Bad Head Gasket Symptoms in Your Honda
If your engine is suffering from a bad head gasket, you may experience the following:
- The engine is difficult to start
- Rough when idling
- Oil and/or coolant leaking
- Engine overheating or hotter than normal
- Coolant reservoir gurgling sound
- Check engine light
- The smell of oil in the cabin
- Sweet-smelling combustion in the cabin
If you experience two or more of these symptoms, you should immediately pull over and shut the car off. You may be just seconds away from complete engine failure, in which case only a new engine will fix the problem. This is why it's so important to have your head gaskets replaced when needed.
When to Replace a Head Gasket in Your Honda
In some cases, car manufacturers may also recommend a replacement (even if nothing is wrong) every 100,000 miles. This is a good idea considering an old head gasket that performs well enough can quickly become faulty just minutes down the road. When a head gasket fails, even a few minutes of driving could result in your spark plugs becoming damaged, oxygen sensor failing, other sensors, and a whole host of other problems, including lackluster engine performance. Worst of all, your engine could experience something called the engine warpage. This typically occurs as a result of your engine overheating due to your coolant system no longer functioning properly with a bad head gasket. The overheating will then cause the engine's cylinders to warp and no longer fit the engine block. You'll need a new engine that could cost you half the price of your car or more.
Honda's are perhaps the best example of the head gasket service requirement. Most Honda's dating back before 2010 are commonly known to fail if they don't receive new head gaskets just before every 100,000 miles. Even with such a strong and reliable engine, no car can escape the head gasket dilemma. Even your trusty Honda will need to undergo a service check to ensure the head gaskets have kept their seals.
