Common Honda 1.5 Turbo Engine Problems And How To Fix Them

The Honda 1.5 turbo engine is superbly efficient and powerful, but it’s not free from problems. As an owner, some of the most common Honda 1.5 turbo engine problems that you may come across include oil dilution, carbon buildup, and spark plug failure, among a few others. All of which could easily impact your car’s performance and the engine’s longevity.

Thankfully, Honda has since addressed some of these concerns, though you should still be aware of the early signs of problems and practice regular maintenance to avoid costly repairs. This would apply to most of Honda’s current line-up too, like the popular Civic, CR-V, and Accord. Specifically, we’re looking at the L15XX engine family, including the L15B7, L15BA, and L15BE.

Nevertheless, despite these problems, the Honda 1.5 turbo engine is generally quite reliable. This family of small, turbocharged 4-cylinder powertrains was produced by Honda from 2016 to this day. It features a tiny but potent turbocharger, an all-aluminum construction, and dual overhead cams, offering you punchy performance, but it remains highly fuel efficient.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at some of the most common Honda 1.5 turbo engine problems:

Honda 1.5 Turbo Engine Problems #1 – Oil Dilution

Oil dilution is a common issue with turbocharged and direct injection engines, of which Honda’s 1.5 engines feature both. This issue occurs when gasoline mixes with the engine oil, reducing its viscosity and lubricating properties. This can lead to increased wear and tear on the engine components, affecting its longevity and performance.

Now, most folks do agree that a bit of oil dilution is pretty normal. But, too much of it can be an issue. Honda has acknowledged this issue and implemented a fix in the form of a software update. However, it is essential to monitor the oil levels regularly and get the oil changed at the recommended intervals (around 5,000 miles) to prevent this problem from occurring.

In addition, when it comes to Honda’s 1.5 turbo engines, most oil dilution problems were caused by cold weather. This is because Honda’s 1.5 turbo engines are too slow to get up to their normal operating temperatures. This causes some fuel to stick to the cylinder walls, which is then picked up by the piston rings, before then mixing with the oil.

Consequently, this gasoline dilutes the motor oil. Additionally, most of the Honda vehicles affected by this are cars that were driven short distances in cold climates. One symptom you might notice is the smell of gasoline when checking your oil. On top of that, you might notice unexpectedly increased oil levels, engine stalling, and misfires, in addition to random power loss.

Honda 1.5 Turbo Engine Problems #2 – Carbon Buildup

Like other direct injection engines, the Honda 1.5L turbo engine is prone to carbon buildup on the intake valves. This leads to a variety of issues such as poor performance, reduced fuel efficiency, and engine misfires. You might additionally experience other symptoms, like rough idling, hesitation under acceleration, power loss, and even damaged spark plugs.

Regular maintenance and the use of high-quality fuel can help prevent this issue. Additionally, getting a carbon cleaning service at the recommended intervals can also help keep the engine running smoothly. Walnut blasting is an effective way of clearing carbon buildup from your engine, but it’s a costly service. Usually, it’s somewhere around $500 to $600.

Specifically, with the Honda 1.5 turbo engine, carbon buildup is one of the more frequently reported problems with it. At times, the carbon buildup is so excessive, that it clogs up the intake ports completely and causes them to not seal properly, requiring a clean-up. Unlike port injection, direct injection sprays fuel at high pressure, atomizing the fuel massively.

This isn’t ideal, since motor oil that goes past the piston rings doesn’t have the time to be washed out from the cylinder walls. The end result is carbon buildup. It’s no coincidence that these carbon buildup problems mostly appear once the piston rings gradually wear out. Oftentimes, you’ll experience this at around the 60,000-mile mark, but some last until 100,000 miles.

Honda 1.5 Turbo Engine Problems #3 – Spark Plug Failure

Another one of the more common Honda 1.5 turbo engine problems is spark plug failure. As mentioned, this is partly caused by the excessive carbon buildup that some of these engines suffer. On top of that, it’s well-known that turbocharged engines put additional wear on spark plugs, so it might be necessary to check and replace your spark plugs more frequently.

For Honda’s 1.5 turbo engines, it’s recommended to replace these spark plugs once every 30,000 miles. This shouldn’t be too expensive; you can buy a pack of 4 spark plugs for just $10. And, you could even replace these yourself to save on labor charges. Some of the symptoms you’ll notice due to poor spark plugs include misfires, hesitation, rough idle, and power loss.

As a whole, though, Honda and their 1.5 turbo engines are generally pretty reliable, despite these issues. They’re not too scary, especially if it’s properly maintained. In particular, that walnut blasting from earlier and cleaning the intake ports on the heads to clear up the carbon buildup. Plus, you’ll likely need to replace the spark plugs a bit more frequently than usual.

For the most part, owners of Honda cars fitted with these 1.5 turbo engines can typically expect headache-free ownership. The core of the engine is dependable and robust, and the Honda 1.5 turbo engine life expectancy is fairly good. You can expect at least 150,000 miles before major issues start to appear. But, with good maintenance, you can easily expect way more.

