Halderman: The dealer is correct – the belt should be replaced. The vehicle manufacturer recommends that the belt be replaced every 90,000 miles or every 72 months (six years) whichever occurs first. Because the Honda is more than 6 years old, I would bite the bullet and have the belt replaced. The belt deteriorates due to age, as well as use.
The engine in this Honda is called an interference engine. This means that if the belt breaks when the engine is running, the pistons can hit the valves. This interference often causes catastrophic engine damage, including bending valves, breaking pistons, cracking the cylinder head, or even cracking the engine block. The cost to repair this type of engine damage is very expensive and could exceed the value of the vehicle.
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