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.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
©2008 – 2024 Top Class Actions® LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
454 thoughts onHonda Class Action Says Engine Starter Defect Merits Warranty Coverage
Same problem 2015 Accord.
Should I get rid of car,meantime sign me up for class action
My daughter (2015) and I (2014) both have Crosstours and are experiencing the same starter issues. My 2014 has 57k miles with the problem occurring several times per day. If I press down on brakes and count to 30 seconds before pushing start, most times it will start. I fear I will become stranded somewhere in the foreseeable future.
Same issue here with my 2013 Honda accord. 44k miles original owner. I always thought it was the fob..
i HAD THE STARTER REPLACED SUMMER. OF 2020. I STILL AM HAVING THE SAME AGAIN.
My 2013 accord push start was having these issues, and have been stranded many times.
I removed negative ground/battery clamp, coated the negative battery post and inside the clamp with dielectric grease. I retightened the clamp and ground at the frame REALLY good, and all problems gone.
Could a simple bad ground connection be the cause of all these issues?! It worked for mine, hopefully others too!
Same push button starter problem on my 2014 Honda Accord Touring. 79,000 km had starter replaced in October 2019, and have the same problem again January 2021. It only lasted about 1.5 years? The cost to replace again was $550.00???
I’m having the same problem took my Honda in last week put a knew $500 starter on now taken it back tomorrow
My 2013 accord push start was having these issues, and have been stranded many times.
I removed negative ground/battery clamp, coated the negative battery post and inside the clamp with dielectric grease. I retightened the clamp and ground at the frame REALLY good, and all problems gone.
Could a simple bad ground connection be the cause of all these issues?! It worked for mine, hopefully others too!
Add me too! Having same issues with my 2016 HR-V.
I have the same issue on my 2013 Accord v6, I started to see the starter issue intermittently at 65k miles and dealer is asking for $860 to replace it. please include me
Same problem with 2013 accord honda the stater problems
We have a 2014 Accord purchased new, now with 36,000 miles on it, and are having the same failed starter issues described here. We also have experienced water in the trunk, but no leaks detected; and trunk opening randomly; and windows fogging up no matter what weather is and we have to have heat and blower on high with AC on to keep them clear. Honda service claims nothing wrong. We haven’t received any recall notices for the starter or anything else. Yesterday they said starter needs to be replace at cost of $740, and admitted that the starter is a common Honda problem. We are in the state of Washington. What can we do–we don’t have $740 and this is my son’s car he uses at college 2 hours away.
Intermittent starting issues at just under 33,000 miles
Same issue on my 2016 Accord.