Honda’s Idle-Stop feature allegedly fails to restart the engine after stops and puts drivers in danger, according to a class action lawsuit.
The class action lawsuit includes these Honda vehicles with the Idle-Stop feature:
- 2015—2020 Acura TLX
- 2015—2020 Acura MDX
- 2016—2020 Honda Pilot
- 2018—2020 Honda Odyssey
- 2019—2020 Honda Passport
The Honda Idle-Stop feature is supposed to work as follows: if a Honda vehicle with the feature is stationary for more than two seconds (such as stoplights or stop-and-go traffic), the engine shuts off to conserve fuel. Other vehicle functions, such as air conditioning and radio, continue to run. When the driver stops pressing the brake, the Honda Idle-Stop feature is supposed to restart the engine. The feature can be turned off by pressing a button at the rear of the transmission’s shift-by-wire control unit.
The Honda class action lawsuit alleges that the vehicles’ Idle-Stop systems fail to restart the engines, cause vehicle stalling at stops, and force drivers to shut off and turn on their vehicles again.
Essentially, Honda allegedly knew about the defects in the Idle-Stop feature since at least 2015, and yet hid the vehicles’ failure to maintain reliable engine power and provide safe transportation.
Honda and Acura drivers allege that they have had to restart the vehicles multiple times after the Idle-Stop feature made the vehicles stall. A 2016 Honda Pilot owner reported the following:
“The car stalls intermittently when auto Idle-Stop is engaged and car is stationary. Instead of the engine starting up again after take foot off the brake and press the gas pedal, the car stalls completely and have to put the car in park, press the brake pedal and push the start button to get it on again. Sometimes have to try several times before car restarts. Dealer has been unable to find anything or replicate problem.”
The same Honda Idle-Stop problem has prompted a separate class action lawsuit in the same vehicles and an ongoing Honda Idle-Stop federal investigation into 2016—2019 Honda Pilots with the Idle-Stop feature.
Source: CarComplaints.com
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