Honda Repurchase Lemon Law

Honda is a typically reliable brand with a loyal ownership following. Sometimes defects can occur, and car owners then want to know how to access Honda’s Buyback Program. This can be a complex process to navigate on your own. Even with the manufacturer’s cooperation, it’s important to know about your state’s lemon laws and how a lemon law attorney can help you pursue a Honda Buyback Program claim, should your car demonstrate a substantial defect.

These are some of the most severe problems that have been reported affecting Honda vehicles, causing drivers to pursue Honda Buyback Program claims:

1. Fuel Pump Failure

Description: If the fuel pump fails, it can cause the engine to stall unexpectedly. This increases the risk of a crash due to sudden loss of power. Honda has recalled 2.5 million vehicles for this issue.

Lemon Law Relevance: Engine stalling is a major safety defect. This could qualify affected cars as lemons if the defect persists after multiple repair attempts.

Affected Vehicles: The recall spans 2.5 million Honda vehicles.

2. Connecting Rod Bearing Defect

Description: Another potential failure can occur with connecting rod bearings, leading to complete engine failure with no warning. This issue is under investigation by the NHTSA.

Lemon Law Relevance: Total engine failure is central to the vehicle’s use and safety, potentially qualifying it as a lemon if repairs fail repeatedly.

Affected Vehicles: 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2018-2020 Acura TLX, 2018-2019 Honda Odyssey, 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline.

3. Transmission Issues

Description: Transmission problems can cause severe shaking, lurching, or stalling. This makes the vehicle difficult or unsafe to drive.

Lemon Law Relevance: Persistent transmission defects that interfere with drivability and safety could meet lemon law criteria if not fixed after several repair attempts.

Affected Vehicles: 2011-2019 Honda Odyssey, 2014-2022 Honda Pilot.

4. Idle-Stop Defect

Description: A failure with the idle-stop feature can prevent the engine from restarting after stopping, leaving the vehicle stranded.

Lemon Law Relevance: A recurring failure to restart significantly impairs use and could qualify the vehicle as a lemon if the issue persists despite repairs.

Affected Vehicles: 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, 2016-2020 Honda Odyssey, 2016-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX.

5. Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) Defect

Description: The CMBS falsely detects objects, causing random braking or false alarms while driving.

Lemon Law Relevance: Unpredictable braking is a serious safety issue. This could qualify a vehicle as a lemon if it remains unfixed after multiple attempts.

Affected Vehicles: 2016-2020 Honda Accord, 2016-2020 Honda CR-V, 2016-2020 Honda Pilot.

6. Airbag Issues

Description: Airbags may fail to deploy in a crash or deploy unexpectedly. This can pose an injury risk. Honda has issued recalls for this problem.

Lemon Law Relevance: Airbag malfunctions present critical safety defects. These may qualify a vehicle as a lemon if they persist after reasonable repair efforts.

Affected Vehicles: Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, Fit, HR-V, Insight, Odyssey, Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline, and certain Acura models like the MDX, RDX, and TLX, from model years between 2020 and 2022.

Widespread infotainment system malfunctions have caused screens to freeze, crash, or become unresponsive. When this happens, drivers have reduced or no access to navigation, climate control, and rearview cameras.

Electrical system failures, that can include rapid battery drain or unexpected shutdowns, can leave drivers stranded and raise serious safety concerns. If these defects persist despite multiple repair attempts, they could meet lemon law criteria, depending on state-specific regulations.

A manufacturer-run, specifically named Honda Buyback Program, such as Ford offers, doesn’t exist. But Honda is bound by state lemon laws to work with consumers on potential buybacks or vehicle replacements for those whose cars qualify as lemons under the law.

Defining a Lemon

Key point: In most cases, a car must fulfill the particular requirements of the state’s lemon law in order to be eligible for refund or replacement, in other words, considered for Honda’s version of their buyback program.

State Lemon Laws: Basic Principles

Most state lemon laws specify that a vehicle must exhibit a substantial defect that greatly affects its use, safety, or value. The defects have to be persisting across a “reasonable number” of repair attempts, and remain unfixable. “Reasonable number” is defined by each state; it is often 3–4 attempts. Some states define it differently for safety-related issues, with as little as one attempt required in some instances.

