Class Action Lawsuit Claims Certain Honda, Acura Vehicles Coated With Defective White Paint

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that Honda has failed to disclose a defect in the white paint used on certain Honda and Acura vehicle models that can cause the finish to bubble, peel, chip and delaminate under normal conditions.

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The 126-page complaint contends that Honda has deceptively marketed affected Honda and Acura vehicles as durable, high-quality, and value-retaining despite knowing that several white paint formulations were prone to premature failure.

According to the lawsuit, the defect affects certain 2013-present white-painted Honda and Acura vehicles, including Acura MDX, Honda Civic, Honda CR-V, Honda Fit, Honda HR-V, Honda Odyssey and Honda Pilot models with the following paint codes:

• White Diamond Pearl (NH-603P);
• Taffeta White (NH-578);
• White Orchid Pearl/Bellanova White (NH-788P); and
• Platinum White Pearl (NH-883P).

The lawsuit claims that the paint issues stem from a “systemic defect” in the paint itself, the application process, and/or the manufacturing process. The alleged defect is not caused by any geographical or environmental factors and instead manifests during ordinary vehicle use, the suit says.

Related Reading: Certain 2013-Present Honda, Acura Vehicles Outfitted with Defective White Paint, Lawsuit Says

Although other cars have only two coats, the vast majority of the Honda and Acura vehicles at issue are painted with a three-stage or tri-coat technique consisting of a base coat, a pearl or metallic mid-point, and a clear coat, the suit relays. The filing states that this process requires “meticulous precision” and that even minor inconsistencies in materials or manufacturing can result in long-term issues.

Should the defect occur, the complaint alleges, the paint of an affected vehicle may experience bubbling, chipping, peeling or delamination, diminishing the car’s appearance and resale value. The suit further claims that because automotive paint is not just cosmetic and serves as a protective barrier, paint failure can expose vehicle components to rust, corrosion, and other environmental damage.

The lawsuit contends that the likelihood of three-stage paint to peel or delaminate is well understood by automakers, thereby necessitating industry-standard protocols to help manufacturers and suppliers communicate and improve production designs. The case claims that Honda knew or should have known of the alleged defect through pre-sale testing, industry standards governing paint durability, complaints, and dealership reports.

The complaint also points to a Canadian class action lawsuit, Daunais v. Honda Canada Inc., which resulted in an up to $27 million settlement in 2022, as further evidence that Honda had apparently been aware of white-paint-related issues.

“Despite its various sources of pre-sale knowledge of the Paint Defect, Honda and its authorized dealers marketed the Class Vehicles to Plaintiffs for premium prices based on purported durability, high value, and ability to retain value even though it knew that the Paint Defect would severely impact those attributes for the Class Vehicles during their reasonably expected life,” the filing asserts.

The Honda white paint class action lawsuit looks to represent all individuals or entities that purchased or leased a class vehicle in California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington or Wisconsin.

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