Honda Hybrid Owners? CA Woman Wins Suit Alleging Misrepresentation of Mileage

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

For Honda Hybrid owners, it's not old news that many believe Honda has misled them about the extraordinary mileage claims. Whereas the company insists that these vehicles can reach 50 MPG in "real world driving", many owners are finding they only get around 30-32 MPG on average, and never anywhere near the 50 being claimed.

One CA woman fought back. She opted out of Honda's current class action settlement offering $100-200 per person and $1,000 off towards the purchase of another Honda, sued the manufacturer, and found herself on the winning end of a Small Claims case totalling almost $10,000.

Read more about it here: California woman's small claims victory resonates - Yahoo! News

 

[wrongsometimes]

I looked at that vehicle .. I think the MPG was 45 MPG.

Anyway, Honda even has an expert witness to no avail.

I think she had a sympathetic judge .. Honda is appealing from what I heard.

 

[racer72]

Yes, Honda is appealing and will likely win. Like the McDonald's hot coffee case, everyone will quote the original court decision, not the follow up court cases.

 

[wrongsometimes]

Yes, Honda is appealing and will likely win. Like the McDonald's hot coffee case, everyone will quote the original court decision, not the follow up court cases.

What ended up with the hot mcdonalds case? In the end.

I think Honda is stupid for the appeal -- just more publicity.

But it does highlight how class action suits are bogus.

 

[ecmst12]

Try google. There is a TON of information about the Mcdonalds case.

 

[wrongsometimes]

Try google. There is a TON of information about the Mcdonalds case.

thanks for the non-information

 

[justalayman]

What ended up with the hot mcdonalds case? In the end.

I think Honda is stupid for the appeal -- just more publicity.

But it does highlight how class action suits are bogus.

the settlement between McD's and Stella Liebeck is a confidential matter with few people aware of the actual agreement. There is most likely a non-disclosure agreement in place for both sides.

Here is some information that makes the case look more reasonable than the often incorrectly stated "facts" that everybody thinks is the truth:


The Actual Facts about the Mcdonalds' Coffee Case


as to Honda's appeal: why is it stupid? They may very well win in a superior court. As to bad publicity: they already have it, they don't care.

 

[Willlyjo]

Yes, Honda is appealing and will likely win. Like the McDonald's hot coffee case, everyone will quote the original court decision, not the follow up court cases.

IMO, Honda will not win an appeal based on the fact that you will not find a Honda Hybred in the world that will give you 50 mpg on the freeway! The Plaintiff in this case merticulously (sp?) tested the feasibility of Honda's assertion and such tests showed Honda was wrong.

 

[justalayman]

IMO, Honda will not win an appeal based on the fact that you will not find a Honda Hybred in the world that will give you 50 mpg on the freeway! The Plaintiff in this case merticulously (sp?) tested the feasibility of Honda's assertion and such tests showed Honda was wrong.

actually, Honda wasn't wrong. The mileage they published is what the EPA provided to them through their testing. The EPA's method was flawed so in reality, people should be suing the EPA, not Honda.

 

[Willlyjo]

actually, Honda wasn't wrong. The mileage they published is what the EPA provided to them through their testing. The EPA's method was flawed so in reality, people should be suing the EPA, not Honda.

Honda was wrong and was rightfully sued. They adopted EPA's flawed method of testing as their own when they advertised 50 mpg. That is the reality.

 

[wrongsometimes]

Honda was wrong and was rightfully sued. They adopted EPA's flawed method of testing as their own when they advertised 50 mpg. That is the reality.

I would guess that Honda's expert testified to this. But I keep close tabs on my mileages (and I have had 2 hybrid cars - 1 Honda/1-Toyota) and the MPG is almost always dead on to the sticker (I am not a hot-rodder but not an ultra-milager either).


Does not matter, all gas or hybrid car. The EPA method is OK IMO. Now all electric cars??? Not enough experience...+ its temperature dependent & EPA methods do not get that detailed.

Honda must have made up the numbers .. the regular Civic got 33 MPG, hybrid claimed 45 MPG. It is too much a gain from my understanding of the technology.

 

[justalayman]

Honda must have made up the numbers .. the regular Civic got 33 MPG, hybrid claimed 45 MPG. It is too much a gain from my understanding of the technology.

No, they didn't. If they had stated a number higher than the EPA provided and the vehicle did not meet the mileage, then there is fraud. In this situation, the EPA did provide the numbers. They have since redesigned their test methods to more accurately reflect real world mileage.

 

[justalayman]

Honda was wrong and was rightfully sued. They adopted EPA's flawed method of testing as their own when they advertised 50 mpg. That is the reality.

Oh, so it is wrong to accept the governments determination and use it in your advertisement?

 

[wrongsometimes]

No, they didn't. If they had stated a number higher than the EPA provided and the vehicle did not meet the mileage, then there is fraud. In this situation, the EPA did provide the numbers. They have since redesigned their test methods to more accurately reflect real world mileage.

I think that the issue for the plaintiff was that the MPG went down after the batteries started getting older...so a fresh, new battery was OK...

 

[justalayman]

I think that the issue for the plaintiff was that the MPG went down after the batteries started getting older...so a fresh, new battery was OK...

then her claim had no merit.

actually, Honda reprogrammed the car to cause the battery to last longer. When they did that, the mileage went down. Her claim is for the time prior to the reprogramming.