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Honda class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: More than a dozen plaintiffs have filed a class action lawsuit against American Honda Motor Co. Inc. and Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
- Why: Honda allegedly concealed a variable timing control actuator defect that can result in catastrophic engine failure and pose an unreasonable safety hazard.
- Where: The Honda class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.
- What are my options: CarShield provides vehicle protection plans for Kia and other vehicles.
A Honda defect affecting certain vehicles’ variable timing control (VTC) actuator may result in catastrophic engine failure, posing an unreasonable safety hazard, according to a class action lawsuit filed July 5 in California federal court.
More than a dozen plaintiffs filed the Honda class action lawsuit after they allegedly experienced the VTC defect. They say the Honda defect initially manifests with a grinding and/or rattling noise during start up and can get worse over time.
The Honda defect may allegedly be present in the following vehicles:Â
- 2012-2014 Honda CR-V with a 2.4 liter engine
- 2012 Honda Accord with an L4 engine
- 2012-2015 Honda Crosstour with an L4 engine
“The [Honda defect] presents an extreme and unreasonable safety hazard to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians because it can cause the class vehicles’ engines to fail, which, in turn, can lead to accidents and/or the stranding of the class vehicles in unsafe locations,” the Honda class action lawsuit states.
Honda class action says automaker knew of VTC defect but continued to sell affected vehicles
The Honda class action lawsuit asserts that the Honda defendants knew about the VTC defect, pointing to multiple Technical Service Bulletins referencing the defective R44 Actuator (Honda part number 14310-R44-A01).
Despite knowing about the Honda defect, the plaintiffs claim the defendants unlawfully concealed the problem and continued to sell the defective R44 Actuator until it introduced a replacement VTC actuator in February 2016.Â
Replacement of the defective actuator allegedly costs more than $500, and costs to repair the Honda defect can exceed $1,000 if the timing chain, timing chain tensioner, and related components need repair, the plaintiffs allege.
If the vehicle warranty has expired, consumers must pay out-of-pocket for a VTC actuator replacement, according to the Honda class action lawsuit.
The plaintiffs say they would not have purchased their vehicles, or would have paid less for them, if they had known that they were affected by a potentially dangerous and costly Honda defect.
Honda was recently hit with another class action lawsuit alleging certain Honda and Acura vehicles have an engine defect that can render them inoperable.
Do you own or lease a vehicle affected by the alleged Honda defect? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
The plaintiffs are represented by Mark S. Greenstone and Benjamin N. Donahue of Greenstone Law APC and Kevin F. Ruf, Marc L. Godino, and David J. Stone of Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP.
The Honda defect class action lawsuit is Terri Larson, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co. Inc., et al., Case No. 3:23-cv-01238-L-BGS, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
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62 thoughts onHonda class action claims some vehicles have Variable Timing Control defect
I have a 2013 Honda cr-v and have been experiencing loud grinding/rattling noise when I cold start. Why is this still an issue?
I have a Honda 2014 CRV. For years, I’ve had a grinding noise upon cold start up. When servicing, they had never been able to diagnose an issue, but it drove fine. Recently all dash warning lights are on all the time. Also going through oil excessively. I am interested in joining the class action suit. I am located in Ohio.
I have a 2017 Honda pilot and was just told I have a leaking timing belt tensioner and it would cost $1575 to repair it. My extended warranty expired 2 months ago please notify me if a class action lawsuit is started
We just had a catastrophic engine failure in our 2016 Accord. We had noticed the rattle upon startup, excessive oil consumption, sooty emissions, decreased performance, and lower fuel mileage. We bought the car used in Dec. 2019 and didn’t notice symptoms for the first 18 months. In the fall of 2021 we really noticed the rattle when cold starting the car and brought it up with our Honda maintenance department. They played down our concerns. Over the next two years, of those symptoms got progressively worse. Our car was consuming a quart of oil every 1000 miles which the manufacturer says is normal! How could that be normal?! In Jan 2024, while accelerating onto the highway, the engine made an odd noise and suddenly we lost power, the dash lights all popped on, and we ended up having to pull off the roadway and wait for a tow. The mechanic told us the engine needed to be replaced. We ended up selling the car because we couldn’t afford the engine replacement.
I am interested in filing a class action lawsuit on Honda CRV Hybrid – Radar Front Sensor under the emblem. This is theft-prone, and I wasn’t advised that it was in place or what it offers the car. The emblem is a thin plastic covering the sensor, allowing for easy access and theft. I am leasing my vehicle and can not imagine how often this will be stolen.
We just replaced the VTC actuator for the second time on our 2014 Honda CRV. This time we had to replace the timing chain package which was a total of approx $2,000. We asked honda is they could goodwill the parts or labor but refused because the parts and car were out of warranty. The parts only lasted approx 2.3 years or 30k miles, does it make sense to dump $2,000 every two years on a car? We apparently Honda thinks we should. How do we join the class action lawsuit?
My wife has been having a loud grinding/rattling noise when she cold starts her 2012 Honda CRV. I’ve been looking in to getting it fixed, but the cost of repair is extremely high. If Honda knew this is an issue, they should be responsible for the cost of repair.
My 2013 Honda CRV EX AWD with only 55,000 miles has rattling sound on start up , mostly on cold mornings or when the car has sat for along time. Dealer says the cost to replace the VTC is $1000 up to $3000 depending on other possible damage. Honda has said it will help with the repair but will not commit to how much help it will offer. I will never buy another Honda again. What a disgrace that Honda won’t fix this defect with a recall.