Honda 1.5t head gasket issues continued… 

if someone 30 years ago found this future video in honda acura !!! they would think this is prank. im serious.

The people who say you're not an engineer should be glad you're not...they are the ones who came up with this faulty design and have done nothing to correct it. Thanks for being in the trenches and letting us know what is really going on!

Thanks! You are providing Honda owners great information and it is appreciated!

Really appreciate all the tips and advice. Watching my 2020 1.5t accord like a hawk 👀. 2.0s are tough to find and $$$ so doing the best i can to make the most of it.

Just got my 2018 Honda Accord back yesterday from the dealer after 3 weeks. I had all of the signs mentioned in this video and my Honda dealer first said it was bad fuel injectors, I had told them I thought it was the head gasket. They replaced the injectors but the issue was still happening and they finally diagnosed the head gasket as being blown. I ordered the studs recommended here. The dealer felt back they got it wrong and contacted Honda who agreed to replace it for free. Given my car had just 5 years and 1 month with just under 59k miles. I now have a new head gasket and new injectors $0 cost. I just paid for the oil change (has oil dilution issue) and new rotors. Going forward will be putting in premium gas and going to change the oil every 3k miles. I like my car, I just wish Honda would have a recall and fix this issue once and for all. Take responsibility Honda, you can do it.

Thanks for your updates to the Honda cars! Your information is very useful and helps us understand these common problems we have both the civic and crv with this 1.5t and I know what to expect… Cheers and thank you!

The Honda service center near me gets 10-15 a week like this. And the price is about $6k. Makes me love the k24 and j35 all the more

I just got a 2024 1.5t,1k miles so far and I absolutely love it. It drives like butter(obviously a new car) I have pumped 91 since the day I got it (thanks for the heads up) Thank you for sharing your findings. I will keep you posted

Thanks for sharing. Very good informative information. Great getting info from a certified Honda mechanic. 👍

2.0 naturally aspirated port injected beauty for me. Gonna baby it for 20 years if I can

Thanks for all the years of good info!

You're 110% qualified to be commenting on reliability! Stop with the "I'm not an engineer". The only engineers at Honda who would have a clue are the select few working this exact thing. And look what they did. Their only defense is that it was calculated cost saving and is expected. But somehow I doubt it was expected. And if it was, then Honda has changed for the worse.

Appreciate the tips and info.

As a master mechanic i can attest that Honda needs to address this major issue ASAP! We're getting loads of 1.5 accords with this problem. Some as low as 40k miles! 😡

many thanks for the valuable information

Not sure what happened in 2018 but lord, I have owned seven Hondas over the years. Currently 2020 Accord Sport 2.0T 10 Speed Auto with 86K miles (80% highway on it). It runs as well now as it did the day I drove off the lot. It has never given me a problem and I have done all my maintenance early. I drive it responsibly (not like a sports car) I just liked the color and body style. I want it to last 200K as I paid it off in 3 years 🙂

Thanks for the update. 2023 Integra here. 24,000 miles

Thanks for continuing to post all your knowledge, as a result of working on these cars. Some of the below has already been discussed in previous shorts and vids, but this is what I'm seeing are contributing factors, some not previously mentioned: 1) 87 octane, in combination with owners using non-top tier gasoline. The low octane min requirement in Accord, CR-V results in more folks filling up 87 at the non-branded top tier stations, in an effort to save every penny, as those stations are cheaper and these owners are largely more sensitive to cost than say a Civic SI owner, willing to fill up 91 or higher. Lower quality fuels are not myth, fuels are not created equal, using them has consequences. 2) Extended oil change intervals or following the in-car oil life monitor. Because we know DI engines are more susceptible to LSPI, a factor in causing this is the oil leftover that the scraper rings on the pistons can't get all off. The older and dirtier the oil, the more it contributes to LSPI and other pre-ignition events. 3. NOT running a catch-can or oil separator. There are folks who can dismiss the usefulness of these till the cows come home. Bottom line, even if they don't get every drop, they work. And, frankly, especially in colder ambient temps like winter, much more fuel and blowby collects. Not to mention preventing the caking-on of all this on the backside of the intake valves due to the flaw of DI - the more unmetered fluids like dirty oil, products of combustion and fuel enter the combustion chamber, what happens? Reduced effective octane, thus leading to or promoting LSPI or pre-detonation. Up here in Canada, we're running two 1.5T Accord Sports, one with 40k miles and another with 15k miles (converted from km for our friends stateside). We're changing oil every 3k miles, filling up at min 89 octane at all top tier stations, and running Mishimoto catch cans (which have to be emptied every week or every two weeks, in the winter. So far, so good.