Other Honda 1.5 Turbo Engine Problems To Look Out For

Really, those 3 aforementioned issues are the most common problems you’ll see on Honda 1.5 turbo engines. However, there are some other random and sporadic (not systemic, which is good) faults you might encounter, including (but not limited to):

• Overheating, which is likely caused by a faulty radiator, thermostat, or water pump. Or, it could also be caused by coolant leaks, sometimes into the motor oil.
• Turbocharger failure, which can at times be prone to failure. Symptoms include loss of power, increased exhaust smoke, and a loud whining noise from the engine.
• Fuel injector failure, and this happens over time (mostly due to neglect). This leads to problems like poor fuel economy, rough idling, and misfires.
• Timing chain problems, as this wears out over time. That can lead to other problems like hearing a rattling noise from the engine, poor performance, and even engine failure.
• EGR valve failure, which is usually caused by regular wear and tear, or clogging. Signs include increased emissions and poor performance. Regular cleaning is easy enough to do.
• Excessive vibrations at idle, but the cause can be varied. This includes engine mount failure, unbalanced tires, or alignment issues. A thorough inspection is recommended.
• CVT transmission problems, which is a noteworthy problem on some Honda vehicles. Though not directly related to the 1.5 turbo engine it’s fitted to, you’ll notice symptoms like shuddering, jerking, and even outright transmission failure.

Which Model Years To Avoid?

As we discussed earlier, despite these problems, Honda’s 1.5 turbo engines are fairly reliable overall, more so compared to some of its rivals. Nevertheless, some model years with this engine fitted are more prone to problems than others. Whether it’s the L15B7 engine or its variants, the L15BA and L15BE, earlier production models had a higher rate of complaints, including:

• 2017 – 2018 Honda CR-V – These model years are notorious for excessive oil dilution in cold climates. Thankfully, Honda issued software updates to mitigate the issue.
• 2016 – 2018 Honda Civic – We’ve seen plenty of reports of carbon buildup and premature spark plug wear. This is particularly so in those vehicles with higher mileage.
• 2018 – 2020 Honda Accord – Some cases of fuel dilution and timing chain tensioner failures were noted. However, it is less widespread than in the CR-V.
• 2019 – 2021 Honda Insight – Owners have reported some minor cases of turbocharger failure. We’ve found that this is often related to neglect of oil changes.

On the bright side, recognizing these Honda 1.5 turbo engine problems, the brand did make incremental improvements over the years. Some of the more notable updates and changes that we have seen include:

• 2019 Model Year Updates – They made some software recalibrations to help reduce oil dilution, especially in the CR-V.
• 2020 and Later Models – Here, you’ll find an improved piston ring design to minimize carbon buildup and oil consumption.
• 2022+ Versions – Moreover, Honda introduced more refined fuel injection programming to enhance efficiency and longevity.

Recalls And Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs)

To help solve some of these Honda 1.5 turbo engine problems, the brand had issued several Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) and a recall in response:

• Honda TSB 18-114 (December 2018) – This TSB was issued for the 2017-2018 CR-V and 2016-2018 Civic, addressing oil dilution concerns. In this instance, Honda dealers were instructed to update the ECU software. And, in some cases, replace engine components if excessive oil dilution was detected.
• Honda TSB 19-032 (April 2019) – Next up, this recall mostly impacts the 2017-2018 CR-V models, where you might experience stalling or hesitation under load. It’s recommended that Honda technicians and mechanics check the oil contamination levels and reprogram the fuel injection system.
• Recall #P99 (China Market, 2019) – Okay, this isn’t really relevant to the US market, but for context, Honda did issue a recall in China affecting over 350,000 CR-V and Civic models with the 1.5 turbo engine due to widespread oil dilution concerns. No formal recall was issued in the US, but they did provide extended warranties in certain cases.
• Software Updates (2018-2019) – While Honda maintains that these oil dilution issues do not impact long-term reliability, they did roll out some software updates. These help to make adjustments to your engine’s fuel injection timing and idle speed to reduce unburnt fuel accumulation in the oil.

What This Means For Honda Owners

With that in mind, if you own a Honda with a 1.5 turbo engine, checking for TSBs and ensuring that your car has the latest ECU software updates could go a long way. These might solve some of these Honda 1.5 turbo engine problems. Plus, there are some other things you could do to help:

• Regular oil changes (every 5,000-7,500 miles) can help prevent excessive oil contamination.
• Intake valve cleaning every 40,000-50,000 miles helps to reduce your engine’s carbon buildup.
• Additionally, using top-tier fuel with detergent additives may minimize carbon deposit formation.

If you’re still experiencing issues, then I’d highly suggest contacting Honda’s customer service. Alternatively, it’s also a good idea to visit your local Honda dealership to check if your car has any software updates and patches, in addition to extended warranty coverage.