I’m suprised this hasnt been mentioned but about 2-4 years ago Honda announced, in a very low key fashion, regarding a recall on this very issue-excessive oil use after about 100,000 miles. My wife has an '09 Accord 4 cyl., this started after about 100 thou. miles; service had been right on based on service light then WHAM-this happened. Turns out there is an issue w/ the computer. The fix is bring it to the dealership and describe the problem; THEY WILL NOT MENTION THIS then bring up the topic of this specific recall (I coached my wife). This can be researched on the web. They will top off the oil, seal the in and out of the oil and tell you to drive it 3000 miles. If the oil drops to a serious level (I forget what it is now) they will replace the engine. No Lie! Ours didn’t drop badly so we freq. check the oil, add about once weekly, change oil more freq. than 5000 miles. Still runs well but keep up on the oil. Weird noise is the first warning sign. This is milage related.
The advice here seems to be to check the oil on the dipstick every 500-1000 miles. Even if the car only uses one quart in 5,000 miles. It’s not that unusual for cars that still function perfectly to use one quart every 1,000 miles, esp true with new cars where the manufacturers are trying to squeeze every mpg out of the engine possible…
It seems that after the engine oil level becomes so low that the engine becomes noisy the car is taken in for an oil change. One technician stated that the engine didn’t have enough oil.
If the engine is knocking it may be time for a new car.
Not to be redundant, but IMHO the most important thing to address first is the knocking when idling. If this is bearing knock, there’s no point in dumping money into the vehicle. The engine is shot.
This happens when wear between the sleeve bearings and their corresponding wear surfaces become worn to the point that the oil pump can no longer maintain the oil pressure. This tends to show up at idle, especially when the engine is warm. The loss of pressure is because the pressure is generated by the pump forcing the oil through the small spaces between the bearings and their corresponding wear surfaces, maintaining that fluid barrier. When the spaces become too large from wear, the pressure drops. At that point, the only permanent solution is a rebuild or a new, used, or rebuilt motor.
Bearing knock is easily identifiable to the experienced ear. Verification of it is to test the actual oil pressure using a gage of known accuracy. If when the engine is at operating temp the pressure dips too low, in conjunction with the knocking noise, it’s a safe bet that the engine is worn out. Some will suggest changing the oil pump, but that won’t do it. Oil pumps are basically two impellars interlocked, and they spend their lives constantly washed in freshly filtered oil. They rarely if ever actually wear out to where they can’t maintain pressure.
I’ll stay with the recommendation to first check this possibility. If the engine is shot, you’re throwing money away on other problems.
Please do some research before commenting. I own both an accord and CRV. We are talking about engine issues. The engines are 99.9% identical. To say it’s dumb to compare a CRV to an accord to to ignore today’s car market…multiple vehicles being trucks, vans, cars, suvs, etc sharing identical engines.
I used to think car complaints was the God of car reviews. My personal experience is showing some cars on there are having serious reliability issues but aren’t reported on the site. There’s no way to verify the cars are even real.
I’ve never heard actual 2.4 Honda’s engines having problems in real life. When car shopping I can find that engine with 250k 300k or even 350k. Real cars… however Mazda’s that every “car guy “ worships I find sitting used averaging 180k, etc. not really impressive mileage.
Any engine will “have problems” if operated low on oil.
No need to be a jerk. It’s fantastic that you own both and that they’ve even been wonderful vehicles for you. This was already addressed more politely: 
They’re certainly not perfect. I don’t think there is an individual review website or publication that is perfect. I think they do a good job pointing the truly horrific years, though, which for the average joe who doesn’t know a ton about cars is a good place to go to get a start.
I’ve heard both with the 2.4 engines. I have a friend who had a bad one (I think it was bad off the floor, which can happen with any car in any year). We agree on Mazda’s, though 
when the transmission dont shift right or leaks fluid, or when the engine inst smooth ad gives out grinding or whining noises . it may be to late to save it.
Hello @Levacovy, thank you so much for your feedback! I reviewed the recall and the sound complaints from other customers is EXACTLY what i’m experiencing with my car when the oil gets low. Could you please share what you told your wife to say to the service technicians? My car has reached the time period for a new oil change and I would like to address this with Honda. Thank you again!
Best just to get to the point with the service advisor, if your engine is consuming oil the them how much and how often you need to add oil. If you are unsure have them check your oil level and see if the will begin an oil consumption test.
There are two different warranty extensions that apply to the oil consumption for this vehicle, both of them expire 8 years after the original date of purchase. Recalls don’t expire however, do you have the number from the recall that you read?
If you checked the oil level on a regular schedule it might not get low enough to cause problems. When I worked I checked oil level and tire pressure every Saturday, retired so now on the 1st and 15th each month.
@Nevada_545, thank you for your feedback! I could not locate the recall number, I just found articles and then, what I think is the recall site based on comments made by honda owners. I plan to bring my car to the dealership this weekend.
Hi Tester,
210,000 miles?! Wow! Did you buy it used or new? How often did you change your oil ? TIA.
Ami30,
Side note: I sold my new 2003 Honda recently. 162,000 miles for 350 dollars (had 2 dents on car). I was the sole owner. Had it for 14.5 years. When they told me this past summer that i needed a new “Compressor” (ac wasn’t blowing Cold air) & this past Fall2017 i had a: “Failed Catylitic Converter.” That’s when i knew it was time to say bye to my 2003 honda accord. I took care of it well. Changed oil every 3k-5k miles. Seldom hit on the gas.
Without going through all the responses again, see: rusted hulk, engine blown, transmission shot, or wife doesn’t like it anymore in other posts for the answer.
And what can you do to Prevent from all this from Happening? ____.
Park it in the garage and don’t use it. But then cars are meant to drive not be parked.
