Expanded lawsuit includes claims from 15 states
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$HMC #automotive–This week Honda was hit with an expanded, amended class-action
lawsuit detailing a severe widespread defect affecting the
infotainment systems in 2018-2019 Honda Odyssey and 2019 Honda Pilot
vehicles, according to Hagens Berman.
The suit states that the infotainment system – an integrated in-vehicle
communication, navigation and entertainment system – behaves
erratically, malfunctioning, freezing, and creating a safety hazard and
distraction. The malfunctions have occurred almost immediately after
plaintiffs purchased affected vehicles.
The defect can cause safety-related systems – including backup camera
functions – to fail, and can cause the entire center console to go black
or blue while the vehicle is in motion. Navigation and other dashboard
features are also reportedly affected, shutting down completely while in
use.
Honda agents, dealers and other representatives continue to fail to
disclose the defect.
The new filing on June 10, 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the
Central District of California names vehicle owners from 15 states,
including Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Virginia and Washington.
“Many of our plaintiffs have made repeated visits to dealerships to have
extensive work done on their cars, only to be told there’s nothing else
to be done, when the defect inevitably persists,” said Steve Berman,
managing partner of Hagens Berman and attorney representing Honda owners
in the class action. “Others have been told for months that an update or
fix is forthcoming, to no avail.”
“We think Honda owners deserve more than lip service,” Berman added.
Since Hagens Berman filed its lawsuit, one
owner sent video footage of the defect, showing the dashboard cutting
out while he was operating the vehicle.
Attorneys say Honda still has not acknowledged the defect’s severity or
scope. The lawsuit states, “Honda has not found a solution to the
infotainment system defect. Instead, Honda simply replaces defective
parts with equally defective parts, thereby leaving consumers caught in
a cycle of use, malfunction, and replacement. Honda has acknowledged in
communications to its dealer network that a defect in the infotainment
systems exists and that Honda does not yet have a fix.”
According to the lawsuit, Honda admitted to screen freezing and other
software malfunctions in a 2019 Tech Line Summary Article, which
acknowledges one manifestation of the defect and concedes there is no
known fix.
The article states that an error message appears on the infotainment
screen, and “[a]t the same time, the overhead screen freezes, but the
audio keeps playing. So far, we know it’s software related, so don’t
replace any components…”
Reports to NHTSA call the affected model “obviously flawed,” and cite
instances of the entire dash turning off while driving, including the
speedometer. “As soon as I drove off the lot, the car gave me an error,”
another report to NHTSA reads.
The lawsuit against Honda seeks both monetary reimbursement for those
who purchased or leased an affected Honda Odyssey or Pilot, and also
seeks action from the court barring Honda from continuing to sell
vehicles with the defective infotainment system.
Find out more about the class-action
lawsuit against Honda.
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law
firm with nine offices across the country. The firm’s tenacious drive
for plaintiffs’ rights has earned it numerous national accolades, awards
and titles of “Most Feared Plaintiff’s Firm,” and MVPs and Trailblazers
of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be
found at hbsslaw.com.
Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
Contacts
Ashley Klann
[email protected]
206-268-9363
