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Honda has been ignoring complaints about a defective engine starter, according to the plaintiff in a recent class action lawsuit.
Plaintiff Joel Merkin says the Honda engine starter in certain recent model years of Honda Accords and Crosstours is defective in a way that causes the starter and battery to fail. Once that happens, the vehicle’s engine will not start, potentially leaving drivers and passengers stranded, Merkin claims.
The engine starter is an electric motor that gets the car’s engine spinning when the driver turns the ignition key, until the engine starts and keeps running on its own.
Merkin claims the defendants have known about this Honda engine starter defect for at least four years. Owners have been filing complaints with Honda about the alleged defect, and the company itself has published internal technical bulletins addressing the problem, he claims.
According to this Honda engine starter class action lawsuit, Honda has been refusing owner requests to remedy the engine starter defect under the affected vehicles’ warranties. Merkin says Honda has dismissed warranty claims for this defect by attributing the problems to wear, owner misuse, improper maintenance or lack of maintenance.
When Honda has bothered to fix the defect, Merkin alleges, the company has only replaced the Honda engine starter with a similarly defective starter.
Despite Honda’s alleged knowledge of the defect and the asserted coverage under the manufacturer’s warranty, Merkin says the company has not “recalled the Class Vehicles to repair the Starter Defect, offered its customers a suitable repair or replacement free of charge, or offered to reimburse its customers who have incurred out of pocket expenses to repair the defect.”
Merkin himself is the owner of a pre-owned 2013 Honda Accord. He says that in May 2016, his Accord would fail to start about once a week. The problem got progressively worse, he says, until the vehicle would fail to start five to six times per day.
A local Honda dealer told Merkin the car was no longer under warranty. Merkin had the problem fixed at an out-of- pocket cost of about $200, he claims.
Merkin is proposing to represent a statewide plaintiff Class consisting of all persons in New Jersey who are current or former owners of one of the listed vehicles equipped with the allegedly defective Honda engine starter. He lists these vehicles as the Honda Accord from model years 2013 to 2015 and the Honda Crosstour from model years 2013 to 2015.
He is asking the court to certify his proposed Class and appoint him as Class representative. He seeks a court order requiring Honda to repair, recall or replace the Honda engine starter in affected vehicles. He also seeks an award of damages with pre- and post-judgment interest and reimbursement of court costs and attorneys’ fees.
Merkin’s attorneys are Matthew D. Schelkopf, Joseph G. Sauder and Joseph B. Kenney of McCune Wright Arevalo LLP.
The Honda Engine Starter Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Joel Merkin v. Honda North America Inc., et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-03625, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
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450 thoughts onHonda Class Action Says Engine Starter Defect Merits Warranty Coverage
I am having the same problem with my 2014 Honda Accord EX-L V6. Three batteries and three starters. about 10 days ago, I was told by the local Honda dealer service rep that the torque converter/flywheel and starter were damaged and that it would cost $4000 plus to repair. That is sad. When I had the car serviced prior to the most recent service, I was told by the service rep that it would checked on next service appointment. He obviously lied to me. He did not have guts to talk to me after I was called to pick vehicle. Please include me in any class action suits concerning this starter issue. This is my first and last time ever owning another Honda vehicle. I believed hype about Hondas being dependable and relatively trouble. Shame on me!
I have a 2013 Honda Accord EX-L V6 74K miles. I had to replace the starter because of grinding noise and failed to star at least every 3 to 4 starts. Starter was replaced, only lasted 2 months. Same problem occurring.
After looking this suit up, It has also been dismissed!
Purchased a 2013 Honda Crosstour, second owner. and within the first two weeks it started the grinding when you start it. I have since replaced the starter 4 times! Once, they even told me it was not the starter (which was still under warranty for a few more weeks) but it was instead the ignition housing wasn’t catching. So I paid the $900 to have it fixed for it to only take a week for the starter to catch again! they decided that if I was going to come back in for the starter issue that they would not replace the starter as instructed by the bulletin but the fly wheel and I would be charged. This is unsatisfactory, I have been looking out for the day that they come to their senses and recall or compensate for these issues, that I knew I couldn’t be the only one going through, but I am disappointed at every outcome. I am an avid Honda purchaser down to my next vehicle, but now I’m starting to rethink that decision! I need in on this suit!
I have had issues with my starter going on a year now in my 2015 Honda Accord coupe v6. It has gradually gotten worse and I’m currently shopping for a replacement starter. I hate the sound it makes especially when I’m in a parking lot with people all around looking at me like wtf is wrong with your car. Sometimes it takes 5+ times of attempting to start it via the push to start for it to engage and it is so embarrassing. Hopefully Honda will do the right thing but if not I would like to be part of this class action suit.
Love my 2014 Honda Crosstour but sick of the chronic starter problems. As we speak, in the shop for the THIRD starter replacement. Buck up Honda…
I have a 2015 Honda Civic. Have replaced 3 Batteries in last 12 months. When we called our Honda Dealer today the Lady said She spoke to us an hour ago so why were we calling again. Turns out someone else with the same model car has also gone thru 3 Batteries and is bringing the car in for repair. Up until this year I had Faith in a Honda product. My Civic only has 26K miles. What a shame.
Same with mine
2013 Honda Accord Sport. Starter and battery issues continue. Please help!
2014 accord needed starter replaced at about 39k.