Why is my Honda Crosstour V6 burning oil and misfiring?

Short answer: On the V6 Crosstour, oil use with fouled spark plugs and misfires is usually the known piston-ring problem tied to VCM (Variable Cylinder Management, which shuts off some cylinders to save fuel). Oil gets past the rings on those cylinders and fouls the plugs. For 2010–2012 V6 models, Honda extended the warranty for this to 8 years with unlimited miles, so check eligibility before paying.

Symptom: You add a quart of oil every 1,500–2,000 miles, the check engine light comes on with a misfire, the engine runs rough, and the plugs come out black and oily.

What to check first

1. Check the oil level often and track how much you add. Owners report about a quart every 1,500–2,000 miles.
2. Read the codes. Misfire codes P0301–P0304 point to the cylinders involved.
3. Pull the spark plugs and look for black, oily plugs on the same cylinders.
4. Ask a Honda dealer about TSB 13-079 (a service bulletin, which is the maker's repair instruction) and whether your VIN and in-service date qualify.
5. Ask the dealer for an oil consumption test, which is how they document the problem.

Likely causes

1. Piston rings stuck or with aligned gaps on VCM cylinders. This is the problem Honda's bulletin addresses. The rings stop sealing well, so oil burns.
2. Oil-fouled spark plugs. A result, not the root cause. New plugs help for a while.
3. Worn ignition coil. Can add to the misfire; one high-mileage owner replaced plugs and a coil.

What it usually costs

For eligible 2010–2012 V6 cars, the repair is covered under Honda's extended warranty. Owners outside coverage mostly managed it with plugs and oil top-ups. No owner in these threads posted an out-of-pocket ring job price, so get a written quote.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Usually for now, if you keep the oil full. A flashing check engine light means a severe misfire, which can overheat the catalytic converter (the exhaust part that cleans emissions), so get it checked soon. Never let the oil run low. Verify with a mechanic.

DIY or shop?

DIY for plugs, coils and checking oil. The ring repair is a dealer or shop job. Some owners add a VCM disabler, but owners say it won't fix rings that are already worn.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• Recalls: NHTSA lists no recall for oil consumption or misfire on the Honda Crosstour in the model years we could check on 2026-10-23 (the recall lookup returned an error for 2 model-year queries). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If your car is part of a recall, the dealer fixes it for free.
• Service bulletin: Honda TSB 13-079 covers oil use and spark plug fouling on 2010–2012 V6 models and extends the warranty for this repair to 8 years with unlimited miles. See the bulletin summary.
• NHTSA complaints: 205 keyword-matched complaints for Honda Crosstour 2010–2015 (of 1,117 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-23; keywords: VCM, cylinder deactivation, oil consumption, burning oil, misfire, spark plug) (NHTSA returned no complaint data for 3 model-year queries). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In TSB13-079 Oil Usage / Plug Fouling on Crosstour Owners Club, owners shared that Honda extended the warranty for 2010–2012 V6 models to 8 years with unlimited miles for piston-ring trouble that causes plug fouling, misfires and a check engine light.
• In Vcm muzzler 2. Install, a 2010 owner at about 120,000 miles was using about a quart every 1,500 miles with black plugs. Members said a VCM disabler may keep it from getting worse but won't fix existing ring wear, and that the dealer would run an oil consumption test.
• In 2010 Crosstour bad engine, an owner whose warranty had run out reported using about a quart every 2,000 miles, worse when driving in Eco mode, when VCM is active more.

Quick tip

If you have a 2010–2012 V6, go to a Honda dealer first and ask about TSB 13-079 before you pay anyone for rings. Keep receipts for every top-up and plug change.

Vehicle focus: 2010–2015 Honda Crosstour (Accord Crosstour) with the 3.5L V6 and VCM. The warranty extension covers 2010–2012 V6 models. The 4-cylinder does not have VCM.

Safety / mechanic note

A flashing check engine light means a misfire that can damage the catalytic converter. Verify with a mechanic.