Spot on assessment. Blew the first head gasket at 12 months, and blew the replacement at 24 months on 19 si ethanol tuned. Then I used ARP head studs and cometic gasket and it's held for 31 months and counting. Car has had no other problems yet.
@@BCautosolutions I currently drive a 2022 accord SE. Out of curiosity I decided to ask my Honda tech at my oil change appointment if he has seen 1.5T head gasket issues and he said they are bad engine. He does 1 to 2 head gasket replacement a week. He said it’s a good thing a got Honda care. It also said they are good cars but the head gasket problem is a weak area
@@BCautosolutions I think it is important I share this because some people still do not believe it is an issue. One to two a week is crazy. It is a shame because I really love my car. It is such a nice car. Honda really made a good looking car except the head gasket. I will be keeping since I got Honda care. After my Honda care expires, I will sell it and keep the money.
@@dane940 yeah it’s happening pretty wide spread from the amount of techs I talk to although some areas seem to not be having any at all, almost makes me wonder if the bucket is getting kicked down the road by techs or Mia diagnosing is going on. Honda care is 1000% worth it 👍🏻
Thank you for sharing. My 2018 Honda Accord with just 59k miles had its head gasket blown. The car has never been modified and I don't drive it hard. Had the misfire took it took Honda and they told me Cyl 4 failing test and that I needed a new set of fuel injectors not covered by warranty and Honda motor Corp would not help with the $1,593 repair bill. While I was waiting for the parts to be delivered my check engine light came on. I looked at the coolant it was empty, the oil looked weird. The dealer misdiagnosed my problem, it was a blown headgasket. This was my first Honda and it will be my last. I am out of the powertrain warranty by two months. Honda should be a shamed of themselves. To error is human to not take responsibility for the design flaw is shameful. I am going back to Toyota for good. Will vote with my dollars. Goodbye Honda!
Contact Honda Corporate. If your issue started when the car was under warranty, it has to be honored. You cannot be punished over a dealer's "misdiagnosis."
@@sarcasticundertones3513 the issue started 1 month after the 5 year warranty period. However the dealership felt bad that they had misdiagnosed the issue so they reached out to Honda Corp and were able to get them pick up the bill, thank God. I should have my car back this Friday. However the oil smelled like fuel so it has a dilution problem. I am going to sell the car and buy a Toyota.
@@robertpardo2034Since Honda Corp ended up picking up the bill he never gave me a quote. But an independent mechanic had quoted me $2,300 just for labor not counting the part nor if the head needed to be resurfaced. I think the entire bill would have been around $2,800 -$3,000. If I was going to keep the car I would have purchased the aftermarket bolts he was talking about in the video. It is a shame because I really like the car a lot but I just don't trust the engine and can't take the chance.
@@anthonyvelez7557that’s crazy, i’m having the same exact issue on my car but they said it’s fuel injectors… what can i get them to do to check if it’s head gasket
"In brief": 1. Too many consumer expectations of HP from tiny turbo engines. Car makers need to quit building them and tell consumers they are s%it out of luck and build reasonable normally aspirated engines again. 2: 10,000 mile oil changes are unrealistic. 3,000 to 5,000 miles. 3. The EPA needs to lighten the F up. Gasoline engines are as clean as they are ever going to get without MAJOR sacrifices in reliability. Just stop. Let us have reliable gas engines again.
I have an '18 SI which has 73k which is stock and I have been very happy with the performance and mileage with zero issues whatsoever. That being said, I would recommend buyers look at the 2.0 NA engine with a manual versus the 1.5T if your looking for long-term reliability.
Yep. My dad has been looking into new Civics and I recommended to NA version sport touring. And you can still get a 6 speed standard trans with a 2.0 believe it or not even if it's not an SI. I think that started again this year.
You'll probably love this as well then. Someone was able to get an ecu adapter harness to work with something called MAXXECU mini. Which technically means know the k20c2 can technically be aftermarket turbocharged now. Though you would need to get a turbo kit.
We did, K20C2 2020 Civic Sport Sedan 6 speed manual. ,, Fuel mileage is amazing with 93 octane gasoline, We only run 93 octane 1/4 of the time when loading it down to the max payload Used once in a While to burn carbon out, Just my opinion as a Diesel technician, I also run OW20 boosted Amsoil even though it's Not turbo charged. None factory upgrades Morimoto XB led headlights smoked and full led taillights only problem with those taillights is backup lights Suck, So going to add led backup lights once I find something that doesn't look Stupid, Thar who lower control arm thing was What I have seen on FK8 Civics so no, The sport had steel arms just like the one that snapped off, I hate to see what else got bent up on that White Car You showed on a Short Video, So I did an oil change on Our 2020 sport today at 40,000 miles had to correct a few Mistakes I bad with this Post Yesterday🧐 😁.
I have a 2023 Honda Civic Si. My L15CA has been getting 2000 mile oil changes from the dealership and is fed 92 octane from Chevron in WA. the vehicle has 6,700 something miles when I last glanced at the odometer. I am aware my car is still young but thanks to videos like yours, I am keeping on my toes. I do drive the car hard because despite the downfall of this CA engine. It brings a smile to my face and I came from a 2018 Honda Civic LX with the K20C2 and a 6 speed manual. That car also made me smile but the Si does a better job at it!
Hey man I hear ya, cars are meant to be driven. Your doing all you can do, if it fails it wasn’t due to lack of you trying to maintain and do the right thing. No reason you shouldn’t be able to enjoy the full powerband of fun. Thanks for sharing your honest experience.
You can go farther without oil changes simply because they use full synthetic oil my dealership said every 5k on a 14 accord. At 2k the oil life on mine is at 80 percent. To each is own for sure but should save you some money best of luck.
I have a ‘21 Accord Touring 2.0T with 21k miles on it currently. After watching one of your videos, I switched from using 87 octane to top tier 93 octane about 6 months ago. Not sure I can tell any seat of the pants difference but it sure does run well. I love the 2.0T engine. I wouldn’t own the 1.5T but I understand why many people do.
@@BCautosolutions Would you mind answering a simple maintenance question? At what mileage interval should I have the transmission serviced and coolant replaced on my 2.0T?
People think no extra power means no benefits, what they fail to realize is a properly running non detonating engine is what they should be focusing on.
Ford had the same issues with the 1.5 1.6 and 2.0 EcoBoost engines. Ford ended up with a new block design w/o these grooves also because of a much thicker material between the cylinders.
My wife has a 2020 CR-V 1.5T and we will absolutely start using Premium fuel all the time now. The last thing we need is a blown head gasket. I also regularly change the oil with full synthetic and plan on doing the 1st CVT fluid change at 30k miles.
@@BCautosolutions Thanks I've been on top of maintenance but I just filled with Premium fuel for the 1st time at 30k miles. Hopefully damage hasn't already been done. We are honestly debating on just trading the CR-V for a Pilot.
If my memory serves me right, the eco boost (ford) had a similar design and same head gasket failures, which they have now changed the manufacturing and instead have a small drilled hole instead of the groove. As to why Honda went this route is beyond me. They aren’t known to cut corners and as such would think they would spend the extra to negate head gasket failures.
@@BCautosolutions thanks for the great write-up..I, too, am a Honda Tech (since 1976..) small dealership,....we have not seen many yet,....its very informative to hear from techs at larger shops.....I do, however, and have, recommended the N/A 2.0 to friends buying the Civic, or CRV, over the 1.5
I have the 2023 Honda Accord EX (1.5T) and the owner's manual recommends 87+ octane or higher. I looked up the Acura Integra 1.5T and they recommend 91+ octane. Its the same engine! You're right premium fuel is the way to go.
I took a used 2021 Accord Touring 2.0L turbo home for a long weekend test drive this morning. Before I saw your video I had decided to purchase the car next Tuesday, primarily due to the much more supportive 12 way power driver's seat than the 12 way in my 2020 Accord EX 1.5L turbo. OOPZ. Also the electro magnetic shocks help both ride comfort and handling. Overall despite being white (meh) with a basic blACK interior (ugh) the car has impressed me very favorably after a long day of driving despite the drop in mpg: 31-32 in the 2.0 vs the 36+ I get with the 1.5. Both cars have a bit over 31K miles. My emphasis on the seat is due to a pinched nerve in my lower spine and a screwed up left hip replacement years ago. Both things leave me in pain-level varies-EVERY DAY 24/7. At any rate thanks for all the gr8 info on these cars and engines! :) DFO
Thank you for the post . I been waiting for this video for a while . I been using premium since I got my CPO 1.5T Accord . I been getting more gas mileage going premium .
Finally! Someone besides me knows the importance of putting a higher octane on import cars. Kudos to you bro, keep up the good work! I myself is also a Honda tech and believe me when I tell you that almost everyone at my work doesn’t know the difference of gas octanes and what they do for import engines.👍👍
People including techs have their heads up their behinds. Luckily a ton of the people watching this are looking for answers and se to get it so I’m happy about that!
@@name4754 If you drive the car easy, 87 should be fine...but I still wouldn't use it. If you are hooning the car around, spooling it up constantly then you should be running the higher octane. The harder you beat the engine, the more precise you need to be in the power stroke and having 93 in there is going to allow your car's EMC to manage the situation properly.
good to know.. been using 87 on my 1.5t sport for almost a year now. I haven't had any issues with the car but I have noticed while I'm in traffic the car begins to idle a bit rough, the rpms start bouncing from 500 to like 800rpms. I'll definitely be using premium from now on
Recently had to replace head gasket on a 2017 Honda Civic sport w/ 138k. Purchased new, highway driven daily. Regular oil changes and did only run 87 octane fuel. Experienced vibrating and misfires on all cylinders, coolant was low. $3800 for dealer to replace head gasket and all new injectors. Very disappointed as I’ve had other vehicles with higher mileage and no issues. Going on about 8k miles since replacement. I’m hoping for a lot more miles out of this car. Good video as potential buyers need to be aware.
I love this guys channel and everything he is addressing is very logical and fact based. I just wonder if he's going to get fired someday for shining a light on the poor engineering of the 1.5t 🤔 Seems like they could've just used better head studs. WTH?
2018 CRV...traded it in for my 2024 Hybrid....had 138,000 on it....a tech at the Dealership I traded it on bought it before it hit the floor. I used mid grade and changed my oil at 5,000, also had a catch can on it from 2019.....she is still going strong.
Typical signs of a blown head gasket on any car not just Honda: Oil mixed with coolant, boiling coolant in the reservoir, milky colored oil, white thick smoke from tailpipe, constant coolant overfilled reservoir while radiator keeps getting empty. However, the best procedure to detect a blown head gasket is a block tester. I had a 1988 Honda Civic 1.5L . I replaced the gasket and problem solved. It is recommended to replace cylinder head bolts as they are called "stretch bolts..." How to prevent blown head gasket? Keep your coolant clean and perform a coolant service every 30,000 miles. After coolant service, make sure no air pockets are trapped in coolant system. Purge any air out of system using a spill free funnel. If not available, start engine and rev up to 2500 RPM until both coolant fans kick in while squeezing upper coolant hose, allowing bubbles to travel to the surface of the radiator opening .you will see the air bubbles popping out as you squeeze hose. Make sure your heating system is all the way to hot but not on as to allow coolant circulation through the heater core.
I bought mine new 2021. Been using 93 octane. I had a 3rd gen TL before. I do a 60 mile commute and average 40 mpg. I am 40,000 miles. Thank you for the advice.
Part of the reason I bought a '16 Accord was because I just knew Honda would be going turbo and ditching the trusty K24. They usually don't let common engine issues like this persist for too long, hopefully that's the case here because the L15 is gonna be around for a while.
@@bikeman1x11 I have a 1.5T and live in N.J. The thing is I use my Civic for comuting 100 1 way! So 200 miles a day direct injection and a turbo works for me. I do my own oil changes and can say I do not smell much if any gas in my oil. However in the begining I did smell gas in my oil but that was a few years ago. My 1.5 T Civic ex has 140 miles and it's a 2020. I do not see any indicarion of coolant in my oil or low coolant or oil levels, so far. I do drive my car fast with 98% highway miles.
