Honda Odyssey: K24W Excessive Engine Oil Consumption

The K24W engine is documented to consume engine oil above Honda's acceptable threshold of 1 litre per 3,000 km in a proportion of units, attributed to piston ring wear and valve stem seal deterioration at higher mileages. Honda issued extended warranty coverage for oil consumption on K-series engines in some markets following owner complaints and class-action pressure. In NZ grey imports the manufacturer warranty avenue is typically closed, so buyers bear the full repair cost. Severe cases cause catalytic converter contamination from oil ash, adding to repair expense.

• Oil level on dipstick drops noticeably between scheduled services
• Blue or grey smoke from exhaust on cold start that clears within a minute
• Faint smell of burning oil after extended driving or under hard acceleration
• Oil warning light appearing before the next service interval
• Fouled or oil-contaminated spark plugs on removal

1. 1

   Check the engine oil level on the dipstick cold before the test drive, and again at the end if the car has been driven.

2. 2

   Ask to see receipts for any top-ups between services.

3. 3

   Check the exhaust for blue or grey smoke on a cold start and under hard acceleration.

4. 4

   Remove the oil filler cap with the engine warm and look for blue-tinged smoke rising from the inlet.

Parts involved: Catalytic converter.

$200 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

• “How often do you top up the engine oil between scheduled services, and by how much?”
• “Has the car ever triggered a low oil pressure or low oil level warning light?”
• “Has Honda or any dealer ever formally assessed oil consumption on this vehicle?”

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.