Hi all,

Just joined this forum after picking up my car from the dealership today. Some backstory:

I was driving home from work the other day (08 EX-L V6) when my check engine light began flashing, and I noticed a loss of power and rough idling. I’ve known some friends whose Honda’s have a history of spark plug issues, and what happened to me sounds a lot like what happened to them.

Sure enough, got a call from the dealership that the computer’s CEL code was for cylinder #3, and upon inspection the spark plug needed to be replaced.

However, (and this is what makes no sense to me) the mechanic suggested they take the entire engine apart to determine the root cause, because solely replacing the spark plug would just be a “bandaid” and it would only be a matter of time until the spark plug went foul again.

This seems weird to me. I’ve read about replacing spark plugs more times than I can count, and nobody says anything about needing to take the engine apart for inspection as to the root cause.

I’m not particularly mechanically inclined, so any insight on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

The problem has been existing for quite awhile for many owners. There was a warranty extension (expired by now) due to the misfiring for V6 with A/T, where the cause can be due to the piston rings. See this service bulletin: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...52430-0001.pdf

What some owners have also done is install an aftermarket plug and play device to disable VCM, to help prevent various issues, including spark plug fouling.

 

Thanks for the reply, Redbull! Is this something that is guaranteed to happen again? I’ve had this car for 5 years with no issues before this. They quoted me ~$2K if they went with the repair I mentioned above, which isn’t worth it to me. Just looking at alternative solutions.

 

It doesn't mean it may happen again, even if it does the interval may not be for a while. Since it is no longer covered by the extended warranty and the age of the car, I wouldn't spend that much for the repair.

 

Excellent. Thank you for the information. I guess we’ll just ride it out and hope for the best!

 

So I drove a whopping 140 miles after the plug was replaced before my CEL came on again. Solid orange this time. Haven't had a chance to run the codes yet but I'm assuming it's the same issue. Will disabling VCM ensure the spark plugs no longer foul? I'm looking for any alternative means to avoid dropping $2K on this car.

Thanks!