details on engine overheating
Here is the play-by-play:
On the way back from a routine trip to Poughkeepsie, NY on CT route 4, we hit severe weather on the back roads over the Berkshires. Driving rain, 50 mph gales force winds. To top it off, as we were climbing on CT rt 4 towards Cornwall Bridge, the de-fogger failed to work. It was dark, about 7 pm, and I noticed that the engine of my 2000 Honda Insight Hybrid was neither charging, or getting any energy assist. I did not notice any other warning lights or excessive readings on any of the gauges. I assumed that the moisture had got into the electronics somehow and was fouling the works (the engine was running rough at this point). I looked for a place to safely pull off the road - there were none - until after about 10 miles, at the Junction of CT routes 4 & 7, a Citgo station. Once there, I called AAA for a tow. It was going to be at least 1.5 hours. After about half an hour, my brother Mike and I pushed the car to the gas pump area which was covered. I thought maybe a fuse was blown, and I checked the fuses, the lights. Everything looked fine. Then I remembered that I had just put in some gas in Poughkeepsie. Thinking that perhaps it was bad gas, causing the car to act up, I topped it off with the highest premium grade gas. I tried to start the engine. After a couple attempts, it did start up. Again, everything looked fine. I did not notice any other warning lights or excessive readings on any of the gauges. I left the engine idling while I went back in to cancel the tow call. Mike and I got back into the car, drove 100 yds, to a stop sign. The engine was still running rough, so I then turned around and headed back to the Citgo: the engine temp gauge indicated that the engine was now hot! I went back in and renewed the tow call with AAA. This time it would be a 2 hr wait.
Mike and I had some food, and sat around. I read in the car manual that the hot engine might be due to low radiator fluid. I waited until the engine had cooled, then opened the radiator, noted I could not see any fluid, but that it was wet. I topped it off with some pre-mixed fluid, and started the car up again. All the indications were that the car was OK. I did not notice any other warning lights or excessive readings on any of the gauges, that the car was running a little rough. Again Mike & I drove it off about 100 yards to the stop sign. But the car was running so rough; I drove back to the Citgo and waited for the tow.
The evidence to date shows that some road debris was kicked up in the storm and drove a hole into the radiator. However, apparently the engine overheated and warped the head. The engine will have to be replaced.
The repairs will cost between $3500 and $5500 (depending on whether new parts are used). The Torrington, CT Honda Service Dept has found a used engine & transmission with about 35K miles in MA.
What would my insurance cover? Alison (the claims agent on Team “A” at State Farm (SF)) maintain that had I just left the car at the Citgo station and waited for the tow, then they would had covered all the damage to the radiator and if any, to the engine. She maintained that all the damage to the engine occurred when I drove it from the Citgo station the two times I "tested" the condition of the car. Therefore, that damage is my responsibility. They will cover the cost of replacing the radiator only. I maintain that any damage that I may have caused during those two brief "test drives" would be minor compared to the damage driving the approximately 10 miles to find a safe place to pull over.
Later, my Agent Curtis Boyd called and told me that SF had changed their position:
Now they maintain that I should have stopped the car at the first sign of engine trouble. They are now saying that I should stop the car where it is unsafe to do so – an illegal maneuver – and risk a rear-end collision, and potentially serious bodily harm to me and my passenger.
I submit that I did everything that was safe and reasonable to minimize the damage to the car, me & my passenger, and due diligence in troubleshooting the matter to minimize costs to all parties. Therefore, under the stated conditions, SF should make good on the agreements of our binding insurance contract and pay for the damage to the engine.
Timeline:
23 Dec 05 Loss occurred. Vehicle towed to Torrington Honda.
24 Dec 05 Called into Torrington Honda, Got the machine. Left a message.
25-26 Dec 05 Torrington Honda closed.
27 Dec 05 Spoke to Torrington Honda mechanic “Bob” or “Bill” and explained the condition surrounding the loss.
28 Dec 05 Spoke to Torrington Honda. Bob said that the radiator needs to be replaced.
29 Dec 05 After radiator was installed, and the car was “test-driven”, Bill said that the engine was damaged. Gave me a worse case cost. At this point, I felt it was worthy of a claim. Called in the claim to State Farm.
I guess this is a general complaint against both State Farm & Honda.
Steev