It started with a single electric SUV and a very frustrated owner. Then, it turned into a legal battle that basically put the entire relationship between car makers and their local showrooms on trial. If you’ve heard rumblings that an Acura dealer sues Honda, you might be wondering if this is just about one bad car or something much bigger.
The short answer? It’s both.
While individual cases like the infamous "bricked" ZDX made the headlines, there’s a massive, multi-state legal war brewing over how you will buy cars in the future. On one side, you have the traditional dealers who have invested millions in glass-walled showrooms. On the other, you have Honda trying to pivot toward a tech-heavy, direct-to-consumer future with partners like Sony.
The Nightmare 400-Mile ZDX
Let’s talk about the case that sounds like a horror story for any new car buyer. Criswell Acura, a dealership in Maryland, recently filed a lawsuit against American Honda Motor Co. because of a 2024 Acura ZDX that basically became a $70,000 paperweight.
The SUV was sold to a customer who barely got 400 miles out of it before the battery pack gave up the ghost. Now, in a normal world, the manufacturer fixes the car, the customer is happy, and everyone moves on. But according to the lawsuit, this was anything but normal.
Even after a full battery replacement, the car wouldn't work. Sensors failed. Error codes lit up the dash like a Christmas tree. The dealer claims Honda basically "ignored" their requests for technical help. For eight months, that SUV sat in the shop, undriveable and unsellable. Criswell eventually had to take the car back, pay off the customer, and eat the loss.
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This isn't just a "lemon" story. It’s a breach of contract story. The dealer is arguing that Honda failed its legal obligation to support the products it forces dealers to sell. Honestly, it’s a terrifying look at what happens when the tech in a car gets too complex for the support system behind it.
The Afeela Conflict: Why California Dealers are Fuming
While the ZDX case is about a specific "broken" car, there is a much larger lawsuit happening in California that could change the car industry forever. The California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) is leading the charge here.
They aren't just suing over a mechanical defect. They are suing because Honda and Sony created a new brand called Afeela.
Here is the gist of the drama:
- The Direct Model: Honda wants to sell Afeela EVs directly to you online, bypassing the dealership.
- The Investment: Dealers in California (all 161 of them) have spent decades building the Honda and Acura brands. They’ve built the service bays and hired the techs.
- The Law: California has a "franchise system." Basically, if you are an automaker, you can't just start a "side brand" to compete with the people who already sell your cars.
Brian Maas, the president of the CNCDA, hasn't held back. He called the Afeela project a "direct attack" on loyal partners. The dealers argue that by cutting them out, Honda is stripping away your right to local service and transparent pricing.
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Honda, of course, sees it differently. They think Afeela is a "software-defined vehicle" that needs a different sales approach. They argue it’s a separate venture (Sony Honda Mobility) and shouldn't be bound by old-school Honda rules.
The ZDX Was Just the Beginning
It’s kinda ironic. The Acura ZDX was supposed to be the "foundation" for Acura's electric future. Instead, it was discontinued just as production was supposed to ramp up for the 2026 model year.
Why? Because the market cooled off and, frankly, the partnership with GM (who built the ZDX on their Ultium platform) didn't deliver the "Honda-ness" fans expected. When you combine low sales with high repair costs and lawsuits from your own dealers, you get a project that gets axed pretty quickly.
Why the Courts Care
This isn't just about wealthy dealership owners being "bitter." These lawsuits matter to you for a few reasons:
- Warranty Support: If a dealer sues Honda because they can't get support to fix a car, what does that mean for you? If you buy a complex EV and the manufacturer "ignores" the dealer's tech line, your car sits in the shop for months.
- Price Transparency: Dealers argue that direct sales lead to "take it or leave it" pricing with no local accountability.
- Service Access: If you buy an Afeela online, who fixes it? Honda says they’ll use independent shops and some of their own tech, but dealers say that’s a recipe for disaster.
Misconceptions About the Lawsuit
A lot of people think the "Acura dealer sues Honda" headline is just about the Afeela EV or just about the ZDX. It’s actually a combination of several legal headaches.
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There have also been massive class-action settlements recently involving Honda's "Idle Stop" feature and infotainment systems. In those cases, it was the consumers suing Honda, but the dealers were caught in the middle, trying to fix cars with parts that didn't exist or software that didn't work.
What This Means for You Right Now
If you are in the market for a Honda or an Acura—especially an EV—you need to be a savvy buyer. The tension between the manufacturer and the showroom is at an all-time high.
- Check the Lemon Laws: In states like Maryland (where the ZDX suit originated), lemon laws are your best friend. If a car is in the shop for more than 30 days, you might be entitled to a full refund.
- Ask About Afeela: If you're eyeing that $90,000 Sony-Honda collab, ask the local dealer if they will service it. Most likely, the answer is "we don't know yet," which should be a red flag.
- Look at the RSX: Acura is pivoting to the RSX (a crossover built in Ohio) to replace the ZDX. Because it's being built "in-house" rather than by GM, the hope is that the support for dealers will be much better.
Actionable Next Steps
If you own an Acura EV or are worried about these legal battles, here is what you should actually do:
- Document everything. If your car has a recurring issue, keep every single repair order. The Criswell Acura lawsuit succeeded in the court of public opinion because they had a paper trail of being "ignored" for eight months.
- Check for Open Recalls. Use your VIN on the NHTSA website. Many of these lawsuits stem from issues that eventually become recalls, like the recent turbocharged engine coolant leaks affecting 2016-2022 models.
- Talk to your Service Manager. Not the salesperson—the service manager. Ask them how the support from the "Tech Line" has been lately. They are the ones who actually deal with the fallout when a dealer sues Honda.
The car industry is changing. Fast. These lawsuits are just the growing pains of a world where cars are becoming computers on wheels. Whether the traditional dealer survives or the direct-to-consumer model wins out will likely be decided in a Los Angeles or Illinois courtroom over the next year.
Keep an eye on the California New Car Dealers Association v. Sony Honda Mobility case. That’s the one that will ultimately decide how you buy your next car.
Next Step for You: Check your vehicle's VIN against the recent Honda/Acura "Idle Stop" and "Turbocharged Engine" class action settlements to see if you are eligible for a payout or extended warranty coverage.