Read a bulletin about 2023 Honda 1.5T oil dilution issues and it finally clicked

I was skimming a TSB last week from Honda about the 1.5T engines still having oil dilution problems even after the software update. My buddy at the dealer says they're still doing short-trip fixes on 2022 models coming in every month. Told me to stop recommending 0W-20 and go with 5W-30 for customers who only drive 5 miles to work. Has anyone else seen better results with thicker oil on these, or am I just asking for warranty headaches?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_kim17d ago

Tossed a thicker oil in my wife's 2020 Civic Si after seeing the same TSB and its been a night and day difference on her short commute. The 5W-30 cuts way down on the fuel smell in the oil when I check it at 3k miles now. Honda's software patch just masks the problem by running the engine hotter and burning more gas, it doesn't fix the basic design issue with those direct injectors. Your buddy at the dealer is right about the short trip fix, I've seen way less dilution on forums from people who switched weights. Just keep your receipts and change it every 4 months if you're worried about the warranty, the thicker oil won't void anything as long as it meets the API spec.

patricia55817d ago

Man, I'm right there with you @the_kim. That "fuel smell in the oil" bit hit home because I was getting the same thing on my '19 Accord with the 1.5T. I switched to 5W-30 after seeing a similar thread and it's night and day. The dipstick doesn't smell like a gas station anymore and my oil stays clean longer between changes. I run 4k intervals now instead of 5k and it's cheap insurance. Honda's software fix just heats everything up which makes sense but I'd rather not cook the engine to hide a problem. If someone's worried about warranty just keep the receipts and swap back to 0W-20 before dealer visits, no big deal.