No one wants an unreliable vehicle, and some brands, like Honda, are known for their dependability. In fact, Honda was named one of the top five most reliable car brands for 2020 by Consumer Reports.

Unfortunately for Accord and CR-V owners, not every Honda is trouble-free. These two models have had enough problems with their batteries that a class action lawsuit has been filed. Here are the details.

The Honda battery issue and affected models

Some Honda owners have found that their vehicles’ batteries aren’t strong enough to power their electrical systems, effectively disabling their Accord and CR-V models, CarComplaints.com reports. Because the electrical system is affected, the battery problems cause safety feature failures, including headlights, hazard lights, and door locks. Owners have been locked out of their vehicles when the battery died while their doors were locked.

To rectify the problem, owners have needed emergency roadside assistance, professional diagnosis, and battery replacement. Because the battery drains while the car is not in motion, the issue is less dangerous than others. However, it’s still serious because the problem often renders the vehicle inoperable.

The Honda Accord and CR-V are both experiencing battery issues. The batteries are too small to power the vehicles and have a “parasitic” draw, the class action lawsuit claims. The models affected include the 2017 to 2019 Accord and CR-V.

Details of the class action lawsuit

Two Honda owners filed the class action. One purchased a 2017 Accord Sport in September 2017. Its battery drained in three years, by the time the car had about 44,000 miles on it. The owner had the car jump-started, and a mechanic replaced the alternator. The battery drained again 11 days later. This time, a Honda dealership told the mechanic to work on the powertrain control module (PCM). The owner ended up paying $1,335 for the towing plus the battery and PCM replacement.

The lawsuit alleges Honda has known about the battery problems in Accord and CR-V models since at least 2017. The automaker allegedly told service managers and advisers it was looking to collect any batteries from 2016 and 2017 Honda Accord models that had a “no-start condition.”

By 2018 and 2019, Honda allegedly also began collecting batteries from 2018 and 2019 Accord models, 2017 and 2018 CR-V models, and 2016 through 2018 Pilot Touring/Elite trims. The lawsuit claims that, despite collecting batteries, Honda wasn’t transparent about battery drain issues. Though some batteries were replaced while the vehicles were under warranty, the new batteries were still the same size and still not powerful enough to properly power the Accord or CR-V.

The lawsuit also alleges Honda hasn’t alerted owners to the battery problems even after receiving multiple reports of drained batteries.

What to do if your vehicle is affected

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California as Mastrangelo et al. vs. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., et al., CarComplaints.com reports. Migliaccio & Rathod LLP, Levin Sedran & Berman, and Baird Law Firm are representing the plaintiffs.

If you think your 2017 to 2019 Honda Accord or CR-V might be affected, contact Migliaccio & Rathod LLP through the firm’s online questionnaire. You may also email info@classlawdc.com or call 202-470-3520.

Losing the electrical functions in your vehicle can be frustrating, inconvenient, or scary. But this lawsuit can help certain Honda Accord and CR-V owners with the problem.