Honda is well known for being a manufacturer of reliable, long-lasting vehicles. This isn’t to say that there haven’t been instances where Honda has made mistakes in the past. Most remember the barrage of automatic transmission failures from various Honda models in the 2000s. Recently, Honda has been under fire for a safety-related issue. If you own a 2022-2023 Honda Civic, keep reading, and we’ll provide all the details you need to decide whether or not you should join the class action suit. 

Dangerous electric power steering issue in 2022-2023 Honda Civic

The steering issue, as of yet, is not related to any mechanical components. The primary cause of the issue is allegedly the electric power steering. Unlike cars of old that used hydraulic power steering, most modern vehicles utilize an electric motor for your steering assist.

In the 2022-2023 Honda Civic, this has resulted in occasional difficulty when turning the wheel. The issue typically occurs at highway speeds, says Motor1. When driving, drivers reported the steering wheel becoming very difficult to turn and binding or jerking when making minor corrections. Many drivers reported needing a lot of force to jerk the wheel back after it sticks.

When making adjustments at cruising speeds, the steering wheel is said to be most difficult to turn away from the 12 o’clock position. Though no one has been injured at this time, there is serious concern that this issue could cause steering overcorrection resulting in a crash. 

The details of the 2022-2023 Honda Civic class action suit  

Thus far, there have been 142 complaints of the “sticky steering wheel” submitted to the NHTSA. These issues have caused a class action lawsuit to be filed by three plaintiffs. Greenstone Law APC, and Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP represent these individuals.

According to Car Complaints, one of the plaintiffs went to Honda after this caused a near collision with another vehicle. Unfortunately, an alignment and tire balancing did not solve the issue. The lawsuit has alleged that Honda was aware of the steering issue as far back as 2016 but did not take action. Still, it seems no Honda dealership has been able to diagnose the problem or provide replacement parts.

The plaintiffs alleged that the Civics with the steering issue have lost value and that Honda should replace the defective parts and provide an extended warranty on steering components for all owners affected by the defect. Car Complaints also reports that the plaintiffs have asked Honda to disgorge their profits from affected vehicles and stop selling or leasing them until they have addressed the issue.

Many of the 142 complaints find common ground. The mileage on these vehicles is very low. In fact, many owners claimed the issue was present on cars with less than 10,000 miles on the clock. Most of the incidents occurred while the vehicle was traveling at least 35-40 mph.

Interestingly, many owners reported driving for 15-20 minutes before the steering started to act up. Perhaps most important is the distinction between this issue and Lane Keep Assist. Honda’s lane sensing can make the steering feel a bit weird and fight you if you get too close to a lane line, but many owners claim LKAS was turned off when the “sticky wheel” defect made its presence known. Owners and Civic11forum users want to be clear: LKAS isn’t the problem here. 

How to join the class action suit?

According to Car Complaints, the plaintiffs filed the class action lawsuit for the Honda Civic sticky steering wheel problem in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The suit’s name is Burgos, et al., v. American Honda Motor Company, Inc. The plaintiffs are represented by Greenstone Law APC, whom you can reach at (310) 201-9156, and Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, whom you can contact at  (310) 201-9150.