Ford had the same design coolant relief cut between the cylinders and was cracking the block. They had to redesign the coolant passage in the block and it fixed the coolant intrusion. Sounds like a redesign is in order!
First! Finally see you! Mine 21 civic has 12K miles and I am going to put 93 octane from now. Turn on Eco mode to lower the boost. I think CRV and Accord have a much higher chance of getting Head gasket Leak!
2 videos I’d like to see, the 07-11 crv frame rust recall and the 2.4 start up rattle. The differences between the newer GDI engines with bad chain tensioner and the older engines with bad VTC actuators. Thanks!
@@neilquinnthe frame recall is an inspection of the rear trailing arm front mounting bolts. If the bolts are removed successfully then a bracket kit is installed to act as a catch for when the frame inevitably rots out and lets go. It’s just a safety catch. If the bolts fail to come out or just spin meaning the welded nut in the frame let go of the frame then further inspection is required with a borescope and Honda will be contacted, this will usually end in a vehicle buy back.
@@NitroxSkaterxChannel Any idea what buyback prices are like? Is it a good deal for consumer? My parents' 2008 AWD LX model with 120k miles KBB says is worth maybe 6-7k private party
I wonder about start up rattle too. Got a ‘16 accord 2.4 sport, change the oil every 3-4k miles, it’s never low on oil. But I continue to get obnoxious rattle on cold starts.
We’ve seen this a few times also (San Antonio, TX) but not too often. Appreciate the input and actually makes a lot of sense. Will be curious to see if Honda comes out with a S.B. on them and how bad we’ll get plugged in the back side on the labor they’re willing to pay.
I had a 1993 accord and for 10 years I had no problems just maintenance it was the perfect car back then I've been driving Honda since then NOW it's embarrassing having all these issues and they're not cheap to buy them that's why I lease them and return them cause all the problems they have 😊
Considered buying a new SI but with this issue plus the mark ups I ended up getting a used ES 350 I ran across at the Lexus dealership one day. Haven't regretted my decision, its not as fun but its way more comfortable and will last forever.
2018 Honda Accord EX-L 1.5 73,300 miles (I'm from JERSEY TOO :D). Just came back from the dealer. Started with christmas tree lights (every warning light) going off in the car. Thought it was a bad battery, bought a battery wasn't that. Misfire on cylinder 3. Blown head gasket with a possible leak or deformed engine. They recommend buying a new engine at a cost of around $10,000.00. Went down an internet rabbit hole and it seems that the problem is quite major with thousands of posts all over the internet. The problem is believed to be making the engine more emissions-friendly to deal with government ratings; what they didn't foresee was the gaskets couldn't take the pressure. I contacted Honda GoodWill and seeing what they say, I'm not holding my breath. I've owned 1998 Honda Civic, 2009 Honda Civic, 2013 Honda Accord, 2016 Honda Accord, and 2018 Honda Accord...it's looking like this will be my families FINAL Honda.
Same exact problem for my sister's 2018 Accord at about the same milage, just daily driven no racing, made it just past warranty, Honda is considering if they extend warranty coverage because it's a design defect, we shall see. 15 hours labor and $5000 to fix the car and even after they fix it, everybody knows it's a defective design and will fail again so gonna be hard to sell it.
I’ve been working at a dealership 5 years. Up until about a year ago we saw few head gasket failures. Just the last month I’ve had 3. Still not many across the shop though. Apart from the head gaskets and regular bad injectors though, the 1.5 isn’t seeming super problematic.
I'm changing my injectors on my 1.5. I like the car but I'm also aware anything mechanical with electronics is going to have its problems. But so far no signs of a blown headgasket at 123000 miles.
I was looking at purchasing at 2001 LX with 58K. How can check for this issue? Take it to a mechanic and have him pull the entire thing apart? That would suck if I bought it then had this issue! Thanks
@@Whitesp44a mechanic could check pretty easily without tearing a lot down. Should charge less than an hour labor. But that can’t predict if the head gasket will fail in the future.
I appreciate your willingness to do these videos brother…thank you. How many labor hours does it typically take to replace a head gasket in a 2018 Honda crv 1.5t that has never over heated, no visible leaks, or symptoms. Just refilling the coolant overflow reservoir by 1/2 every 5 months and I think the head gasket leak just started.
Steel seal fixed the beginning of the head gasket leak in my 2018 Honda CRV 1.5. So f it has been a good temp fix. I will never buy the 1.5 turbo again. Might buy the new crv hybrid
I started running 93 octane at 30,000 miles in my 21 accord sport. I was running it a some of the time before that but when we had $6.00 a gallon fuel I stopped. I check the oil and coolant once a week. I put a piece of tape on the coolant reservoir to keep an eye on the coolant. Also I never drive like I stole it and drive it like an old lady. The 1.5t is a good running engine with lots of power when it’s not broken.
“The Federal Trade Commission recommends using regular gasoline for most standard cars and notes that: "In most cases, using a higher octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage, or run cleaner."
Heavier car, boosted tiny motor, results can be anticipated. Manufacturer evidently didn’t bother to clamp the head accordingly, didn’t beef up the supporting systems (cooling). Run!
Hopefully they would have resolved this issue in the new generation accords and civics , Hondas reputation could be on the line if these kind of issues persist. For example look at nissan they've been using the same crappy unreliable cvts for decades now and still haven't learned their lesson.
2018 Honda Accord 1.5 owner here. Head gasket issues are real. First replacement 97k Second (currently) replacing at 165k I bought the vehicle with the intention of high mileage. It is in the shop for the replacement and will be asking about the aftermarket head studs. I drive normal, run 93 regularly. Hopefully these suggestions will help it last longer. I don’t want to go through a 3rd round!
Thanks for sharing! Make sure to check out today’s video on this exact subject as well. 7 pm eastern. Also please report back with updates on your car with the head studs.
Owned my 2018 Civic EXT for over five years (bought new). Currently at 163,700 miles averaging 36 mpg. No tune. No mods. All stock. I only use Shell Premium 93 Octane for the highest detergent (purportedly) to mitigate carbon deposits. I never drive hard. I rarely exceed 4k rpm. I rarely take short trips. I change the oil/filter every 4,000-4,500 miles. My goal is to get at least 300k miles without major repair to the engine, turbo, or transmission. Fingers crossed.
The high detergent will do nothing for carbon deposits. DI engines don't spray on the valves where the build up occurs. It's like drinking lots of water to stay hydrated and missing your mouth and throwing the water over your shoulder. The best thing you can do is the Italian tune up. Get the valves hot so it burns it off. Most importantly just don't plan on keeping a DI car for a long time. Lease it, get your 30K and get rid of it.
@@BCautosolutions Well, it happened. I just hit 197,000 miles and noticed overheating issues. I was praying it was just a relay, fuse, or fan assembly but the radiator fluid was leaking into the valves. Looks like the head gasket is compromised. Even after babying my 2018 Civic EXT for six years, the head gasket is failing. My next car will be a Toyota.
@@BCautosolutions2017 Honda hatch lx, Ktuner on 92,000 have had it since 85k. Only issue was ac compressor went out right after getting the car but got replaced by the old owner which I feel blessed. Also came with a Honda tech that does side work! So glad if anything happens I have him(:!
They had the same problem in 2.0 eco boost from ford, they changed it for the maverick and escape ect to a closed deck ,and it seemed like its solved the problem.
I am having a accord 2018 54000km filled up with basic gas twice….. i felt drop in initial pickup and engine sound increased …. And after i decided that never to fill up with cheap gas always filled up with mid or 2nd grade …. Always felt happy … engine sound smooth… and obviously got a good average aswell and after watching this video feeling proud that i m unintentionally using a good fuel on my car not have any issues so far
I can’t believe Honda is having an engine concern. The company has been so thorough with their vehicles!🤷♂️ Thanks for answering my question on how to prevent!👍
The power train worries aside, my fiancé's 2023 civic hatch already has annoying issues (warped brake rotors, side window rattle, TPMS lights that don't turn off, a sticky e-brake switch, hatch strut failure, sun visor just fell off, and paint chips. My 2021 Corolla hatch se 6spd hasn't had any problems. I think the crew who built her car partied the night before. 😢
@Hondamobilemechanic everything except the paint chips and TPMS light. They said, "Just drive it at 40 mph for 30 minutes, and the light should turn off." It did eventually, but it keeps happening. Luckily, the front brake rotors happened at 7k miles, so they were covered after resurfacing didn't work.
My 2017 Honda paint is coming right off down to the primer but first on plastic items like mirror and door knob. You must get documentation via a wrk order that states the issue. Don't even discuss it with the dumb advisor. Push it into technician to verify complaint.
check the settings in the infotainment. might have a like system or vehicle option. mine has a TPMS reset in there. dunno if they finally added in real TPMS sensors but the whole system is scuffed, was just using changes in how the wheel rotates to check
I too am a Honda fan, just sold my s2k..had 2 of them. Also, I am a Porsche lover, so the head gasket story brings back a story about the very early Porsche 935, race car. 2.1 litre, very high boost making 850 hp and blowing head gaskets. The engine was staying together in 12 and 24 hr races but they had to fix the head gasket problem....so, until they could figure a better way out they actually welded the head to the engine case....expensive but winning* races was more important....
such good knowledge. 175K and pretty sure the gasket has been leaking for 15k. It was low on coolant 6 months ago, 2 months ago it started misfiring. After replacing injectors and coils, it stopped for 3 weeks then did it again. Borescope in cylinder 2 showed the leak. New gasket next week.
Good job, 80% of what we see are CRV's... Rough idle on cold start with no misfire DTC yet and low coolant reservoir are the indicators early on in our experience as well. Pressure test and a bore-scope and yup its leaking. Only seen one Accord and no Civics...... yet. We put new ones every time with warranty or customer, there is a spec to measure and reuse but they may be stretched a different lengths so new ones all the time.. Thanks for the heads up on aftermarket studs. Honda says they are failing and the fix is a new gasket, they sell thousands and the failure rate according to them in acceptable, I personally think they will come out with a check and re-torque like they did with the 1.6 back in the 90's, but by then its already leaking.
@@BCautosolutions Northern Ontario, Canada. Most of what we sell up here are CRV, then lots of civic and few Accords, that might be why. I think the temp extremes cause issues to. It can be -30c, people will remote start twice to get what little heat these things generate into them, then blast up the hiway. The coolant gap is not helping either I think it causes to much expansion and contraction in that area making the head and the block just grind away the black dealing material on the gasket. It’s funny how the fail Gen civics (01-05) failed the same way in the same spot and the gasket looked the exact same way and they were NA, did a ton of those.
I bought a new 2018 Honda crv 1.5t that was made in Canada. It has 66k miles on it now and I have been topping off the coolant with no visible leak anywhere or no other symptoms. I did a blue liquid block test and the blue liquid turned a blueish green or navy teal. Not sure if that means the head gasket needs to be replaced. Any idea how much a head gasket replacement cost at Honda compared to Honda rebuilding the engine
The word 'phenomenal' is reserved for Honda's J series engine. I personally own a 2003 Accord V6 equipped with the J30A4 engine, that is a phenomenal engine. Hopefully I can buy the 2008 Accord V6 (J35Z2) in the future. Anyway great video & explanation.
J series definitely up there are far as reliability with the exception of a few years that were really caused by horrible maintenance imo. Thanks for watching
@@ericrotermund1004 I guess it really does depend. Ask anyone with a TL before an 07. I would bet it's 50/50. To anyone reading, USE oem fluids and install a transmission cooler.
Owned several Accords since 1996 including an 07 3.0Land 15 2.4L now. Your video has convinced me to avoid a new 1.5L Accord. Now I would only consider the 2.0L hybrid or buy a Camry. It seems clear Honda engineers have not figured out the 1.5T. Wonder if they ever will.
Ride or die, I’ll keep buying Honda products as long as I’m alive. They have plenty of great products and occasionally a few misses like any other manufacture.
