bgoverde

The car seemed to be working fine. Just booked an appointment for regular service and oil change and a few days later went to start the car in the morning and the motor sounded like a tin can filled with rocks. Called a tow truck and the guy started it and immediately turned it off again and checked the oil. Lots of oil - too much according to the tow truck driver. Last (and all) oil changes done by the dealer. Bottom line is they called this morning and said I needed a new engine. No warnings or issues prior and only 68k km on the vehicle - probably 25% of that was using hybrid power so in reality the engine less than 50,000 km on it.

This is probably not a common problem but to happen with so few km's on the motor is troubling - and apparently expensive if they can find a motor.
Hard to fathom, I thought I was buying quality but there are no guarantee's in life.
Lesson learned, will be difficult for me to purchase Acura or Honda product again if they only last 7 1/2 years and 68,000 km's.

1186KA9

Sorry about the engine. However, sounds like the dealer may have screwed it up during your previous service. Too much oil will kill an engine. Unless some excessive fuel dilution happened (I doubt), then I believe that the tech screwed up the engine with the oil change.

mrgold35

On my 19 MDX Sport Hybrid on its very first oil change and the dealership put 5.7 qts for the 3.0L instead of 4.5 qts (the 14-20 3.5L MDX takes 5.7 qts). So glad I checked the oil level the next morning and corrected the mistake ASAP instead of +9000 miles later. Sounds like the Acura tech might have "assumed" the RLX 3.5L took the same 5.7 qts as the MDX 3.5L?

hondamore

I had the same experience as mrgold35 did with my wife's MDX Sport Hybrid. Because of past issues with oil overfills noted on this forum, I routinely check the oil level after every service done at my dealer. Sure enough, after my wife's last service, the oil was overfilled. I informed the service manager of the error and took the car back to have some oil removed and rechecked. The service technician swore up and down that he checked the correct oil required for the car (which was to be expected since I had them put a reminder on the service order that the MDX was a Sport Hybrid with different fluid levels than the standard MDX) and yet somehow the overfill was confirmed. Service techs get busy, get distracted or simply just don't care enough to give a damn and these things happen.

So sorry to bgoverde for all the crap you are going through. A call or email to Acura corporate headquarters customer service is certainly a good idea after an incident like this. Hopefully they realize that the dealer screwed up and choose to look after you properly.

DanL07RL

Mr. Old School here. Yet another good reason to do this easy and routine work yourself. Just sayin'.....

kareshi

Which dealer was it? Please share so we can be mindful

bgoverde

Thank you for the information. I have called Acura Canada and they will look into my issue although since the vehicle is almost 8 years old chances are not good things will turn out well.
For $600 so far Acura Pickering did tell me the noise was from either bank 1 or the bottom end. I did receive several estimates for options from the dealership that do not include labour.
For a new engine, $24,000 plus re and re costs. For a used engine, about $7,000 plus re and re costs.
These costs seem fairly outrageous to me but I have never had an issue like this with any other vehicle so what do I know.
I guess I will look around for options while I wait for Acura Canada to investigate. Perhaps a local garage will be able to provide a more reasonable cost.

Thanks again for your insights.

Henry

jdpdata

Always check oil level after oil service! They have always over-filled both my Sport Hybrids. Even after I repeatedly reminded the SA to tell his Tech that Sport Hybrids takes way less oil. It's one the annoying thing about driving this car.

zeta

iTrader: (1)

Those dealer numbers are high.
The below screen shot is from car-part.com within Ontario, CA only.
You can see these used salvage yard units are far less if you want to investigate further.

asdecorazones

@bgoverde Did Acura stand by the car?

bgoverde

Hi,
I do not even have the car back yet.
To answer your question, no, Acura/Honda Canada just ignored my inquiry completely for a month.
Then, after 5 weeks with phone calls twice a week and multiple emails, I received a response from Acura/Honda client relations.
The response had nothing to do with what I had inquired about (dealer over filling the oil) and simply stated my 2016 RLX Hybrid was not under warranty.
Acura/Honda Canada appear to be pretty much a joke as far as customer relations goes. After one email where I copied the CEO of Honda north America I received a response from U.S. client relations in under 24 hours but they could not do anything about my issue in Canada.
The dealer in question gave me a written quote for analysis and re and re of a used motor about $9400. Gave the OK to proceed because I had no other options.
I will still attempt to follow up but last time I called and asked to speak to the client representative that is assigned to the case he was busy and I was told he would call me back. That was two weeks ago.....
So basically what I have learned is that if you go by the book and have every service done at an Acura dealer, Acura/Honda Canada has not got your back.
Dealers are champs and owners are chumps.

