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Honda/Acura Odometer Class Action Suit

73 messages,  Last post on Jun 05, 2008 at 6:02 AM

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What is this discussion about? Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Acura RL, Acura TL, Honda Odyssey, Automotive News, Sedan

Messages Page 1 of 8

#1 of 73 Accord Odometer inaccurate? Warranty Extension? by rahlquist

Jan 03, 2007 (2:28 pm)

My wife and I heard a brief story on the news today about Honda reaching settlement in a lawsuit stating 2002 - 2006 accords had odometers with readings as much as 4% off real world. The settlement had something to do with extending it beyond the original mileage limitation.
 
Has anyone heard/found any information on this issue?

#2 of 73 Re: Accord Odometer inaccurate? Warranty Extension? [rahlquist] by mrbill1957

Jan 03, 2007 (4:19 pm)

Replying to: rahlquist (Jan 03, 2007 2:28 pm)
here ya go
http://www.hondaodometerclassaction.com/
 
Mrbill

#3 of 73 Here is a Local News Story on the issue out of Atlanta by thegraduate

Jan 04, 2007 (7:32 pm)

Replying to: rahlquist (Jan 03, 2007 2:28 pm)
Atlanta's Channel 2 news did a story on this. Here is the link to the Story with more info.

#4 of 73 Re: Here is a Local News Story on the issue out of Atlanta [thegraduate] by micro99

Jan 04, 2007 (9:30 pm)

Replying to: thegraduate (Jan 04, 2007 7:32 pm)
I wonder how much this breaking story affects each of the posts in the `MPG- Real World Numbers ` thread ? If the odometers record mileage that is 4% too high, then the calculated MPG (either by computer or by hand calculation ) must be TOO HIGH as well - no ?? Seems like the MPG could easily be overstated by something in the range of 1.5 MPG ! This does not bode particularly well for Honda in the extremely competitive mid-class car segment where fuel economy is constantly used as a comparison metric.

#5 of 73 Re: Here is a Local News Story on the issue out of Atlanta [micro99] by thegraduate

Jan 04, 2007 (10:01 pm)

Replying to: micro99 (Jan 04, 2007 9:30 pm)
Well, keep in mind that Honda, just like all the other automakers, is within the regulated amount of error. As someone pointed out to me earlier in the chat tonight, people do things that change the registered mileage such as wear out tires (which reduces their diameter), change sizes of wheels, etc... so to most of the Honda-owning world, I doubt this is more than a blip on their radar.
 
If Honda is within limits having not done anything wrong but still stepping up to make customers happy, it makes me wonder what other vehicles and brands over or understate their mileage and just don't know it or don't admit it.

#6 of 73 Re: Here is a Local News Story on the issue out of Atlanta [thegraduate] by ray_h1

Jan 05, 2007 (9:27 am)

Replying to: thegraduate (Jan 04, 2007 10:01 pm)
What a fast-breaking, newsworthy event! (delivered in droning monotone and followed by a stifled, small yawn) Shortly after I purchased my '03 Sonata I took advantage of an Autoclub free speedometer calibration clinic. It turned out that my Hyundai's speedometer reads a bit over 3% "optomistic". (The technician told me most do - 2-5% under or over, but usually over.) Presumably, the electronic odometer does too, since it and the speedometer are both merely multipliers of transmission output shaft revs to process and display their respective stored and instantaneous units. Sounds to me like the story that broke out of Atlanta was filler on a slow news day - perhaps initiated by none other than the same worthy representative of the noble legal profession who's selflessly handling the class action lawsuit on bahalf of all those mislead and grievously cheated Honda Accord owners. Still, in the case of any vehicle make owner, getting a certificate of calibration from Autoclub might be worthwhile for warranty purposes. In the example of a 4% "over-report" with a vehicle protected by the usual 3 yr./36,000 mile warranty, by the time the vehicle indicates 36,000 miles on the odometer, the actual mileage would only be 34,560 miles - still 1,440 miles left in warranty (presuming the car was still within three years of its initial registration date).

