Honda Recall - 3.5L main bearing problems

[drwebb]

So Honda is having trouble with their V6 main bearings: https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/11/business/honda-engine-recall/index.html

Not a good look such a basic component has a defect coming from an OEM that leans into their engine durability prowess (or at least used to).

 

[XR250]

Well, Toyota is replacing 100,000 Tundra engines due to main bearing issues from manufcturing debris.

 

[TugboatEng]

No discussion of the cause?

 

[3DDave]

Per the infamously accurate New York Post, the current recall is an extension of this previous recall:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V751-1498.pdf

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot,2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine

 

[drwebb]

. . . defective (convex/concave) grinding of the crank pins due to mis-setting of manufacturing CNC leading to main bearing failures. (or, QA not controlling for GIGO in the automation)

 

[Doug Hunter]

Engine bearings today are designed right on the edge of robustness to maximize performance. When you couple that with shortened development lead times, I'm not too surprised...

 

[TugboatEng]

The post above yours described a manufacturing defect, not a design fault.

 

[Doug Hunter]

Yes... and the closer a design is to the edge of robustness, the more likely that a manufacturing variation/fault can create a problem.

 

[TugboatEng]

Sure, let's go back to poured babbitt bearings.

 

[Doug Hunter]

Sure, let's go back to poured babbitt bearings.

I wouldn't recommend that.

 

[enginesrus]

In my opinion, the main problem for failures is cutting corners, the excuse I have read and heard is oil gallery debris. It seems those manufactures are too proud to ask for help from independent folks, like back in the 50's and 60's when the big 3 would call on people like Smokey Yunick, to help solve problems.
Low viscosity lube oil, what can happen with that?

 

[XR250]

In my opinion, the main problem for failures is cutting corners, the excuse I have read and heard is oil gallery debris. It seems those manufactures are too proud to ask for help from independent folks, like back in the 50's and 60's when the big 3 would call on people like Smokey Yunick, to help solve problems.
Low viscosity lube oil, what can happen with that?

Why do you doubt the bearing debris issue? Plenty of engines run a happy life on low viscosity oil.

 

[CWB1]

like back in the 50's and 60's when the big 3 would call on people like Smokey Yunick, to help solve problems.

Reality was the exact opposite. Like many of his peers, a major reason for Smokey's success was that he received a ton of OEM and Tier1 engineering support, both in terms of knowledge and hardware. Many of "his" innovations were actually poorly-camouflaged factory efforts like the three '67 "2/3 scale" Chevelles - the first two being GM Engineering built, wind-tunnel tested cars and the third being a Smokey-fabbed copy. An unfortunate reality of history is that folks receive too much credit as often as they do too little, which inevitably makes others (me) feel like a dick when they point out inaccuracies.

As for quality issues, they're inevitable.

 

[SwinnyGG]

Don't worry about it CW. Engrus is just still holding out hope that Mark Reuss is going to call him back and offer him a billion dollars to fix every single engineering issue that GM has ever had.

Everyone but him knows exactly how likely that is.