CR-V And Accord Owners Lose Eight-Year Phantom Braking Case Against Honda

Honda has come out on top in a US trial centered on alleged phantom braking issues in the CR-V and Accord models. Had the verdict gone the other way, the automaker could have faced a substantial payout to plaintiffs and owners of affected vehicles, potentially running into the millions.

The case itself dragged on for more than eight years. It began in mid-2018, when Honda was first sued over claims that several driver assistance features, including Collision Mitigation Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Lane Keeping Assist, and Road Departure Mitigation, could trigger unexpected braking events.

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Initially, the lawsuit affected only 2017 Honda CR-V models, but as the years passed, several other class action lawsuits were filed alleging issues with other models. Ultimately, these class actions were consolidated into a single suit, and the scope of the investigation was narrowed down to the Collision Mitigation Braking Systems of the 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2020 Honda Accord.

In court, Honda acknowledged that the system is not flawless, but argued that imperfection alone does not amount to a legal defect. The company maintained that the technology still plays a meaningful role in reducing rear-end collisions, and pointed out that owner’s manuals for both models clearly outline the system’s limitations.

The jury ultimately decided in favor of Honda, according to CarComplaints. In a statement, American Honda said it “is committed to the safety and satisfaction of our customers, and we applaud the jury’s decision. During the trial, clear evidence was presented that the allegations in this lawsuit did not reflect the common real-world performance of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) in Honda vehicles, and this result is consistent with those facts.”