SenseiRick

Here's the entire story: Driving home last night on the way back thru the Pulaski Skyway towards 1&9 South (to Newark) Engine check light blinks twice - 2 miles ahead it blinks and stays on for 5 seconds - a few minutes later I hear a sound in my engine (like a can bouncing inside a pot) then I am at aprox: 4krpm's in 4th and boooommmmmmm......my RPM's start lightin back and forth across the tach and my entire tach goes black, I lose all the bars on the Rpm's and a big cloud of gray smoke flies out of my rear.......all this while my car comes to an abrupt stop in the middle of the highway.....

battery works - lights works - but the engine won't start - and all the Rpm's bars are gone - all the engine lights are on too...

so what happened? What went wrong?

I get the car towed to the dealer then open up the engine they said I bent rods and smashed 2-plugs - YOU NEED A NEW ENGINE! Since it's an S2000 it could have only happened from over-revving the engine, call the customer service to file a complain, warranty doesn't cover that - I SAY WHAT? I Didn't do Anything! 20k miles and the car is 1.5yrs old - Something happened in the engine and made this happen, that's it

I find out Honda doesn't have computer that traces back the last minutes of your car (like a black box) so now it's my word against Honda - which all I been hearing is - YOU OVER-REVED, SO U BLEW IT --------- this is crazy - I've explain the situation over and over - I wasn't even shifting........

this could have only been caused by a mal-function in the engine!
has anyone ever seen such a scenario?

What am I going to do??

nibble

That's terrible. I really don't know what to tell you... I can only hope that it gets fixed soon without having to pay for it. how about insurance. won't they cover it?

Defender

I think you are stuck with taking (legal) action -- either through a law suit or through complaints to various consumer groups...

I thought the rev limiter prevented over revving ??

You should of course complain to the service people above the head of the dealer, perhaps it can be resolved that way.

What was with that #4 cylinder problem that our cars have ?? Could that be the problem??

You may have to decide between doing nothing with the car until the dust settles and you know where you stand -- OR going ahead and having (paying for) the work to be done -- and then suing and taking action later....

As a tactic -- if Honda will not honor the warranty -- you might buy a new engine yourself, and after you have it, tell Honda that you intend to have someone else put it in and then sue Honda for the engine, the cost to install it, the cost of a rental car to use while the work is being done, etc... Once they consider that they may have to pay for someone else to do the work (and not get the money themselves) they may reconsider honoring the warranty.

Probably the best bet is to hit some consumer organizations (BBB and the County/State consumer protection departments), and get their advise as to how to proceed .... there may be an arbitration proceedure set up in New Jersey for these type of problems .... also ... consider having someone knowledgeable about engines take a look at the engine to get his opinion -- you may need it for court at a future date.

And I have to ask again -- doesn't the rev limiter protect the engine from over revving ??

Eliot

nibble

I haven't heard much from s2k owners but for rsx type-s owners threw the gear into 2nd instead of 4th which rev-limiter can not do much and blew the engine. but many of them are quite inexperienced with manual transmission. this case, though I'm not quite sure but engine could've been starved due to low flow of fuel and blew up.

payyourtoll

well, it doesnt look like you have many if any engine mods, so you're safe there.

I was under the impression that Honda does have the ability to read your historic 'data log' ?

NYCS2

They maybe just bluffing you(hopefully) and it should be covered I hope thing goes well. And if not sue for everything plus pain and suffering!!!

bayarea408

its time to get the $$ out of your wallet is what your going to do

SenseiRick

thanks for the input.

the situation stands as is: about the #4 cylinder - I had a mis-fired cylinder about 3-months ago- took it to the dealer -they reset the computer and told me not to worry about it - I was surprised they never opened the engine.

Once the car blew and I pulled it over the side of the road I called a couple of my friends and tow truck - one guy who came has a tuning shop and owns a red S2000 - he opened my oil cap and tried hitting the engine start - his comment was I think you broke one of the timing chains or valves inside the engine.....I really don't know what that is but - he also told me that the rev limiter is suppose to prevent over-reving on accelaration but once something like a chain or cable snaps your engine is out of luck, nothing can prevent that...........

the guy at the dealer is not the problem (he's actually mad cool) and has helped me in the past - but he said it's all up to Honda Customer Care Now - it's out of his hands!!!!

My Engine is completely Stock - only thing I have is a K&N Drop in Filter......

I check the oil immediately - every seems ok!

It just sucks that Honda is trying to shove the guilt factor on me - while most of the evidence points to a engine mal-function or bust.......

I've read a few other post - about blown engines from mis-shifts - but in case that was 100% impossible, since I wasn't shifting!

ItalianBucwheat

Have you ever overrevved? Sometimes an overrevv shows the results down the road. Valve slightly bent then over time not seating correctly and who knows. I can tell ya this, arbitration takes forever. The attorney fees alone probably 1200 retainer. That will get ya some letters to Honda and stuff setup. But it will cost ya more. If ya don't win those attorney fees are out of your pocket. You can get a used engine for about 3500 (maybe even with trans included) if ya shop around. Another grand to install.
So 4500. Thats really hard to sue for. Its a long process and maybe not worth it. You could sell various undamaged parts off your blown engine valve cover, intake manifold other odds and ends to maybe cover the install and then some.

Hate to say it but you are really inbetween a rock and a hard place and Honda knows it.

Arbitration is a panel of specialist in the field of debate(automotive in your case) So you'll have three automotive specialist reviewing your case verse Honda. Honda will file extensions
and it will drag on forever. I have been thru several arbittrations in the building industry and nobody wins when there is not much money at stake. Thats why they have small claims court but I am pretty sure ya can't go that route.

This is just from my expierence throught the NJ court system. I might be wrong on a few points but this is what I have expierenced. Sometimes a few letters from an attorney can make the company (Honda) Submit to customer satisfaction. Don't hold your breath. Be persistant go above the guy that says no and then go above the next guy that says no and so on. Squeaky wheel sometimes gets the oil.

ItalianBucwheat

This is your case right here. Claim mis-diagnosis. Get mechanics and evidence to back this up. Plenty of evedience of # 4 problems that lead to blown engines. Hope ya have that first visit documented.