NHTSA complaint #11748077

Owner complaint summary

Vehicle is a 2019 Honda CR-V (1.5L Turbo) experiencing an active internal mechanical failure—suspected collapsing/sticking piston rings bypassing the combustion chamber, resulting in severe, unmeasured oil consumption. The dealership (Wesley Chapel Honda) filled the engine with new oil and refuses to perform an internal diagnostic teardown or provide a safe alternative vehicle. Instead, they are advising me to operate this vehicle for an additional 2,000 miles to complete a corporate "consumption test" to prove the defect for warranty authorization. Operating a vehicle with a known, rapid, and erratic oil depletion defect for thousands of miles presents a severe, immediate safety hazard to my family and others on the road. If the engine oil drops below critical operating levels unexpectedly between manual checks, the engine faces an immediate risk of catastrophic metal-on-metal friction, thermal expansion, and sudden engine seizure at highway speeds. This creates an extreme driving liability, including an instantaneous loss of all motive power, a sudden loss of vital power steering and power braking assist (making the vehicle incredibly heavy and difficult to control or maneuver safely to a shoulder), and a high risk of an engine bay fire due to intense friction and fluid ignition. This is a known issue that I presented to them in March. At that time the PCV valve was replaced along with new spark plugs. The problem continues to persist. This matter is actively documented with Honda Corporate under Case #16466779. A manufacturer protocol should not supersede passenger safety by forcing the prolonged operation of a defective vehicle. The dealership has advised that this is a known issue with the 2019 Honda CRV with piston rings failing. This needs to be made public and a recall for Honda to fix.