@@BCautosolutions: I couldn’t agree more. Every morning heading off to work, I’m proud to own a Honda Accord Touring. They got that car right. Occasionally they do misstep but compared to other competitors, they usually get it right most of the time.
I have a 19 coupe ex-t L15B7. I've owned since new, ONLY run 93 , fuel injector cleaner every oil change. Castrol 0w20 , Honda OEM filter. Change my oil every 3500 miles. I know...that's probably overkill with the oil, just an old habit. Never get in and just go during winter. Always let things warm up. Even if I'm only taking a short trip I let it get to temp. Atleast 2x a week I'm looking under the hood to make sure everything is good. I'm at 50,000 miles now, and have been doing this since brand new. I wish I had known about the L15's prior to buying the car. I would have , SHOULD have found a clean 8th or 9th gen SI and turbo'd that. I just fell in love with the design of the 10th gen coupes. Imo they just look badass , sleek, and modern. Although now it's becoming a bit dated, but that's ok. I plan on keeping my car forever either way. That's why I fluid film black the chassis every year, and keep the paint super clean and protected. I keep damp rid containers in the car. One in the trunk, and one in the main cabin. I also toss a few of those anti moisture packets in the spare tire area. Keep the engine bay clean, use all season mats so water doesn't soak into the carpets and rust out those areas. Hopefully I can find a winter beater for next year. Im torn between just the basic OTS tune from hondata, or just leave it alone. My plan is to head south anyway and find a rust free 1990-1993 Accord coupe, an eg hatch, or an ek hatch and have that be my project fun car. Leave my 19 as a DD and just keep it clean. Why do people say the B7 is better than the BA anyway? How different are the two?
Awesome job and hopefully your aggressive approach serves you well. From what I know most of the differences between the L series are usually in the head, turbos, compression, etc.
53k miles now on 2020 fk7 ex. has been modded for the past 30k miles. stage 3 FBO 27won turbo e85 tune. still on OEM gasket and headstuds. no issues so far. however I will probably be getting the headstuds for peace of mind and new gasket regardless if its blown.
17 crv kept in meticulous condition using 91 octane . Head gasket at 50k. All the usual symptoms. Dealer said it was a bad radiator cap. Dealer bought the car back. We bought a Lexus. Problem solved.
Excellent failure analysis , just one or two more twists . Head bolts factor is not because what it seems to be as you played it out . But rather these bolts reacting to the abnormal change in thermal loads due to the software updates while using the wrong fuel and or oil 😮that these engines got 2018 onward to mitigate the fuel /oil dilution . That dilution could also influence the cylinder pressure . One way to shed some light on this issue is to check the live data under various loads while using high octane fuel vs low octane in term of timing and fuel / air ratios . Once you see timing still being pulled back when using high octane fuel you will know that there are fuel oil dilution . So frequent oil change and use the proper oil Are the keys As and using the wrong oil will lead to more LSPI events which is the root cause of excessive cylinder pressure variations .
Hey man, another very informative vid. Have you considered the idea that the climate you live in may have a huge part in this specific problem being so prevalent? I work in south Texas and since working at Honda I haven’t seen a single problem with the heads on this motor. Could it be because people drive the cars super hard early in the morning before the car has fully warmed up? Lmk what you think
Hey man, yes that’s definitely a possibility. That’s pretty incredible that you haven’t had not 1 yet. I’m in contact with a decent amount of techs across the country and we are all generally seeing an uptick.
@@Monstertrollerkid Oh nice! Same here. Never thought I would see someone from here in the comments. I'm honestly afraid for my sister's Accord 1.5 - I just want to install the new aftermarket cylinder head bolts that hondamobilemechanic mentioned. Are you working at any of the dealerships down here?
Own a 2022 Honda Accord Sport 1.5T. I have 131K miles on it. Traveled a ton on highway for work and did the routine maintenance as usual. Had misfires happening, and all check warning lights appear on dash. Brought it into Honda and was told that the head bolts and gasket would need to be replaced. Drove 110K miles in two years. Today's Date 8.6.24
I have a 2018 CRV and a 2020 Pilot. I am planning to sell the Pilot and keep the CRV but this issue with the gaskets (I just learned about it in this video) and the oil dilution issues on the 1.5L turbo have me worried. My question is, if honda is aware of all of these issues, why are they doubling down on installing the 1.5L on all CRVs and Civics? My understanding is that the LX trims still had the 2.0 L NA. Honda’s decision to expand use of the 1.5LT suggests that the failure rates are too low to be of concern to Honda or the failures are expected to occur long after the warranties are expired and at mileages so high that it would not appear to be unexpected. What do you think?
It's the absence of a temperature gauge in models that come with the engine. All you get is a warning light that comes on when approaching overheating temperatures, by the time you have been warned it's usually too late and you get an overheat. The overheat damages the head gasket, or at the very least, a near overheat will weaken the gasket integrity. Easiest solution without installing a separate temp gauge is simply getting an aftermarket plug and play heads up display, they all have temperature readings straight from the car computer.
I have a 2018 accord 1.5T, just had the fuel injectors replaced. now getting cold air blowing through the vents with a warmed up car. thank you for this video.
@@BCautosolutions yes had the good fortune of buying extended warranty when purchasing the lease. tech recommended changing timing chain, total bill $4k, total out of pocket $400
Thank you I think your assessment is spot on. I enjoyed your video and the information that you share with me. I will use it accordingly. Thank you again.
They’re blowing because people are boosting above 25psi. I’ve done it 3 times. This last time I replaced the head gasket and have turned the boost down to 18psi. I’ve been driving hard as hell since February and no blown gasket.
Mine is at Honda right. Now. For head gaskets. 2018 Accord 1.5T with 88k. Injectors were done at 50k, on the 4th battery, and door actuators replaced. Bought this car with 8K on it and well maintained. So much for the reliability I was expecting from my first Honda.
You're welcome. My first symptoms were brief, intermittent rough idle at start. Initially, Honda just did a PCV tube but I knew it was still a bit off. Then I noticed a slight drop in coolant and a bubbling noise under the dash. Got a scanner and isolated my misfires. Going to trade this in as much as I loved it and going with something else!
Wow just now seeing this. I'm at 65K on my 2018 Accord 1.5T CVT. My coolant level is full, been that way since new. I do regular oil changes with full Pennzoil Ultra Platinum synthetic...but have been running 87 octane since new. I'll switch to 93oct today LOL. It's my daily driver, I don't drive it like a ragged drag racer.
My mom had a '92 Civic, stick... got about 40-50 mi./gal, no joke. That thing always ran like a dream, nice clutch, with solid design principles, and solid materials, incredibly resilient. It's basically the type of product which had the BIG-3 on corporate welfare. I feel like Honda needs to step-back a little, take a breath, and revisit some tried-and-true, common-sense, design concepts. I've had problems with my pickup, very silly problems which shouldn't exist over decades of trial-and-error; we also had a Clarity which was... problematic, and got lower mileage than the '93 Civic. That's just silly. And it's not just Honda over-engineering themselves into a stock sell-off... the new Tundra... what a mess. Maybe it's just stupid consumerism... no one knows how, or cares to learn, to drive a stick anymore.
yep simple reliable cars were what built the their reputation. stick shift has nothing to do with it- auto transmissions have become efficient and reliable no need for a stick
@@bikeman1x11 manual gears are cheaper more reliable lighter. People are just dumb and lazy. How many original transmission automatic cars out there with 400k on the clock? Not many. Manuals ? There are way way way way more. A manual trans can be built cheaply that will last 2million miles easy.
Yeah, I LOVE my 21 Honda Passport. I am close to getting rid of my 2012 Chev Cruze and would love a small Honda but honestly there is no way I going to buy that 2015 turbo motor, I'm not convinced on CVT's either but the Hondas do seem to be doing OK.
Thanks for the video. I own a 2018 1.5t accord sport. I’ve had no issues with the car. Always have the required maintenance done as scheduled and have using 87octane every fill up. Without warning, at just shy of 74k miles we had a rough start. Within a week the engine shook violently on cold start and every sensor/warning came up on the dash. Took it to Honda. “Failing head gasket,” was their diagnosis. They want $4500 out the door. I’ve researched and have seen so many other people saying the same thing about their ‘18 1.5t as well. What should I do now? I feel like I can’t trust the car, even if it’s repaired, to not have issues further down the line. Honda has to be aware, but aren’t going to do anything unless there’s enough people screaming about it. I need advice though, what should I do? I mean, I can’t speak for everyone but I don’t just have $4500 laying around. Is there anything I can do?
You’re in a tough spot and is very understandable. I would reach out to Honda see if they can help you especially if you have great maintenance records.
The si is a manual. You tend to apply the accelerator more towards the higher revs. This seems to me more to do with people pushing it in eco mode in an automatic and just making heat. Premium gas would help, but if you know you always expect more, keep it in sport mode. Lately, car manufacturers have been trying to hit peak boost earlier. For instance, the mazda 2.5 turbo hit peak boost at 1200 rpm. But its not that bad because its in a bigger motor.
Finally a explanation on the 1.5 i have a question i am looking to buy a accord between a 2021 to a 2023, now knowing what you know what year do you recommend and should i go with the 2.0 to avoid this problems? Also if i don't want a turbo engine what is the best year and what motor for a non turbo 4 cylinder accord? I hope you can answer this it will definitely help on my decision. Thank you so much.
Hey thanks for the comment. So I would either get a 18-22 2.0t or 23 hybrid. I would definitely not purchase a 1.5t in either generation for myself. Hope this helps
@Hondamobilemechanic ok so the 18 to 22 accord has the option to get it with a non turbo engine or you just recommending the 2.0 on those years? Also the 23 hybrid, how long the electric motor last before start to cause issues and how expensive to fix/replace? And thank you for responding I wish technician were helpful like you, is so hard to find a mechanic that won't try to rip people off. Hope you can answer my questions. Have a great day.
@@sernani99 no, the 18-22 accords are all turbo but the 1.5t is problematic, the 2.0t is very solid both engine and trans. The 23+ also have the 1.5t but also come 2.0 non turbo hybrid. We have not seen any issues from the previous gen accords and crv hybrids and I don’t anticipate that changing. I’ve seen plenty with 200k+. Buy with confidence, the hybrid that is.
History repeating itself (rash of head gasket failures). Back in the 1980s (when aluminum heads with Iron blocks became common) there was another rash of head gaskets failures (Mopars, Mazdas, Cadillacs, Fords, VWs, diesels and more) but most people junked the cars since the typical life of cars was 100k miles, and to put an expensive repair on an 70k car was not worth it. (now the cause is turbos on little engines)
@@BCautosolutionsthat’s why I bought a vehicle that doesn’t have a turbo engine and just uses regular octane 87. However, 5k oil changes are still the way to go for most vehicles
Regardless of defective fuel injectors or bad head gaskets, on average what kind of long term mileage can these 2017+ 1.5L stock engines achieve before becoming a paperweight? 150k, 175k, 200k? Assuming that so so regular maintenance has been done. Thanks for the informative video! -Glen
I know Honda made some internal changes to the 1.5 starting in Model year 23. Crank ,oil pan , turbo have been re worked. I can tell at least in the CRV- Smoother quieter more refined. Do you think the HG issue will still exist?
2023 A-Spec Integra owner here. My car gets nothing but ethanol free 91 or 93 fuel, and regular oil changes. It runs great, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any irregularities. It's currently stock and I only plan on adding a better intercooler/piping and intake. Increased service intervals should be the standard for any small displacement high power output engine. I come from the Fiat world where my tuned 1.4 was cramming out 200 hp (26-30lbs of boost). Oil dilution was an issue, but more frequent oil changes really helped. And that engine just loved to be abused. The big failure point on those was the Multi-Air Unit, usually from folks not changing the filter screen in the head and waiting too long to change the oil.
@@BCautosolutionsReally appreciate these inputs from you buddy. quick question. my 18 accord ex-l is at 35k miles but its engine started sounding like old one at this mileage. Is that common? Nothing problem tho just the sound we get from car's engine when it ran too many miles. It all started when I put 4k miles in the previous month. Been taking your suggestions and switched to 93 octane tho. Please lmk your thoughts on this.
