The parties to a lawsuit alleging “parasitic drain” of batteries of certain Acura vehicles due to an allegedly defective “HandsFreeLink” (Bluetooth) unit asked the Court on April 27, 2023, to grant their preliminary settlement terms. The plaintiffs allege this draining continued even when the vehicles were turned off, resulting in an unreliable vehicle in the event the vehicle lost power while driving.
As stated in the parties’ motion, the proposed settlement class is defined as follows:
[A]ll persons who purchased the following Acura vehicles: 2004-2008 TL, 2005-2008 MDX, or 2007-2009 RDX in the states of California, Kansas, New York, and Washington before the vehicles reached 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever occurred first.
Excluded from the Settlement Class are Defendant and its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates; all persons who properly elect to be excluded from the Settlement Class; governmental entities; and the Judge to whom this case is assigned and his/her immediate family.
The lawsuit, pending since 2016, addressed claims including violation of state consumer laws, breach of warranty, and fraudulent concealment. The proposed settlement follows extensive discovery, mediations, and motions filed by defendant for dismissal and summary judgment.
The remedies discussed under the proposed settlement include reimbursement for repairs or indication of the drain in a settlement class vehicle, attorney fees, expenses, and class representative (lead plaintiff) service awards.
The case is Aberin v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., case number 4:16-cv-04384, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
You can read the proposed settlement below:
