Honda Gets Federal Probe of Complaints SUVs Will Not Restart

There is more bad news for Honda and people who drive the automaker’s cars.

Federal investigators are looking into complaints that Honda Pilot sport utility vehicles will not restart at traffic lights or intersections, according to the Detroit Free Press. The problem for drivers using the SUV’s start-stop feature poses the risk of serious accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probe covers roughly 195,000 Pilots from the 2016 through 2020 model years.

NHTSA received more than 220 complaints from Pilot owners, the Free Press reports. Some said they needed a jump start to get their vehicles going again.

The start-stop feature is increasingly common in new vehicles.

“To help improve fuel efficiency, the Pilot Touring and Elite vehicles are equipped with Auto Start/Stop capability,” NHTSA said in a public document describing the investigation.” When the system is enabled by the driver and certain operating conditions are met, the Auto Start/Stop system will automatically shut off the engine when the vehicle comes to a complete stop. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver releases the brake pedal after a stop.”

Honda told the agency that it was not aware of any accidents caused by the defect so far. The company also said it would perform its own internal review of the situation.

Honda's Defects Pose Safety Threats

This is not the only safety issue facing the car manufacturer and people who drive its vehicles.

NHTSA is also looking into a slew of complaints about malfunctioning automatic braking systems in some 1.7 million Honda CR-V sport utility vehicles and Accord sedans. Owners say their cars’ emergency braking systems have caused the vehicles to stop suddenly.

Last year, Honda called back some 725,000 pickups and sport utility vehicles, citing a defect that the company said could cause the vehicles’ hoods to fly open unexpectedly. Honda acknowledged at the time that the defect increased the risk of an accident.

Understanding Your California Lemon Law Rights

California car owners and lessors have some important rights and protections when it comes to defective and malfunctioning vehicles.

The California lemon law requires car manufacturers to buy back vehicles that they are unable or not willing to fix. That means compensating the owner for the vehicle’s purchase price, as well as financing charges, rental car costs and other related expenses.

A car company can instead offer to replace the vehicle. It is up to the owner, however, to decide whether to accept or reject this alternative arrangement. An experienced lemon law attorney can help you understand your rights and weigh your options.

Speak with an Orange County Lemon Law Attorney

If you are a GM or other car owner stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a manufacturer over repairs, the Orange County lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an Orange County lemon law attorney.