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NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA04027

Engineering Analysis · UNDERHOOD FIRES · Opened 2004-09-09 · Closed 2005-01-19

Investigation

Action number
EA04027
Type
Engineering Analysis
Open date
2004-09-09
Close date
2005-01-19
Manufacturer
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Affected makes
HONDA
Affected components
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Affected model years
2003, 2004, 2005
Affected (make, year) variants
3

Summary

IN DOCUMENTS PROVIDED DURING EA04-027, HONDA IDENTIFIED A MECHANISM WHICH CAUSES THE RUBBER SEAL (GASKET) OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) OIL FILTER TO ADHERE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.IF AN ADHERED SEAL REMAINS WHEN THE OE FILTER IS REMOVED AND A NEW FILTER IS INSTALLED, A DOUBLE GASKET CONDITION RESULTS.A SUBSEQUENT RUPTURE OF THE EXTRANEOUS SEAL CAN RESULT IN OIL CONTACTING NEARBY EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.THROUGHOUT ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI, HONDA HAS MAINTAINED THAT IT IS THE SERVICING TECHNICIAN?S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSPECT FOR AND REMOVE THE SEAL PRIOR TO INSTALLING A NEW FILTER.ODI?S ANALYSIS FOUND THAT SEAL ADHESION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH TECHNICIAN ERROR AND EXHAUST COMPONENT LOCATION, RESULTED IN A HIGH RATE OF SUBJECT VEHICLE OIL FILTER FIRES COMPARED TO EARLIER MODELS AND PEERS.VEHICLES THAT HAVE NOT HAD THE OE FILTER DISTURBED ARE NOT AT RISK.SERVICE REPLACEMENT FILTER SEALS, WHICH ARE MANUFACTURED BY A DIFFERENT SUPPLIER, DO NOT EXHIBIT THE SEAL ADHESION CONDITION.THEREFORE, IF THE INITIAL OIL CHANGE IS DONE PROPERLY, THE ELEVATED FIRE RISK IS ELIMINATED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE VEHICLE?S LIFE.BASED ON AVERAGE MILEAGE ACCUMULATION AND OIL SERVICE INTERVAL, ODI ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE RECEIVED THEIR INITIAL OIL CHANGE AND ARE NO LONGER AT AN ELEVATED RISK.HONDA CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE FILTER SEAL TO PREVENT THE ADHESION CONDITION AND INTRODUCED THE NEW SEAL AT BOTH CR-V ASSEMBLY PLANTS IN DECEMBER 2004.IN A DECEMBER 8, 2004 LETTER TO ODI, HONDA COMMITTED TO SEND A NOTIFICATION TO SUBJECT VEHICLE OWNERS ADVISING OF THE FIRE RISK IF AN OIL CHANGE IS IMPROPERLY PERFORMED.THE LETTER DISCUSSES MEASURES CONSUMERS CAN TAKE TO ENSURE THE FIRST OIL CHANGE IS DONE PROPERLY.LETTER MAILINGS COMMENCED ON DECEMBER 10, 2004.OWNERS WHO HAVE RECENTLY HAD THEIR FIRST OIL CHANGE PERFORMED AND ARE UNSURE IF IT WAS DONE CORRECTLY CAN HAVE IT INSPECTED BY A HONDA DEALER AT NO CHARGE; IF AN IMPROPER

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI investigation page
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