#7 of 73 Re: Here is a Local News Story on the issue out of Atlanta [ray_h1] by cstiles

Jan 05, 2007 (7:13 pm)

Replying to: ray_h1 (Jan 05, 2007 9:27 am)
I own multiple Hondas/Acuras, so received 3 different notices about this lawsuit relating to cars I've owned or currently own. If you read through the fine print of how the class action was developed, it started with a single Odyssey owner in Texas, who complained that her odometer reading was slightly off. A 2nd consumer jumped on the case, and a law firm went trolling to build the case for the class.
 
This is a good example of a case where a very small minority of Honda owners may reap a small benefit in isolated cases (regardless of whether their odometers may have been faulty or not), while trial lawyers laugh all the way to the bank. For Honda to have litigated this case to disprove allegations that their odometers were defective would have cost millions of dollars. It was cheaper for them to concede, admit no wrongdoing, but agree to extend warranties or lease buyouts by 2-3% beyond the stated mileage limits.
 
This also only pertains to mileage limits. The 3 year portion of the warranty that applies to nearly all Hondas is not affected, so the benefits of this class action are extremely small for consumers. But a few lawyers got rich in the process.
 
There's no question that some odometers regardless of make are defective or miscalibrated. But to subject all Honda or Acura owners to be included in this class is a waste of money and judicial resources. I threw my notices into the trash.

#8 of 73 Re: Here is a Local News Story on the issue out of Atlanta [cstiles] by kennyg8

Jan 06, 2007 (3:54 pm)

Replying to: cstiles (Jan 05, 2007 7:13 pm)
Who will benefit in a class action assuming Honda/Acura is found to be negligent in odometer calibration? The lawyers instead of the car owners. In any event, in the most likely scenario, Honda/Acura will pay a settlement sum without acknowledging any mistake.
 
If the odometer calibration is 3-4% higher than actual readings -- mpg values will be deceptively higher, limited mileage warranty will be shorter, and maintenance intervals will be more frequent. These factors seem to disfavor car owners. However, higher odometer readings may actually reduce the number of speeding tickets, as we all tend to drive a bit slower when the odometer edges to the right. So, take the positive and negatives, and disregard the class action notice.

#9 of 73 ? by harvey44

Jan 07, 2007 (7:41 pm)

However, higher odometer readings may actually reduce the number of speeding tickets, as we all tend to drive a bit slower when the odometer edges to the right. So, take the positive and negatives, and disregard the class action notice.
 
??????? What ??????

#10 of 73 Interestingly... by habitat1

Jan 07, 2007 (7:50 pm)

...when I took a laptop computer with GPS software into my former Honda S2000, the digital odometer and speedometer were absolutely, exactly, correct. The computer measured mph in 1/10 mph increments. I could set my cruise control on 65 mph in the S2000 and the computer read 65.0 mph. Tap it up, and as soon as the computer hit 65.6 mph, the S2000's speedometer went to 66 and vice-versa. the odometer in a 300 mile trip was reading exactly the same as the GPS.
 
In our MDX, the damn odometer is off by 3%.
 
Frankly, for a company to claim that 3-4% is within the regulated amount of error for the odometer is pure BS. They can calibrate it to within .1% accuracy without breaking a sweat. Lots of manufacturers are known to have high reading speedometers. BMW and Porsche to name a couple. My 911 speedometer (digital readout) reads 65 mph when I'm actually only going 61 mph, That's a 7%+ error. But on a 370 mile highway trip to our second home, the odometer reads 370.3 miles when the independent GPS logged 370.2. Our MDX shows 381.4 for the same trip.
 
I am certainly no fan of trial lawyers. But I have no sympathy for an auto manufacturer that is as good as Acura/Honda, playing games with the odometer readings. You know damn well this is not an innocent mistake. This is the same company that can squeeze 120 hp out of 2 liters in the S2000. And yet an MDX odometer reads precisely 3% too high.
 
If they were really within some bogus range of error, there would be 50% of odometers reading too low. I guarantee you, there isn't a single one doing that. And I'll put up my 911 on that bet.

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