— A Honda Ridgeline tailgate class action lawsuit alleges 2017-2019 trucks have defective wiring harnesses that cause failures of safety components, including the backup cameras.
The three Ridgeline owners who filed the Honda class action lawsuit complain truck occupants are put at risk, as are other consumers and surrounding property.
The Honda Ridgeline is equipped with a two-way tailgate that can open the standard way, vertically, but can also open horizontally as it swings open.
There is a tailgate wiring harness that has several separate wires used to transmit data and power to the backup camera. But the plaintiffs claim defects exist in the wiring insulators, strain reliefs and the metal conductors inside these wires which are prone to break.
The alleged premature failure of the wiring causes short circuits which then cause the backup camera to fail or only work part of the time.
The Honda Ridgeline class action alleges that when the tailgate is opened horizontally the tailgate pinches the wiring harness at the location of the tailgate pivot and causes the wiring coating and the internal wiring to wear.
The plaintiffs allege the wiring and coating can't withstand the wear caused by opening and closing the swinging tailgate.
The 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline tailgate problems are something the automaker allegedly knows about because dealerships have been issued technical service bulletins (TSBs). Additionally, Honda allegedly knew the tailgate wiring harnesses had problems even before the trucks were sold.
Honda dealers allegedly tell Ridgeline owners that tailgate complaints are common and replacement tailgate wiring harnesses are backordered. And because Honda allegedly refuses to issue a Honda Ridgeline tailgate recall, truck owners are stuck paying for repairs.
The class action lawsuit also alleges dealers have been told Honda is collecting Ridgeline affected parts for investigations. But the automaker has allegedly done nothing for Ridgeline customers.
The Honda Ridgeline class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: MacTavish, et al., vs. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by Ahdoot & Wolfson, PC, and Barnow and Associates, P.C.