Does the Prelude use the same problematic LF engine that has bad head gaskets?

[Kalless12]

Any reported case on Prelude cars?

 

[CiceroGirl1]

I have not heard/read anything about this “known issue” and the ratings on the Civic hybrid have been stellar. Because I bought this car just before retiring (well, retiring a year earlier than planned after getting laid off), though, I bought a reputable extended warranty for the first time in my life. Having an expensive repair after retiring is more financially problematic than having one while still working, and the computerization of these vehicles makes even simple issues expensive repairs, so I needed the peace of mind. (I also bought a separate much less expensive one that covers the inevitable scratches on the ridiculously expensive wheels/rims… less than the cost of one new one.)

 

[pillred44]

I have not heard/read anything about this “known issue” and the ratings on the Civic hybrid have been stellar. Because I bought this car just before retiring (well, retiring a year earlier than planned after getting laid off), though, I bought a reputable extended warranty for the first time in my life. Having an expensive repair after retiring is more financially problematic than having one while still working, and the computerization of these vehicles makes even simple issues expensive repairs, so I needed the peace of mind. (I also bought a separate much less expensive one that covers the inevitable scratches on the ridiculously expensive wheels/rims… less than the cost of one new one.)

The alloys are my biggest worry, lovely, as they look they are perilously close to the edge of the tyre, so far in a week I have managed to avoid that horrible scraping sound, I have fitted lightweight rim protectors in black to the front two to give me a bit of peace of mind the street I live on is very narrow and difficult to park in, no matter how hard I try it's nearly impossible not to curb them, it's a shame manufactureres dont design wheels that are better protected.

 

[pillred44]

Sure you can.

Well, certainly not $1200 for an 8-year cover, which is only $150 a year. I think that's well worth it in this case; I suppose you have to weigh up the odds, though.

 

[PGH218]

Has anybody reached out to their dealer for more information?

 

[pillred44]

Has anybody reached out to their dealer for more information?

Good luck with that. I only picked up mine last week and ordered it in June. They could have said something then. I can't believe they are not aware of the problem. And if you did, they would just look at you blankly and say, "What problem?".

 

[PGH218]

True, unless you know one of the techs or have a good relationship with the SP. I will stop by mine and see if I can get some info.

 

[Jusbs54922]

I'm surprised that with the Prelude only being out 8 months that there are already reports of head gasket failures

 

[PGH218]

I doubt it I would have to see examples. Now the Civic launched in late 21 I can see having issues or the CRV launched in late 22

 

[nyon19]

I'm surprised that with the Prelude only being out 8 months that there are already reports of head gasket failures

Not sure that’s what is being implied - although if anyone has that link to share I’m all eyes.

 

[Alex_Waverley66]

Well, certainly not $1200 for an 8-year cover, which is only $150 a year. I think that's well worth it in this case; I suppose you have to weigh up the odds, though.

You are not getting 8 years of coverage. You are getting 3 years of additional coverage. So that is $1200 up front for 3 years of coverage that only kicks in after the five year 60000 mile coverage that was included in the purchase price expires. If you had invested that money at 5.25% you would have earned about $350 in that same 5 year period. So your actual cost at the end of the initial 5 year warranty is $1550 or $516 per year for 3 years of coverage that you will only use if you still have the car after 5 years and if there is a covered loss after that time or if you exceed the 60000 mile warranty limit before 5 years and there is a covered loss that loss occurs between 60K and 100K miles. This also assumes that there was no indication of a problem that could be detected prior to the expiration of the warranty (i.e. a catastrophic failure). The odds of that occurring are extremely slim and the extended warranty companies know that. Now you know it too.

You'd be better off putting the $1200 on red and letting them spin the wheel.

 

[Alex_Waverley66]

I'm surprised that with the Prelude only being out 8 months that there are already reports of head gasket failures

I doubt that it has. This is a rare occurrence that is both overstated and covered under warranty.

 

[faithboy22]

The e:HEV systems with intake-manifold injection are not affected; only the direct-injection models should be warmed up gently, much like a turbocharged engine. In Germany, CR-Vs are known for—perhaps partly due to their heavier weight—being used as company cars that were likely driven hard right up to the end, including sustained high-speed driving on the Autobahn. There was also talk of a software update. So, it is safe to say that there is an issue here.

It’s supposed to be 35°C tomorrow; I’ll leave it in the garage. But I drive quite gently anyway—and actually never faster than 120 km/h.

 

[nyon19]

For this head gasket/powertrain issue, yes. For non-powertrain issues, it’s additional coverage past the 3/36k bumper to bumper. My Volvo repairs were all non-powertrain - AC, electronics, sunroof, rear hatch. The service shop at the dealer I used took every opportunity to remind me that every issue would have been covered under their extended warranty offered at sale. So yeah, I put my $1200 on Red. Today I can afford to pay an expensive repair bill, I might not be able to in 6 years if and when it happens. Insurance.

 

[rexracer29]

You are not getting 8 years of coverage. You are getting 3 years of additional coverage. So that is $1200 up front for 3 years of coverage that only kicks in after the five year 60000 mile coverage that was included in the purchase price expires. If you had invested that money at 5.25% you would have earned about $350 in that same 5 year period. So your actual cost at the end of the initial 5 year warranty is $1550 or $516 per year for 3 years of coverage that you will only use if you still have the car after 5 years and if there is a covered loss after that time or if you exceed the 60000 mile warranty limit before 5 years and there is a covered loss that loss occurs between 60K and 100K miles. This also assumes that there was no indication of a problem that could be detected prior to the expiration of the warranty (i.e. a catastrophic failure). The odds of that occurring are extremely slim and the extended warranty companies know that. Now you know it too.

You'd be better off putting the $1200 on red and letting them spin the wheel.

