Case overview
In the United States, litigation against Honda over problems with the front cameras of the Honda Sensing system is ongoing. The class action claims these cameras are installed behind the windshield and are supposed to help drivers notice obstacles, stay in their lane, and avoid collisions. However, plaintiffs allege they can malfunction: generating various warnings or failing altogether.
The lawsuit was filed by Virginia resident Beverly Mason. She claims the automaker knew about the defect but did not fix it. Previously, CR-V and Accord owners lost an eight-year case against Honda over phantom braking.
Owner’s experience
Mason bought a 2018 Honda Clarity in 2019. Last December, several warnings about Honda Sensing operation appeared on the dashboard. To replace the camera and restore the safety systems, she had to spend nearly $3,000. The woman also says that even after the repair, there is no guarantee the problem won’t recur.
Models covered by the lawsuit
The class action includes the following models: 2018–2025 Honda Odyssey, 2018–2025 Honda Pilot, 2022–2025 Honda Civic, 2023–2025 Honda HR-V, and 2018–2021 Honda Clarity.
Second lawsuit
This lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. It came less than two months after another class action against Honda, also in California, alleging the same problems with front cameras. That lawsuit involves five plaintiffs who encountered warnings about failures of the brake hold system, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure prevention system.
Did Honda know about the defect?
The new lawsuit contains stronger language. Plaintiffs allege Honda knew or should have known about the defective cameras but still sold these cars and left them with dealers, so buyers had to discover the problem themselves. CarComplaints reports.
Source: CarComplaints
What this means for Honda owners
Since Honda Sensing is standard equipment on many models, the potential pool of affected owners could be very wide. If the court finds the plaintiffs’ arguments valid, the automaker could be required to reimburse repair costs or conduct a massive recall. At the same time, no decision has been made yet, so owners should keep service records and follow the case as it develops.