Consumers filed a putative class action against Honda alleging that three Honda vehicle models (Class Vehicles) have defective infotainment systems that freeze up, which causes vehicles’ features—such as the navigation system, rear-entertainment system, audio system, and backup camera—to fail.
The Class Vehicles are:
- Honda Odyssey (2018 to 2019)
- Honda Pilot (2019)
- Honda Passport (2019)
Legal Claims:
The Plaintiffs bring claims of breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, and breach of the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. They also bring numerous claims under consumer protection statutes.
Twenty-five named Plaintiffs filed the complaint, which includes the following allegations with respect to their Honda vehicles:
- Plaintiff Bishop, from Alabama, purchased a new 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite in October 2017. She began having problems with her vehicle’s infotainment system within a week of purchase, when it crashed and froze while she drove. She repeatedly complained about the problem to the Honda dealership where she purchased the vehicle. However, a representative told her it is a “known problem” that Honda could not fix. Subsequently, she continued to have “frequent and pervasive” problems with her infotainment system, which would crash up to five or six separate times on the same day. To reboot after a crash, she would generally have to turn the vehicle off, wait for approximately fifteen minutes, and then turn the vehicle back on.
- Plaintiff Ankrom, from Arizona, purchased a new 2019 Honda Passport Elite in May 2019 from an authorized Honda dealership. Not long after his purchase, Mr. Ankrom began having problems with his infotainment system. His screen displayed various error messages, such as “No audio connect,” “Cabin control has stopped,” and “Check tuner.” His vehicle’s audio system would also stop working, which disabled related functions, such as his radio, voice commands, Bluetooth, and music. To regain function, he would have to turn off his vehicle, wait approximately seven to eight minutes, and then turn his vehicle back on. He took his vehicle to a Honda dealership, which replaced a defective amplifier. However, within a week he began having the same problem.
- Plaintiff Rossomando, from Connecticut, leased a new 2019 Honda Pilot beginning in June 2019 from an authorized Honda dealership. He began having problems with his vehicle’s infotainment system in October 2019. The infotainment system would make a static noise and then freeze, which disabled related features, such as music, Bluetooth, radio, and Apple Carplay. On such occasions, he could not reboot the system by turning the vehicle off and had pull a fuse to reboot the system. Plaintiff took his vehicle to a Honda dealership for repair, but they were unable to recreate the problem.
- Plaintiff Mohr, from Florida, purchased a used Honda Pilot in June 2019, from an authorized dealership. She began having problems with her infotainment system six days after she purchased the vehicle, when it began freezing, which disabled related functions such as the backup camera, Bluetooth, and Carplay. The system would not restart or reboot even when the vehicle was turned on and off. Her husband eventually found a YouTube video that showed him how to reset the system by removing fuses from the car. She took her vehicle to a Honda dealership, which said the issue with her infotainment system was a “known problem” they could not address. Since then, the problem “has manifested in new, increasingly, frequent, and still more dangerous ways.” Almost every day she drives the Pilot, the audio system makes a distracting “snapping” or “popping” sound. Further, the infotainment system and digital dashboard shut off, which prevents her from knowing how fast she is driving.
The plaintiffs seek damages and ask that Honda be required to repair or replace the defective infotainment systems. They also seek injunctive relief and punitive damages.
On October 2, 2020, Honda filed a notice that it intends to settle the case.
The case is Conti, et al, v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., case number 2:19-cv-02160-CJC-GJS, in the Central District of California.
