Not my understanding.

The problems at the Celaya (Mexico) plant in 2015 were out of control, and Honda corporate was not happy. Product theft on rail lines, really sloppy QC, worker cultural misunderstandings, brake rotors not annealed properly....you name it.

Senior Honda executives were demoted as a result of the Celaya fiasco.

Production shifted back to Japan for 2016. These vehicles are identified by J-vin as opposed to 3-vin for the Celaya models. I have one of those J-vins.

Only when Japanese production caught up with demand did Honda shift production back to Celaya.

 

Very disturbing that the great Honda would produce cars like ours with an engine design flaw!

 

🤣
I find you sarcasm very much to the point!

I think this VTC actuator issue is not really a design flaw of the engine. Yes it is an issue, which in some cases causes need of replacement in quite low miles, but it's still rather minor compared to many other brand's engine or transmission issues.

 

Can anyone opine on which manufacturers do not have engine/transmissions issues--that will be my next new car!

Thanks!

 

I feel your pain, sir. But it used to be, not so long ago, that you could buy a Japanese car that did not develop engine/transmission issues. Those were, like the song says, the days.

 

i have the rattle, had for about 6 years, what actually rattles,if its the timing chain guides i could see that doing damage,if its some "pin" not engaging in the actuator...the actuators toast anyway in my opinion. is it doing damage?....(it sure sounds hellachious!)

 

The Honda repair procedure that I once recall reading describes replacing the actuator part. It does not say anything about checking or replacing anything else which has always puzzled me. It gives the impression that there is nothing else to worry about. But then of course this is Honda and they would want to minimize the repair cost and perhaps they operate under the "look for no problem ..... find no problem" philosophy. Who knows.

 

When the Honda Dealer replaced my VTC Actuator in 2021 under the Honda extended warranty, they also replaced the following:

Fuel Joint Pipe Set
Multiple O-Rings
Manifold Gasket
Throttle Body Gasket
ERG Port Gasket
Cam Chain Guide (They said it was cracked.)
Head Cover Gasket

 

Our 2018 is getting it 2nd VTC replacement in 90,000 miles replaced again yesterday. The car was well out of warranty but Honda corporate did cover half the cost of the parts for us (just not the labor), because I have been working with this same Honda dealership for over 15 years now. So luckily we did qualified for a special discount from Honda. Sadly this is a real issue for these cars and there is no permanent fix or updated parts to cure the problem. They just remove and replace with the same poorly designed parts.

The car comes back today so I hope this car stay quiet this time around. For longer than 13 months.

 

Cam Chain Guide (They said it was cracked.)

my GUESS is the noise is actually the guides moving(deflecting,i assume they have some kind of"tensioner" or spring load on them) so i'd believe that, luckily no one seems to have had a "catastrophic" failure.

Honda Dealer replaced my VTC Actuator in 2021 under the Honda extended warranty

is there a canadian xtended warranty on this ?

 

Do you guys follow your Oil Change monitor?

I follow mine exactly.

I've never had this rough start clicking on my 2015 EX stick. Mine starts quiet. No clicking.

 

Obviously yes. We get our car fully serviced through Honda, and on time. This is a very common problem with more models than just the Fit. The HRV and Accords have this major VTC issue also.

 

There are plenty of blown engine stories online from bad Honda VTC's. The timing chain can or will jump from a bad or going bad VTC. Google it. So I wouldn't ignore it for too long unless you want a more expensive engine problems on your hands.

Noisy VTC = loose timing chain.

And a loose timing chain will for sure lead to major engine damage. It's just a matter of time.

 

But, if that was true wouldn't a loose timing chain be noisy all the time instead of just very briefly at startup?

 

The timing chain can make noise while driving. But the noise is much louder and pronounced during cold start. Our Fit made some rattle noises while under load (car ran fine otherwise), but mainly noisy at start up. This was after a year of dealing with the noise at start up already.

It's all fixed now for the 2nd time. Car is nice and quiet with the new VTC installed. Honda covered $1,600+ of the repair (we paid around $500) even though the car was well out of warranty. I have been a long time customer with my local dealer so they in turn contacted Honda about a discount on the repair for having to replace it twice now in under 100,000 miles. And thankfully Honda decided to cover us on both parts and labor.


It really pays to be a long time customer with one dealership and build up that long-term relationship. Lynnwood Honda went above and beyond to help us get the repair done with as little out of pocket as possible. And we didn't even buy the car through them.

If you are ignoring that VTC rattle it will just get worse over time. So the only gamble is on you and when you want the repair done before catastrophic engine failure happens. Because it will.

 

The Honda Dealer where I go to for all my maintenance and work told me;

The reason why these VTC Accuators are failing is due to lack of Oil Changes in a timely manner. I trust my local Honda Dealer. I'm going to believe what they say.

My 2015 EX with almost 100,000 miles has never had this rough starting sound that indicates VTC Accuator failure.

 

iv changed my oil RELIGIOUSLY per maintenance minder and i was probably a 3or 4 year old rattler.....still ratt'lin on 5 years later after that!!!

thinking of gettting vanity plates:

RATTLER
VTCNZZ
TIMBMB

 

Honda wouldn't have revised the part number several times if it was only a lack of oil changes. I also follow the maintenance minder to the tee and use only Motul 0W20 but the one in my 2019 is making noise. I'm at 133,000KM so I am out of warranty but am having it replaced at my local shop. I might start reducing my oil change intervals but plan to do a UOA since the same Motul 0W20 in my 2019 Civic Si is holding up well according to a UOA when following the factory schedule.

 

That is 100% false. We change our oil at the dealer on or before it's time. And it still went out twice on us now. It's due to a bad parts deign by Honda. Nothing more.

 

Yes. What is said here. Additionally, no different grade ("weight") or boutique oil will help, either. Design flaw, but if it makes anyone feel better, Toyota, some of them, also have this issue.