Blew out #2 spark plug. The dealer screwed a new one in and replaced the coil claiming it would last the life of the car. It failed after 30,000 miles - and now the hole is stripped and needs the head replaced that the dealer is refusing to do. The Honda factory did not put the plugs in properly. Nobody ever touched the plugs since the car was new.
There is nothing that would cause plugs to blow out except bad aluminum in the head or improper installation at the factory.
Both reasons are not something the owner has any control over.
I am the original owner of a 2013 Honda fit. This is the second small engine Honda that I have owned whose engine did not reach 75,000 miles without a major malfunction. My 1980 Prelude bent a valve stem due to a poor design issue, costing me $1500 at the time to repair.
My 2013 Fit has suffered a loose spark plug at 65,000 miles. The resulting damage to the cylinder head requires its replacement. The spark plug hole has completely been stripped and the coil burned. This is not an uncommon event, as indicated by:
TSB 10087401 https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/MC-10087401-2280.pdf
[If you run across a spark plug that’s loose or has blown out of the cylinder head before reaching the first service interval (generally at 105K), chances are it wasn’t torqued enough when it was installed at the factory. The consequences of this can be as minor as reinstalling the spark plug to complete cylinder head replacement due to spark plug thread hole damage. Also, if the vehicle is out of warranty, contact your DPSM for possible goodwill consideration ].
I feel that the cost of the repair, which I was told is $3-$4,000, should be at least partially borne by American Honda.
See the attached image.
Update from Dec 15, 2021: update. Plaza Honda of Brooklyn's 'goodwill offer was that they would pay 75% of the bill to repair my car, The value of the car was only 6K. THEIR total cost of repair was over $7,000. of which I had to pay $2,000... Had the car repaired and immediately sold it. As a Honda user for over 42 years, I will never buy another one. !!
Had noticed a gas smell coming from the air vent when engine was first started. A couple weeks later the check engine light came on when the engine was started cold. A scan tool indicated a misfire on cylinder 4. purchased a new coil and a set of plugs. Put a extension and socket on plug 4. Could not feel the socket engage. kept turning with fingers and out came the plug! Damaged the inside seal on the coil. The rest of the plugs were barely snug but not as loose.
This vehicle belongs to my 80 year old mother. She bought it new. A friend of hers had the exact car and he had significant episode with the engine when driving on the highway and suddenly lost all speed/power and was found to have faulty loose plugs and damaged ignition coils. So, being the worrier that my mom is, she brought hers in just to be safe. WELL, wouldn't you know, hers were bad as well!! The report states that although no codes showed up, the tech pulled and found 4 loose spark plugs and and 2 burnt coils! They did a "goodwill" warranty and only charged her $105 bucks which she shouldn't have had to pay at all. From reading other complaints this seems to be a factory defect in this car.
- britdudette,
Franklin, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Blew out #2 spark plug. The dealer screwed a new one in and replaced the coil claiming it would last the life of the car. It failed after 30,000 miles - and now the hole is stripped and needs the head replaced that the dealer is refusing to do. The Honda factory did not put the plugs in properly. Nobody ever touched the plugs since the car was new.
There is nothing that would cause plugs to blow out except bad aluminum in the head or improper installation at the factory.
Both reasons are not something the owner has any control over.
- broken fit, Sebastopol, US