Honda Faces Lawsuit Thanks To Critter Friendly Wiring Harnesses

Honda’s use of a soy-based wiring has caused many Honda owners to form a class-action lawsuit against the company due to mice and other rodents chewing through wiring harnesses. 

If you told a Honda exec. that a measly mouse would be the cause of so much headache for the car company but it looks like rodents may have won the day. According to NBC News on their report on the issue earlier Tuesday, it looks like Honda’s environmental initiative to use earth-friendly soy based wiring may have backfired. According to more than one owner affected by this issue, their cars have been rendered useless thanks to a soy-based wiring that rodents can’t seem to stop eating through.

According to more than one owner affected by this issue, their cars have been rendered useless thanks to a soy-based wiring that rodents can’t seem to stop eating through.

The defective automotive class action lawsuit was filed earlier this January by three plaintiffs who’ve all gone through similar nightmares.  One of the plaintiffs is a Honda dealership owner and has photo proof of a rabbit happily gnawing away at one of their wiring harnesses.

Although this is clearly Honda’s fault, Honda refused to foot the bill for numerous claims.

One owner suffered more than $2500 in repairs to his Honda but thankfully his insurance took the blow for the majority of the bill despite having to pay his $500 deductible.

"Wife and I just purchased a 2013 Honda CRV on October 12, 2015 and the first day driving the vehicle home, the wife reported car changing gear on Automatic Transmission is rough at any speed when letting off accelerator. She reported this to dealership managers during 3 different service visits and they all claimed it was due to CVT transmission normal handling, which we now find out 2013 CRV does not have CVT transmission. 5 weeks into ownership, vehicle now doesn’t start or refuses to go above 3,000 rpm. Dealer diagnosed rodent damage to wiring harness, not covered by certified or extended warranty. Honda America confirms this and Honda district manager refuses to take on case."

Honda does sell a pepper-based wiring tape, that when applied around wiring, deters most vermin from returning to a vehicle they’ve previously been wreaking havoc upon.

According to the class action lawsuit,

"The very notion that Honda dealers are stocking and selling ‘mouse deterrent tape’ … is an acknowledgement of the defective nature of this soy-based insulated wiring material for its intended use,”"

Unlike some recalls where a minor defect can be repaired in short-order or a simple software patch applied, a wiring harness defect can cost Honda thousands of dollars per case.

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Regardless, the right thing to do is to either recall all Honda’s affected and apply the necessary remedy via pepper tape or a rodent resistant harness or take care of all repairs that come throughout that qualify as defects due to a soy-based case on the wiring harnesses.