Interesting information sad to hear this long time Honda fan have owned 6 my newest is a 2010 in the market but concerned so many bad designs since 2012
Here in Saskatchewan, i have rarely seen headgasket failures. We do have however extreme cases of the fuel/oil mixing problems. The super cold weather then the blistering hot summers, combined with 10k KM service intervals. Ususally in the super cold (-35° - -40°C) is when we see this. Doing an oil change on a hot 1.5l in the winter months is similar to being on Splash mountain. Lots of engines failing due to oil filters coming apart. (Similar to the excessive camshaft noise warranty extension.) Keep up the good work! Love the videos - always cool to see what other honda techs are experiencing!
I dont blame Honda . Every year federal regulations for fuel economy and emissions get harder and harder to meet . And we as the consumers suffer. How can we go from the bullit proof B series , D series and K series ( original K series ) to this crap. Who wants a motor that everytime you get behind the wheel you gotta worry about premature catastrophic engine failure .
Having driven and owned Honda's for over 30 years within my family, we always use premium fuel. Normal fuel always "felt off" and i guess this is hard evidence why it does on specific Honda engines. My current car is a 1.5T, so am happy to continue my family's habits!
Waste of money to buy premium. I never will my 06 civic 205k 05 pilot 250k 04 accord 341k 03 accord 200k 99 accord 240k Have never seen premium fuel. They run fine everything else is broken But engines will not die. See the problem here don’t buy a new Honda
38 years of continuous Honda ownership in our family. Run on 91 RON (Australia) for the whole time. Approximate mileage across 4 vehicles, 550,000. Faults in that time: Suspected carburettor contamination in a 1985 Accord. Perished rear trailing arm bushes in a 1998 Civic. Vehicles always serviced according to manufacturer specifications. Vehicles always run on minimum RON fuel.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 "38 years of continuous Honda ownership in our family. Vehicles always run on minimum RON fuel." Premium unleaded is the minimum for all of the Type S, Type R, S2000, NSX etc vehicles. Premium petrol is probably required in a lot of the higher tuned Honda bikes too (bike engines usually tend to be higher specific output and higher rpm than car engines after all).
About to change mine on a 2018 1.5 Accord with 140K. It's misfiring and coolant dropping a bit. Going to go ahead and replace the injectors while I'm at it. Never buying a 1st gen model again and thinking really hard about getting another Honda. Looks like I'll be going Toyota next time.
That is going to be a MAJOR issue with those engines, just like the Ford 1.5. That head surface area isn't enough to seal. Fix will be new short blocks, like Ford😉
Our family has driven Hondas for years. I would consider a Honda hybrid, but nothing with the 1.5 L turbo. When I replaced my 10 year old CRV earlier this year, it was with a Toyota, for this reason.
The Ford tech mukaloco channel has a good explanation on the Ford turbos going from a closed deck in 2016 to open deck with the cross slots and now to a cross drilled design so the block gasket surface is continuous. Will Honda do the same 🤔
I worked at the dealer and rarely saw these engines with issues, unless someone was driving around with cooling system problems, usually because people put the incorrect coolant in, or run it dry. I have a 2017 and the car runs just reliable as the 2.0.
@@BCautosolutionsYes it is. 2017 CRV all maintenance done to a T. 72k head gasket went. Plugs and fuel injectors replaced too. 116k CVT trans went. Fluid was done every 30k. 117k head gasket has gone again and they say fuel injectors, it's at dealer right now for tear down! Honda quality has become crap!
Yesterday I went to a Honda showroom and I asked to meeting with their technicians and asked them if they had faced any issues with the 1.5t. Issues like oil dilution, carbon build up and blown head gasket. Both of the technicians who were there said they had never encountered such issues. The 1.5t is here in Saudi Arabia since 2018. I asked them because I'm eyeing a 2023 Honda ZR-V (confusingly called HR-V in the US) but I'm quite hesitant to pull the trigger on it due to issues I keep reading about online. Now I don't know if I believe those technicians 🧐
Well it could be that they haven’t seen it yet personally. Wasn’t aware the hrv or zrv there came with the 1.5t. Oil dilution is only in cold weather short trips.
Here in Dubai, they have hundreds of 1.5T cars that ran over 400k kms just with regular maintenance. I think fuel quality and climate is different in the US vs Middle East. We have better fuel, and warmer climates in the Middle East.
Your Honda videos are excellent . We communicated last week on scan tools. I have purchased the launch Honda only version. Should arrive today. Now what year civics could be affected? I know my daughter just purchased I believe a 2022 civic. I’ll find out the model and inform her about the issue. Much appreciated. I’ve been a follower I believe sine your channel was created. I’m out here on Long Island. Thanks for sharing your Honda knowledge. Artie 👍
I still have a slight interest in a ‘23 Accord EX. I have also read that the fuel injectors going bad prematurely is a problem, too. Do you think bad fuel injectors and blown head gaskets are pretty much a given to eventually happen in the 1.5t engine?
Imo, yes. Even if it happens later on in the engines life at let’s say 150k (which is atleast a reasonable fail period), I believe most of them will eventually suffer from failed injectors and blown head gaskets.
My civic 1.5t has 170k and had never had any crazy problems. It also was one of the last model years assembled in Canada so that may have to do with it. Only problem I’ve had is a wire splitting on the turbo solenoid from engine vibrations but it was an easy splice and fix. I also replaced my injectors at 160k because it wasn’t a hard job. There was carbon build up but nothing crazy probably because I drive like I stole it. I change my oil every 5k and cut fluid every 30k.
Thank you for making these vids and making people aware. All manufacturers make mistakes, just the unfortunate reality of production. its all about how they make it right to the peiple that buy em. You hear anything about the j30AC in the type S?
These Honda open deck blocks look just like Ford Focus block that put a groove between cylinders for cooling. Makes even less surface for head gasket sealing. Modern cars have cheap race engine for sales pitch, they are scrap at when they fail. Most serious race engines use a close deck block that provides better cylinder support, more head gasket surface sealing, more block beef for stronger head bolt clamping. Open deck block is fast cheap production, good enough for consumer $40k cars.
How difficult is it to remove and install the studs alone? Not the whole install but just the removal and torquing down the new ones. Id like to do it myself in the future but am worried about snapping one.
Does it make a difference how aggressive you drive? I know the turbo is 20psi, but if I'm rarely hitting over 2,500 rpms, would that in theory be less pressure in the cylinder against the gasket and bolts, compared to more spirited driving?
I only buy Honda for the last 30 years but my 2008 had issue with using oil and now my 2018 has these issues I can now look forward to, I’m done buying Honda
Spot on assessment. Blew the first head gasket at 12 months, and blew the replacement at 24 months on 19 si ethanol tuned. Then I used ARP head studs and cometic gasket and it's held for 31 months and counting. Car has had no other problems yet.
Sounds just about right.
@@BCautosolutions I currently drive a 2022 accord SE. Out of curiosity I decided to ask my Honda tech at my oil change appointment if he has seen 1.5T head gasket issues and he said they are bad engine. He does 1 to 2 head gasket replacement a week. He said it’s a good thing a got Honda care. It also said they are good cars but the head gasket problem is a weak area
@@dane940 he’s pretty much on the money about his assessment
@@BCautosolutions I think it is important I share this because some people still do not believe it is an issue. One to two a week is crazy. It is a shame because I really love my car. It is such a nice car. Honda really made a good looking car except the head gasket. I will be keeping since I got Honda care. After my Honda care expires, I will sell it and keep the money.
@@dane940 yeah it’s happening pretty wide spread from the amount of techs I talk to although some areas seem to not be having any at all, almost makes me wonder if the bucket is getting kicked down the road by techs or Mia diagnosing is going on. Honda care is 1000% worth it 👍🏻
Thank you for sharing. My 2018 Honda Accord with just 59k miles had its head gasket blown. The car has never been modified and I don't drive it hard. Had the misfire took it took Honda and they told me Cyl 4 failing test and that I needed a new set of fuel injectors not covered by warranty and Honda motor Corp would not help with the $1,593 repair bill. While I was waiting for the parts to be delivered my check engine light came on. I looked at the coolant it was empty, the oil looked weird. The dealer misdiagnosed my problem, it was a blown headgasket. This was my first Honda and it will be my last. I am out of the powertrain warranty by two months. Honda should be a shamed of themselves. To error is human to not take responsibility for the design flaw is shameful. I am going back to Toyota for good. Will vote with my dollars. Goodbye Honda!
How much did they want to do the head gasket?
Contact Honda Corporate. If your issue started when the car was under warranty, it has to be honored. You cannot be punished over a dealer's "misdiagnosis."
@@sarcasticundertones3513 the issue started 1 month after the 5 year warranty period. However the dealership felt bad that they had misdiagnosed the issue so they reached out to Honda Corp and were able to get them pick up the bill, thank God. I should have my car back this Friday. However the oil smelled like fuel so it has a dilution problem. I am going to sell the car and buy a Toyota.
@@robertpardo2034Since Honda Corp ended up picking up the bill he never gave me a quote. But an independent mechanic had quoted me $2,300 just for labor not counting the part nor if the head needed to be resurfaced. I think the entire bill would have been around $2,800 -$3,000. If I was going to keep the car I would have purchased the aftermarket bolts he was talking about in the video. It is a shame because I really like the car a lot but I just don't trust the engine and can't take the chance.
@@anthonyvelez7557that’s crazy, i’m having the same exact issue on my car but they said it’s fuel injectors… what can i get them to do to check if it’s head gasket
very informative, in brief
1. design problem
2. weak head bolts
3. knock or detonation
can cause issues
Yes, also not tipping off coolant accordingly
"In brief":
1. Too many consumer expectations of HP from tiny turbo engines. Car makers need to quit building them and tell consumers they are s%it out of luck and build reasonable normally aspirated engines again.
2: 10,000 mile oil changes are unrealistic. 3,000 to 5,000 miles.
3. The EPA needs to lighten the F up. Gasoline engines are as clean as they are ever going to get without MAJOR sacrifices in reliability. Just stop. Let us have reliable gas engines again.
Dear God i hope the 2024 has had some uogrades . I just got an lx , i really hope🥹🥹🥹
I have an '18 SI which has 73k which is stock and I have been very happy with the performance and mileage with zero issues whatsoever. That being said, I would recommend buyers look at the 2.0 NA engine with a manual versus the 1.5T if your looking for long-term reliability.
Yep. My dad has been looking into new Civics and I recommended to NA version sport touring. And you can still get a 6 speed standard trans with a 2.0 believe it or not even if it's not an SI. I think that started again this year.
@@intraterrestrial69 wise choice! port injection engine with honda manual.
What he said!!
@@zkmoonea It’s certainly not port injection.
@@intraterrestrial69 you are right, its 2.0 DI
I love my 2.0L N/A civic. Not once have I regretted my choice over the 1.5t
It’s a solid engine!
You'll probably love this as well then. Someone was able to get an ecu adapter harness to work with something called MAXXECU mini. Which technically means know the k20c2 can technically be aftermarket turbocharged now. Though you would need to get a turbo kit.
Nice. Did you get the manual?
We did, K20C2 2020 Civic Sport Sedan 6 speed manual. ,, Fuel mileage is amazing with 93 octane gasoline, We only run 93 octane 1/4 of the time when loading it down to the max payload Used once in a While to burn carbon out, Just my opinion as a Diesel technician, I also run OW20 boosted Amsoil even though it's Not turbo charged. None factory upgrades Morimoto XB led headlights smoked and full led taillights only problem with those taillights is backup lights Suck, So going to add led backup lights once I find something that doesn't look Stupid, Thar who lower control arm thing was What I have seen on FK8 Civics so no, The sport had steel arms just like the one that snapped off, I hate to see what else got bent up on that White Car You showed on a Short Video, So I did an oil change on Our 2020 sport today at 40,000 miles had to correct a few Mistakes I bad with this Post Yesterday🧐 😁.
