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
Today I replaced my starter for my 13 Honda Accord! They did everything that the Bulletin stated to do and it’s still grinding. So why are they not recalling these when everybody from 13 through 17 is still having the same issues??? This is totally unacceptable and they should be recalling and fixing these for free and reimbursing us for all the cost and maintenance to get it replaced!!
I purchased my 2015 Honda Crosstour with 21k miles. When the mileage reached at approximately 39k miles the starter began giving me problems sporadically, however, with this issue and thinking it was a battery problem, the battery was changed twice. The problem with the starter got worst. At 68k miles it has come to a point that I would have to try 8 times before the started engaged properly. I finally took it to the mechanic. The mechanic changed the complete starter but my mechanic also found that the flywheel of the starter is also in bad conditions. I called Honda at 800-999-1009 on 11/11/2021. The Agent said that it wasn’t covered because it had exceeded the 36k miles warranty and there was no recall on the starters and/or the flywheel of tge starter.
This situation is totally unacceptable as I am seeing the same problem which I am experiencing with a great number of people.
To safeguard all the maintenance I provide my Honda Crosstour I will have my nechanich procced with the remaining part to be replaced (flywheel of tge starter), but I want Honda to reimburse for all the services rendered to my car.
2013 same issue. Out of warranty, but I don’t think that should matter since they mis-positioned the torque converter gear assembly/starter. How does one join a class action lawsuit? I want my car fixed, and Honda should fix it at no charge.
Had the same problem, first they replaced the starter, now a 100 month honda battery died ar 49 months on my 2015 Honda Accord
I have a 2014 Honda Accord and it fails to start on a daily basis. It will start on the 3 time of pushing the start button. I just had a new starter installed and it hasn’t fixed the problem. I would love to be added to this law suit as I am extremely frustrated and am not sure how to fix the problem from here.
Love my 2005 Honda Accord. Besides tires and batteries, the other part needing replaced is the starter. Getting its 3rd starter. 174,000 miles, goal to reach 200,000 miles!
I have a 2016 Honda HRV and having the same issue with the start button. It never starts on the first try… sometimes it takes 5+ minutes and God only knows how many tries before it starts…
I am having a same issue with my 2014 Accord exl. Honda is no longer a reliable brand as it used to be.Please add me to the lawsuit list.
I am having a same issue with my 2014 Accord exl. Honda is no longer a reliable brand as it used to be.Please add me to the lawsuit.
My father and I both have hondas mine is 2013 and my fathets 2015 and we both needed starters. I akways bought hondas but knowibg rgatvare bot remedying this problem is frustrating ans bad business