rlx015

For many other reasons, and the overfilling of engine oil being one small nuance with this brand, I think I am done with Acura (as a brand) until they rebound into the quality and reliability they were once known for.

bgoverde

What a nightmare.
7 weeks tomorrow without a vehicle and when I called the dealer I was told the motor with 55,000 km on it that they sourced and installed is seized.
They now say my choices are a new motor (costs as much as the car is worth) or one from a 2014 with 3 times the mileage of the original.
I am at a loss of what to do. On one hand, why would I put a motor with three times the mileage of the original in my car.
On the other hand, I cannot justify putting a new motor (costing $25,000 plus installation) into a 2016 RLX hybrid that has 68,000 km's on it.
The dealer says that no other engines are available from their supplier but I have asked they try to source another with reasonable mileage.

The dealer is now telling me that I will be responsible for the labour costs for a second re and re unless I take the motor with 140,000 + km's on it.
They purchased the seized motor which was sold as working (with 1 year warranty) and the source only has the 2014 with the 140,000 + km's.
They supplier will not cover the re and re if I would like a motor with lower mileage from another supplier and the dealer will not either.
Apparently the cost of installing a bad motor is going to be sent to me. Then, I have to pay for another motor and re and re.
This does not seem fair in any way.

No idea what to do other than to go see a lawyer since the dealer doesn't care, Acura Canada does not appear to care and Honda Canada do not appear to care.

Suggestions welcome.

I hope no one else has to ever go through this.

Henry

asdecorazones

I would speak to a lawyer if I were you. And maybe make sure you contact the tow truck driver who witnessed the excess oil immediately after your engine seized, to see if he will give you a written statement or something. What a nightmare indeed. If it's so easy to trash a car by overfilling the oil, dealerships in particular should have foolproof procedures in place to prevent it. I really hope the dealership stands by you in the end. They are probably hoping you'll just go away, or that you'll just buy a new car. It's very discouraging to read stories like this.

K.Rock

They should have given the used motor an inspection prior to installing it. That inspection would be camera inspection to each cylinder and hand turning the engine. Additionally, then should pressure test each cylinder to insure it holds pressure.

To me this is on them for not evaluating the part before installation.

I’d try Acura Client Relations again.

It does sound like they are trying to force you into an option without putting in any extra effort hoping that you’ll go away.

I would say no to the new engine due to costs and also to one that has 3x the mileage.

On the triple digit used engine, what’s the dealer going to do if it burns 2 quarts of oil every 5,000 miles?

I’m hoping you’ll be able to talk to someone at Acura that will listen and understand the pain that you’re being put through.

K.Rock

Any updates?

bgoverde

Latest update is after 8 weeks I still am without a vehicle.
First engine they put in was bad (only ran for 30 seconds) and the second motor was put in late last week.
I was supposed to pick it up on Saturday but I was told there are "many adaptations and learning procedures for the hybrid system" (shouldn't the hybrid system already know from the original motor) and the vehicle will not be ready until this week.

I called Acura client relations again and like last6 time, the person responsible for the case was busy and I was told they would call back.
After 5 days, still no contact from Acura Canada client relations. A call back would be nice.

I was going to take it to PEI this year but I am not sure I can trust it at this point.

I will update again once I have the vehicle back. Hopefully the dealer can get it running the way it was before the motor went belly up this week.

asdecorazones

Sorry to hear that Acura is giving you the brush-off. They should know that people are taking note. I hope you get your car back with a new engine soon.

kareshi

sometimes i wonder what i can do too if i were in this situation. insurance won't cover it and it's hard to prove what mistake the tech made. all in a sudden the whole car value is good. sometimes leasing a car may be cheaper if one is unlucky.

DanL07RL

Yeah, me too. Disappointing. I'd expect better coverage, at least partial reimbursement of the charges.

bgoverde

I was going to wait to update this because I am still shaking from the update the dealer just gave me. They had Acura Canada techs help them and they determined that the transmission also required replacement as the transmission controls what drive is being used (electric vs ICE). They have found one and it will take a week to get here (from U.S.)
I was told that it would cost me another $3000 + for the used transmission.

