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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454 thoughts onHonda Class Action Says Engine Starter Defect Merits Warranty Coverage
Please add me to this lawsuit. I have a 2014 Accord push start. Went to the dealer and was told that my starter needed to be replaced. Had the starter replaced by a mechanic; which cost over $600 and I’m still having starter issues.
Did it resolve the issue. I also have same issue. I already replaced once but again it started. How do you manage.
I have a 2014 Honda Accord . Brand new battery last year but now I Have been having starter issues since last year and now it’s getting worse . Last week I had to tow it cuz it just would not start . The next day I went out to see if it would start it sure did . It started every day after that . Now may 11 2020 it won’t start again just clicking . Went to auto zone , was able to get a picture of the starter prior to going and price goes ….. $389. $ 288 for the starter 58 for the core ,plus tax. You get 58 dollars back for bringing back the old starter.
I had starter issues with my 2013 Honda Accord. My car would not stop running when I pushed the button to turn it off. Replaced the starter for $700 and still did not fix the problem. Ended up trading the car in.
Same issue here! What is the update on this issue? I’ve always had Hondas and this is the first to have such a serious issue, but the worst is that Honda is ignoring us. I’ve tried talking to my Honda dealership, they act like they’ve never heard this complaint before. Impossible, online car forums are full of Honda starter complaints. Honda is wrong for taking advantage of hard working Americans!
Add me to the list. My 2015 Honda CR-V starter has failed at only 36,000 miles. Incredibly disappointed. will end up having to pay $600 to repair.
2014 Honda Accord push to start having same starting issues. Progressively getting more and more frequent. Already had to replace the $11,000 cvt transmission less than 6 months ago. When j brought it to the dealership last week bc of similar transmission issues as before I was told it was just a transmission computer update that needed to be done. When the dealership themselves had an issue trying to start my car, they said when they hooked it up to the computer, no starter codes popped up. Very disappointed in Honda and thoroughly aggravated with this ongoing issue
2014 Honda Crosstour with the same problem
I have the same issue with my 2014 Cross Tour.
Please add me also, i have a 2015 Honda Accord, steadily have problems with starting, im heading 2 the Honda Dealer tomorrow, stranded at grocery store for over an hour, thank God it was me, and not my wife. Don’t need this right now, with this coronavirus situation going on
I went to a fast food place drive thru with my wife and parked in a shopping mall lot across the street and turned off the car. Got done eating and pressed the button and just clicking and the lights on dash displayed but no turning over of the engine. kept trying and finally nothing not even clicking. Had to wait an hour to get car jumped.. Have a 2013 Accord but I guess much luckier than most here because I got the car used in 2016 at 39K and now at 242K. Still aggravating because this is the first car I have had that has had a starter problem. and I have had cars with 213K and 166K. mileage, Would also like to get added with other to the suit.
2015 starter issues
Please Add me. I’m currently having the same issues
Please add to the list it just happened to me last night 2015 Honda Accord EX-L-V6
I am also having starter issues on my 2014 Accord Coupe (purchased brand new) at only 62,000 miles! It got progressively worse and rarely starts now. Honda reliability reputation is now very disappointing. Please add me to the list!