All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !!

I have decided to accept the engine repair and the warranty. Here's why...

- The warranty is a full 7y/100k, not just on the engine. It is the Honda
Care plan and includes roadside assistance, lodging if I am away from home,
repair at any US dealership. It is bumper to bumper, but I assume that does
not include standard wear items, like tires and brake shoes. (They are
sending me the full contract.)

- The crankcase capacity is actually 5.3q. I thought it was 4.3. So at its
worst moment, my engine had 1.3q left in it.

- I added oil quickly (2 miles, low speed) after the light blinked on. So
assuming the light is working properly, and warns of low oil pressure, the
pressure was not low for very long. The light never came on steady.

- I work near the dealer, so it is easy for me to take the car in again. If
the car really runs fine for 7 years, I guess it was OK.

On the other hand... I am disappointed in how the dealer (Herb Chambers,
Burlington MA) responded to this. The General Manager tried to call me
once, and left a message. But he never called back again, despite my 3-4
phone messages to him plus a fax. The dealer should have jumped on this
problem and done anything reasonable to satisfy the customer. All my
substantial conversations were with American Honda Corp, and they were very
responsive.

Thanks to this list for all the input.

Chuck Connell
http://www.chc-3.com -- My home page


"Chuck Connell" <connell.DeleteThis@chc-3.com> wrote in message
news:nqSdnZV3zoPqIOPYnZ2dnUVZ_oannZ2d@conversent.net...
>I have a one-month old 07 CRV with about 900 miles. Last night I noticed
>the oil light blinking randomly. I checked the oil level as soon as I got
>home, just a couple miles later. It was down, so I added a quart. I did
>another short errand (5 miles), then checked the oil again. Still low, so
>I added another quart and parked it for the night. This morning I checked
>the stick and it showed nothing. So I added two more quarts, bringing the
>level up to full (2nd hole in the stick). I drove the car directly to the
>dealer this morning (about 5 miles) with no oil light coming on.
>
> I now realize that the oil has been running out for a week or more. There
> are oil spots where I park my car at work, and two large spots in my
> driveway. The oil level was down 4 quarts!
>
> Some questions...
>
> - Has anyone else had this problem?
>
> - What is the total oil capacity of this vehicle? I suspect it is just
> over 4q, so my oil was VERY low.
>
> - Should I demand a new car from the dealer, since I drove it for some
> days this way? (Probably about 20-30 miles per day.)
>
> - Any other thoughts/insights?
>
> TIA,
> Chuck Connell
> http://www.chc-3.com -- My home page
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

Yes, I have kept several cars for 10 years.

Chuck
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

Correction to below... The General Manager had called me again, and left
another message. I did not know this at the time I typed the below. We
talked on the phone for 10-15 minutes. He offered to replace the car via
his dealership, if I detect any problems with the engine, even if American
Honda does not. He gave me his cell number and told me to call if anything
develops. So this made me feel somewhat better about the experience.

Chuck


"Chuck Connell" <connell DeleteThis @chc-3.com> wrote in message
news:d6SdnbPos_OeAh_YnZ2dnUVZ_uiknZ2d@conversent.net...

> On the other hand... I am disappointed in how the dealer (Herb Chambers,
> Burlington MA) responded to this. The General Manager tried to call me
> once, and left a message. But he never called back again, despite my 3-4
> phone messages to him plus a fax. The dealer should have jumped on this
> problem and done anything reasonable to satisfy the customer. All my
> substantial conversations were with American Honda Corp, and they were
> very responsive.
>
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