Keep up the great work

Initially when I was shopping for an Accord a few years ago I was planning on a new 1.5T Sport, but I’m feeling fortunate that I found a used 2.0T Touring instead. And not just because of the extra features I got out of it 😬 saving money on gas would have been cool but I’ll gladly take the more reliable powertrain. Hoping I can get many more years and miles out of it 👍🏻

Thanks for all your videos and information! I have a 2018 1.5T with about 55,000 miles. I switched over to 93 octane after seeing your first video when I was around 48,000 miles. I try not to exceed 2000 rpm until the car is fully warmed up, use fuel injector cleaner / fuel system cleaner every oil change, and pop the hood to check my coolant levels in the reservoir every fill up. I assume the head gasket failure is gradual and that carbon buildup must be part of the problem, affecting the fuel injectors and then misfires / pre-ignition / detonations and then the gasket blows. So far, everything is fine. I have a CPO warranty until next year so at least I'm covered a little longer. Hopefully, driving light and running 93 will keep me out of trouble.

Really appreciate the effort you put into these videos! One question for you, for those folks that take their car in and are told they need to replace the injectors when doing a faulty head gasket replacement, what is the purpose of the injectors being replaced? It is due to them being clogged, or some other actual failure?

Thanks for your info. I also watched your other video. Are you starting to see an increase in blown head gaskets in other models that use the 1.5T engine? I understand they are all "tuned" differently but are they all built the same? Thanks.

Thanks for continuing to highlight this. I am also a Honda fanboy but part of being a fanboy is wanting the best for the company you root for. They can do better on this.

Im glad i bought the extended warranty to 150,000 miles. Great content thank you!

I have a 18 Accord EXL 1.5t, havent had a injector or gasket problem yet..Had rodent damage and had to get the engine rewired. Got the condenser recall done, waiting to get the fuel pump recall done as well..I have been using regular fuel but getting oil changes every 3-4k miles

I just bought a 2019 2.0 6 speed super rare with 23k on it been looking for two years finally found one and best thing it’s blue and local all stock 😎

hey i appreciate this video as we've bought our lease on our 2020(considering that absurd prices honda dealership is charging for the new gen) so far, i haven't experienced any of the "symptoms" you mentioned on the previous video, aside from those is there a more tangible way of finding out the condition of the headgasket? also whileour crv is a very low milage car (around 15k rn, leased at 2020, middle of lockdown) its gonna be 5 years next year, is there any benefit on maybe replacing the headgasket by then as opposed to waiting for it to fail?

Do Honda dealerships perform headstand upgrade service with ARP studs or is that something I need to have done at a shop. I have a modified 22 Si that I track so I want to make the motor as bullet proof as I can. Also do they require a new gasket or can it be done without lifting the head. Thanks

I Know Over In Europe and Australia (Not Sure About Japan), Their Regular Fuel Starts At 100 Octane. So I Think Your Assessment About The Pre-Detonation Is Absolutely Correct and The Easiest and Most Cost Effective Way to Prevent It Is Simply to Put At Least 91 Octane Fuel In These 1.5ts Or Any DI Car! Good, Quality Fuel and Oil Will Always Be Cheaper Than Replacing The Head Gasket Or Motor!

Also to touch on the discrepancy on the octane use, my cars manual, a 2020 Civic EX shows two recommendations based on having a sport mode or not. It says with a sport mode on the 1.5T, use 91.

The octane issue, totally agree 👍👍👍👏👏👏. No way regular fuel octane number, in a turbo charged engine with such compression ratio is safe!! Thanks Brian for sharing the comparison specially for the acura integra vs honda si with different recommendation! God bless!!

Thanks for all of the 1.5T content! I bought a '22 Si new in Dec. of '21 and absolutely love the car. I do have a TSP tune which I run only on map 1 or 2 and don't drive it like an Ogre but occasionally do spirited drives (Tail of the Dragon, etc.) I work on and maintain all of my vehicles and always put 93 octane in the Civic. It now has 19k miles and I've had zero issues with it. I'm seriously considering putting in the TSP/ARP head studs but have a question: Do you NEED to pull the head or can you replace one at a time. I've seen a few YT videos of people doing the one at a time method without issues. Thoughts? Thanks!

