A class action lawsuit alleges that oil dilution, lurching, stalling and acceleration issues are affecting 2019 or newer Honda Civic cars equipped with Earth Dreams 1.5L direct injection engines.
Gasoline leaks into the engine oil, diluting it and decreasing its viscosity. As a result, the contaminated engine oil cannot properly lubricate engine components, such as engine bearings.
Improper lubrication of parts causes premature wear and tear of the engine. The affected 1.5L engines ultimately stall and/or fail.
The Honda Earth Dreams lawsuit cites multiple complaints that affected Honda owners have submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Some of the complaints below were found in the class action lawsuit, while others were found in NHTSA’s database.
Please note that complaints have been edited for grammar and clarity.
2019 Honda Civic
Terrible smell inside the car and outside when parked in [the] garage after [a] short drive. Oil dilution, strong gasoline vapors [and] gasoline mixing with oil in engine.
2019 Honda Civic
The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked, loss motive power, switched to limp mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while in limp mode. After stopping the vehicle, the check engine warning light disappeared and the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer […] to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was caused by contaminated fuel. After draining the fuel system, the contact retrieved the vehicle. However, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact indicated that the failure occurred after the vehicle was repaired […]. The failure mileage was 29,000.
Honda Civic, Year Unknown
Vehicle stalled when accelerating to overtake another vehicle. No errors/warnings, displays were working but speed suddenly dropped and [did] not increase, no matter what. It was scary. Luckily, I was able to come back to a shoulder lane and stop the vehicle. Vehicle ran normally after powering off and starting again. I’ve been driving the vehicle for couple of hours on freeway by then. This happened 4 times over the summer. Dealers are asking for $200 to diagnose but not promising that they will be able to find the problem since the issue does not happen consistently. I suspect it is due to oil dilution problem for which Honda performed repair last year.
2020 Honda Civic
The contact stated while inspecting and changing the oil, he noticed an excessive gasoline smell within the oil. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, the dealer stated gas in the oil is normal and to bring the car back after driving around a thousand miles. The mechanic changed the oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The technician informed the contact that he would need to speak with the manufacturer for a further option for the repair. The manufacturer was contacted by the technician and was informed that the VIN was not under recall and that the vehicle was performing as designed. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the oil dilution failure. […] The mechanic confirmed oil level to be slightly elevated 12-14MM above full mark […] Manufacturer stated within normal operating standards. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximate 11,000.
If Honda cannot fix recurring problems in your Honda Civic engine, your vehicle may be a lemon. Read more about Honda’s engine oil dilution problem and your California Lemon Law rights. If you would like more information, complete the consultation form below to request a free consultation.
Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is an automotive lemon law firm that exclusively practices in California. If you are a California resident who purchased or leased a defective vehicle from a licensed dealership in California, we may be able to help you get rid of your potential lemon and recover significant cash compensation. Model year restrictions apply: 2017–Present vehicle models only.
However, we cannot help those who reside outside of California or purchased their vehicle outside of California unless they are active duty members of the Armed Forces, nor will we be able to refer those to a lemon law firm in their states.
To learn more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights, visit our guide on the California Lemon Law for more information.
