My 2022 Honda HR-V Is Tanking My Uber Rating

DEAR SUZANNE

By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 70 – November 2022 | Disheartened

Dear Suzanne, 

I’m an Uber driver so that means I spend a lot of time driving around. As such, I don’t have the luxury of driving a defective vehicle because it poses a threat to both my passenger(s) and me. However, my car seems not to understand the assignment as it is always one trouble or another. As a result of these recurring car troubles, my passengers no longer feel safe sitting in my car and consequently, give me a poor rating, practically a death sentence as an Uber driver. 

My car is a 2022 Honda H-RV that was purchased brand new solely for the purpose of Uber driving. For a car that was purchased less than four months ago, I have had more than enough problems with it. The main problem is the dashboard lights keep illuminating for no obvious reason. 

On one particular day, I was driving a client to his destination and everything seemed to be going smoothly until it wasn’t anymore. We had almost reached his destination when suddenly the dashboard lit up and every warning light possible was on including the check engine light and tire lights. I tried to explain to the client that nothing was actually wrong, but he didn’t want to hear. Eventually, he gave me two stars and walked the rest of the way. 

This is just one of many scenarios where customers have angrily rated me low because my car is not alright. It is even more disheartening because I purchased the vehicle not so long ago so there should be no reason for any of these problems. Now, I don’t feel comfortable or safe anytime I drive my car; it is always one fear or the other and the car just doesn’t feel the same anymore. This is just compounded by the fact that I’m responsible for other people’s safety when driving them around.

After that incident, on my way to the dealer, the car began jerking so badly to the point I thought it was gonna turn off on its own. I eventually took it in and the Honda dealership had it for about 3 days. At the end of the three days, their diagnosis was that the fuse was faulty and so they fixed it. I then took my car and left hoping that would be the last of it. Lol!

A month later, the same thing happened and the dashboard lights illuminated once again for no reason. The car also kept jerking about three times and I thought it was going to give up on me. I had to drive it through the side streets to the dealer so the car wouldn’t cause a nuisance on the main road. It constantly did this so much that the engine shut down by itself twice while I was driving there. 

When this happened, I was far from home so I was unable to take the car to my regular dealer. Thus, I had to take it to the dealer in the neighborhood I was in and this time, my car stayed at that dealership for like a week. They diagnosed that the problem was a faulty wiring system from the point of building the vehicle. 

I haven’t really had any problems since I got my car back but then, it is still too early to say since I just got it back on Tuesday. The issue now is that I only bought my car a couple of months ago and I already feel unsafe in it. I can only imagine how much worse it could get further down the line. And for someone who hates having car troubles, this is just too much for me. 

 
Disheartened

 
Watch: Your Ultimate Resource: Understanding the Honda Lemon Law Buyback Process

 

You Shouldn’t Be Having These Much Car Problems

Dear Disheartened,

First things first, you are eligible for a lemon law case because you already have two visits to the dealership for the same issues within your warranty. The thing about lemon law is that to qualify, you need at least two repair orders for the same issue or three repair orders for different problems, all within your warranty. 

This is the basic description in the state of California that proves that you own a lemon and like I said initially, you already meet this criterion. Also, if your car has been at the dealership for repairs for more than a month, you are eligible. 

Now, basically, when you file a lemon law case, you’re submitting a lawsuit against the manufacturers because they are the ones responsible for selling you a lemon vehicle. So far, in just three months, you have two visits so you definitely do qualify. 

When submitting a lemon law case, your attorney can help you with any of three options depending on the one of your choosing. The first is the buyback offer which involves the manufacturers buying back the vehicle from you and they pay you back whatever amount you have spent on the car. 

It involves your down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and interests. It also accommodates any loan taken on the car which would be paid off by the automakers to the finance company so it won’t affect your credit negatively. 

The only pushback the automakers have free access to is the mileage offset. This implies the miles you drove the vehicle without any issues but it should not be a problem. Although you are unable to remember your mileage, it can’t be much considering you recently purchased the vehicle and so there isn’t much to worry about. 

However, your attorney would fight off this mileage offset to ensure the automakers do not keep anything while also trying to get additional compensation for selling you a defective vehicle. This means that not only would you be getting what you paid for the vehicle, but you would also be getting additional money for the inconveniences you endured. Find out more about the Honda Lemon Law buyback process from this page.

The second option is the cash and keep where you do not discard the vehicle. Rather, the automakers tell you not to go on to sue them and so they give you cash compensation based on the number of times you’ve taken it in, the issues the car has had, and how long it stayed at the dealership. Here, you are keeping the vehicle and its warranty, and if you decide to sell the car in the future, you can do so without deeming it a lemon to the next owner. 

Your third option is trading your car for another one with the same miles and the same value as yours. However, it is not so recommendable because you are getting a used vehicle and you run the risk of getting another lemon vehicle. 

Now, because you purchased your car in California, submitting a lemon law case is completely free for you. Your attorney will get paid by the manufacturers, meaning Honda Motors will be paying off your attorney. 

Furthermore, since the process for all this takes up to 6 to 9 months, if any more problems come up, you can take your car to the dealership for repairs. This is because the more visits you have, the more proof of the vehicle’s defect, and the more money in your pocket. It also gives you ample time to discover how defective your car is and also helps you to decide on the option you are interested in.

Suzanne

Free Legal Advice About Your 2022 Honda HR-V Lemon Law Claim

Dear reader, are your vehicle problems ruining your life? Confused about what legal route to take? We’re here to help! Find information about California’s lemon law protections here, fill out the form on this page, or give us a call at (323) 553-7525 to discuss your situation with someone who understands how frustrating it can be to have a lemon car, and what to do about it.

DEAR SUZANNE is a weekly column written by Suzanne Henderson and published in LemonLawyers.ORG. If you have a defective lemon vehicle and have questions about California Lemon Law or how to file a claim in California, please write to [email protected]. While not guaranteed, we will try to feature your letter in this column to provide you the answers you need, as well as enlighten other consumers who may have lemon problems similar to yours.

Disclaimer: Suzanne Henderson is not a lawyer and the points discussed here are intended for general information and reference purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a California Lemon Lawyer to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.

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Featured Image:

• 2022 Honda HR-V ©Ozaneee (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)