I asked the question below on the first thread and I guess this one answers it. Even with a replacement of the head gasket and injectors I can expect it to happen again in time unless I replace with better head bolts. "Just got diagnosed with the injector and head gasket problems on a 2017 Honda CRV with 129,000 miles. Too bad I am $9K out of the Honda Care extended warranty and about a year out of the Extended Exhaust Warranty of 6 years/unlimited miles. I will get the work done and see if Honda would support any Goodwill on the repair $'s. I have owned many Honda's in a 60 years of driving and the most important need for us is reliability. My question is after the repair can I expect that the same problems could come up again or do the replacement parts only get the car back in operation but not address the root cause such that higher reliability might be expected?"

I got a 2020 Honda CRV touring so far I have had no problems out of it. The vehicle serviced religiously and and put midgrade gas in it and fuel injector cleaner every other month. So far so good.

Thank you for your videos. I’m super upset this 2022 1.5 Honda accord is the 4th accord I’ve owned and it will be the last unfortunately. I’m so disappointed with Honda now.

I have a 2018 Honda Accord Sport 1.5 and it's misfiring after changing the spark plugs, coil packs and replacing the Fuel Injectors @ $1200.00. I have 98,000 miles on it and always had it serviced, but unfortunately, I believe I'm dealing with a blown Head gasket now. Incredibly frustrating especially with Honda not taking care of the issues so many owners are having with these head gaskets. To top that off now there is a RECALL for the fuel pump, and they are saying it won't be until June here in NC were I'm from until they can get the parts in, but they have the parts in stock, but they are for the newer cars and the one for the RECALL haven't come in yet. INSANITY!!! What has happened to HONDA QUALITY and RELIABILITY!!! That's why I went with the ACCORD, and it has turned out to be the worst car I have ever purchased BRAND NEW!!! Dealer is wanting $4500.00 for Head gasket replacement. I'm definitely looking elsewhere for a better quote and trustworthiness.

I have a 2023 civic touring with this engine. I was wondering if there was a specific mode to help prolong the life for this engine. For example would eco be the best mode to use because the turbo doesn't get up to the full 16.5 PSI of boost?

What do you think would the preventative steps cost approximately at a dealer? for example replacing studs

Totally random question man but how often should I change my 07 ridgeline transfer case fluid ? And also the VTM fluid ?

2017 honda accord with the 2.4 I run that thing 100+ mph never uses or burns a drop of oil. ❤

hey, do all these problems aligned with the 2018 2.0t accord as well? my car is AC and heat is all out of whack. My coolant gets killed so quickly and I’m having crazy misfires with my car for the past few months now my car won’t even start now it’s getting warmer out. I’m not sure whether it’s my injectors or the head gasket or maybe bothI have many modifications on the car

Thank you for your honesty. That's why I've given up on Honda vehicles.

Even the dudes running 93, using the finest full synth oils and driving like grandmas in many of the accord groups are still having their head gaskets fail.

Honestly, my ‘18 Si has 65,000 miles every scheduled maintenance has been performed by the dealer on time and I change the oil every 3,500 miles and use only 91 to 93 octane. A vehicle is an investment and I keep them forever once they’re paid off, if you take maintenance serious as a heart attack you can avoid a lot of headaches. I’ve been keeping a close eye on my head gasket and if and when it goes I’ll be ready to fix it.

Thank you for the video. Great info as always! So if you are out of warranty, what is the approximate cost of replacing a head gasket on a 23 Si? I only have 6k miles but just curious

When replacing the head gaskets on these 1.5t engines are you having to have the surfaces machined or do they typically stay flat/ straight? Preparing to replace the head gasket in my accord after 65,000 miles of easy driving and careful maintenance.

I have a 2018 1.5 accord, and this is actually keeping me up at night! I have 125k on mine. Change oil & filter every 3-4k with pennzoil platinum 0w20. Check and top off coolant reservoir as needed. I have 7 payments left and this repair would be terrible as I don’t have thousands of dollars laying around.

Also, where are you in New Jersey? I am probably going to need some assistance on my 2018 accord ASAP.

What is the tightening torque for the cylinder head bolts if I use old bolts? Please tell me, now I will change the gasket for si 2018

I have a 2020 Accord LX that I bought new. So far, I've had no problems, although I've only driven about 36,000 miles and always use premium gas. Do you think driving on Econ mode would help me avoid the head gasket issue? Thanks.

01 civics are notorious for blown head gaskets, I've decided to avoid anything less than 2.0s

Does the 2.0 have the same issues? I have 2021 touring 2.0

After watching your videos and also looking at other links, it seems pretty clear we have to use 91 octane fuel if need to avoid head gasket issues. However, since 91 fuel is expensive, I would obviously try to save the maximum of it. In this regard, what are your thoughts on auto idle start stop system in 2024 Honda accord 1.5T? I’ve been trying to avoid its use so far but if we have to use idle start stop system, would that be safe to do without having any similar engine issues?

