Honda Fit Owner Says Mobile Mechanic Turned Spark Plug Job Into $5,100 Nightmare

A Honda Fit owner hired a mobile mechanic to replace the spark plugs and repair some damaged threads. What followed was a much bigger problem. The mechanic allegedly got a tool stuck inside the engine and damaged a piston, leaving the owner facing thousands of dollars in repairs.

The 2013 Honda Fit had approximately 125,000 miles when the driver called in the technician. Before hiring him, the owner says they asked whether he had experience with this type of work. His answer was reassuring. He had supposedly done the repair many times before.

That confidence didn't translate into a successful job. The technician left without completing the work, but the driver says they still paid him nearly $500. Two subsequent engine replacement estimates came back at $4,100 and $5,100.

For someone who had owned the Fit for two years without any major mechanical trouble, the bill was a nasty surprise. The owner shared the experience on Reddit, questioning whether hiring the mobile mechanic had been a mistake.

One Stuck Tool

In a post on the Honda Fit subreddit , the driver explained that the original job involved fixing damaged spark plug threads.

Spark plugs screw into threaded holes in the cylinder head. When those threads become damaged, a mechanic may use a tap or a specialized repair kit to restore them. Getting that work wrong can create serious problems inside the engine.

According to the owner, the technician got his tap stuck during the repair. The tool then allegedly damaged a piston, leaving the mechanic unable to finish what he had started.

His initial explanation was that rust inside the engine caused the tool to become stuck. He also told the driver that the cylinder head needed to be replaced, but admitted he couldn't handle that repair himself.

Whatever caused the problem, the Fit was left needing considerably more work than a new set of spark plugs.

A Bigger Bill

Replacing the cylinder head was one possibility, but the repair estimates the driver received involved swapping out the engine altogether.

The proposed work also includes a timing chain and water pump. One quote came in at $4,100. Another reached $5,100, more than ten times what the owner says they paid the first technician.

Some Reddit commenters questioned whether the mechanic had properly positioned the piston before inserting the tap. Others discussed how to prevent metal shavings from entering the cylinder during thread repairs.

There is also some history behind spark plug trouble in these cars.

A 2016 Honda technical bulletin addresses loose or ejected spark plugs in certain 2009 through 2013 Fits. According to Honda, insufficient tightening during manufacturing could allow the plugs to loosen over time.

That movement can damage the cylinder head threads, sometimes badly enough that the head needs replacement. The bulletin doesn't establish what caused this particular Fit's problem, though, or explain the damage allegedly caused during the mobile mechanic's visit.

Several commenters urged the driver to get another opinion before agreeing to an engine swap. Others suggested looking for a used engine to keep the cost down.

Who's Responsible?

With the original mechanic unable to complete the job, the owner turned to someone else for repairs. Getting compensation from the first technician has proved difficult.

One Reddit commenter suggested contacting his insurance company. The driver responded that the mechanic was refusing to provide his insurance information.

Without those details, the owner doesn't know whether the technician has coverage that might pay for the damage. Commenters suggested small claims court as another possibility, although no legal action was confirmed.

The driver has also questioned their own decision to hire him. They say the Fit had been reliable throughout their two years of ownership, with an exhaust upgrade being the only notable work before the spark plug trouble.

An engine replacement would be a substantial expense for a car with 125,000 miles. Between the first technician's payment and the higher replacement estimate, the owner could spend nearly $5,600 getting the Honda back on the road.

Someone else is now handling the repairs. As of the Reddit discussion, the driver had not confirmed whether they had accepted either estimate or recovered any money from the original mechanic.

If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.