— A Honda tie rod class action lawsuit has been dismissed after the judge found the allegations didn't hold up.
The Honda tie rod recall lawsuit wasn't filed until after a July 2023 recall for about 124,000 of these vehicles:
- 2020-2021 Honda Civic
- 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline
- 2021-2023 Honda Passport
- 2021-2022 Honda Pilot
- 2020 Acura MDX
The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and master cylinder could loosen and cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly. Honda said about 1% of the recalled vehicles may be affected.
South Carolina Honda Civic owner Shavonne Geddis-Wright filed the class action lawsuit by alleging the free recall will take her time and effort.
Geddis-Wright admits the tie rod fastener recall includes a free fix and repair, but she complains the repair “will cost . . . hours of her time” and “does not offer any foreseeable guarantee that the [b]rake [d]efect will go away permanently.”
The plaintiff contends:
- Honda doesn't know what is wrong with her vehicle
- The free recall repair may take 30 minutes
- The highway she will take to the dealer may be dangerous
- She will have to pay $4.75 per mile for towing
- She must wait for a tow truck to arrive
- The recall is an "ineffective waste of time" and there really is no fix for the problem
- Her Honda Civic is now devalued
- Even if the recall repair does repair her vehicle, the problem will eventually return
- Because of the recall, she overpaid for her dangerous vehicle which has lost resale value
Honda's Response to the Tie Rod Recall Lawsuit
Honda told the judge the plaintiff's claims are "speculative and implausible" and the plaintiff filed a nearly identical class action lawsuit in California then quickly dismissed it.
According to Honda, the plaintiff complains she would need to pay $285 for her vehicle to be towed to a dealership, yet this is less than the $405 fee she paid to file the tie rod fastener class action lawsuit, for more than $5 million.
However, the Honda recall never advised vehicle owners not to drive their recalled vehicles, therefore there is no need to tow anything.
The automaker also argues Geddis-Wright doesn't claim her Honda Civic had any tie rod or brake problems, and she doesn't claim she ever took her Civic to a dealership for recall repairs. However, Geddis-Wright still asserts the recall repair is useless.
Honda told the judge the plaintiff wants the judge to "deal in hypotheticals" considering she complains the recall repairs won't work as intended even though her vehicle has never had any brake problems.
Honda says the class action lawsuit should not be in court because Geddis-Wright hasn't "availed herself of the remedies provided under the recall."
Honda Tie Rod Recall Lawsuit Dismissed
Judge Mary Geiger Lewis found Geddis-Wright never claimed she experienced a problem with her tie rods or braking system, and "it remains unclear whether Geddis-Wright’s vehicle is defective, as she evidently refuses to commute to the dealership for an inspection."
"It is evident from the complaint and briefing Geddis-Wright has neglected to avail herself of the recall program." — Judge Lewis
The judge also notes how only 1% of the recalled vehicles may be defective.
"Following the reasoning established by other courts, the Court determines these allegations are unable to overcome the speculative nature of Geddis-Wright’s injuries." — Judge Lewis
The Honda tie rod recall class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina (Orangeburg Division): Shavonne Geddis-Wright v. American Honda Motor Company, Inc.
The plaintiff is represented by Poulin | Willey | Anastopoulo.