including replacing the timing belt, and
all other parts as part of the 60,000 mile service interval.

I have asked to speak with the regional service rep for honda and am
awaiting his call back; in the meantime, can anyone report or advise on
similar experience's or knowledge of how to handle this issue? This
has been an ongoing battle with this dealer for over 6 months, and my
patience has run out.

 

First, this is not expected oil consumption for a Civic with 58,000 miles,
but Honda will no doubt have a policy describing what they will fix and what
they will not. For peace of mind, ask the dealer or the regional service
rep. to supply you with a copy of Honda's written document that says this.

Second, under some states' Lemon Law this could be a "nonconforming" vehicle
and subject to being marked as a lemon if the dealer/manufacturer refuses
to/can't fix it. Find out which state it was sold in initially and review
the state's Lemon Law. I am assuming that the engine warranty still
applies. Is this correct?

Third, if you eventually have to pay for the repairs yourself, having the
dealer do the work may not be the best alternative. A professional engine
rebuilder may be best. Find out who has the best reputation in your area or
at least state. The best alternative may be to live with the problem,
provided it doesn't get any worse over time.

Earle

 

Have the car checked for excess emissions. If it fails emissions test,
Honda will have to fix it. Otherwise I think you are screwed unless there
is an easy answer like gelling despite proper maintenence. By the way, a
faulty PCV valve and other small issues like that can cause excess oil use.

 

Some additional thoughts for your consideration: Have you tried some high
milage oil, I would suggest 10W-30? I had some piston slap on cold days
with my 95 Civic VTEC (195,000 miles)that seems to have gone away useing
high milage oil. Castrol makes very good oil in my opinion. In light of
your warranty, I would call Customer Service at Honda USA on their 1-800
number and get a case number. My point would be to emphasize the piston
slap which I think is unusal at such a low milage. Is there any
possibility that you're leaking / dripping some oil? Have you verified
there are no Honda TSB's that could be affecting oil consumption. I know
some Civic's have a potential oil leakage problem at the rear main oil
seal. Lastly, when did the piston slap and oil consumption begin and how
long have you had this car? Good luck!

 

are you still covered by a 60k warranty? if so, they're trying to run
the clock out on you.

unless it's something simple like a pcv valve, it's something serious
like a cracked ring - serious [expensive] surgery required. call honda
usa's customer service hotline, explain your problem, and that you're
getting stonewall from your dealer. honey gets you more than vinegar here.

 

The below is straight from the Honda Service Operations Manual.

3.14 Oil Consumption Test and Warranty Repair Procedures

If the owner complains of high oil consumption, first advise the owner that
Honda considers 1,000 or more
miles per quart of oil to be an acceptable consumption figure within the
New Car Limited Warranty and that
oil consumption may increase with age and mileage due to normal engine
wear. Also, if driving the vehicle
to verify the oil consumption will result in further engine damage or will
greatly inconvenience the customer,
contact your DPSM for instructions.

3.14.1 Oil Consumption Test Procedure

If excessive oil consumption is suspected, check the car using this oil
consumption test:

1. Drain and refill the crankcase with factory-recommended oil, and replace
the oil filter. (Honda will
pay for test-related oil and filter changes only if subsequent repairs are
made under warranty.)
2. Advise the owner to have the oil checked when refueling. If the oil
level approaches the lower
mark on the dipstick, the owner must add the proper oil and keep proper
records or return to his
or her dealer for a check and/or replenishment.
3. Run the test for twice the alleged consumption mileage. Example: If the
customer complains of
using one quart of oil per 300 miles of driving, monitor the oil
consumption for 600 miles.

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I am currently doing another oil consumption test, self administered.
Per the regional service rep (who called and left a message on voice
mail but wont leave a call back # and the honda dealer wont give his
contact info out) the usage is normal and not excessive.

The PCV valve is fine, as a side note. The piston slap is also an
indication (to me) of engine wear.

Im hoping for usage beyond 1000 miles/quart.

The dealership mentioned is located in Milwaukee WI. Anyone have an
opinion on honda declaring that 1000 miles to a quart of oil is Normal?

 

Hi. While this isn't directly related to the problem you're
experiencing, I thought you might find my in-warranty (service)
experience with Honda to be interesting. My 1995 Civic VX, a rare
model, was initially stonewalled from two local dealers as "not built
by Honda". Once a third dealer agreed to service me within the 3/36
warranty, he ended up claiming that everything was "within spec" or
"normal". This is, unfortunately, typical of Honda service at many
dealers. My passenger door did not close correctly due to rubbing in
the sill, my ignition played dead about 1-in-10 times, reverse gear
would not engage on uneven (hilly) surfaces, and my front brakes
toasted the rotors (excessive warpage) every 12K-16K mi. When an
"official" inquiry to Honda of America was answered with "all small
cars are like that!", I gave up and tore apart the in-warranty car to
fix the problems with a mechanic friend's help. Thankfully, we got to
the bottom of all problems and did minor redesigns (non-factory brakes)
to solve Honda's screwups; I just changed the front brakes at 250K mi
and they had 70K mi on them without warpage!. Honda makes excellent
engines, for the most part, but they simply will not admit when they
mess up (let alone resolve the problems). This is the reason why I now
have all friends and family, in the market for Hondas, buy Toyotas
instead. I realize that's probably not what you wanted to hear, but
you could try writing letters to Honda of America. Best wishes!