Honda Settlement: Auto Idle Stop Claims and Active Lawsuits

The largest Honda settlement currently accepting claims is the Auto Idle Stop case, which covers certain 2015–2021 Honda and Acura vehicles whose engines fail to restart after the fuel-saving Auto Idle Stop feature shuts them off. Eligible owners and lessees can be reimbursed for out-of-pocket repair and towing costs, and some model years get extended warranty coverage. Claims are filed at AutoIdleStopSettlement.com or by mail to the settlement administrator in Torrance, California.¹

Several other Honda class actions are active in the courts but have not yet produced settlements, and a few older cases have already closed. What follows is what a Honda or Acura owner needs to know to figure out whether they have a claim, what it’s worth, and how to file it.

Which Vehicles the Auto Idle Stop Settlement Covers

The consolidated case, In re Honda Idle Stop Litigation, is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Case No. 2:22-cv-04252-MCS-SK). It covers United States owners and lessees of these vehicles, all equipped with an NP0 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and the Auto Idle Stop feature:¹

Acura TLX, model years 2015–2020
Acura MDX, model years 2016–2020
Honda Pilot, model years 2016–2021
Honda Passport, model years 2019–2021
Honda Ridgeline, model years 2020–2021

The defect leaves drivers stranded when the engine shuts off at a stop and won’t restart. Vehicles that already received a free “A53” starter motor assembly replacement are excluded from the warranty-related benefits, but their owners can still claim reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs.²

What Class Members Get

The settlement provides three types of relief rather than a single cash payout. Honda agreed to amend its service bulletins so dealers no longer have to reproduce the no-restart symptom before doing a free warranty starter replacement. The 10-year warranty claim period is extended by an additional 24 months for 2015 Acura TLX vehicles and by an additional 18 months for 2016 Acura TLX, Acura MDX, and Honda Pilot vehicles.¹ Class members can also file for reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses tied to the no-restart problem: parts, labor for starter or relay replacement and valve adjustment, and towing.²

How to File a Claim and by When

Claims go to the administrator at PO Box 2718, Torrance, CA 90509, and can be submitted online at AutoIdleStopSettlement.com or by mail. You’ll need to complete a claim form and attach documentation such as receipts, invoices, or credit card statements showing what you spent.³

The deadlines split by when the expense was incurred. For costs paid before August 8, 2025, claims must be submitted or postmarked within 90 days after the court enters its Final Approval Order. For costs paid on or after that date, the deadline is 60 days after the expense occurs. The general opt-out and objection deadline passed on September 12, 2025; owners of 2020 Acura MDX vehicles who received notice on or after February 23, 2026, had until April 22, 2026, to opt out or object.¹

Approval Status and the Separate NHTSA Investigation

The settlement has preliminary approval. The Final Approval Hearing is set for May 18, 2026, and the claim window turns on that date.² Honda denies liability and maintains the feature is not defective.¹

If your vehicle isn’t on the settlement list but has the same problem, note that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened Engineering Analysis EA25004 in March 2025 covering a broader group. That investigation covers roughly 2.2 million vehicles across model years 2015–2025 of the Honda Pilot, Odyssey, Passport, and Ridgeline plus the Acura TLX and MDX, and was based on 1,348 failure reports including four crashes and two injuries as of its opening. Honda has not issued a formal recall. Its existing response is two January 2023 technical service bulletins prescribing a software update first, and if that fails, replacement of the starter assembly and starter relays plus a valve adjustment, covered under a 10-year unlimited-mileage warranty extension.⁴

Other Active Honda Class Actions

Several other cases against Honda are moving through the courts. None has produced a claim form to file yet, but if you own one of these vehicles you may end up in the class.

Collision Mitigation Braking System

Cadena et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Case No. CV 18-4007-MWF) alleges that the Collision Mitigation Braking System in 2017–2019 Honda CR-Vs and 2018–2020 Honda Accords misidentifies objects and applies hard braking when no collision is imminent. The class was certified on July 2, 2024, covering purchasers in California, Florida, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, New Jersey, Arizona, and Iowa. Honda denies the allegations. No liability finding, settlement, or class benefits have been reached; the exclusion deadline passed on January 27, 2025.⁵

1.5-Liter Turbo Oil Dilution

A class action alleges that Honda’s 1.5-liter turbocharged engine lets fuel seep into the crankcase and dilute the motor oil, affecting 2019–2023 CR-Vs, 2019–2022 Civics, and 2018–2022 Accords. Filed in the Northern District of Illinois in October 2022, it was transferred to the District of Minnesota in January 2023 for consolidation. The case is in active litigation and discovery, with no settlement or trial date announced.⁶