You must be pretty good at changing them out by now :)

Best advertisment for a Toyota Corolla I've ever seen..:).. 2L naturally aspirated engine.. but then there is that CVT which is a big "no go" for me.

👍🏻👍🏻. I have heard some massive understatements in my life. But you hoping your Honda & Acura information is helpful to a owner takes the cake. Well maybe that's a bit of an overstatement. But you get the point.

I have a 2014 2.4 L, no frills but total functionality been a good car for 8 years. Never had a turbo and i think ill avoid them

Hello, wonder if you could comment on Honda 3l turbo 6 cyl . on the Type S Acuras ( turbo lubrication, cooling, plastic water pump impellers , housings etc)Considering one of these as a replacement to a money pit BMW 6 cyl. ( is there anything not made of plastic?). Im also considering a 2liter normally aspirated civic Hatch manual for my son ( trying to keep his car under 160hp as he’s a young driver ) , Given he’s a Formula 1 fan , a Honda is an easier “ sell” .. RedBull Honda etc etc ..

I just picked up a 2024 touring 1.5T, I only have a little over 400 miles and when I'm stopped at idle, the motor is a little rough. my first fill-up was with 91, hope it gets better, I'm hearing of a lot of 1.5 issues....😔

I am so glad I passed on a 2018 1.5T Accord and went with the 2013 RDX when I was shopping for wife’s car a year ago! (P.S. Keyboard warriors! Lmao! )

I have accord 1.5 2023 being using 91 grade gasoline hope it stays this way

just finishing replacing the head gasket on a 2016 civic and according to the dealership there is no head gasket issue. They said " don't believe everything on RU-vid" Was quoted $3600 part and labor to replace and suggested to buy a used engine and swap $2240 CAD.

I scrolled through your videos and didn’t see anything on either…the last good automatic transmission by Honda, before they went to the CVT or on the Accord 2021 - 2023 10 speed transmission on the 2.0 L turbo. I’d also like to know what to look for, before buying a used 21-23 Accord 2.0t .

Can we install a copper O ring cut into the same grove between each cylinder to fix this issue?

Ford also has a similar issue with the 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, and 2.3 four cylinder EcoBoost with their engine blocks. Also VW is having the same issue with their 1.5 TSI.

I just got a new head gasket done on my 2018 crv at 150000 miles. I installed the aftermarket apc headbolts. Should i still run 91 octane? Would it be OK to run 87 with the aftermarket headbolts?

For a 2.0T, could you please elaborate a lil more as to why you'd recommend 91+ Octane? Very interested to hear your reasoning.

Does that groove actually provide any function, or can you potentially weld into that and sand/file it flat or fill/sand it with extreme temp JB weld?

All facts 💯👌🏼

Do you think these problems are happening in colder states ??? I’m in Cali with my 2020 1.5 accord and your scaring my with these vids 😂😂

What are the part # for the head gasket New Head bolt s

From all the head gaskets replacements you or the dealership did, have they all been using only 87 fuel?? I noticed that fuel recommendation discrepancy on the '23 accord awhile back. It's just weird they recommended it across all accord powertrain including 2.0 hybrids.

Absolutely incredible that a great company, like Honda, would put out such a glaring design flaw. We are living in different times…

8:46 your mentioning of premium fuel vs regular, you got me curious as from a mechanic perspective what are the benefits of running premium? You mentioned cat and mine is shot (car burns 1 quart per 400 miles so I'm not surprised) but what parts does the gas effect?

A stock 1.5L turbocharged engine can run boosts of up to 20psi in order to generate upwards of 200HP in a HONDA seems ridiculous. Soichiro Honda envisioned efficient, reliable vehicles; complicated and higher performance inducted engines (as well as gas guzzling V6s) weren't in his vision. As to the L15, It can't be that hard to figure out that lowering boost a few PSI could help with the blown head gasket issue (and maybe even the oil dilution issue) without losing that much power. Does a Civic really need to have 175HP and max torque at 1500RPM? They could also make the a minor change to the block that you pointed out, use the stronger head bolts you also pointed out, and if they want to be running the long stroke they are then maybe use better connecting rods and connecting rod bolts. But I suppose they are still pushing hard to hybrids and EVs, so maybe they don't want to allocate the resources for changes to the L15.