I think that you made out as well as can be expected. Any significant
damage should be apparent well within the time and mileage. Plus you got a
lot more perks with the extra coverage.
MLD
"Chuck Connell" <connell.RemoveThis@chc-3.com> wrote in message
news:d6SdnbPos_OeAh_YnZ2dnUVZ_uiknZ2d@conversent.net...
> I have decided to accept the engine repair and the warranty. Here's why...
>
> - The warranty is a full 7y/100k, not just on the engine. It is the Honda
> Care plan and includes roadside assistance, lodging if I am away from
home,
> repair at any US dealership. It is bumper to bumper, but I assume that
does
> not include standard wear items, like tires and brake shoes. (They are
> sending me the full contract.)
>
> - The crankcase capacity is actually 5.3q. I thought it was 4.3. So at its
> worst moment, my engine had 1.3q left in it.
>
> - I added oil quickly (2 miles, low speed) after the light blinked on. So
> assuming the light is working properly, and warns of low oil pressure, the
> pressure was not low for very long. The light never came on steady.
>
> - I work near the dealer, so it is easy for me to take the car in again.
If
> the car really runs fine for 7 years, I guess it was OK.
>
> On the other hand... I am disappointed in how the dealer (Herb Chambers,
> Burlington MA) responded to this. The General Manager tried to call me
> once, and left a message. But he never called back again, despite my 3-4
> phone messages to him plus a fax. The dealer should have jumped on this
> problem and done anything reasonable to satisfy the customer. All my
> substantial conversations were with American Honda Corp, and they were
very
> responsive.
>
> Thanks to this list for all the input.
>
> Chuck Connell
> http://www.chc-3.com -- My home page
>
>
> "Chuck Connell" <connell.RemoveThis@chc-3.com> wrote in message
> news:nqSdnZV3zoPqIOPYnZ2dnUVZ_oannZ2d@conversent.net...
> >I have a one-month old 07 CRV with about 900 miles. Last night I noticed
> >the oil light blinking randomly. I checked the oil level as soon as I got
> >home, just a couple miles later. It was down, so I added a quart. I did
> >another short errand (5 miles), then checked the oil again. Still low, so
> >I added another quart and parked it for the night. This morning I checked
> >the stick and it showed nothing. So I added two more quarts, bringing the
> >level up to full (2nd hole in the stick). I drove the car directly to
the
> >dealer this morning (about 5 miles) with no oil light coming on.
> >
> > I now realize that the oil has been running out for a week or more.
There
> > are oil spots where I park my car at work, and two large spots in my
> > driveway. The oil level was down 4 quarts!
> >
> > Some questions...
> >
> > - Has anyone else had this problem?
> >
> > - What is the total oil capacity of this vehicle? I suspect it is just
> > over 4q, so my oil was VERY low.
> >
> > - Should I demand a new car from the dealer, since I drove it for some
> > days this way? (Probably about 20-30 miles per day.)
> >
> > - Any other thoughts/insights?
> >
> > TIA,
> > Chuck Connell
> > http://www.chc-3.com -- My home page
> >
> >
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

You're getting the best of both worlds and is exactly the best decision
that you could have made.

I would monitor consumption closely for the next few months.
Traditionally, Honda engines consume virtually no oil between changes.
There is a caveat here in that Honda considers consumption of up to a
quart every thousand miles "acceptable" but this same consumption rate
is very high in comparison to the normal Honda engine.

JT




Chuck Connell wrote:
>
> I have decided to accept the engine repair and the warranty. Here's why...
>
> - The warranty is a full 7y/100k, not just on the engine. It is the Honda
> Care plan and includes roadside assistance, lodging if I am away from home,
> repair at any US dealership. It is bumper to bumper, but I assume that does
> not include standard wear items, like tires and brake shoes. (They are
> sending me the full contract.)
>
> - The crankcase capacity is actually 5.3q. I thought it was 4.3. So at its
> worst moment, my engine had 1.3q left in it.
>
> - I added oil quickly (2 miles, low speed) after the light blinked on. So
> assuming the light is working properly, and warns of low oil pressure, the
> pressure was not low for very long. The light never came on steady.
>
> - I work near the dealer, so it is easy for me to take the car in again. If
> the car really runs fine for 7 years, I guess it was OK.
>
> On the other hand... I am disappointed in how the dealer (Herb Chambers,
> Burlington MA) responded to this. The General Manager tried to call me
> once, and left a message. But he never called back again, despite my 3-4
> phone messages to him plus a fax. The dealer should have jumped on this
> problem and done anything reasonable to satisfy the customer. All my
> substantial conversations were with American Honda Corp, and they were very
> responsive.
>
> Thanks to this list for all the input.
>
> Chuck Connell
> http://www.chc-3.com -- My home page
>
> "Chuck Connell" <connell DeleteThis @chc-3.com> wrote in message
> news:nqSdnZV3zoPqIOPYnZ2dnUVZ_oannZ2d@conversent.net...
> >I have a one-month old 07 CRV with about 900 miles. Last night I noticed
> >the oil light blinking randomly. I checked the oil level as soon as I got
> >home, just a couple miles later. It was down, so I added a quart. I did
> >another short errand (5 miles), then checked the oil again. Still low, so
> >I added another quart and parked it for the night. This morning I checked
> >the stick and it showed nothing. So I added two more quarts, bringing the
> >level up to full (2nd hole in the stick). I drove the car directly to the
> >dealer this morning (about 5 miles) with no oil light coming on.
> >
> > I now realize that the oil has been running out for a week or more. There
> > are oil spots where I park my car at work, and two large spots in my
> > driveway. The oil level was down 4 quarts!
> >
> > Some questions...
> >
> > - Has anyone else had this problem?
> >
> > - What is the total oil capacity of this vehicle? I suspect it is just
> > over 4q, so my oil was VERY low.
> >
> > - Should I demand a new car from the dealer, since I drove it for some
> > days this way? (Probably about 20-30 miles per day.)
> >
> > - Any other thoughts/insights?
> >
> > TIA,
> > Chuck Connell
> > http://www.chc-3.com -- My home page
> >
> >
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

Good idea. I will monitor both mpg (built in display) and oil use. I know
what the previous mpg average was, as a basis for comparison.