@@loranger6447 sadly not. My girlfriend dislikes driving manual transmission, so I got a CVT
I have a 2023 Honda Civic Si. My L15CA has been getting 2000 mile oil changes from the dealership and is fed 92 octane from Chevron in WA. the vehicle has 6,700 something miles when I last glanced at the odometer. I am aware my car is still young but thanks to videos like yours, I am keeping on my toes. I do drive the car hard because despite the downfall of this CA engine. It brings a smile to my face and I came from a 2018 Honda Civic LX with the K20C2 and a 6 speed manual. That car also made me smile but the Si does a better job at it!
Hey man I hear ya, cars are meant to be driven. Your doing all you can do, if it fails it wasn’t due to lack of you trying to maintain and do the right thing. No reason you shouldn’t be able to enjoy the full powerband of fun. Thanks for sharing your honest experience.
Consider changing the oil at evert gas’s fill up.
@@georgeburns7251lol
You can go farther without oil changes simply because they use full synthetic oil my dealership said every 5k on a 14 accord. At 2k the oil life on mine is at 80 percent. To each is own for sure but should save you some money best of luck.
Cheaper just to buy a new engine than all that oil lol
I have a ‘21 Accord Touring 2.0T with 21k miles on it currently. After watching one of your videos, I switched from using 87 octane to top tier 93 octane about 6 months ago. Not sure I can tell any seat of the pants difference but it sure does run well. I love the 2.0T engine. I wouldn’t own the 1.5T but I understand why many people do.
Appreciate you sharing! Thanks
@@BCautosolutions Would you mind answering a simple maintenance question? At what mileage interval should I have the transmission serviced and coolant replaced on my 2.0T?
@@a32tl coolant 60k
Trans 30k
Thanks!@@BCautosolutions
The biggest difference is the fuel consumption , expect at least 50% more fuel usage with the 2.0 in other words 40mpg vs 27mpg
Ive been putting high octane for a while people said theres no benefits but im glad you give a legit one
People think no extra power means no benefits, what they fail to realize is a properly running non detonating engine is what they should be focusing on.
Ford had the same issues with the 1.5 1.6 and 2.0 EcoBoost engines. Ford ended up with a new block design w/o these grooves also because of a much thicker material between the cylinders.
Yep, I’ve heard that a few times already. Thanks for sharing 👍🏻
This design appears to have similar design faults. As he stated, a problem by design.
My wife has a 2020 CR-V 1.5T and we will absolutely start using Premium fuel all the time now. The last thing we need is a blown head gasket.
I also regularly change the oil with full synthetic and plan on doing the 1st CVT fluid change at 30k miles.
Awesome, I’m hoping for the best for you and your wife. 👍🏻
@@BCautosolutions Thanks I've been on top of maintenance but I just filled with Premium fuel for the 1st time at 30k miles. Hopefully damage hasn't already been done. We are honestly debating on just trading the CR-V for a Pilot.
@@bb2status crv hasn’t been as nearly affected as the accord although I’m all for upgrading to the pilot 💪🏼
Do it earlier and use AMS oil CVT Fluid. It helped dramatically, a lot smoother.
CVT? eugh, time for a new wife!
If my memory serves me right, the eco boost (ford) had a similar design and same head gasket failures, which they have now changed the manufacturing and instead have a small drilled hole instead of the groove. As to why Honda went this route is beyond me. They aren’t known to cut corners and as such would think they would spend the extra to negate head gasket failures.
Yup your spot on on your whole assessment.
Get one of these every week it seems like. Agreed on the groove being a factor and how inconsistent the head bolts torque down. Good video. 👍
Thank you! And stay busy 🙌
@@BCautosolutions thanks for the great write-up..I, too, am a Honda Tech (since 1976..) small dealership,....we have not seen many yet,....its very informative to hear from techs at larger shops.....I do, however, and have, recommended the N/A 2.0 to friends buying the Civic, or CRV, over the 1.5
I have the 2023 Honda Accord EX (1.5T) and the owner's manual recommends 87+ octane or higher. I looked up the Acura Integra 1.5T and they recommend 91+ octane. Its the same engine! You're right premium fuel is the way to go.
I took a used 2021 Accord Touring 2.0L turbo home for a long weekend test drive this morning. Before I saw your video I had decided to purchase the car next Tuesday, primarily due to the much more supportive 12 way power driver's seat than the 12 way in my 2020 Accord EX 1.5L turbo. OOPZ. Also the electro magnetic shocks help both ride comfort and handling. Overall despite being white (meh) with a basic blACK interior (ugh) the car has impressed me very favorably after a long day of driving despite the drop in mpg: 31-32 in the 2.0 vs the 36+ I get with the 1.5. Both cars have a bit over 31K miles.
My emphasis on the seat is due to a pinched nerve in my lower spine and a screwed up left hip replacement years ago. Both things leave me in pain-level varies-EVERY DAY 24/7. At any rate thanks for all the gr8 info on these cars and engines! :) DFO
Thanks for sharing
Thank you for the post . I been waiting for this video for a while . I been using premium since I got my CPO 1.5T Accord . I been getting more gas mileage going premium .
Awesome, best of luck with it 🙌
Finally! Someone besides me knows the importance of putting a higher octane on import cars. Kudos to you bro, keep up the good work! I myself is also a Honda tech and believe me when I tell you that almost everyone at my work doesn’t know the difference of gas octanes and what they do for import engines.👍👍
People including techs have their heads up their behinds. Luckily a ton of the people watching this are looking for answers and se to get it so I’m happy about that!
Everywhere i look it says the 2.0t is fine on 87 unleaded, should i be using premium?
@@name4754 If you drive the car easy, 87 should be fine...but I still wouldn't use it. If you are hooning the car around, spooling it up constantly then you should be running the higher octane. The harder you beat the engine, the more precise you need to be in the power stroke and having 93 in there is going to allow your car's EMC to manage the situation properly.
good to know.. been using 87 on my 1.5t sport for almost a year now. I haven't had any issues with the car but I have noticed while I'm in traffic the car begins to idle a bit rough, the rpms start bouncing from 500 to like 800rpms. I'll definitely be using premium from now on
and I also do uber eats.. I've driven this car 20k miles in 8 months lol still perfect
Recently had to replace head gasket on a 2017 Honda Civic sport w/ 138k. Purchased new, highway driven daily. Regular oil changes and did only run 87 octane fuel. Experienced vibrating and misfires on all cylinders, coolant was low. $3800 for dealer to replace head gasket and all new injectors. Very disappointed as I’ve had other vehicles with higher mileage and no issues. Going on about 8k miles since replacement. I’m hoping for a lot more miles out of this car. Good video as potential buyers need to be aware.
Appreciate your input.
Older cars are better NEW CARS ARE TRASH.
Jbh197 use premium fuel.
@@ericrotermund1004not necessarily, depending what you get
Are you also saying to go with 93 octane fuel for 1.5T?
I love this guys channel and everything he is addressing is very logical and fact based. I just wonder if he's going to get fired someday for shining a light on the poor engineering of the 1.5t 🤔 Seems like they could've just used better head studs. WTH?
Just stating what I’m seeing. Aftermarket head studs from factory will never be a thing. Thanks for watching
2018 CRV...traded it in for my 2024 Hybrid....had 138,000 on it....a tech at the Dealership I traded it on bought it before it hit the floor. I used mid grade and changed my oil at 5,000, also had a catch can on it from 2019.....she is still going strong.
Thanks for sharing and congrats on the new car 👍🏻
That’s good to hear. Hope we can get same result with my wife CRV.
Typical signs of a blown head gasket on any car not just Honda: Oil mixed with coolant, boiling coolant in the reservoir, milky colored oil, white thick smoke from tailpipe, constant coolant overfilled reservoir while radiator keeps getting empty. However, the best procedure to detect a blown head gasket is a block tester. I had a 1988 Honda Civic 1.5L . I replaced the gasket and problem solved. It is recommended to replace cylinder head bolts as they are called "stretch bolts..." How to prevent blown head gasket? Keep your coolant clean and perform a coolant service every 30,000 miles. After coolant service, make sure no air pockets are trapped in coolant system. Purge any air out of system using a spill free funnel. If not available, start engine and rev up to 2500 RPM until both coolant fans kick in while squeezing upper coolant hose, allowing bubbles to travel to the surface of the radiator opening .you will see the air bubbles popping out as you squeeze hose. Make sure your heating system is all the way to hot but not on as to allow coolant circulation through the heater core.
Just finished a head gasket job on my 19 accord. It had 101k miles on it. Hoping it’ll last at least another 60k
Nice job 👏
I bought mine new 2021. Been using 93 octane. I had a 3rd gen TL before.
I do a 60 mile commute and average 40 mpg. I am 40,000 miles. Thank you for the advice.
Thanks for watching
the TL was a way better car
I agree.
Part of the reason I bought a '16 Accord was because I just knew Honda would be going turbo and ditching the trusty K24. They usually don't let common engine issues like this persist for too long, hopefully that's the case here because the L15 is gonna be around for a while.
Good call and agreed.
theyre going to get a bad reputation witht he oil dilution and HG issues- my 98 integra runs like a top just a regular 4 banger
I did the same as well. Got the 2017 cuz I didn't want to deal with any turbo headaches
It's back to the d and b series of the 90's. K series going back to premium.
@@bikeman1x11
I have a 1.5T and live in N.J.
The thing is I use my Civic for comuting 100 1 way!
So 200 miles a day direct injection and a turbo works for me.
I do my own oil changes and can say I do not smell much if any gas in my oil.
However in the begining I did smell gas in my oil but that was a few years ago.
My 1.5 T Civic ex has 140 miles and it's a 2020.
I do not see any indicarion of coolant in my oil or low coolant or oil levels, so far.
I do drive my car fast with 98% highway miles.
Ford had the same design coolant relief cut between the cylinders and was cracking the block. They had to redesign the coolant passage in the block and it fixed the coolant intrusion. Sounds like a redesign is in order!
First! Finally see you!
Mine 21 civic has 12K miles and I am going to put 93 octane from now.
Turn on Eco mode to lower the boost.
I think CRV and Accord have a much higher chance of getting Head gasket Leak!
👍🏻👍🏻
2 videos I’d like to see, the 07-11 crv frame rust recall and the 2.4 start up rattle. The differences between the newer GDI engines with bad chain tensioner and the older engines with bad VTC actuators. Thanks!
I actually made a shirt yesterday of the Crv recall. The noises I’ll see if I can round up some parts and do a show and tell 👍🏻
Hmm my parents have an 08 crv in chicago area. How much/what does that frame recall cover?
@@neilquinnthe frame recall is an inspection of the rear trailing arm front mounting bolts. If the bolts are removed successfully then a bracket kit is installed to act as a catch for when the frame inevitably rots out and lets go. It’s just a safety catch. If the bolts fail to come out or just spin meaning the welded nut in the frame let go of the frame then further inspection is required with a borescope and Honda will be contacted, this will usually end in a vehicle buy back.
@@NitroxSkaterxChannel Any idea what buyback prices are like? Is it a good deal for consumer? My parents' 2008 AWD LX model with 120k miles KBB says is worth maybe 6-7k private party
I wonder about start up rattle too. Got a ‘16 accord 2.4 sport, change the oil every 3-4k miles, it’s never low on oil. But I continue to get obnoxious rattle on cold starts.
We’ve seen this a few times also (San Antonio, TX) but not too often. Appreciate the input and actually makes a lot of sense. Will be curious to see if Honda comes out with a S.B. on them and how bad we’ll get plugged in the back side on the labor they’re willing to pay.
If and when that happens, I can only imagine how much the tech will get the short end of the stick.
how bad we’ll get plugged in the back side on the labor they’re willing to pay (c)
amen, bro
I’ve been a Honda guy all my life. This is telling me I need to consider becoming a Toyota guy.
Gotta go what’s best for you 👍🏻
2018 Camry na 2.5 the best almost 70K
I have both, I’m leaning toward Toyota a little more but I wouldn’t buy anything outside of Honda or Toyota
@@hermanpeters549 73K now lol
I had a 1993 accord and for 10 years I had no problems just maintenance it was the perfect car back then I've been driving Honda since then NOW it's embarrassing having all these issues and they're not cheap to buy them that's why I lease them and return them cause all the problems they have 😊
Yeah I get it. The simple days are gone that’s for sure.
