— A Honda class action lawsuit questions the reliability of the 1.5-liter turbo i-VTEC gasoline direct injection engines in California.
The lawsuit alleges turbo engine coolant collects in the grooves on the engine’s cylinder head and destroys the head gasket, allowing coolant to leak into the cylinders.
The Honda class action lawsuit includes:
"All current and former owners or lessees of a Class Vehicle that was purchased or leased in California."
Those class vehicles include these models equipped with 1.5L turbocharged i-VTEC engines:
- 2018-2022 Honda Accord
- 2016-2022 Honda Civic
- 2017-2022 Honda CR-V
According to the turbo engine class action lawsuit, the defect is caused by the "design and/or manufacturing of the engine block and cylinder head, including use of an inadequate head gasket or other sealing compounds or characteristics on the cylinder head."
As seen in the photo, the design includes grooves at the point where the engine’s cylinder head attaches to the engine block.
The Honda i-VTEC engines are high compression, and the class action alleges the turbo engines cannot manage the heat and compression.
Leaking coolant prevents proper cooling of the Honda i-VTEC engine and can cause turbo engine failures and fires. The lawsuit also alleges the i-VTEC engine can lose power and misfire when coolant leaks into the pistons.
The Honda class action was filed by California plaintiff Chris Bissell who owns a 2018 Honda Accord which he says isn't safe. The 1.5-liter i-VTEC head gasket allegedly failed when the car had about 87,000 miles on it.
Although an independent mechanic replaced the head gasket in March 2024, the plaintiff says his Honda Accord still has problems and he contends he "is continuously exposed to an increased risk of severe injury or death."
Bissell filed the California class action lawsuit for more than $5 million.
As repeated in every automotive class action lawsuit:
"Had Plaintiff and Class Members known what Honda knew about the Engine Defect, they would not have purchased their Class Vehicles, or certainly would have paid less to do so."
The Honda 1.5-liter turbo i-VTEC engine class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California: Chris Bissell v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Blood Hurst & O'Reardon, LLP, and Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.