Chuck
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

Chuck Connell wrote:
> I have decided to accept the engine repair and the warranty. Here's why...
>

Not a bad thing, really, but I would go for the 8 year 120,000
HondaCare warranty. It's retail value is only a couple of hundred more
& Honda left you this negotiation room, so ask for it. (Eight years is
new for 2007 models. Most people don't know it exists.)

HondaCare does not cover "wear". It technically covers parts that
"break", so I would ask for special terms that "wear" of internal
engine parts is in fact covered. That's the whole point of this
exercise: concern over unusual wear caused by insufficient
lubrication.

HondaCare warranties are transferrable, so it would be worth something
to you later on.
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

In rec.autos.makers.honda Chuck Connell <connell.TakeThisOut@chc-3.com> wrote:
> I have decided to accept the engine repair and the warranty. Here's why...

> - The warranty is a full 7y/100k, not just on the engine. It is the Honda

The overriding reason is that you really don't have much choice.

100k isn't long for a Honda. What if this defect caused the life of the
engine to drop from 320k to 200k? That's well beyond your warranty, but
it's a loss to you.

On the other hand, was there any damage done? Probably not. Was that a
low oil level light, or a low oil pressure light? A low level light is an
early warning. Reacting to a low level light as you did should result in
no harm to the engine. A low pressure condition could cause some amount of
damage to the motor, perhaps damage you will never see.

> On the other hand... I am disappointed in how the dealer (Herb Chambers,
> Burlington MA) responded to this. The General Manager tried to call me
> once, and left a message. But he never called back again, despite my 3-4
> phone messages to him plus a fax. The dealer should have jumped on this
> problem and done anything reasonable to satisfy the customer. All my
> substantial conversations were with American Honda Corp, and they were very
> responsive.

"Reasonable" doesn't include throwing away a new car at his expense, nor
does it include casual return of phone calls if it has been indicated that
the customer is after a resolution that isn't likely to occur. As others
noted, the dealer is not in charge here, AMC is in control. You had
"substantial" conversations with the people with the financial involvement.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

<dold.TakeThisOut@83.usenet.us.com> wrote in message news:eluj9h$ngv$1@blue.rahul.net...
> 100k isn't long for a Honda. What if this defect caused the life of the
> engine to drop from 320k to 200k? That's well beyond your warranty, but
> it's a loss to you.
>
I can't imagine what that damage would be. Oil starvation isn't exactly rare
and the effects are well known.

Mike
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

Chuck Connell wrote:

>
> > On the other hand... I am disappointed in how the dealer (Herb Chambers,
> > Burlington MA) responded to this. The General Manager tried to call me
> > once, and left a message. But he never called back again, despite my 3-4
> > phone messages to him plus a fax. The dealer should have jumped on this
> > problem and done anything reasonable to satisfy the customer. All my
> > substantial conversations were with American Honda Corp, and they were
> > very responsive.
> >

My gut hunch is you have no engine damage at all.. The reason I say
that
is you didn't take too long to deal with it, and if I remember right
from your
postings, you didn't drive too much with the light actually on. If the
engine was
so low as to really be a problem, you would almost certainly hear it.
IE:
noisy valves clacking, possible knocking, etc.. I don't think you
noticed this,
so I don't think it was ever totally out of oil.
So I think most likely you didn't have any real damage, and with the
warranty,
you should be ok. If the engine did get messed up, it will already be
sounding
at least slightly different than it did before. If it still runs and
sounds exactly
the same as before, I wouldn't be too worried about it.
MK
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

nm5k RemoveThis @wt.net wrote:
> so low as to really be a problem, you would almost certainly hear it.
> IE:
> noisy valves clacking, possible knocking, etc.. I don't think you
> noticed this,
> so I don't think it was ever totally out of oil.

If the CR-V had run out of oil completely, OP would have noticed it. A
few years back I had a Saab 9000 that the oil pump started to go. The
sounds that came out of the engine before the pump kicked back on were
unmistakable - metal grinding on metal. When I drained the oil after
that, I couldn't believe how many metal shavings were in the oil -
yikes! I got rid of that car - FAST.

Mike
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

On 2006-12-15 11:24:07 -0500, "Chuck Connell" <connell.DeleteThis@chc-3.com> said:

> Yes, I have kept several cars for 10 years.

I just had new front axles and four Pirelli 400's put on my 10 year old
Civic Coupe.

They will have to pry my cold dead hands off the wheel before I sell it!

--
- Slim
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !! 

On 15 Dec 2006 16:18:47 -0800, jmattis.TakeThisOut@attglobal.net wrote:
>HondaCare warranties are transferrable, so it would be worth something
>to you later on.

Which is a good thing, if you want to sell the car, with a history
like this.

J.
 >> Stay informed about: All the oil ran out of my new 2007 CR-V !!