NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Engineering Analysis EA04-027: UNDERHOOD FIRES
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA04-027 on September 9, 2004 and closed it on January 19, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003–2005 Honda CR-V for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EA04-027 (also written EA04027)
- Investigation type
- Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
- Status
- Closed January 19, 2005
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
- Component
- Engine and Engine Cooling
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2003–2005 Honda CR-V
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA04-027.
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 FILTER INSTALLATION IS DETECTED, A FREE REMEDY WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE DEALER.UNSOLD SUBJECT VEHICLES IN DEALER STOCK (~20,000 UNITS) WILL HAVE THE OE FILTER REPLACED WITH A SERVICE COMPONENT PRIOR TO RETAIL.THE INJURY NOTED ABOVE OCCURRED WHEN A CONSUMER SLIPPED ON OIL THAT LEAKED FROM THEIR VEHICLE.RECENT REPORT TRENDS INDICATE THAT HONDA?S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OIL FILTER SERVICE PROFICIENCY AT THEIR DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE.SEE THE EA04-027 SUMMARY REPORT FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS INVESTIGATION.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA04-027. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Honda
All Honda recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Honda VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EA04-027
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.