Called Acura Canada client relations again but the supervisor and the rep that initially was supposed to look at the case were not available. I was told they would call back but they never have called back (any of the 4 times I was told they would call). It appears Acura Canada and Honda Canada feel ignoring someone who, through no fault of their own, are having outrageous issues and are facing a cost of well in excess of $10,000 on a car that has 68,000 km's on it and has had the vehicle regularly serviced at a dealer.

I really don't know who else to contact if the manufacturer refuses to even respond to my inquiries.
I am just at a loss for words right now. I will be out all that money, have had to rent a vehicle on occasion (It has been 9 weeks now with no real end in site) and once I get the vehicle back (if that ever happens) I don't know whether I will ever be able to trust my RLX again.

I just hope this never happens to anyone else.

K.Rock

WOW!!!
Did they explain how the transmission went bad?

K.Rock

Thanks for providing that search. This has helped me with finding used engine for my disappointment.

asdecorazones

@bgoverde You have shown more than enough patience and courtesy. I think you should call Acura Canada Client Relations and refuse to hang up the phone until you have spoken with the supervisor of the person who was supposed to call you back but instead has consistently given you the brush-off. I'm quite sure that anyone you manage to speak with on the phone is not allowed to hang up until you yourself disconnect the call. So refuse to hang up. Stay on the line until you get somewhere. I would also mention that you are submitting complaints to the federal and provincial consumer protection authorities and any other relevant government entities (perhaps start here?), in addition to your attorney. And when you do get off the line, start contacting those people if you haven't already. I use the imperative liberally, but of course these are only suggestions for you to follow or ignore as you wish. Good luck!

bgoverde

Just to keep you fine people updated....

Well, it appears Acura Pickering are still having issues with their "adaptations" to get the hybrid & ICE components to interact properly after replacing the transmission..
Makes me question whether the transmission, which was working perfectly last time the vehicle was driven, had any issues at all.
The service manager just said, Acura technicians determined the transmission needed replacement. It would be nice if they would elaborate.

Bottom line is the dealer does not appear to have the expertise to properly fix my RLX hybrid. It has been 72 days at the dealership and 4 days in my driveway since the motor started the severe knocking. I would have thought Acura/Honda Canada would provide assistance - someone must know how to fix an RLX Hybrid.

Anyways, going away and have to use an alternate vehicle for the trip. Hopefully when I return, they will have the RLX fixed properly. This entire fiasco was likely caused by a dealer error in the amount of oil they put in - I may almost have to walk away from what was a perfectly functioning Acura RLX and suck up the loss. Not something I really want to do since my estimate was that an 2016 RLX Hybrid with 68,000 kms on it would be worth around 22-25K (Cdn$)

I will update again when I return.
Enjoy the day.

K.Rock

That’s seriously messed up.
I don’t think I would have that much patience.

I would open a new case with Acura and talk to a lawyer.

When you open the case with Acura explain one of the main reasons is that you are tired of the excuses and lies from the dealership. They’ve had your car for 70 days and they won’t give an explanation of the problem.

To me this makes me feel like they don’t even know what the problem actually is.

Wasn’t the first replacement engine bad? Then after the second engine you said your transmission was bad. Now after a new transmission, they are still having the same issue.

Was the original diagnosis correct?

rlx015

^ This... you do not have to feel this way, it is a fact that in light of the recent pandemic, most of the dealerships that were mediocre, and financially so-so, actually flushed out good technicians and hired 10-20$/hr CHEAPER "technicians" with little or sometimes no experience.

If you want to read my most recent experience, proceed
About a year or so ago, I called up to talk to their "senior technician" to ask about RLX SH and fluid changes/flushes, etc. - I ended up talking to him for 10 minutes until he could confirm what fluids they were using for trans, what for "twin-motor unit" - which he did not know what it was. This was an Acura dealer by the way... he kept saying whatever regular differential fluid we use, we will use this. I insisted he finally check the user manual, and what page # and explained to him what it was, what fluid was required, etc., and all was set... when they finished it, my paperwork stated the wrong fluid they used, they overfilled my engine oil, and played like all was in order... I went to the parent dealer (Honda) and spoke to their general service manager (oh titles titles titles), and he ultimately had it flushed, re-did transmission, twin motor unit, engine oil, etc. all re-done at no charge.