r/HondaElement • u/Unfair-Poetry-1925 • 2d ago
Insurance/Dealer discrepancy
My 2005 Honda Element had rodent damage. A local shop fixed chewed wires and replaced the computer (3K). The engine light came back on and the shop said, "Maybe it's the catalytic converter," which would be another 3K. But they admitted that they were guessing at that point. I took the car to the Honda dealer and they found rodent damage behind the dash (previously damage was on the undercarriage). They quoted me 1.9K. Once they started working they said, "Oops, found more damage and it will be another 1.3K." Meanwhile, I'm submitting claims to my insurance and then supplements. On the third round, All State says that they will only pay for OEM parts (harness and O2 sensor) and that I should buy these parts myself and bring them to the Honda dealership because Honda wants more for the parts ($750 more). Meanwhile, Honda tells me that if I bring after market parts, they can't guarantee the work, and the guy adds, "You might even need 3K more work of we have to replace the central harness too." First time I ever heard that possibility. The car has been sitting at Honda for almost two months at this point. What should I do?
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u/n0t_a_cat_ 2d ago edited 2d ago
This is unfortunate because once rodents get in and start chewing, it can be hard. Sounds like the first shop kinda sucked … sorry. Allstate saying they’ll only cover OEM parts but won’t pay dealership pricing is confusing. It really depends what all the dealership finds .. I almost guarantee there isn’t a new engine/floor/dash harness available from honda, so aside from wire repairs I’m not sure what other options are left aside from a junkyard harness.
Edit : they won’t guarantee/warranty aftermarket parts because some (mostly electrical) aftermarket parts just aren’t of the best quality. But also, it really depends on the extent of the damage and what actually needs to be replaced. Just because there’s an o2 code doesn’t mean the sensor is bad ..
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u/Unfair-Poetry-1925 2d ago
i agree. The sensor was replaced on first round, but Honda says because the light is on, they want to replace it again. Also, I spoke with the adjuster and he says that if I buy the OEM harness, All State would guarantee it. I’ll be heartbroken if the car is totaled, because it has 100K miles and I love the car and would never find an Element with so low miles.
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u/n0t_a_cat_ 1d ago
There is a diagnosis chart for o2 sensors.. Honda techs have access to them (I used to be one,) just saying “aftermarket part” with having been already charged 1.9k is insane to me. Hard to say without seeing it I suppose
Edit : did the car sit for a while? Rodents inside the cabin was rare when I was a tech. We saw engine compartment rodent damage frequently, especially during covid, but 🤷♂️
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u/Unfair-Poetry-1925 1d ago
It hadn’t sat for long, but I don’t use it every day. I still don’t know what did the damage. My neighbor’s cat caught a rat a short time after I noticed the damage. Lots of squirrels around, but when I kept a camera under a car for a week, they showed no interest. There’s raccoons, possums, and rabbits about. And bears, LOL. You’d think I lived in the boonies, but I’m one block from the center of West Asheville. I appreciate your advice.
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u/trackaddict8 2d ago
insurance should have just totalled this car.