DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
Letter 160 – From Concerned 2020 Honda CR-V Owner
Dear Suzanne,
I own a 2020 Honda CR-V that I purchased brand-new in 2021. I’ve only had it for two years now but it feels like I’ve had it forever.
This is because the car has had issues since the moment I bought it. Let me take you on a trip down memory lane.
On the day I bought it I made the payment, signed the paperwork, and was ready to leave with the car.
But as I started out of the dealership and tried to accelerate, we noticed that the car would barely move.
I asked them why and they said something about the tires being unresponsive and that they’d have to replace all the tires.
That didn’t make sense to me, but it was almost time for them to close and they said I’d have to return the following day to pick it up.
Since I had no choice, I agreed to come the next day. In retrospect, maybe I should have taken that as a warning and gone for another vehicle.
The following day when I returned, it was as if they had changed everything in the car. Nothing was as it should be in a brand new CR-V.
Even the tires that they claimed to replace with brand new ones did not look new.
As luck would have it, I was eventually proven right as I had to replace all four tires not even a year later.
Even though I wasn’t 100% happy, I was ready to have my car, so in the end I took my car and began driving it around.
From Tires to Transmission
Fast forward to about a year later when I began having issues with the transmission, or so it said on the dashboard.
When I reported this to the dealership, they said they’d have to keep it for a while so they could check it out.
They later called me to let me know that the transmission needed replacement and that would take them a month to complete.
I went a full month without my car, but they gave me a rental car to use even though it wasn’t what I needed.
What I needed was something about the same size as my car or close to it that had enough cargo space.
I needed the cargo space because my son plays sports and we use the car to transport all his gear.
Sometimes, we have to fold up the back seats of the CR-V to allow for more equipment to fit in.
With the rental, it became an issue because all his gear couldn’t fit into the car.
We had to borrow a car from a friend or pay for another vehicle that could accommodate his sports gear.
Feeling the Heat From A Defective Drivetrain
Eventually, a month passed by and we got the car back along with the repair report.
It was when I read through the report that I realized how severe the transmission issue was and how the car could have blown up at any moment.
In the report, they mentioned how the wiring had completely burnt up and if it had come in contact with any fluid, the car would have lit up.
They also said there was metal and debris in the transmission fluid which was causing other issues.
Now, when I open the hood, there are still some char residues from the burnt transmission parts.
It shows that the dealership didn’t do a very good job of cleaning up the car when they finished replacing the transmission.
I’m concerned that with the new transmission I could still encounter the same problems I had with the previous one.
I don’t want to be liable for anything that’s not my fault especially if the problem is still there after the warranty expires.
Besides the fact that they had to replace the transmission on a fairly new car, this transmission problem caused my car battery to die.
They said I would have to get a replacement battery which I had to pay for out of pocket.
In my opinion, I shouldn’t have paid for anything since the dead battery was a result of the faulty transmission.
My fear now is that I have only added 45,000 miles and am facing issues of a car seemingly at the end of its life.
What happens when the warranty is over and I have no choice but to pay for each repair?
I’m not prepared to pay for the problems this car has had. Is there anything I can do?
Concerned 2020 Honda CR-V Owner
Your 2020 Honda CR-V Acts Older Than It Is
Dear Concerned,
You mentioned your vehicle seems like a car near the end of its life, and that’s not too far from the truth. Defects that wear on your engine and transmission’s parts basically speed up the wear and tear experienced by your car.
It’s no different than it wears over time except faster, and as one part wears out, other parts connected to it will follow suit.
It looks like your vehicle does qualify for a lemon law case considering it was at the dealership for over a month, when they replaced the transmission.
Something big like replacing the transmission that early implies bad news in the long run.
Not Uncommon With GMC
Unfortunately, GMC vehicles are known for their issues with the transmission.
There are a lot of cases where the transmission of these vehicles has been replaced to no avail.
Often, even after replacing the transmission, some of these vehicles have the same problem.
This further confirms that it’s an issue on the part of the manufacturers who built a defective vehicle.
Regardless of the number of visits you have right now, your attorney can take up your case because it’s a transmission problem.
Transmission problems tend to come up at intervals so there’s almost a 100% certainty that you would still take your car in for another repair.
That’s why it’s important to get things started before your warranty expires, because as you said, once it expires, you begin to pay for the repairs on your own.
For your vehicle, the warranty is split into two, basic and powertrain. The basic warranty covers anything bumper-to-bumper like electrical issues, brakes, and power steering, and it lasts for 3 years or 36,000 miles.
As for the powertrain warranty, it is for both engine and transmission issues, and it lasts for 5 years or 60,000 miles.
As of now, the only warranty still active is the powertrain which covers your transmission repairs.
Read more about the Honda Lemon Law buyback settlement option, how it works, eligibility criteria, affected models, common defects, and case examples.
Settlement Options
Regarding the lemon law and the options you have under it, you first need to be sure that you qualify.
You need at least two visits to the dealership for the same issue or three visits to the dealership for different issues.
If your car was at the dealership for a month, like in your case, you also qualify. So for you, the options available include:
The Buyback Option
The buyback option is where the automakers pay back everything you ever spent on your car and you return the vehicle to them.
Your refund includes your down payment, monthly payments, your taxes, and also any interest accrued. Also, if you took out a loan on the car, the automakers pay that off for you so your credit won’t be affected.
With this option, the manufacturers have the right to something called the mileage offset.
This is where the automakers charge you for the period you drove the car without any issues.
They usually base this on the mileage you were at when you first took your car in for repairs.
Regardless of this, your attorney can always argue to waive this mileage offset either in full or half.
This is because the manufacturers sold you a defective vehicle and the main aim is to get back as much money as possible.
The Cash And Keep Offer
The second option, called the cash and keep, is quite straightforward as well.
It involves the manufacturers giving you cash compensation for the issues you experienced with the car while you drove it.
With this, they allow you to keep the car as well as the remaining warranty left on it. In addition, you also are able to sell the car at a later date without having to deem it a lemon to the next owner.
Lemon Law Tips
With the lemon law in California, you enjoy certain benefits besides the ones mentioned above.
The law in this state makes it possible for you to pursue a lemon lawsuit without paying a dime to your attorney.
This is because all such cases taken in California are done on a no win-no fee basis. You won’t have to worry about paying legal bills, the manufacturers do that for you.
This means the entire original settlement goes over to you.
If you encounter new issues before your case is complete, do take it into the dealership. Every repair order strengthens your case and can increase your potential settlement.
Make sure to verify everything written on the repair order is accurate including the reason for the visit.
If you still need any more information regarding this, feel free to reach out to your attorney.
I hope you’re able to get out of your lemon and into a reliable ride. Best of luck!
Suzanne
Featured image: 2020 Honda CR-V by ©Bull-Doser (Public Domain)
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