Honda Prologue Front Axle

Custer et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., filed March 2, 2026, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Case No. 2:26-cv-01330-KSM), alleges that 2024–2026 Honda Prologue EVs have defective front drive axles that produce clicking, clinking, or ratcheting sounds during turns and low-speed driving. Plaintiffs allege Honda knew of the problem before launch and has been replacing axles with equally defective parts. Some dealership staff reportedly told owners the issue is “known” but no repair is available.⁷ The case is in its early stages.⁸

White and Pearl Paint Defect

Clemmens et al. v. American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Case No. 2:24-cv-09728) alleges that certain white and pearl paint finishes on 2013-and-newer Honda and Acura vehicles peel, bubble, delaminate, or flake. The affected finishes include White Diamond Pearl on the Acura MDX, Honda Odyssey, and Honda Pilot; Taffeta White on the Odyssey and Pilot; and White Orchid Pearl and Bellanova White on the Honda Fit and HR-V. An earlier version of the case was dismissed in 2025 as merely cosmetic and has been refiled. In the current version, the court accepted that failing paint could affect structural integrity and rejected Honda’s statute-of-limitations defense, ruling that the clock starts when an owner first notices the deterioration rather than at purchase.⁹¹⁰

Honda Settlements That Are Already Closed

Three consumer settlements have concluded and are no longer accepting claims. If you owned one of the affected vehicles, the window has passed.

Infotainment System (Odyssey, Pilot, Passport)

Conti v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Case No. 2:19-cv-02160) addressed freezing, boot failures, and mid-use glitches in the infotainment systems of 2018–2019 Honda Odysseys, 2019 Honda Pilots, and 2019 Honda Passports, roughly 450,000 vehicles.¹¹ Judge Cormac J. Carney of the Central District of California granted final approval on January 4, 2022, to a settlement valued at more than $33 million. It provided an additional 24 months or 24,000 miles of warranty coverage for infotainment components, reimbursement for expenses like rental cars and battery recharging, and up to two years of free HondaLink Security Service or one year of SiriusXM Select on eligible trims.¹² The claim deadline was March 5, 2022, and the settlement is now closed.¹³

Acura HandsFreeLink Bluetooth

Aberin et al v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Case No. 16-cv-04384-JST) alleged that the HandsFreeLink Bluetooth system in 2004–2008 Acura TL, 2005–2008 Acura MDX, and 2007–2009 Acura RDX vehicles failed to shut down properly and drained the battery.¹⁴ The class was limited to owners in California, Kansas, New York, and Washington who bought the vehicle before it reached 10 years or 120,000 miles.¹⁵ Judge Jon S. Tigar of the Northern District of California granted final approval in 2025, with Honda reimbursing class members up to $500 for out-of-pocket expenses. Class counsel received $8.56 million in fees, reduced from a $10.9 million request.¹⁶

VTC Actuator

Quackenbush et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (No. 3:20-cv-05599-WHA), alleging defective variable timing control actuators, went to a jury trial with a split result. The Illinois “repair class” won, with each member awarded $544; the California purchaser class lost; and the Illinois “new and used purchaser class” was dismissed at summary judgment because using repair costs to compute their damages would have been a windfall for most members. On May 30, 2025, the Ninth Circuit upheld the trial court across the board, including the $544 award and $1,207,072.88 in plaintiff’s counsel fees.¹⁷

1
Settlement-Claims.com. In Re Honda Idle Stop Litigation
2
Settlement-Claims.com. In Re Honda Idle Stop Litigation – Frequently Asked Questions
3
Settlement-Claims.com. In Re Honda Idle Stop Litigation – Claim Form
4
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Engineering Analysis EA25004 – Auto Idle Stop No Restart
5
Honda CMBS Class Action. Cadena v. Honda Long-Form Notice
6
Fegan Scott. Honda Oil Dilution
7
Carscoops. Honda Prologue Axle Noise Lawsuit
8
ClassAction.org. 2024-2026 Honda Prologue Vehicles Equipped With Defective Axles, Class Action Alleges
9
Carscoops. Honda White Paint Lawsuit
10
ClassAction.org. Certain 2013-Present Honda Acura Vehicles Outfitted With Defective White Paint, Lawsuit Says
11
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. Honda Infotainment Issue Class Action Lawsuit
12
Gibbs Law Group. Honda Odyssey, Pilot, and Passport Defective Infotainment System
13
Top Class Actions. Honda Infotainment Issues Class Action Settlement
14
Bloomberg Law. Honda Class Settlement Approved in Defective Bluetooth Lawsuit
15
HandsFree Litigation. Aberin Et Al v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
16
Law360. Acura Drivers Attys Get $8.5M in Bluetooth Device Settlement
17
CarComplaints.com. Honda VTC Actuator Noise Lawsuit Verdict