I have a 2018 Accord 1.5t with 70k miles with misfire codes. I have changed OEM plugs and coils. I have injectors on order. What are the symptoms you are seeing for the head gaskets?

My 2012 Civic EX has 299,300 miles on it. I should be passing 300,000 in a few weeks. My previous car, a 2002 CRV, had 203,000 miles when it was totaled. I buy Honda for the peace of mind, and there's no way I will get that with these new 1.5Ts, nevermind the CVTs as well. Next car will be a Toyota - Camry or RAV4. What a shame because I've LOVED my Hondas.

Have a 24 crv. Using top teir 89 gas & usung econ mode. Hope this helps some in this honda fiasco. They need to do better, or i will eventually trade for another manufacturer. Probably Mazda.

What was the newest model you’ve seen with this? Also with the changes Honda did on the 1.5, do you think they secretly fixed it?

I have a 2.0t with one of your symptoms.when at cold start i feel a slight miss fire but goes away quickly any suggestions

Looks like the same design-problem that FORD is having with its ECOBOOST engines. Ford also cut a small grove between cylinders that is causing head gaskets to leak and then blow.

My mom had her Crank Shaft seal replaced on her 04 Civic but she still has leaking. I’m curious to see what you would think is still the problem? Are there known other parts that should have been changed?

I was at my dealer to have the oil changed inmy wife's new CR-V and the advisor has s customer with a 18 Accord with 350k on it. No hg issues but has a issue with the turbo. Lift driver. Oil changes every 5k

I just did one on Monday, and if I had to guess, I'd say it's that slit that they have in between the cylinders.

I think you said 91/93 is "cleaner" If your engine can't take advantage of the higher octane, from what I've read, it'll leave more deposits, thus it'll run less clean. Why isn't Honda coming up with a redesign? If they don't think it's worth the money to make a change to the block, why not at least use better head bolts!? Isn't that a cheap fix for them that could prevent permanent bad PR? And maybe a better gasket. Perhaps they should have used a slightly larger engine (even a 1.6L). Also I appreciate what you're doing, although this video is basically a repeat of the first one on this.

Hi there , is oil dilution a thing with the 1.5 T ?

Question; I have a new 2024 Honda Accord EX Turbo, should the head gasket bolts be replaced to head off problems?

Hola amigo,sería bueno que los videos tuvieran la posibilidad de subtítulos.Gracias 👍!

When coolant is low in the 1.5accord is that due to a head gasket issue or does the coolant deplete in every car ?

The 10th gen civic (2016-2021) the 1.5T had a compression ratio of 10.6:1 the newer 11th gen civics (2022+) the 1.5T has a compression ratio of 10.3:1 maybe going with a lower compression ratio would help?

How can I contact you about my 2019 accord I’m having these problems please

So I’ve replaced my head gaskets but the lights keep popping up on the dash, Does the front sensor have to get recalibrated? My mechanic replaced the head gasket and it still “misfired” he said, so I told him to check the spark plugs and he did then after he switched them around to locate the “misfire” it didn’t do it anymore (he even used his snap on computer and checked for a “live” misfire and nada… but the lights and check engine light came on for code P0366 what he do wrong ?

It’s wild to hear that Honda is having these issues. I’m sure these engines are wonderful to use, as was my turbo Volkswagen, but there’s a certain point where it becomes more trouble than it’s worth. Maybe the turbo experiment needs to end for the sake of the brand. I mean really, how much horsepower does a Civic actually need? I just bought a Corolla and the 169 hp 2.0 is just right and it gets 40 mpg, and Honda has proven its ability to make that kind of horsepower out of a similarly sized engine that’ll last forever… so why with the turbos? I really, truly wanted a Civic rather than a Corolla but it seems like Honda has lost its way here.

My 2019 1.5t head gasket got blown 3 days ago : c at 102k miles….. decided to trade it in for the Acura TLX type S

I leave in gulf exactly in uae 🇦🇪 I already put a 95-98 octane it’s prime gas what’s your comment i never face any heat gasket until now my car honda 1.5 in future do you think any comment issues again thanks 🙏 for your advice brother

Video idea: best and worst used hondas to buy and why

Thanks for being honest. Honda dealers are corrupt when they are selling their vehicles. Honda engineers probably the same that worked at Hyundai or KIA.

I got $3900 left to pay off my vehicle but $4800 to fix it. I have 96k miles on it. In your opinion would you trade it in and put the $4800 towards a newer vehicle or just fix it and wait until it breaks again? Knowing what you know, what would you do?

Do you recommend trading in 1.5 for 2.0/hybrid ?