Considered buying a new SI but with this issue plus the mark ups I ended up getting a used ES 350 I ran across at the Lexus dealership one day. Haven't regretted my decision, its not as fun but its way more comfortable and will last forever.
Appreciate your input 👍🏻
It would be great to have everything in one car, but you'd end up like me with a minivan, sedan, SUV, and a Miata.
@@bobbyjohns1643 atleast you have options for all sorts of events 👏
2018 Honda Accord EX-L 1.5 73,300 miles (I'm from JERSEY TOO :D). Just came back from the dealer. Started with christmas tree lights (every warning light) going off in the car. Thought it was a bad battery, bought a battery wasn't that. Misfire on cylinder 3. Blown head gasket with a possible leak or deformed engine. They recommend buying a new engine at a cost of around $10,000.00. Went down an internet rabbit hole and it seems that the problem is quite major with thousands of posts all over the internet. The problem is believed to be making the engine more emissions-friendly to deal with government ratings; what they didn't foresee was the gaskets couldn't take the pressure. I contacted Honda GoodWill and seeing what they say, I'm not holding my breath. I've owned 1998 Honda Civic, 2009 Honda Civic, 2013 Honda Accord, 2016 Honda Accord, and 2018 Honda Accord...it's looking like this will be my families FINAL Honda.
Same exact problem for my sister's 2018 Accord at about the same milage, just daily driven no racing, made it just past warranty, Honda is considering if they extend warranty coverage because it's a design defect, we shall see. 15 hours labor and $5000 to fix the car and even after they fix it, everybody knows it's a defective design and will fail again so gonna be hard to sell it.
I’ve been working at a dealership 5 years. Up until about a year ago we saw few head gasket failures. Just the last month I’ve had 3. Still not many across the shop though. Apart from the head gaskets and regular bad injectors though, the 1.5 isn’t seeming super problematic.
I agree with you sir 🙌
I'm changing my injectors on my 1.5. I like the car but I'm also aware anything mechanical with electronics is going to have its problems. But so far no signs of a blown headgasket at 123000 miles.
I was looking at purchasing at 2001 LX with 58K. How can check for this issue? Take it to a mechanic and have him pull the entire thing apart? That would suck if I bought it then had this issue! Thanks
@@Whitesp44a mechanic could check pretty easily without tearing a lot down. Should charge less than an hour labor. But that can’t predict if the head gasket will fail in the future.
@@jamieharris74 Think I should stay away from the Accord all together? Yrs 2019-2022 As a used vehicle. Appreciate the responses.
I appreciate your willingness to do these videos brother…thank you. How many labor hours does it typically take to replace a head gasket in a 2018 Honda crv 1.5t that has never over heated, no visible leaks, or symptoms. Just refilling the coolant overflow reservoir by 1/2 every 5 months and I think the head gasket leak just started.
@@allensterling2941 takes me 6-8 uninterrupted hours
@@BCautosolutions thanks pal. I am still shocked this fucking head gasket is almost cooked after 66k miles and I baby it. Oh well.
@@allensterling2941 yeah it’s truly sad
Steel seal fixed the beginning of the head gasket leak in my 2018 Honda CRV 1.5. So f it has been a good temp fix. I will never buy the 1.5 turbo again. Might buy the new crv hybrid
I started running 93 octane at 30,000 miles in my 21 accord sport. I was running it a some of the time before that but when we had $6.00 a gallon fuel I stopped. I check the oil and coolant once a week. I put a piece of tape on the coolant reservoir to keep an eye on the coolant. Also I never drive like I stole it and drive it like an old lady. The 1.5t is a good running engine with lots of power when it’s not broken.
I agree, it’s great on power and torque that makes it more interesting to drive them previously. Keep up with the fuel, coolant, and maintenance 👍🏻👍🏻
“The Federal Trade Commission recommends using regular gasoline for most standard cars and notes that: "In most cases, using a higher octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage, or run cleaner."
Higher octane to reduce detonation because of design flaw. Nothing to do with cleaner or faster
Heavier car, boosted tiny motor, results can be anticipated. Manufacturer evidently didn’t bother to clamp the head accordingly, didn’t beef up the supporting systems (cooling). Run!
Lots of facts
Hopefully they would have resolved this issue in the new generation accords and civics , Hondas reputation could be on the line if these kind of issues persist. For example look at nissan they've been using the same crappy unreliable cvts for decades now and still haven't learned their lesson.
Only time will tell what happens here
2018 Honda Accord 1.5 owner here.
Head gasket issues are real.
First replacement 97k
Second (currently) replacing at 165k
I bought the vehicle with the intention of high mileage. It is in the shop for the replacement and will be asking about the aftermarket head studs. I drive normal, run 93 regularly. Hopefully these suggestions will help it last longer. I don’t want to go through a 3rd round!
Thanks for sharing! Make sure to check out today’s video on this exact subject as well. 7 pm eastern. Also please report back with updates on your car with the head studs.
howd it go after 6 months?
Owned my 2018 Civic EXT for over five years (bought new). Currently at 163,700 miles averaging 36 mpg. No tune. No mods. All stock.
I only use Shell Premium 93 Octane for the highest detergent (purportedly) to mitigate carbon deposits.
I never drive hard.
I rarely exceed 4k rpm.
I rarely take short trips.
I change the oil/filter every 4,000-4,500 miles.
My goal is to get at least 300k miles without major repair to the engine, turbo, or transmission. Fingers crossed.
Awesome, love to hear that. If you reach that milestone please report back 🫡
The high detergent will do nothing for carbon deposits. DI engines don't spray on the valves where the build up occurs. It's like drinking lots of water to stay hydrated and missing your mouth and throwing the water over your shoulder. The best thing you can do is the Italian tune up. Get the valves hot so it burns it off. Most importantly just don't plan on keeping a DI car for a long time. Lease it, get your 30K and get rid of it.
@@BCautosolutions
Well, it happened. I just hit 197,000 miles and noticed overheating issues. I was praying it was just a relay, fuse, or fan assembly but the radiator fluid was leaking into the valves. Looks like the head gasket is compromised. Even after babying my 2018 Civic EXT for six years, the head gasket is failing. My next car will be a Toyota.
@@txmoney sorry to hear…I appreciate the update.
2018 accord 1.5, Hondata tune. 105,000 miles. No issues. Wish I would have just done the 2.0. But I’m fortunate to have no issues.
Appreciate you sharing. What octane rating are you on?
@@BCautosolutions mostly run 87. But with the tune 93 makes a noticeable difference.
@@BCautosolutions2017 Honda hatch lx, Ktuner on 92,000 have had it since 85k. Only issue was ac compressor went out right after getting the car but got replaced by the old owner which I feel blessed. Also came with a Honda tech that does side work! So glad if anything happens I have him(:!
& funny enough I’ve been using 91 ever since I got the car. People say don’t it’s a base but I’m glad I did for my well being
@@UxGHyper thanks for sharing dude!
They had the same problem in 2.0 eco boost from ford, they changed it for the maverick and escape ect to a closed deck ,and it seemed like its solved the problem.
💯
I am having a accord 2018 54000km filled up with basic gas twice….. i felt drop in initial pickup and engine sound increased …. And after i decided that never to fill up with cheap gas always filled up with mid or 2nd grade …. Always felt happy … engine sound smooth… and obviously got a good average aswell and after watching this video feeling proud that i m unintentionally using a good fuel on my car not have any issues so far
👏
I can’t believe Honda is having an engine concern. The company has been so thorough with their vehicles!🤷♂️ Thanks for answering my question on how to prevent!👍
Yeah I know pretty hard to believe. Sad times
Ford had the same issue with the 2.0 ecoboost with that same kind of groove. They removed that groove on the block no more head gs issues.
This!
Sticking with my 1.8l 94 ls integra. Best era for honda/toyota
True story
The power train worries aside, my fiancé's 2023 civic hatch already has annoying issues (warped brake rotors, side window rattle, TPMS lights that don't turn off, a sticky e-brake switch, hatch strut failure, sun visor just fell off, and paint chips. My 2021 Corolla hatch se 6spd hasn't had any problems. I think the crew who built her car partied the night before. 😢
That’s unfortunate,’sorry to hear. Has dealer handled all the repairs correctly?
@Hondamobilemechanic everything except the paint chips and TPMS light. They said, "Just drive it at 40 mph for 30 minutes, and the light should turn off." It did eventually, but it keeps happening. Luckily, the front brake rotors happened at 7k miles, so they were covered after resurfacing didn't work.
My 2017 Honda paint is coming right off down to the primer but first on plastic items like mirror and door knob. You must get documentation via a wrk order that states the issue. Don't even discuss it with the dumb advisor. Push it into technician to verify complaint.
check the settings in the infotainment. might have a like system or vehicle option. mine has a TPMS reset in there. dunno if they finally added in real TPMS sensors but the whole system is scuffed, was just using changes in how the wheel rotates to check
Love the 2.4 in my Honda Accord Sport
Will Never get a turbocharged car. Oil Dilution and Head Gaskets prove me right again.
👏
I too am a Honda fan, just sold my s2k..had 2 of them. Also, I am a Porsche lover, so the head gasket story brings back a story about the very early Porsche 935, race car. 2.1 litre, very high boost making 850 hp and blowing head gaskets. The engine was staying together in 12 and 24 hr races but they had to fix the head gasket problem....so, until they could figure a better way out they actually welded the head to the engine case....expensive but winning* races was more important....
Thanks for sharing
such good knowledge. 175K and pretty sure the gasket has been leaking for 15k. It was low on coolant 6 months ago, 2 months ago it started misfiring. After replacing injectors and coils, it stopped for 3 weeks then did it again. Borescope in cylinder 2 showed the leak. New gasket next week.
Sorry to hear! Sounds like it went pretty solid for a while tho.
Great video. I drive naturally aspirated Honda and Toyota V-6 cars. I have no worries. Love the 3.5L engine made by both companies.
Awesome! Love to hear that. Thanks for the comment?
Good job, 80% of what we see are CRV's... Rough idle on cold start with no misfire DTC yet and low coolant reservoir are the indicators early on in our experience as well. Pressure test and a bore-scope and yup its leaking. Only seen one Accord and no Civics...... yet. We put new ones every time with warranty or customer, there is a spec to measure and reuse but they may be stretched a different lengths so new ones all the time.. Thanks for the heads up on aftermarket studs. Honda says they are failing and the fix is a new gasket, they sell thousands and the failure rate according to them in acceptable, I personally think they will come out with a check and re-torque like they did with the 1.6 back in the 90's, but by then its already leaking.
Appreciate the input, weird how you’re seeing Crv’s yet we are seeing majority accords. Where’s your location?
@@BCautosolutions Northern Ontario, Canada. Most of what we sell up here are CRV, then lots of civic and few Accords, that might be why. I think the temp extremes cause issues to. It can be -30c, people will remote start twice to get what little heat these things generate into them, then blast up the hiway. The coolant gap is not helping either I think it causes to much expansion and contraction in that area making the head and the block just grind away the black dealing material on the gasket. It’s funny how the fail Gen civics (01-05) failed the same way in the same spot and the gasket looked the exact same way and they were NA, did a ton of those.
@@MayhemCanuck yeah that makes sense for sure. appreciate you sharing!
My accord has this EXACT problem set
I bought a new 2018 Honda crv 1.5t that was made in Canada. It has 66k miles on it now and I have been topping off the coolant with no visible leak anywhere or no other symptoms. I did a blue liquid block test and the blue liquid turned a blueish green or navy teal. Not sure if that means the head gasket needs to be replaced.
Any idea how much a head gasket replacement cost at Honda compared to Honda rebuilding the engine
The word 'phenomenal' is reserved for Honda's J series engine.
I personally own a 2003 Accord V6 equipped with the J30A4 engine, that is a phenomenal engine.
Hopefully I can buy the 2008 Accord V6 (J35Z2) in the future.
Anyway great video & explanation.
