Honda Internal Memo — April 2023
Sent to ALL Honda Service Managers and Advisors nationwide — this was not a routine notice.
Honda requested vehicles be held before any repair so they could collect engine parts for investigation.
Specifically targets the exact engine and model year range experiencing this head gasket failure.
Honda required borescope or pressure test to confirm coolant leak — the same test performed on this vehicle in March 2026.
This memo proves that American Honda Motor Co. was aware of the 1.5L head gasket defect as early as April 2023 — nearly three years before the goodwill denial was issued. Honda was not only aware, they were actively investigating it and collecting physical evidence from affected vehicles. Despite this, no recall was issued and no customers were notified.
Honda Internal Memo — August 2024
Honda issued a second memo 16 months after the first. The problem was not resolved.
Scope grew from 2018-2019 to include ALL 2018-2022 Accords — defect spread across more model years.
Investigation expanded to include 2017-2022 CR-Vs and FHEVs — not limited to the Accord.
Despite a second Priority memo and expanded scope, Honda issued no recall and notified no vehicle owners.
The August 2024 memo is the most damning piece of evidence. 16 months after Honda first identified this defect, the problem had grown — not resolved. When goodwill was denied in March 2026 citing "no warranty extensions or recalls related to this specific issue" — Honda's own 2024 memo directly contradicts that position. They knew. They expanded the investigation. They stayed silent.
AHM sends Priority/Action Required memo to all service managers. Investigating 2018-2019 Accord 1.5L head gasket failures. Collecting parts before any repair attempts.
Despite active internal investigation, Honda issues no recall and does not notify owners. Owners continue driving vehicles Honda knows are defective.
Second Priority memo expands investigation to 2018-2022 Accords and 2017-2022 CR-Vs. Problem grew. Still no recall. Still no consumer notification.
Vehicle purchased in good faith. Honda was already investigating this exact engine defect internally at the time of purchase.
Hond-Auto Specialist confirms head gasket failure via combustion leak test at 112,985 miles — the same failure Honda has been investigating for 3 years.
Vandergriff Honda (authorized dealer) confirms via borescope: coolant leaking from head gasket into Cylinder 3. Repair estimate: $4,799.81.
"The vehicle is outside the manufacturer warranty by several years and almost 80,000 miles. There are no warranty extensions or recalls related to this specific issue." — Honda Case Manager
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