Extended warranties are even a worse buy if bought at retail and not at a huge discount. It gets even worse if anyone finances the warranty with their auto loan. The goal is to buy a warranty that is factory backed at a discount.

That is correct about when coverage starts but only for the drivetrain coverage. You do get some additional coverage in addition to the extended powertrain warranty though. Most factory backed extended warranties cover more than what the original drivetrain warranty covers. Not just the drive train. The warranties usually cover things that fall under the 36/month limited bumper-to-bumper warranty in addition to the 60/month-60K mile drivetrain warranty. You get coverage from month-37 through month-120 for other items. Not bumper-to-bumper but close for some brands. Most cover electronics, suspension components, etc.

Personally I usually do not buy any extended warranties but I would seriously consider one for the Prelude or any cars that share its drivetrain. It shares a common engine that historically is known to have issues that cost $4K-$5K to repair. I feel $1200 is reasonable for a Honda backed extended warranty or insurance policy. Especially one that is $0/deductible.

 

[Jusbs54922]

Not sure that’s what is being implied - although if anyone has that link to share I’m all eyes.

I was just going off of the chart that rexracer posted earlier in this thread

 

[rexracer29]

I have not heard/read anything about this “known issue” and the ratings on the Civic hybrid have been stellar. Because I bought this car just before retiring (well, retiring a year earlier than planned after getting laid off), though, I bought a reputable extended warranty for the first time in my life. Having an expensive repair after retiring is more financially problematic than having one while still working, and the computerization of these vehicles makes even simple issues expensive repairs, so I needed the peace of mind. (I also bought a separate much less expensive one that covers the inevitable scratches on the ridiculously expensive wheels/rims… less than the cost of one new one.)

How much did you pay? Which reputable extended warranty did you buy? Is it the same Honda backed extended warranty? If not, I would seriously consider cancelling the policy. I have friends who work in the auto business. Extended warranties are not the same. Some are much harder to deal with. Even “reputable” ones. Some of those companies want you to foot the bill first and wait for a refund. Others take forever to approve work. Some companies want to use cheaper, lower quality, parts. Some dealers and shops will not work with some warranty companies. You will have a much easier time and better experience with a Honda backed warranty that Honda dealers across the nation accept.

Cancelling is not a big deal. Extended warranties are really insurance policies. Insurance is regulated differently for each state. In most states you can cancel your policy and get a pro-rated refund. You will probably receive a full refund since it so early into the policy. After cancelling I would buy the Honda backed $0/ded 8year/100K warranty for $1200 from the online Honda vendor other forum members used. That is if you still want the warranty.

Good luck with this.

 

[rexracer29]

I was just going off of the chart that rexracer posted earlier in this thread

That was a cut and paste from a search. I think the addition of the Prelude might be due to the fact that it shares the same engine. Not sure though? Apologies for any misunderstanding.

 

[rexracer29]

I doubt that it has. This is a rare occurrence that is both overstated and covered under warranty.

I would be surprised if a Prelude has shown up with a bad head gasket since it is so new. There really is not enough time for anyone to rack up high miles yet. Different story for Civic and other cars that share the engine.

Only Honda and its risk assessment team knows how wide spread the problem really is. I think it is more widespread than what Honda wants the public to know. I was at a Honda dealership last night and asked a random tech about the head gasket issue. He said both the 1.5 and 2.0 engines are known to have head gasket issues. His dealership has repaired many of both engines. He said the 2.0s are showing up more now because they have had time to add on mileage. He said Honda has offered some goodwill for customers who were just out of warranty. I guess that is good news for anyone who owns a higher milage car. I asked if the new head gasket and head bolts are the same parts as the original ones. He did not know. He said he just uses whatever they give him. I was hoping to hear Honda was using newer parts with improved materials and design.

I also asked him if he would feel comfortable buying a Prelude with the same engine. He paused and said maybe with an extended warranty. That tech is sample of (1) but I have to weigh his opinion more since he is an insider who actually works on them.

I want to also make it clear that I am not a hater. I like the Prelude and was deep into shopping for one until I learned of the head gasket issues. I have not totally crossed off the Prelude but I definitely want to do some more research.

 

[Jusbs54922]

I would be surprised if a Prelude has shown up with a bad head gasket since it is so new. There really is not enough time for anyone to rack up high miles yet. Dofferent story for Civic and other cars that share the engine.

Only Honda and its risk assessment team knows how wide spread the problem really is. I think it is more widespread than what Honda wants the public to know. I was at a Honda dealership last night and asked a random tech about the head gasket issue. He said both the 1.5 and 2.0 engines are known to have head gasket issues. His dealership has repaired many of both engines. He said the 2.0s are showing up more now because they have had time to add on mileage. He said Honda has offered some goodwill for customers who were just out of warranty. I guess that is good news for anyone who owns a higher milage car. I asked if the head gasket and head bolts are the same parts as the original ones. He did not know. He said he just uses whatever they give him. I was hoping to hear Honda was using newer parts with improved materials and design.

I also asked him if he would feel comfortable buying a Prelude with the same engine. He paused and said maybe with an extended warranty. That tech is sample of (1) but I have to weigh his opinion more since he is an insider who actually works on them.

I want to also make it clear that I am not a hater. I like the Prelude and was deep into shopping for one until I learned of the head gasket issues. I have not totally crossed off the Prelude but I definitely want to do some more research.

Thanks Rex for the followup!
Really glad now that I did buy an 8 year 100,000 mile $0 deductible Honda Care Extended Warranty for only $1098, not from the dealership I bought my Prelude from, but afterwards from Saccucci Honda (they are known for selling HC warranties at a huge discounted price, then attaching the extended warranty to my VIN so it's good at any Honda dealership) https://www.saccuccihondacare.com/