Partner
According to a proposed class action lawsuit, certain Honda and Acura vehicles are equipped with a defective “idle stop” feature that shuts off the engine instead of idling, and then restarts the engine when the accelerator pedal is pushed down.
The class action alleges, 2016 to 2020 model year Honda Pilot, Honda Odyssey, Acura TLX, and Acura MDX vehicles, i.e., the class vehicles, are equipped with a defective “idle stop” feature that causes the cars to suddenly become temporarily disabled. As per the drivers, the engine idle stop function is unreliable and often fails to restart the engine when the brake pedal is released.
Which Honda Models Are Affected?
A class action lawsuit was filed this week by Honda and Acura owners alleging the Idle stop feature doesn’t work. Additionally, not only do some Honda models not start back up but do not start by pushing the Start button.
Affected Honda models include its model year 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, Honda Odyssey, Acura TLX, and Acura MDX, according to the class action.
NHTSA is investigating these issues which originally involved only Honda Pilot models. Honda also received similar complaints about the Odyssey, Acura TLX, and MDX. These all vehicles are now part of the lawsuit.
Here’s the Honda official statement describing its idle stop system, “The Honda idle-stop feature maximizes your fuel efficiency when your vehicle is idling. If you’re stationary for more than two seconds, such as in stop-and-go traffic, the engine will shut off; many of the vehicle’s functions, such as the A/C, will continue to power on smoothly. Merely release the brake to start up the engine again!”
‘Defective’ Idle Stop Feature Leaves Vehicles Temporarily Disabled
As per the lawsuit, idle stop defect is subject to “sudden and unexpected failure” causing the vehicle to become inoperable.
The lawsuit claims that Honda has marketed the affected vehicles as safe, but owners were never informed about “significant safety risk” due to idle stop defects. The lawsuit says drivers have submitted hundreds of complaints about the issue to NHTSA describing serious safety concerns.
The lawsuit alleges that automakers have had “longstanding knowledge” of the idle stop defect in the affected vehicles yet did nothing to fix the issue or compensate owners for lost value or the costs of repairing their cars.
“Each purchaser or lessee of a Class Vehicle unwittingly paid for a vehicle with an undisclosed and significant safety defect,” the complaint reads. “Each of these purchasers and lessees were damaged in that they paid more for their Class Vehicles than they would have paid had they known about the Idle Stop Defect or in that they would not have purchased or leased their Class Vehicles at all had they been informed of the defect[.]”
Why Can’t The Dealers Fix The Problem?
As per dealerships, Honda was aware of the problem and offered no fix. The lawsuit also alleges that despite knowing the issue, the automaker won’t issue a recall, won’t extend the warranties, and won’t offer a solution to stop the issue.
In March, Honda also recalled 32,000 of its Honda Talon 1000 recreational off-highway vehicles over concerns they were manufactured with intake funnel band screws that could loosen, leading to engine failure.
Have Questions? Talk With Us Now
If you are an automobile owner and have manufacturing issues, you can contact us regarding your involvement in this or any potential class-action lawsuit. Serious vehicle problems require serious legal representation, especially when you are bringing a claim against a major automaker.
At the Lemon Firm, our experienced Attorneys have been able to successfully recover compensation for our clients who were sold a vehicle with manufacturer defects, and we can do the same for you. Call (833) Lemon-Firm to speak with a Lemon law expert today.