J series definitely up there are far as reliability with the exception of a few years that were really caused by horrible maintenance imo. Thanks for watching
Transmission wise on the v6...not so much.
@@LarrySolimandepends we have one with 340k on it. Doesn’t shift great anymore but still works
@@ericrotermund1004 I guess it really does depend. Ask anyone with a TL before an 07. I would bet it's 50/50. To anyone reading, USE oem fluids and install a transmission cooler.
Owned several Accords since 1996 including an 07 3.0Land 15 2.4L now. Your video has convinced me to avoid a new 1.5L Accord. Now I would only consider the 2.0L hybrid or buy a Camry. It seems clear Honda engineers have not figured out the 1.5T. Wonder if they ever will.
Your assessment is on point.
Lots of bad head gaskets on accord hybrids as well
@@LiquidSm0ke Perhaps but anecdotes don't show the prevalence of the 1.5L.
Another great video. I myself and my best friend are unapologetically Honda Fan Boys as well.
Ride or die, I’ll keep buying Honda products as long as I’m alive. They have plenty of great products and occasionally a few misses like any other manufacture.
@@BCautosolutions: I couldn’t agree more. Every morning heading off to work, I’m proud to own a Honda Accord Touring. They got that car right. Occasionally they do misstep but compared to other competitors, they usually get it right most of the time.
@@JTreetop 💯
I have a 19 coupe ex-t L15B7. I've owned since new, ONLY run 93 , fuel injector cleaner every oil change. Castrol 0w20 , Honda OEM filter. Change my oil every 3500 miles. I know...that's probably overkill with the oil, just an old habit. Never get in and just go during winter. Always let things warm up. Even if I'm only taking a short trip I let it get to temp. Atleast 2x a week I'm looking under the hood to make sure everything is good. I'm at 50,000 miles now, and have been doing this since brand new. I wish I had known about the L15's prior to buying the car. I would have , SHOULD have found a clean 8th or 9th gen SI and turbo'd that. I just fell in love with the design of the 10th gen coupes. Imo they just look badass , sleek, and modern. Although now it's becoming a bit dated, but that's ok. I plan on keeping my car forever either way. That's why I fluid film black the chassis every year, and keep the paint super clean and protected. I keep damp rid containers in the car. One in the trunk, and one in the main cabin. I also toss a few of those anti moisture packets in the spare tire area. Keep the engine bay clean, use all season mats so water doesn't soak into the carpets and rust out those areas. Hopefully I can find a winter beater for next year. Im torn between just the basic OTS tune from hondata, or just leave it alone. My plan is to head south anyway and find a rust free 1990-1993 Accord coupe, an eg hatch, or an ek hatch and have that be my project fun car. Leave my 19 as a DD and just keep it clean. Why do people say the B7 is better than the BA anyway? How different are the two?
Awesome job and hopefully your aggressive approach serves you well. From what I know most of the differences between the L series are usually in the head, turbos, compression, etc.
I'm keeping my 16 accord sport 6mt for a lot longer than i thought I would. They can keep the turbo cvts.
🫡
53k miles now on 2020 fk7 ex. has been modded for the past 30k miles. stage 3 FBO 27won turbo e85 tune. still on OEM gasket and headstuds. no issues so far. however I will probably be getting the headstuds for peace of mind and new gasket regardless if its blown.
Thanks for sharing, I’m sure its coming at some point. Best of luck 👍🏻
17 crv kept in meticulous condition using 91 octane . Head gasket at 50k. All the usual symptoms. Dealer said it was a bad radiator cap. Dealer bought the car back. We bought a Lexus. Problem solved.
Bad radiator cap 🤣.
Excellent failure analysis , just one or two more twists . Head bolts factor is not because what it seems to be as you played it out . But rather these bolts reacting to the abnormal change in thermal loads due to the software updates while using the wrong fuel and or oil 😮that these engines got 2018 onward to mitigate the fuel /oil dilution . That dilution could also influence the cylinder pressure . One way to shed some light on this issue is to check the live data under various loads while using high octane fuel vs low octane in term of timing and fuel / air ratios . Once you see timing still being pulled back when using high octane fuel you will know that there are fuel oil dilution . So frequent oil change and use the proper oil Are the keys As and using the wrong oil will lead to more LSPI events which is the root cause of excessive cylinder pressure variations .
🫡✅
Hey man, another very informative vid. Have you considered the idea that the climate you live in may have a huge part in this specific problem being so prevalent? I work in south Texas and since working at Honda I haven’t seen a single problem with the heads on this motor. Could it be because people drive the cars super hard early in the morning before the car has fully warmed up? Lmk what you think
Hey man, yes that’s definitely a possibility. That’s pretty incredible that you haven’t had not 1 yet. I’m in contact with a decent amount of techs across the country and we are all generally seeing an uptick.
Are you from the RGV by chance?
@@kevinabraham2029 yessir
@@Monstertrollerkid Oh nice! Same here. Never thought I would see someone from here in the comments.
I'm honestly afraid for my sister's Accord 1.5 - I just want to install the new aftermarket cylinder head bolts that hondamobilemechanic mentioned. Are you working at any of the dealerships down here?
@@kevinabraham2029 yes I work at Brownsville Honda
Own a 2022 Honda Accord Sport 1.5T. I have 131K miles on it. Traveled a ton on highway for work and did the routine maintenance as usual. Had misfires happening, and all check warning lights appear on dash. Brought it into Honda and was told that the head bolts and gasket would need to be replaced. Drove 110K miles in two years. Today's Date 8.6.24
@@hunterdooley5641 wow that’s a lot of miles. Did you go a head with the repair? How was your experience?
I have a 2018 CRV and a 2020 Pilot. I am planning to sell the Pilot and keep the CRV but this issue with the gaskets (I just learned about it in this video) and the oil dilution issues on the 1.5L turbo have me worried. My question is, if honda is aware of all of these issues, why are they doubling down on installing the 1.5L on all CRVs and Civics? My understanding is that the LX trims still had the 2.0 L NA. Honda’s decision to expand use of the 1.5LT suggests that the failure rates are too low to be of concern to Honda or the failures are expected to occur long after the warranties are expired and at mileages so high that it would not appear to be unexpected. What do you think?
Could be isolated pockets of incidents would be my only assumption here. I only report what I personally see here at my dealer
It's the absence of a temperature gauge in models that come with the engine. All you get is a warning light that comes on when approaching overheating temperatures, by the time you have been warned it's usually too late and you get an overheat. The overheat damages the head gasket, or at the very least, a near overheat will weaken the gasket integrity. Easiest solution without installing a separate temp gauge is simply getting an aftermarket plug and play heads up display, they all have temperature readings straight from the car computer.
The accord (most failed head gasket) has a temp gauge and it literally never overheats.
I have a 2018 accord 1.5T, just had the fuel injectors replaced. now getting cold air blowing through the vents with a warmed up car. thank you for this video.
Yup, sounds about right unfortunately
Took the car in, and sure enough, head gasket it is
@@basohbas ugh. Hopefully have some coverage?
@@BCautosolutions yes had the good fortune of buying extended warranty when purchasing the lease. tech recommended changing timing chain, total bill $4k, total out of pocket $400
Thank you I think your assessment is spot on. I enjoyed your video and the information that you share with me. I will use it accordingly. Thank you again.
Thanks for watching and best of luck
They’re blowing because people are boosting above 25psi. I’ve done it 3 times. This last time I replaced the head gasket and have turned the boost down to 18psi. I’ve been driving hard as hell since February and no blown gasket.
These are all stock cars but yes increasing psi target will only accelerate the process
Mine is at Honda right. Now. For head gaskets. 2018 Accord 1.5T with 88k. Injectors were done at 50k, on the 4th battery, and door actuators replaced. Bought this car with 8K on it and well maintained. So much for the reliability I was expecting from my first Honda.
Sorry to hear and thanks for sharing.
You're welcome. My first symptoms were brief, intermittent rough idle at start. Initially, Honda just did a PCV tube but I knew it was still a bit off. Then I noticed a slight drop in coolant and a bubbling noise under the dash. Got a scanner and isolated my misfires. Going to trade this in as much as I loved it and going with something else!
@@janisiverson9944 you were more thorough then some of these techs in the field. Nice job and sorry to hear.
Wow just now seeing this. I'm at 65K on my 2018 Accord 1.5T CVT. My coolant level is full, been that way since new. I do regular oil changes with full Pennzoil Ultra Platinum synthetic...but have been running 87 octane since new. I'll switch to 93oct today LOL. It's my daily driver, I don't drive it like a ragged drag racer.
Nice job with the maintenance 👍🏻
@@BCautosolutionsI just bought a 2018 accord 1.5t with 46k miles traded my 2014 with 240k miles miles hope mines last a long time
Ford had a similar problem with their 1.5L as well. A small redesign of the block to remove that groove solved the problem.
Ding ding ding 👏
My mom had a '92 Civic, stick... got about 40-50 mi./gal, no joke. That thing always ran like a dream, nice clutch, with solid design principles, and solid materials, incredibly resilient. It's basically the type of product which had the BIG-3 on corporate welfare.
I feel like Honda needs to step-back a little, take a breath, and revisit some tried-and-true, common-sense, design concepts. I've had problems with my pickup, very silly problems which shouldn't exist over decades of trial-and-error; we also had a Clarity which was... problematic, and got lower mileage than the '93 Civic. That's just silly. And it's not just Honda over-engineering themselves into a stock sell-off... the new Tundra... what a mess.
Maybe it's just stupid consumerism... no one knows how, or cares to learn, to drive a stick anymore.
yep simple reliable cars were what built the their reputation. stick shift has nothing to do with it- auto transmissions have become efficient and reliable no need for a stick
@@bikeman1x11 manual gears are cheaper more reliable lighter.
People are just dumb and lazy.
How many original transmission automatic cars out there with 400k on the clock?
Not many. Manuals ? There are way way way way more. A manual trans can be built cheaply that will last 2million miles easy.
@@ericrotermund1004 manuals give no economy or performabnce advantage today plus require expensive maintenance-
The new Honda EV is a straight GM product. They aren't going back.
I agree, we need to make simple cars for people who just want great mpg and reliability.
Yeah, I LOVE my 21 Honda Passport. I am close to getting rid of my 2012 Chev Cruze and would love a small Honda but honestly there is no way I going to buy that 2015 turbo motor, I'm not convinced on CVT's either but the Hondas do seem to be doing OK.
Get the 2.0 na civic or hr-v. My only gripe is lack of power but ultra reliable
K24 and j35 for the win.
💯
J35 has piston ring issues
@@LiquidSm0ke deactivate the vcm and a lot of the issues do away
@@ganzonomy true a lot of buyers don’t know this.
@@LiquidSm0ke first thing I did with my accord for just that reason
Thanks for the video.
I own a 2018 1.5t accord sport. I’ve had no issues with the car. Always have the required maintenance done as scheduled and have using 87octane every fill up. Without warning, at just shy of 74k miles we had a rough start. Within a week the engine shook violently on cold start and every sensor/warning came up on the dash. Took it to Honda. “Failing head gasket,” was their diagnosis. They want $4500 out the door. I’ve researched and have seen so many other people saying the same thing about their ‘18 1.5t as well. What should I do now? I feel like I can’t trust the car, even if it’s repaired, to not have issues further down the line. Honda has to be aware, but aren’t going to do anything unless there’s enough people screaming about it.
I need advice though, what should I do? I mean, I can’t speak for everyone but I don’t just have $4500 laying around. Is there anything I can do?
You’re in a tough spot and is very understandable. I would reach out to Honda see if they can help you especially if you have great maintenance records.
The si is a manual. You tend to apply the accelerator more towards the higher revs. This seems to me more to do with people pushing it in eco mode in an automatic and just making heat. Premium gas would help, but if you know you always expect more, keep it in sport mode. Lately, car manufacturers have been trying to hit peak boost earlier. For instance, the mazda 2.5 turbo hit peak boost at 1200 rpm. But its not that bad because its in a bigger motor.
