Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest Class Action Settlement News!
Honda Hybrid IMA Battery Defect Class Action Lawsuit
By Mike Holter
The legal troubles plaguing Honda’s Hybrids haven’t stopped with their allegedly low mileage performance. A federal class action lawsuit claims Honda won’t back up its warranty for the defective Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) batteries in its 2006-2008 Civic Hybrids.
The class action lawsuit claims the IMA batteries in Honda Civic Hybrids prematurely deteriorate. The alleged IMA battery defect “manifests as erratic performance and safety issues, including loss of power, sluggishness, inability to accelerate from a stop, inability to drive uphill, failure to start after being turned off, total failure to deliver adequate power to the wheels, and poor fuel economy,” the Honda Civic Hybrid class action lawsuit states.
Unfortunately, because the symptoms are erratic and often non-detectable through the diagnostic systems provided at Honda dealerships, owners who complain of these symptoms are “frequently told that there was nothing wrong with their car,” the class action lawsuit says.
“The IMA battery defect was, however, well known to Honda,” the class action lawsuit says, as evidenced by a July 2009 recall notice to install software it designed to address the problem. Subsequent software updates, installed in connection with routine maintenance, and described as non-recall “improvements,” have followed.
However, these software installations do not solve the Civic Hybrid’s IMA battery defect or satisfy Honda’s warranty obligations, the class action lawsuit says. They are, in fact, “an attempt by Honda to postpone or eliminate its costly obligations under its warranties and to conceal the true deteriorated state of the IMA batteries in defective Hybrids by causing its equipment to read their ‘useable capacity’ differently.”
The Honda Civic IMA battery class action lawsuit is seeking at least $5 million in damages, restitution and disgorgement of profits for a proposed class of all persons or entities who own or lease a defective Honda Hybrid.
A copy of the Honda Hybrid IMA Battery Defect Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.
The case is Jon Rego, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. 12-cv-1193, U.S. District Court, Central District of California.
Updated February 16th, 2012
All class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Lawsuit News section of Top Class Actions
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
15 thoughts onHonda Hybrid IMA Battery Defect Class Action Lawsuit
Just another unhappy 2006 civic hybrid owner who is now looking at replacing yet another IMA battery. The 1st one went at 60,000 miles and now, at 118,000 miles, it needs another! What happened to the software update that was supposed to extend the battery life. The 2nd one didn’t even make it as long at the 1st! When dealing with Honda over this matter all they want to give me is 25% off of their $3,100.00 price tag. I could not be more disappointed in a “so-called” reputable corporation as to not offer more when they are fully aware of what a “junk” battery they have. Well, I don’t believe in throwing good money after bad,nor can I afford to, so I guess I’ll just pray for a sinkhole or a meteor striking it–which are just about as likely as Honda doing the right thing.
I have an Honda Hybrib 2008 with same problems. Mine does not go up on a steep hill and is not fuel efficient. Can anyone help?
We where told today that the battery is defective on our Honda Hybride civic 2007 and has to be change at our own charge, even if the car is under 8 years but is slightly over milleage. Can we join the class action? to whom should we turn too to have Honda pay full price to change the batetery?
I did not get the chance to participate in reimbursement is it too late????
I still own the vehicle with problems
I bought the hybrid back in 2007 and have had no problems for the exception of the battery I have taken it in multiple times and they still cannot get it right. Currently my battery is about to die any day now! very upset with this.
We were part of the Class Action Suite, but never received any information about the outcome. Sent 3 inquiries, with no responses. Very dissapointed, as I had to spend over $2,300 out of pocket on a new IMA battery, and still receive subpar fuel economy.
I am a HCH owner and I am victim of most of these symptoms in the lawsuit. What can I do? please advice! can anyone refer me to a lawyer or what to do!
I have a 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid purchased in April 2009.
Have had the IMA Light Problem described by many, Wondering if my EARLY 2009 model might have still had the BAD 2008 Version BATTERY, and be classified as part of that SUB-Class?
The refurbished batteries that they are providing when the original IMA battery goes bad don’t last very long. My replacement is only six months old and is behaving like a 6 year old battery. You can see posts about my problems here, http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43534.
A buyback would be appropriate if Honda can not fix the IMA battery.
A so called new battery won’t be enough. There are no new batteries only refurbished one. If only Honda could retrofit a lithium ion battery on the 06/08 Hybrids to replace the nickel-metal hydride ones. Either way Honda has to fix the problem, and without the dreaded July 2010 software patch SB:10–034. Please.
I am the owner of a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. I’ve recently experienced problems with the engine light and IMA light displaying randomly on the dashboard. To diagnose the source of the issue, I took the car into the Heritage Honda Dealership in Parkville, MD’s maintenance shop on Wednesday, February 5, 2014. This was the exact dealership where it was initially purchased. I was told that the source of the problem was the battery, which was not covered by my extended warranty. The mechanic told me that my out of pocket costs to replace the battery would $4,100.00 which I found to be an outragious amount to pay for a battery.