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• Written notice must be given to Honda. The notice regarding the defect(s) has to be made within a specific timeframe, such as the first year of ownership or certain mileage specifications. A lemon law attorney can prepare this for you per your state’s laws. Honda receives a reasonable opportunity to repair the problem (again, your state will determine how many repair attempts are allowed).
• If the defects persist, the customer can file a claim with Honda. Doing this will put you into a process to pursue a Honda buyback or a replacement vehicle.

The lemon law attorney builds your case by going through these steps:

1. Does Your Vehicle Qualify as a Lemon?
   As we’ve discussed, your vehicle must exhibit a substantial defect that severely impacts its use, safety or value, as the main qualifying factor. Your state’s law dictates how many repair attempts without success Honda gets before the car can be branded as a lemon. There may be instances where Honda could disagree and not acknowledge your car’s problems worthy of a lemon designation. A lemon law lawyer anticipates and fights back against avoidance or dismissal of the client’s claim, protecting the client’s rights.
2. Protecting Your Legal Rights
   Lemon law lawyers ensure you’re fully informed of your state-specific rights, and will use them to strengthen your claim. Plus, they will use the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act to further protect your right to compensation.
3. Expert Documentation and Case Presentation
   All documentation and repair orders must be organized and definitively show that your vehicle’s defect is substantial. The lawyer knows how to coordinate this so you have as strong a case as possible against the manufacturer. Please note: Another key point an attorney will assist with is your state’s statute of limitations. The attorney will determine if your claim falls within that timeframe, and discuss with you other potential avenues for making your claim, should the statute of limitations be exceeded.
4. Ensuring You Receive Full Compensation
   Honda lemon law lawyers can potentially accomplish a better outcome than you could alone, due to their experience. They will also negotiate for additional damages (beyond a new vehicle or refund) if these are allowed under state law.

For more information on arbitration and other frequently asked lemon law questions, click here

A skilled lemon law lawyer has secured compensation many times versus manufacturers, while you may only be faced with a lemon law claim once in your life. The odds of gaining maximum compensation would not be in your favor. The lawyer will follow this general process to pursue your Honda lemon law claim:

• Negotiating a settlement: The majority of lemon law claims settle out of court. Even so, manufacturers can try to dismiss or evade your claim before finally settling. To gain the outcome you want, you need a lawyer who anticipates and defends against the manufacturers’ tactics.
• Arbitration preparation and representation: Sometimes a state will require that you go through arbitration (an informal hearing) before moving ahead further with your claim. Or, it may not be required, but can be an option. Honda may have additional parameters or rules that influence this process. An attorney can help you prepare for arbitration and represent you, should there be a need to escalate the claim beyond negotiating a settlement. You are not bound by the arbiter’s decision, but the manufacturer is. If the outcome isn’t satisfactory to you, you can still sue Honda.
• Lawsuit against the manufacturer: Sometimes suing the manufacturer is the only way to pursue compensation. Your lawyer will structure your evidence and represent you in court to give you the best opportunity to win your case.

The lawyer works on these types of cases every day so they have the knowledge and skill to go up against the manufacturer, who may try to dismiss or deny your claim.

There are times when even the best due diligence will result in you unfortunately purchasing a lemon vehicle. Allen Stewart, P.C. provides years of experience representing clients against every car manufacturer, including Honda. Our Honda lemon law lawyers will expertly handle your claim to help you get the replacement vehicle or buyback you want.

Still Have Questions? We are Here for You

Honda lemon law buybacks can be confusing, and our experienced lemon law attorneys can explain the process to you and review the details of your claim. Call Allen Stewart, P.C. now (866-440-2460) to schedule your free case review. If you would like to prepare ahead, please review our post about how to get the most out of your lemon law attorney consultation.

No Cost Out of Pocket

Most state laws require the manufacturer to pay the consumer’s legal fees when they win their case. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act also includes this provision. With that in mind, we encourage you to take the first step in pursuing compensation. Schedule your free case review by contacting us online, or call 866-440-2460.