My 2003 4 cylinder Accord LX, manual trans, with 120k has given me no trouble until this afternoon. My daughter, the primary driver, said that, while driving on the freeway, the car began lurching as though it were running out of gas, although she had 1/4 tank left. She then received a yellow engine warning light, which, after she had turned off the engine for a few minutes, went off. She checked her oil - among other things - when she got home, and found that she had very little. She put in two quarts, which brought the level up to an acceptable point on the dipstick. She says the car does not leak oil, nor does it smoke. There is no evidence of leakage in the engine compartment. Does anyone have an idea where the missing oil may have gone? More importantly, is it likely to leave again? Thanks for your input.

 

I've heard something similar, someone on here had a similar problem. Hope they chime in, so I changed the title to attract their attention. (can't remember right now who that was)

Possibly something with the timing-chain tensioner but not really sure if that's it. I had a 2003 & never had that problem.

Get real serious about checking your oil level with the dipstick - OFTEN.

 

Thanks for responding, Jim. My daughter called to tell me she found a small (3-4") puddle of oil under the car after leaving it for an hour or two. I told her to keep a couple quarts of Castrol in the back seat, check the dipstick obsessively, and find her way to a mechanic ASAP. I've had British cars that never "marked their territory". I sure didn't expect this behavior from a Honda.

 

Have her make sure it is engine oil by touching it or something. I have not heard of any significant leakage of oil on the 7th gen Accords. A small puddle (3-4") sounds more like the water condensation from the A/C drain tube under the car.

 

I too have the same car, and the same issue. I know matter cant be created nor destroyed but it has to be going somewhere. I have checked the radiator to see if it shows signs of leaking into the cooling system but no luck. This past weekend before a 800 mile road trip I added 3 quarts. During my trip the oil level light came on for an instant and it went off. Shortly afterwards the check engine light came on and sure enough it was missing oil. I quickly drove to an AutoZone and they hooked up the machine which revealed 2 codes P1009 and P1041; after adding the necessary oil the light went off. Please help

 

Please don't take this the wrong way - how often do you check the oil in the car? Adding 3 qts (pretty sure an oil change is 4.5) sounds like a lot?

No leaks on the ground - let the car run for 30 min in one spot. Engine block is clean. When was the PCV last changed?

How long has this been going on?

 

I have a 2001 5 speed, 239K and I've had the missing oil, no leak problem for a couple years. Evidently is isn't uncommon. I have no leaks, no smoking, no puddles, nothing. I eat up about 2 qts every 3000 miles or so.

For the CEL light coming on and going off after adding oil. I have had that happen too.

I had a Honda mechanic tell me this (and it's one of the reasons I started working on my own cars) (I also don't know how much truth there is to it but it works), he told me to check the oil regularly as Accords do eat a little oil. He said the CEL I kept getting was something with the V-tec and a vacuum (heck if I know). He said to add some oil and give it a couple runs and it should go off. And sure enough it does.

****as a side note, I was driving high miles and NOT checking the oil and would get the CEL and pretty much just take it to the dealer. every time it was always "something". I"m not saying that it wasn't always something but it came on one time and the dealer said it needed fuel injectors, fine. 10K miles later he's saying the same thing, so I bought a Haynes book and went to work. but the add oil thing works, it is irritating to have to check the oil and add it here and there but mine still runs great and gets almost 30mph highway after 239K, i can't complain****