Honda Accord VSA issues

Firestar_3x · 17 Feb 2011 at 14:34

Dads 2005 i-cdti Accord has just developed a VSA system error, looking on-line Honda have a serious issue with some German made VSA pumps:

Honda has finally issued the extended warranty for the rubbish VSA modulator
made by the ultra-NOT reliable German manufacturer. Before this TSB was
announced Honda UK as a gesture of goodwill was paying for the parts and
the customer had to pay for the labour.
Finally Honda and German manufacturer have reached a solution to this issue.

TSB Bulletin No SK-07-007-00 dated 01-11-2010
This is only applicable to i-CTDI engines.
Models Affected
ACCORD 4D CN1 05, 06, 07, 08
ACCORD TOURER CN2 05, 06, 07, 08
CIVIC 5D EV1 05
CR-V RD8 05, 06
CR-V I-CTDI RD9 05, 06
Symptom
VSA light on, DTC 66-1 is stored.
Cause
Open circuit in the VSA modulator pressure sensor due to a production fault at the supplier.
Application: Warranty extension +3 years; mileage up to 62,000 miles
Any high mileage car will not be entertained... So anyone now has suddenly seen this issue, please contact your dealer provided you are with the time frame and mileage.

Car is a 2005 but on 69k, before we purchased it the car was sat around on a honda backlot for one year / dealer before being sold.

He's currently faced with a £1,600 bill to sort the VSA pump issues out (at Honda), or around £700 to get someone else to sort it.

He's going to phone Honda tomorrow and see what they will do for him but i've got a feeling they won't play ball. Now given the above Honda technical note admitting they have a serious manufacturing defect with the VSA modules what should we / he do next, do we have a case to take this further to Honda uk or go down the not fit for purpose route?

scousegit · 17 Feb 2011 at 15:10

sounds similar to the ESP Fault my oldmans old Golf PLUS had,

it's a BOSCH ABS Pump module that fails, if you do a search on google for ESP fault it's the same thing on all VW's and other brands.

VW dealers were charging over £1,000 to repair, but as my oldmans had a full VW SH, and was about 16mths out of warranty, the dealer got the go ahead from VW to fit the new repair kit that sorts the problem out.

His Golf had done 47k

All done for Free,

BOSCH have released a repair kit that takes the faulty part out of the module and puts it on the outside.

Permanent light, can't disable - yep the same thing.

check with honda for a repair kit.

My oldmans new car now is the same as ur oldmans but a 2007 model, I better tell him about this lol.

We thought we wouldnt have any of this carry on with a honda, hopefully touch wood we don't.

BlastRadius · 17 Feb 2011 at 16:30

This is only applicable to i-CTDI engines.

Then why is CIVIC 5D EV1 05 listed. As this was only available as a 2.0 petrol, k20a3 (my car).

Firestar_3x · 17 Feb 2011 at 16:49

Totally no idea, will see what Honda are willing to do for him tomorrow, either way it's a poor show imho a part like this shouldn't be failing on such a huge amount of Hondas, makes me lol how they did a safety recall for some wiper nozel issue, yet the haven't recalled something to do with the braking and stability system.

scousegit · 17 Feb 2011 at 17:13

VW never issued a recall, as they stated as it's a yellow warning light it gives the owner the opportunity to take the vehicle to the dealer as soon as they can.

it's a warning they stated, it's not critical ( if it were red )

in other words it would cost a lot of £££ to sort this out so would rather deal with it on a case by case basis.

All manufacturers who use this bosch pump probably will do this, probably a deal going on with BOSCH.

pritty crap to be honest.

O and apparently they stated that a ESP system isn't like an airbag fault in terms of safety.

load of crap, it's still a safety system.

pump looks something like this

places on the net repair them for around £400 with a 2 year unconditional warranty, best check them out if honda don't play ball.

Sin_Chase · 17 Feb 2011 at 22:36

Speak to Honda dealer, if you have no luck have them go through Honda UK and try get a solution.

On my S2000 I was out of warranty and got a full roof replacement (parts and labour) on goodwill on the basis it was a known fault and a manufacturing defect.

Firestar_3x · 21 Feb 2011 at 11:56

He went to the local Honda main dealer with a printout of the TSB, they did a free diagnostics check, confirmed the VSA pump is shot, but basically told my Dad he was telling fibs about the TSB and said the printout fron the internet was fake, he then went on to say the dealer wouldn't fix it for free and it was going to cost him £1,800 and that was the end of it. Dad basically walked out at this point rather cheesed off.

Dealer who must have been feleing guilty, later left a voicemail stating he's checked with Honda UK and the TSB is real, and he's going to forward the case to Honda UK.

ukmassive · 6 Apr 2013 at 23:38

Try Disconnecting and re-connecting battery!!!

My father's 2007 Honda FR-V had the same issue when he returned from his holidays. After jump-starting it, as it had a dead battery, the VSA and engine management light came on and the car just would not move.

We called the AA and he tried re-setting everything. He warned that the car should be jump started with the key removed, which he said could have caused this issue.

He couldn't reset it and then his only option was to get it towed to Honda dealership for their diagnostic. Whilst he was diagnosing, we suggested that we could try disconnecting and re-connecting the battery, the AA man said, no point as he had done that through the software.

Thank God it was a bank holiday weekend and he said we would have to call back and re-book. Over the weekend one of my father's friends suggested disconnecting the battery and re-connecting it - guess what it resolved the issue - all lights are reset and no huge VSA bill (for now!).

blueboy2001 · 6 Apr 2013 at 23:59

The ABS/ESP units with prolific failure rates of the pressure sensors fitted to VAG cars (and others) are ATE Teves MK60 units.

It sounds like this is the same problem on the Honda. If its the MK60 you can fix these for about £150 plus the labour to fit the replacement module.

I'm not aware of any common issues with Bosch units, but as with anything you'll get some failures. Talk to BBA Reman if its a Bosch unit as they'll probably do a refurb service.

Firestar_3x · 7 Apr 2013 at 00:03

That's quite a thread bump!

Like Blueboy has stated one of the pressure sensors failed, Honda wouldn't play ball, we took the pump off, sent it to BBA Reman and all has been well since.