Yup. Tons of heat and stress at lower rpm’s
Finally a explanation on the 1.5 i have a question i am looking to buy a accord between a 2021 to a 2023, now knowing what you know what year do you recommend and should i go with the 2.0 to avoid this problems? Also if i don't want a turbo engine what is the best year and what motor for a non turbo 4 cylinder accord?
I hope you can answer this it will definitely help on my decision.
Thank you so much.
Hey thanks for the comment. So I would either get a 18-22 2.0t or 23 hybrid. I would definitely not purchase a 1.5t in either generation for myself. Hope this helps
@Hondamobilemechanic ok so the 18 to 22 accord has the option to get it with a non turbo engine or you just recommending the 2.0 on those years? Also the 23 hybrid, how long the electric motor last before start to cause issues and how expensive to fix/replace? And thank you for responding I wish technician were helpful like you, is so hard to find a mechanic that won't try to rip people off.
Hope you can answer my questions.
Have a great day.
@@sernani99 no, the 18-22 accords are all turbo but the 1.5t is problematic, the 2.0t is very solid both engine and trans. The 23+ also have the 1.5t but also come 2.0 non turbo hybrid. We have not seen any issues from the previous gen accords and crv hybrids and I don’t anticipate that changing. I’ve seen plenty with 200k+. Buy with confidence, the hybrid that is.
@Hondamobilemechanic thanks I appreciate it.
@@sernani99 anytime
History repeating itself (rash of head gasket failures).
Back in the 1980s (when aluminum heads with Iron blocks became common) there was another rash of head gaskets failures (Mopars, Mazdas, Cadillacs, Fords, VWs, diesels and more) but most people junked the cars since the typical life of cars was 100k miles, and to put an expensive repair on an 70k car was not worth it. (now the cause is turbos on little engines)
History always repeats itself
@@BCautosolutionsthat’s why I bought a vehicle that doesn’t have a turbo engine and just uses regular octane 87. However, 5k oil changes are still the way to go for most vehicles
@@alvinsimba734 🫡
Regardless of defective fuel injectors or bad head gaskets, on average what kind of long term mileage can these 2017+ 1.5L stock engines achieve before becoming a paperweight? 150k, 175k, 200k? Assuming that so so regular maintenance has been done. Thanks for the informative video! -Glen
I’ve seen plenty with over 200k already
I know Honda made some internal changes to the 1.5 starting in Model year 23. Crank ,oil pan , turbo have been re worked. I can tell at least in the CRV- Smoother quieter more refined. Do you think the HG issue will still exist?
Not sure tbh we will have to see but I believe head bolt and head gasket parts numbers cross over, I would have to look it up
@@BCautosolutions Do the injectors also still have the same part numbers?
2023 A-Spec Integra owner here. My car gets nothing but ethanol free 91 or 93 fuel, and regular oil changes. It runs great, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any irregularities. It's currently stock and I only plan on adding a better intercooler/piping and intake. Increased service intervals should be the standard for any small displacement high power output engine. I come from the Fiat world where my tuned 1.4 was cramming out 200 hp (26-30lbs of boost). Oil dilution was an issue, but more frequent oil changes really helped. And that engine just loved to be abused. The big failure point on those was the Multi-Air Unit, usually from folks not changing the filter screen in the head and waiting too long to change the oil.
undersized turbo engines with direct inject are bad news- when honda built N/A 1.8 and larger engines they had great reliability
Facts
Thank you for talking about in details about this issue.
Thanks for watching
Always keeping it 💯...Keep up the great work 💪
🙏🏻
@@BCautosolutionsReally appreciate these inputs from you buddy. quick question. my 18 accord ex-l is at 35k miles but its engine started sounding like old one at this mileage. Is that common? Nothing problem tho just the sound we get from car's engine when it ran too many miles. It all started when I put 4k miles in the previous month. Been taking your suggestions and switched to 93 octane tho. Please lmk your thoughts on this.
@@kesavravipati could be a bad bearing somewhere, best bet is take it to your local dealer or mechanic and have them pinpoint it
@@BCautosolutions gotcha thank you bud :)
@@kesavravipati I think you need to describe the sound better and where it is coming from.
Interesting information sad to hear this long time Honda fan have owned 6 my newest is a 2010 in the market but concerned so many bad designs since 2012
Yup. I hear ya
Here in Saskatchewan, i have rarely seen headgasket failures. We do have however extreme cases of the fuel/oil mixing problems. The super cold weather then the blistering hot summers, combined with 10k KM service intervals. Ususally in the super cold (-35° - -40°C) is when we see this. Doing an oil change on a hot 1.5l in the winter months is similar to being on Splash mountain. Lots of engines failing due to oil filters coming apart. (Similar to the excessive camshaft noise warranty extension.)
Keep up the good work! Love the videos - always cool to see what other honda techs are experiencing!
Amazing how the weather can play a huge toll on different types of failures on same type of engine. Appreciate your input 👍🏻
I would do oil change every 8k km and myself I’m from the Maritimes.
I dont blame Honda . Every year federal regulations for fuel economy and emissions get harder and harder to meet . And we as the consumers suffer. How can we go from the bullit proof B series , D series and K series ( original K series ) to this crap. Who wants a motor that everytime you get behind the wheel you gotta worry about premature catastrophic engine failure .
@@TheUltimateGhostface agreed. It’s not all on them.
Having driven and owned Honda's for over 30 years within my family, we always use premium fuel. Normal fuel always "felt off" and i guess this is hard evidence why it does on specific Honda engines. My current car is a 1.5T, so am happy to continue my family's habits!
Appreciate your input! 👍🏻
Waste of money to buy premium.
I never will my 06 civic 205k
05 pilot 250k
04 accord 341k
03 accord 200k
99 accord 240k
Have never seen premium fuel.
They run fine everything else is broken
But engines will not die.
See the problem here don’t buy a new Honda
38 years of continuous Honda ownership in our family. Run on 91 RON (Australia) for the whole time. Approximate mileage across 4 vehicles, 550,000. Faults in that time: Suspected carburettor contamination in a 1985 Accord. Perished rear trailing arm bushes in a 1998 Civic. Vehicles always serviced according to manufacturer specifications. Vehicles always run on minimum RON fuel.
@@davidbrayshaw3529 🙌
@@davidbrayshaw3529 "38 years of continuous Honda ownership in our family. Vehicles always run on minimum RON fuel." Premium unleaded is the minimum for all of the Type S, Type R, S2000, NSX etc vehicles. Premium petrol is probably required in a lot of the higher tuned Honda bikes too (bike engines usually tend to be higher specific output and higher rpm than car engines after all).
About to change mine on a 2018 1.5 Accord with 140K. It's misfiring and coolant dropping a bit. Going to go ahead and replace the injectors while I'm at it. Never buying a 1st gen model again and thinking really hard about getting another Honda. Looks like I'll be going Toyota next time.
Sorry to hear.
That is going to be a MAJOR issue with those engines, just like the Ford 1.5. That head surface area isn't enough to seal. Fix will be new short blocks, like Ford😉
🤐
Our family has driven Hondas for years. I would consider a Honda hybrid, but nothing with the 1.5 L turbo. When I replaced my 10 year old CRV earlier this year, it was with a Toyota, for this reason.
Thanks for sharing
The Ford tech mukaloco channel has a good explanation on the Ford turbos going from a closed deck in 2016 to open deck with the cross slots and now to a cross drilled design so the block gasket surface is continuous. Will Honda do the same 🤔
TBD….
I worked at the dealer and rarely saw these engines with issues, unless someone was driving around with cooling system problems, usually because people put the incorrect coolant in, or run it dry. I have a 2017 and the car runs just reliable as the 2.0.
We see 3-5 a week. It’s a problem…
@@BCautosolutionsYes it is. 2017 CRV all maintenance done to a T. 72k head gasket went. Plugs and fuel injectors replaced too. 116k CVT trans went. Fluid was done every 30k. 117k head gasket has gone again and they say fuel injectors, it's at dealer right now for tear down! Honda quality has become crap!
@@ravenmoto5948 ugh, sorry to hear
Yesterday I went to a Honda showroom and I asked to meeting with their technicians and asked them if they had faced any issues with the 1.5t. Issues like oil dilution, carbon build up and blown head gasket.
Both of the technicians who were there said they had never encountered such issues. The 1.5t is here in Saudi Arabia since 2018.
I asked them because I'm eyeing a 2023 Honda ZR-V (confusingly called HR-V in the US) but I'm quite hesitant to pull the trigger on it due to issues I keep reading about online. Now I don't know if I believe those technicians 🧐
Well it could be that they haven’t seen it yet personally. Wasn’t aware the hrv or zrv there came with the 1.5t. Oil dilution is only in cold weather short trips.
@@BCautosolutions wow thanks for responding.
Do you know if the 1.5T is prone to carbon build up? Is it direct injected?
@@alib8396 yes and yes
Here in Dubai, they have hundreds of 1.5T cars that ran over 400k kms just with regular maintenance. I think fuel quality and climate is different in the US vs Middle East. We have better fuel, and warmer climates in the Middle East.
@@arunmfive can for sure be playing a role
Your Honda videos are excellent . We communicated last week on scan tools. I have purchased the launch Honda only version. Should arrive today. Now what year civics could be affected? I know my daughter just purchased I believe a 2022 civic. I’ll find out the model and inform her about the issue. Much appreciated. I’ve been a follower I believe sine your channel was created. I’m out here on Long Island. Thanks for sharing your Honda knowledge. Artie 👍
I still have a slight interest in a ‘23 Accord EX. I have also read that the fuel injectors going bad prematurely is a problem, too. Do you think bad fuel injectors and blown head gaskets are pretty much a given to eventually happen in the 1.5t engine?
Imo, yes. Even if it happens later on in the engines life at let’s say 150k (which is atleast a reasonable fail period), I believe most of them will eventually suffer from failed injectors and blown head gaskets.
My civic 1.5t has 170k and had never had any crazy problems. It also was one of the last model years assembled in Canada so that may have to do with it. Only problem I’ve had is a wire splitting on the turbo solenoid from engine vibrations but it was an easy splice and fix. I also replaced my injectors at 160k because it wasn’t a hard job. There was carbon build up but nothing crazy probably because I drive like I stole it. I change my oil every 5k and cut fluid every 30k.
@@landenk2659Cut fluid every 30k? What is that exactly. I have the 2019 accord 1.5L
Thank you for making these vids and making people aware. All manufacturers make mistakes, just the unfortunate reality of production. its all about how they make it right to the peiple that buy em. You hear anything about the j30AC in the type S?
J30ac has been very solid, no engine failures that weren’t due to human error that I’m aware of.
this is because of one thing--government mandates
I missed the k24 legendary. Strong and I never replaced water pump and fuel pump for it( I’m mechanic) . Those last forever on k24 haha
Yeah they do, those were great engines
Best engine I love my 08 crv that engine was incredible technology
@@pilot2020 great engines 👍🏻
2004 Accord, k24, 265k miles, no issues.
@@koteignasio98 try’s but totally different ball game
These Honda open deck blocks look just like Ford Focus block that put a groove between cylinders for cooling. Makes even less surface for head gasket sealing. Modern cars have cheap race engine for sales pitch, they are scrap at when they fail. Most serious race engines use a close deck block that provides better cylinder support, more head gasket surface sealing, more block beef for stronger head bolt clamping. Open deck block is fast cheap production, good enough for consumer $40k cars.
How difficult is it to remove and install the studs alone? Not the whole install but just the removal and torquing down the new ones. Id like to do it myself in the future but am worried about snapping one.
Should be a 2-3 hour job max.
Not just engine, had a 2019 accord hybrid with the same head gasket issue.
We had one as well, exactly one. We have had well over 50-60 of these 1.5t, huge difference.
Does it make a difference how aggressive you drive? I know the turbo is 20psi, but if I'm rarely hitting over 2,500 rpms, would that in theory be less pressure in the cylinder against the gasket and bolts, compared to more spirited driving?
I only buy Honda for the last 30 years but my 2008 had issue with using oil and now my 2018 has these issues I can now look forward to, I’m done buying Honda
👍🏻👍🏻